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.

Year	Date	Location	Guest of Honour
1895			Thomas F. Bayard, United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom
...
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 pupil)
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
1921			Prof A J Grant, MA, D Litt, professor of history and English, University of Leeds (former BGS pupil)
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 pupil)
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 B Simpson (third time - former BGS pupil)
1931			Very Rev Robert A Mitchell, MA, Dean of Lincoln
1932			Instructor-Capt Thomas Slator, RN, CB (former BGS pupil)
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 pupil)
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
1943			Lt Cdr John Cracroft-Amcotts, RN, DSC, JP
1944	March 1945		Ald Tom Kitwood, JP, chairman of the Governors
1945	December 1945		Arthur Hill, BA, former second master at BGS
1946			Canon A M Cook, MA, Sub-Dean of Lincoln
1947			Prof Joseph L Burchnall, professor of mathematics, Durham University (former BGS pupil)
1948			Donald Portway, TD, MA, Master of St Catherine's College, Cambridge
1949			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			Group Capt Rev Francis W Cocks, RAF, chaplain to Bomber and Fighter Commands
1954			Brigadier N D Rice (former BGS pupil)
1955			B L Hallward, MA, Vice-Chancellor, University of Nottingham
...
1959			General Sir Francis W Festing, GCB, KBE, DSO, Chief of the Imperial General Staff
1960			Sir Stanley Rous, CBE, JP, secretary, Football Association
1961			Canon A M Cook, Vicar of St Botolph's, Boston
...
1965			Group Captain Leonard Cheshire VC, DSO, DFC
...
1972	1 November		G V Cooke, Chief Education Officer for Lincolnshire County Council, and Mrs Cooke
1974			Canon P E Paine, JP, Mayor of Boston and Chairman of the Governors
1975			E Miller, Master of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
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		The Centenary Methodist Church	RT Revd R O Goodchild, MA, Bishop of Kensington
1978		The Centenary Methodist Church	Professor P A Young, MA, Ph D, FIMM, MAus.IMM, M Can.IMM, C Eng, professor of mining and mineral sciences University of Leeds (former BGS pupil)
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 Rowland, head of BBC open University Production Centre
1981		The Centenary Methodist Church	J Kerr, OStJ, QPM, CBIM, Chief Constable of Lincolnshire
1982	March 1983	The Centenary Methodist Church	L 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
1985
...
2012	21 December	The Centenary Methodist Church	John Cridland CBE, Director General of the CBI (former BGS pupil)
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 pupil)