Speech Day
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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 | ||
| ... | |||
| 1900 | Rt Rev Edward King, Bishop of Lincoln | ||
| ... | |||
| 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 Basil 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 | ||
| 1956 | Rt Rev Kenneth Riches, DD, Bishop of Lincoln | ||
| 1957 | E M W Tillyard, OBE, Litt D, FRSL, FBA, Master of Jesus College, Cambridge | ||
| 1958 | Charles H Wilson, MA, LLD, Vice-Chancellor of Leicester University | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 pupil) | ||
| 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 | Canon Peter 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 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 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 "Bob" Rowland, 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 | ||
| ... | |||
| 1990 | Trevor Brooking, former England international footballer, manager, pundit and football administrator | ||
| ... | |||
| 1991 | Helen Sharman, cosmonaut and her father John D Sharman (former BGS pupil) | ||
| 1992 | Capt (later Brig) Mark W "Bill" Dunham, Royal Marines (former BGS pupil) | ||
| 1993 | Barry Spikings, Hollywood producer (former BGS pupil) | ||
| ... | |||
| 2003 | Mark Simmonds, MP | ||
| ... | |||
| 2007 | Keith Alexander, director of football at Bury FC and former Lincoln City and Peterborough United manager (father of former BGS pupils) | ||
| 2008 | Rev Canon Robin Whitehead, Vicar of St Botolph's, Boston | ||
| ... | |||
| 2011 | The Centenary Methodist Church | Peter Sharman, President of the Old Bostonian Association (former BGS pupil) | |
| 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) |