Speech Day
Speech Day, more recently called Prize Giving, 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 |
---|---|---|---|
1857 | June | Pishey Thompson, Historian (former BGS student) | |
... | |||
1895 | Thomas F. Bayard, United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom | ||
... | |||
1900 | 2 August | Rt Rev Edward King, Bishop of Lincoln; prizes distributed by Rev Ernest Stewart Roberts, senior Tutor of Gonville and Caius College | |
... | |||
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 | 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 | ||
1919 | A Cooke Yarborough, Mayor of Boston | ||
1920 | Rev B G Nicholas, MA, Vicar of Spalding[1] | ||
1921 | Prof A J Grant, MA, D Litt, professor of history and English, University of Leeds (former BGS student) | ||
1922 | R Cary Gibson, MA, headmaster King Edward's School, Birmingham | ||
1923 | 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 | A K Turner, Mayor of Boston | ||
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 | Harry Almond Saville Wortley, JP, MA, Principal of University College, Nottingham | ||
1938 | Walter Swain, CIE, formerly Inspector-General of Police, Province of Bihar and Orissa (former BGS student) | ||
1939 | Ven Kenneth C H Warner, DSO, MA, Archdeacon of Lincoln | ||
1940 | H W (later Sir Herbert) Butcher, Holland-with-Boston MP | ||
1941 | Rt Rev Algernon A Markham, Bishop of Grantham | ||
1942 | Judge T W Langman, OBE [2] | ||
1943 | Lt Cdr John Cracroft-Amcotts, RN, DSC, JP | ||
1944 | 15 March 1945 | Ald Tom Kitwood, JP, chairman of the Governors | |
1945 | December | Arthur Hill, BA, former second master at BGS | |
1946 | Canon A M Cook, MA, Sub-Dean of Lincoln[3] | ||
1947 | Prof Joseph L Burchnall, professor of mathematics, Durham University (former BGS student) | ||
1948 | Donald Portway, TD, MA, Master of St Catherine's College, Cambridge | ||
1949 | 16 December | Canon T H Cashmole, vice-president Rotary International GBI | |
1950 | James Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby (Lord Willoughby de Ereseby), HM Lieutenant of Lincolnshire | ||
1951 | Group Capt G Augustus Walker, CBE, DSO, DFC, ADC | ||
1952 | Prof J Alfred Steers, MA, professor of geography, University of Cambridge | ||
1953 | 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 | The New Theatre (to be confirmed) | B L Hallward, MA, Vice-Chancellor, University of Nottingham | |
1956 | 4 December | Rt Rev Kenneth Riches, DD, Bishop of Lincoln | |
1957 | 3 December | 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 | Canon A M Cook, Vicar of St Botolph's, Boston (second time) | ||
1962 | Sir Herbert Butcher, Bt, MP (second time) | ||
1963 | 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 R 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 | Rt Rev Ian Ramsey, DD, Bishop of Durham | ||
1972 | 1 November | George V Cook, 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 | 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 | The Centenary Methodist Church | Lieut Col J M Dymoke, MBE, Queen's Champion and High Sheriff of Lincolnshire | |
1980 | The Centenary Methodist Church | R M D "Bob" Rowland[4], head of BBC Open University Production Centre | |
1981 | 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 | Mrs Jean Parker, B Comm, Chairman Lincolnshire Joint Development Committee, Lincs CBI group[5] | ||
... | |||
1989 | Trevor Brooking, former England international footballer, manager, pundit and football administrator | ||
... | |||
1991 | Helen Sharman, cosmonaut and her father John D Sharman (former BGS student) | ||
1992 | Capt (later Brig) Mark W "Bill" Dunham, Royal Marines (former BGS student) | ||
1993 | December | Barry Spikings, Hollywood producer (former BGS student) | |
1994 | The Centenary Methodist Church | Helen Sharman, cosmonaut and her father John D Sharman (former BGS student) (second time) | |
... | |||
1998 | 15 December | The Centenary Methodist Church | Right Reverend Alastair Redfern (Bishop of Grantham) |
1999 | Barry Spikings, Hollywood producer (second time - former BGS student) | ||
... | |||
2003 | Mark Simmonds, MP for Boston and Skegness | ||
... | |||
2007 | Keith Alexander, director of football at Bury FC and former Lincoln City and Peterborough United manager (father of former BGS students) | ||
2008 | Rev Canon Robin Whitehead, Vicar of St Botolph's, Boston[6] | ||
... | |||
2011 | 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[7] |
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) |
References
- ↑ In The Papers - The Argus (Melbourne, Australia), 10 April 1937
- ↑ Wearing the Trousers: Fashion, Freedom and the Rise of the Modern Woman - Don Chapman, Published 2017
- ↑ Boston Preservation Trust - Lincolnshire County Council
- ↑ Robert Rowland obituary - The Guardian 12 December 2017
- ↑ New Smaller Firms Chief - The Times, 5 February 1985
- ↑ Vicar prepares for emotional farewell from Boston - Boston Standard, 19 April 2013
- ↑ Hart to Hart as Joe's dad unveils Madame Tussauds waxwork of City and England stopper - Manchester Evening News, 27 May 2016