Old Bostonian Association Annual Dinner
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The Old Bostonian Association Annual Dinner is the flagship event each year for the Association. It has been held in a variety of locations.
Along with the meal itself, the programme typically includes the following:
- Toast to The Monarch - by the President of the Old Bostonian Association.
- Toast to The School - by the Guest of Honour.
- Reply from The School - by a representative of Boston Grammar School, often the Head Teacher.
- The School Song.
| Year | Date | Location | Guest of Honour | Representative of The School |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 20 April | Anderton's Hotel, Fleet Street | William White, Headmaster and OBA President | |
| 1900 | 02 August (luncheon) | Boston Guildhall | Prof A J Grant, former pupil, and professor of History at Yorkshire College, Leeds | William White, Headmaster and OBA President |
| 1901 | 01 August | Peacock and Royal Hotel | George S W Jebb, former pupil, and president of the Cambridge Union in 1883 | William White, Headmaster and OBA President |
| ... | ||||
| 1910 | 28 July | White Hart Hotel | George S W Jebb, former pupil, and Mayor of Boston | William White, Headmaster |
| ... | ||||
| 1914-1921 | Old Bostonian Club inactive during and immediately after the First World War | |||
| 1922 | No dinner | |||
| 1923 | No dinner | |||
| 1924 | 8 or 15 February | White Hart Hotel | W I Cooke | Herbert Morris, Headmaster |
| 1925 | January | White Hart Hotel | C H Adcock | Herbert Morris, Headmaster |
| 1926 | February | Scala Cafe | Arthur Day | Herbert Morris, Headmaster |
| 1927 | January | Scala Cafe | Joseph Langley Burchnall, Parry Gold Medallist 1908 | Herbert Morris, Headmaster |
| 1928 | February | White Hart Hotel | Captain W G West, MBE, TD. | Herbert Morris, Headmaster |
| 1929 | February | White Hart Hotel | Councillor Edward Arthur Bailey, Mayor of Boston and BGS alumnus | Herbert Morris, Headmaster |
| 1930 | February | White Hart Hotel | W C Burnett, former pupil. Started at BGS circa 1890. Retirement tributes and a presentation were made to Arthur Hill. |
Herbert Morris, Headmaster |
| 1931 | February | White Hart Hotel | Councillor Albert Charles Rysdale | Herbert Morris, Headmaster |
| 1932 | March | White Hart Hotel | Sam Marjason | Herbert Morris, Headmaster |
| 1933 | March | White Hart Hotel | Councillor Albert Charles Rysdale | Herbert Morris, Headmaster |
| 1934 | March | White Hart Hotel | Joseph Langley Burchnall, Parry Gold Medallist 1908 | Herbert Morris, Headmaster |
| 1935 | March | White Hart Hotel | E K Abraham | Herbert Morris, Headmaster |
| 1936 | March | White Hart Hotel | W H Mason | Herbert Morris, Headmaster |
| 1937 | 19 March | White Hart Hotel | Arthur Watson Grocock | Herbert Morris, Headmaster |
| 1938 | 31 March | White Hart Hotel | Joseph Langley Burchnall, Parry Gold Medallist 1908 | Herbert Morris, Headmaster |
| 1939 | 17 February | White Hart Hotel | Councillor Edward Arthur Bailey | Herbert Morris, Headmaster |
| 1940 | - | - | No annual dinner held, due to World War II. A significant proportion of OBA members served in HM Forces | |
| 1941 | - | - | No annual dinner held, due to World War II. | |
| 1942 | - | - | No annual dinner held, due to World War II. | |
| 1943 | - | - | No annual dinner held, due to World War II. | |
| 1944 | - | - | No annual dinner held, due to World War II. | |
| 1945 | - | - | No annual dinner held, due to World War II. | |
| 1946 | April | - | Roy Tryner | - |
| 1947 | April | Assembly Rooms | William Lawson Alexander | Leslie Thomas Waddams |
| ... | ||||
| 1949 | March | White Hart Hotel | Roy Tryner | Leslie Thomas Waddams |
| ... | ||||
| 1951 | March | White Hart Hotel | W H Mason | Leslie Thomas Waddams |
| ... | ||||
| 1953 | March | Peacock and Royal Hotel | E V Abraham | Leslie Thomas Waddams |
| 1954 | March | Peacock and Royal Hotel | Alec E Davis | Leslie Thomas Waddams |
| 1955 | March | Peacock and Royal Hotel | William Lawson Alexander | William John Ricketts |
| ... | ||||
| 1957 | April | Peacock and Royal Hotel | John Lewis Dickson, Parry Gold Medallist 1942 | William John Ricketts |
| 1958 | March | Peacock and Royal Hotel | Frank T Ryan | William John Ricketts |
| ... | ||||
| 1960 | Joseph Langley Burchnall, Parry Gold Medallist 1908 | |||
| ... | ||||
| 1966 | 18th February | Boston Grammar School, Assembly Hall | T W Royal | William John Ricketts, Head Teacher |
| ... | ||||
| 1968 | April | Boston Grammar School, Assembly Hall | Major Brian J Halliday, former OBA Secretary | William John Ricketts, Head Teacher |
| 1969 | Stanley James Paton Abbott, former Head Boy | William John Ricketts, Head Teacher | ||
| ... | ||||
| 1972 | Boston Grammar School, Library | Ray Tinkler, international soccer referee | ||
| ... | ||||
| 1976 | 15 October | Canon F P Sargeant | ||
| 1977 | 28 October | Boston Grammar School, Library | Jack Sydney Sheppard, CBE, Parry Gold Medallist 1932 | PF Johnston, Head Teacher |
| ... | ||||
| 1980 | 29 March | Boston Grammar School, Library | ||
| 1981 | 11 April | Boston Grammar School Library | ||
| 1982 | 3 April | Peter Jordan, Managing Director of Norprint | ||
| 1983 | 26 March | Roy Ashton LLB, Barrister and Recorder, working in the Northampton and Oxford Areas | Arthur Shrimpton, Head Teacher | |
| 1984 | 14 April | Boston Grammar School, Assembly Hall | Dr David B Sattelle, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Unit of Invertebrate Chemistry and Physiology, University of Cambridge | |
| ... | ||||
| 1992 | 23 March | Boston Grammar School | Nigel Hudson, former British Council representative in Addis Ababa | |
| 1993 | Richard Cammack | |||
| ... | ||||
| 1995 | Philip M Walmsley MA, MLitt, Parry Gold Medallist 1943 | John E Neal, Head Teacher | ||
| 1996 | 30 March | |||
| 1997 | Planned 22 March but cancelled | |||
| 1998 | Boston Grammar School, Dining Hall | Bob Allan who served in the Arctic Convoys | John E Neal, Head Teacher | |
| 1999 | 27 March | Boston Grammar School, Dining Hall | Peter Luff MA Cantab, MOD retired | John E Neal, Head Teacher |
| 2000 | 15 April | Boston Grammar School, Dining Hall | Barry Spikings, Hollywood Producer | John E Neal, Head Teacher |
| 2001 | 7 April | Boston Grammar School, Dining Hall | George Danby, Farmer and Mayor of Boston | John E Neal, Head Teacher |
| 2002 | 23 March | Boston Grammar School, Dining Hall | Colonel Mark (Bill) Dunham Royal Marines | John E Neal, Head Teacher |
| 2003 | 12 April | Boston Grammar School, Dining Hall | Revd Dick Westland, retired priest, Church of England | John E Neal, Head Teacher |
| 2004 | 3 April | Boston Grammar School, Dining Hall | Alan Kemp | John E Neal, Head Teacher |
| 2005 | 28 March | Boston Grammar School, Dining Hall | Peter Lawson | John E Neal, Head Teacher |
| 2006 | 8 April | Boston Grammar School, Dining Hall | The Venerable Terry Gibson, former Archdeacon of Ipswich | John E Neal, Head Teacher |
| 2007 | 31 March | Boston Grammar School, Dining Hall | Professor P A Young, MA, Ph D, FIMM, MAus.IMM, M Can.IMM, C Eng, professor of mining and mineral sciences University of Leeds | Nigel Wainwright, Boston Grammar School staff |
| 2008 | 15 March | Boston and County Club | Geoff Brooks, BT retired | Helen McEvoy, Head Teacher |
| 2009 | 16 May | Boston and County Club | Will Wearden, former President of the Cambridge Union | Helen McEvoy, Head Teacher |
| 2010 | 17 April | Boston and County Club | Philip Priestley, former British High Comissioner to Belize | Nigel Wainwright, Boston Grammar School staff |
| 2011 | 9 April | Boston and County Club | John Cridland CBE, Director General of the CBI and The Rt Revd Frank Sargeant, Assistant Bishop, Diocese of Manchester | Nigel Wainwright, Boston Grammar School staff |
| 2012 | 31 March | Boston and County Club | Edward Hackford, Parry Gold Medallist 1957 | Nigel Wainwright, Boston Grammar School staff |
| 2013 | 20 April | Boston and County Club | Nick Fitton, former Boston Grammar School staff | Stephen Woodliffe, Deputy Chairman of Boston Grammar School Governors |
| 2014 | 22 March | Boston and County Club | Richard O Smith, writer | Ellis Potter, Head of School |
| 2015 | 28 March | Boston Grammar School, Assembly Hall | Richard Anderson, former Boston Grammar School staff | John McHenry, Head Teacher |
| 2016 | 19 March | Boston and County Club | Brig Mark (Bill) Dunham CBE | John McHenry, Head Teacher |
| 2017 | 25 March | Boston and County Club | Daryl Upsall FInstF | John McHenry, Head Teacher |
| 2018 | 24 March | Boston and County Club | Danny Butterfield | - |
| 2019 | 23 March | Boston and County Club | Mark Watson, "Man of Mischief" - Magician, Juggler, Actor, Comic | John McHenry, Head Teacher |
| 2020 | 21 March | - | Cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic | - |
| 2021 | 16 October | - | Cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic | - |
| 2022 | 26 March | Boston and County Club | Chris Blakey | John Lyon, Head of Sixth Form |
| 2023 | 25 March | Jakemans Stadium | Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam | John McHenry, Head Teacher |
| 2024 | 23 March | Jakemans Stadium | Brian Bolland in conversation with Harry Parkhill | John McHenry, Head Teacher |