Speech Day

Speech Day (called 'Prize Giving' since the early 1990s), is a ceremony held each year for the presentation of prizes to students for work and sporting achievements from the preceding academic year.

A sample programme is as follows. In recent years more music has been added to this basic programme.

• The Chairman of the Governors' report
• The Headmaster's report
• The School Song
• Distribution of prizes
• Guest of Honour's speech
• Vote of thanks from the Head of School
• National Anthem

Until the early years of the 20th century, school prizes were almost invariably presented by either the chairman of the trustees or the mayor of Boston, a notable exception being 1895, when the guest of honour was the American Ambassador. However, with the arrival of James William Dyson as headmaster, Speech Days began to assume their present pattern, with a distinguished visitor making the presentations each year.

In 1974 it was agreed that the ceremony would be held in two sessions, one in the afternoon for the second and third years, the other in the evening for the remainder of the school. This solved the seating difficulty in the school assembly hall, but required a double attendance by the guest speaker and staff. That year's speaker, Canon Peter E Paine, was, in fact, present both as chairman of governors and mayor of Boston. Two years after this, however, twenty-eight members of staff wrote asking the foundation governors to reconsider their decision again to hold the function at the school. Their suggestion that the venue should be changed to the Centenary Methodist Church (with its far greater seating capacity) was agreed.

Year	Date	Location	Guest of Honour
1802	24 June	The Town-Hall (i.e. Boston Guildhall)
...
1857	June		Pishey Thompson, Historian (former BGS student)
...
1859	23 June
...
1883	26 July (half-yearly event)		Rev James Porter, DD (master of St Peter's College, and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge)
...
1885
...
1887			John Cabourn Simonds, Mayor of Boston
...
1895			Thomas F. Bayard, United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom
1896			William Garfit, MP for Boston
1897	July		William Turner Simonds, Mayor of Boston
1898			William Turner Simonds, Mayor of Boston (second time)
...
1900	2 August		Rt Rev Edward King, Bishop of Lincoln; prizes distributed by Rev Ernest Stewart Roberts, senior Tutor of Gonville and Caius College
1901	1 August
1902			Robert William Staniland, Boston town clerk
...
1909	29 July	Big School	George S W Jebb, Mayor of Boston (former BGS student)
1910	28 July	Big School	George S W Jebb, Mayor of Boston (former BGS student)
...
1913			Dr Edward L Hicks, Bishop of Lincoln
1914			Henry Hebb Sills, MA, tutor of King's Cambridge, a BGS governor
1915			J W (later Sir John) Gleed, MA, JP, chairman of Holland County Council's Higher Education sub-committee
1916	18 December		Rev J Basil Simpson, MA (former BGS student)
1917			Dr Thomas Charles Fry, Dean of Lincoln, former headmaster of Oundle and Berkhampstead Schools
1918		No Speech Day	Postponed because of the Spanish flu pandemic
1919	April		A Cooke Yarborough, Mayor of Boston
1920			Rev B G Nicholas, MA, Vicar of Spalding
1921	15 December		Prof Arthur James Grant, MA, D Litt, professor of history and English, University of Leeds (former BGS student)
1922	14 December		R Cary Gibson, MA, headmaster King Edward's School, Birmingham
1923	20 December		J W Gleed (second time)
1924			Ven Ernest M Blackie, MA, Archdeacon of Stow
1925			Rt Rev J Basil Simpson, MA, DD, Bishop in Kobe (second time - former BGS student)
1926	13 May		A K Turner, Mayor of Boston and his wife
1927			Prof Frank S Granger, D Litt, MA, Vice-Principal of University College, Nottingham
1928			Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby
1929			Charles Pelham, Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire
1930			Rt Rev J Basil Simpson (third time - former BGS student)
1931			Very Rev Robert A Mitchell, MA, Dean of Lincoln
1932			Instructor-Capt Thomas Slator, RN, CB (former BGS student)
1933			Arthur E Morgan, MA, Principal of University College, Hull
1934			Rt Rev William S Swayne, Bishop of Lincoln
1935			J W (later Sir James) Blindell, Holland-with-Boston MP
1936			Rt Rev Arthur I Greaves, Bishop of Grantham
1937	23 November		Harry Almond Saville Wortley, JP, MA, Principal of University College, Nottingham
1938	4 October		Walter Swain, CIE, formerly Inspector-General of Police, Province of Bihar and Orissa (former BGS student and Parry Medallist)
1939	15 December	Big School	Ven Kenneth C H Warner, DSO, MA, Archdeacon of Lincoln
1940	9 December	Big School	Lieutenant H W (later Sir Herbert) Butcher RNVR, Holland-with-Boston MP
1941	12 December	Big School	Rt Rev Algernon A Markham, Bishop of Grantham
1942	26 November	Big School	Judge T W Langman, OBE
1943			Lt Cdr John Cracroft-Amcotts, RN, DSC, JP
1944	15 March 1945		Ald Tom Kitwood, JP, chairman of the Governors
1945	18 December	Big School	Arthur Hill, BA, former second master at BGS
1946	3 December	Regal cinema	Canon A M Cook, MA, Sub-Dean of Lincoln
1947		Regal cinema	Prof Joseph L Burchnall, professor of mathematics, Durham University (former BGS student)
1948		Regal cinema	Donald Portway, TD, MA, Master of St Catherine's College, Cambridge
1949	16 December	Regal cinema	Canon T H Cashmore, vice-president Rotary International GBI
1950		Regal cinema	James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (Lord Willoughby de Ereseby), HM Lieutenant of Lincolnshire
1951		Regal cinema	Group Capt G Augustus Walker, CBE, DSO, DFC, ADC
1952	16 December	Regal cinema	Prof J Alfred Steers, MA, professor of geography, University of Cambridge
1953	18 December	The New Theatre	Group Capt Rev Francis W Cocks, RAF, chaplain to Bomber and Fighter Commands
1954		The New Theatre	Brigadier N D Rice (former BGS student)
1955	16 December	The New Theatre	B L Hallward, MA, Vice-Chancellor, University of Nottingham
1956	4 December	The New Theatre	Rt Rev Kenneth Riches, DD, Bishop of Lincoln
1957	3 December	The New Theatre	Charles H Wilson, MA, LLD, Vice-Chancellor of Leicester University
1958		Boston Grammar School Assembly Hall (opened that year)	E M W Tillyard, OBE, Litt D, FRSL, FBA, Master of Jesus College, Cambridge
1959	11 December		General Sir Francis W Festing, GCB, KBE, DSO, Chief of the Imperial General Staff
1960	8 December		Sir Stanley Rous, CBE, JP, secretary of the Football Association
1961	30 November	Boston Grammar School Assembly Hall	Canon A M Cook, Vicar of St Botolph's, Boston (second time)
1962	22 November	Boston Grammar School Assembly Hall	Sir Herbert Butcher, Bt, MP (second time)
1963	28 November	Boston Grammar School Assembly Hall	Sir John Cockroft, OM, FRS, Master of Churchill College, Cambridge
1964			Francis CA Cammaerts, DSO, MA, Principal of Leicester Training college
1965			Group Captain Leonard Cheshire VC, DSO, DFC
1966			Sir Francis Hill, CBE, MA, LL M, Litt D
1967			Prof Norman Haycocks, MA, professor of education, University of Nottingham
1968			Rt Rev Ross S Hook, MC, Bishop of Grantham
1969			Prof Michael Horne, MA, Ph D, Sc D, MICE, AMI Struct E, professor of civil engineering, Manchester University (former BGS student)
1970			Peter G Mason, MBE, MA, High Master of Manchester Grammar School
1971	October		Rt Rev Ian Ramsey, DD, Bishop of Durham
1972	October		George V Cooke, Director of Education for Lindsey County Council (later for Lincolnshire County Council), and Mrs Cooke
1973			Canon Julian P Thornton-Duesbery, MA, formerly Master of St Peter's College, Oxford
1974	13 December	Boston Grammar School Assembly Hall (two sessions)	Canon Peter E Paine, JP, Mayor of Boston and Chairman of the Governors
1975	12 December	Boston Grammar School Assembly Hall (two sessions)	E Miller, Master of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge; prizes distributed by his wife, Mrs F Miller
1976		The Centenary Methodist Church	Professor H R Loyn, MA, D Litt, FSA, professor of mediaeval history, University College, Cardiff, president of The Historical Association
1977	9 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	RT Revd R O Goodchild, MA, Bishop of Kensington
1978	8 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Professor Peter A Young, MA, Ph D, FIMM, MAus.IMM, M Can.IMM, C Eng, professor of mining and mineral sciences University of Leeds (former BGS student)
1979	14 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Lieut Col J M Dymoke, MBE, Queen's Champion and High Sheriff of Lincolnshire
1980	19 September	The Centenary Methodist Church	R M D "Bob" Rowland, head of BBC Open University Production Centre
1981	13 November	The Centenary Methodist Church	James Kerr, OStJ, QPM, CBIM, Chief Constable of Lincolnshire
1982	March 1983	The Centenary Methodist Church	Leonard Marsh, M Ed, Principal Bishop Grossteste College, Lincoln
1983	23 September	The Centenary Methodist Church	Group Captain R D Arnott RAF, Station Commander, RAF Coningsby
1984	5th October	St Botolph's Church	Mrs Jean Parker, B Comm, Chairman Lincolnshire Joint Development Committee, Lincs CBI group
...
1988	16th December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Reg Adcock, President of the Old Bostonian Association
1989			Trevor Brooking, former England international footballer, manager, pundit and football administrator
1990
1991	December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Bill Newton Dunn, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) representing Lincolnshire
1992	December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Capt (later Brig) Mark W "Bill" Dunham, Royal Marines (former BGS student)
1993	December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Barry Spikings, Hollywood producer (former BGS student)
1994	20 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Helen Sharman, cosmonaut and her father John D Sharman (former BGS student)
1995	December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Barry Spikings, Hollywood producer (second time - former BGS student)
1996	19 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Jack Lewis, Baron Lewis of Newnham (Fellow of the Royal Society)
1997	December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Field Marshal Sir Peter Inge, former Chief of the Defence Staff
1998	15 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Right Reverend Alastair Redfern (Bishop of Grantham)
1999		The Centenary Methodist Church	Councillor Alan Day
...
2002	19 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Terry Taylor, Deputy Mayor of Boston, and Nicola Bulbeck, Boston Borough Council chief executive
2003	17 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Mark Simmonds, MP for Boston and Skegness
2004	15 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Revd Dr John Saxbee, Bishop of Lincoln
2005		The Centenary Methodist Church
2006	18 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	M Gallagher, Chief Executive of Boston Borough Council
2007	17 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Keith Alexander, director of football at Bury FC and former Lincoln City and Peterborough United manager (father of former BGS students)
2008	17 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Nigel Fisher, Head of Trading at UNICEF UK
...
2011	16 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Peter Sharman, President of the Old Bostonian Association (former BGS student)
2012	21 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	John Cridland CBE, Director General of the CBI (former BGS student)
2013	20 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Charles Hart, father of Joe Hart, footballer: Manchester City and England
2014	18 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Adam Shergold, On-line sports journalist for The Daily Mail (former BGS student)
2015	17 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Dr Sunita R Deshmukh (former BGS student)
2016	20 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Brigadier Bill Dunham CBE (second time - former BGS student)
2017	19 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Danny Butterfield (former BGS student)
2018	18 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Prof Jonathan Van-Tam MBE, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England (former BGS student)
2019	19 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Mark Watson, comedy magician and juggler "Mark Watson - Man of Mischief" (former BGS student)
2020		No speech day	Postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic
2021		No speech day	Postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic - the guest of honour would have been Flight Lieutenant Jack Bosworth (former BGS student)
2021	31 March 2022	The Centenary Methodist Church	Flight Lieutenant Jack Bosworth (former BGS student)
2022	16 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam (second time - former BGS student)
2023	15 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Fr Ross Brooks SSC, Vicar of St Matthew Willesden (former BGS student)
2024	18 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	Harry Parkhill Broadcast Journalist at BBC (former BGS student)

See Also

• Art Prize
• Brackenbury Memorial Shield
• C L Farrow Bequest
• Neal Robinson Science Award
• Opening of the Quadrangle buildings
• Philip Johnston
• Robert Evelyn Roy
• Scorer Local Knowledge
• Speech Day 1916
• Timeline of BGS history
• William Scorer