There are events… and then there are events to remember.

Last weekend’s Old Honitonians West Country Lunch, held at the beautiful Victoria Hotel in Sidmouth, certainly falls into the latter
category.

With nearly 60 Old Honitonians gathered for the occasion, the atmosphere was filled with warm reunions, shared stories, and plenty of laughter. As two OHs perfectly put it, “we thought it was the most enjoyable West Country lunch we’d been to.” Another attendee captured the spirit of the day by saying, “I caught up with two guys I hadn’t seen in over 50 years, and it was great!”

The lunch itself was delicious, with Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding a 'hit' as usual and a particularly popular pudding was the Sticky Ginger sponge. Compliments were shared across the room!

A huge thank you goes to Duncan and his exceptional team at the Victoria Hotel for their service and hospitality throughout.

Reflections and Remembrance

A true highlight of the afternoon was a rousing and heartfelt address from OH legend Nigel French, who spoke with his typical humour and conviction about the club and his time and antics whilst at Allhallows. His words also honoured the recent VE Day commemorations and paid moving tribute to the OHs who gave their lives for the freedoms
we hold so dearly today. It was a powerful reminder of the strength and values of our community.

Stories, Smiles & A Surprise Twist

The room echoed with the sound of shared anecdotes and easy laughter — a testament to the enduring bonds formed at school and beyond. It was also a moment to recognise those who make
events like this possible. Huge thanks to Nigel French for his inspiring speech, Victoria Berry, for
her organisation, without which the lunch would not have
happened and David Richardson, the Club’s Treasurer, for all of his help with both financial side of the lunch and of course, the Club as a whole!

And then came the twist…

What started as a lovely afternoon lunch carried on well into the night, with several OHs making the most of a stay in Sidmouth. The post-lunch gathering turned into an unofficial “after-show
party” that went on until midnight, just in time to celebrate Nik Milner’s birthday in true OH
style. A very Happy Birthday, Nik – we’re so glad we could raise a glass (or two!) with you.

Finally, there were a number who couldn’t make it on the day, due to illness and other commitments, may we take this opportunity to say we hope you feel better soon and we will see you at another event in the future; a full list of 2025 events here and save the date for the 2026 West Country Lunch- May 9th!

See this and all OH events HERE.

Remembering the Forres Five: A Lasting Tribute in Swanage

Allhallows School shared a long and close connection with Forres School in Swanage. Over many decades, a number of boys made the natural transition from Forres to Allhallows, and the two schools developed strong links through shared values, friendships, and family traditions. Among those who made that journey were some of the boys tragically involved in one of the darkest moments in Forres history.

In 1955, five Forres pupils lost their lives in a devastating incident on the beach at Swanage. What began as a carefree afternoon turned to tragedy when the boys unearthed what they believed to be buried treasure—only to discover it was, in fact, a Second World War land mine. Recent heavy rain and a small landslip had dislodged the mine from the cliffs above, setting the stage for disaster.

The explosion sent shockwaves through the Forres and Swanage communities and far beyond. Five families were left heartbroken, and a generation of school friends, teachers, and local residents were left reeling. The incident became one of national significance and was remembered for decades afterwards.

For many years, the boys were honoured quietly at the Forres School site with a commemorative plaque. But with the original school building no longer in use and its future uncertain, the need for a more permanent and public memorial became clear.

Old Forresian and President of the Old Honitonians Club, Seb Warner (Forres 1988–1993), (Venning 1993-1998) led a remarkable community campaign to create a new tribute. Through dedicated crowdfunding and careful planning, Seb delivered a stunning new memorial overlooking Swanage Bay, now placed alongside the town’s official war memorials.

The project was completed just days before the 70th anniversary of the tragedy. Its timing, location, and significance were deeply moving—not just for those connected to Forres, but for all who value the preservation of memory and the honouring of lives cut short.

Though Forres School is no longer open, its legacy lives on through the lives of its former pupils, many of whom went on to Allhallows and became part of the wider Old Honitonians family. The new memorial is a powerful reminder of the shared history between our schools and of the deep human stories behind them.

We extend our heartfelt thanks and admiration to Seb Warner and all those who supported the project. Swanage needed this.  A truly humbling and lasting tribute.

OH Club President Seb Warner said:

“It was incredibly moving to welcome over 50 Old Forresians, relatives, and friends to Swanage on the 10th of May for the memorial service and unveiling. To come together, almost 70 years on, and honour Robin Ardagh, Richard Birch, David North-Lewis, Jeremy Dennis, and Jason Oliver was truly special. The new memorial overlooking the bay is a lasting tribute to five boys whose lives were cut tragically short—and a reminder that they are never forgotten.”

Recognise anyone?

Over 30 people were at the Ship in Axmouth to celebrate the 90^th birthday of Allhallows legend Derek Blooman.

A rousing Happy Birthday To You was sung to the much-loved master as he arrived at the jolly lunch on the big day, March 24th.

There was a toast and amusing speeches, and among presents for the consummate educator were a signed sports shirt and a gigantic TV.

All those OHs didn't hold back in conversation. Here is the video to see them all nattering at full volume. Very nearly every OH there is in this video . . .

With thanks to OH George Hayter for the video.

We are thrilled to invite you to one of the standout events of the OH calendar — the West Country Lunch at the beautiful The Victoria Hotel, Sidmouth, on Saturday 17th May 2025 at 12:30 p.m.

Last year's lunch was a big hit, and we're excited to already have lots of OHs from the 1950s through the 1990s joining us again this year!

Tickets are £35 per person

To book your spot, email OH Victoria Berry: torberryconsultancy@gmail.com

You can see the menu here - https://app.box.com/s/wwl6qc1ubmmwrk21xmlhaqhabra62hz1 (please let Victoria know your menu choices when booking).

We look forward to another amazing afternoon of great food, good company, and fond memories!

On Monday 24th March, Derek Blooman's Birthday, family and friends gathered at the Ship Inn, Axmouth, to celebrate with Derek.

Nigel French writes:

Derek Bloomans 90th

When James Hilton wrote Goodbye Mr Chips in 1934, just before Derek was born, he could have been forgiven for not knowing that Derek would emulate Mr Chips, and more, in his long tenure and affiliation with Allhallows. It was always difficult to judge what Derek saw as his priorities: his Pupils, the School, Chudleigh House, the Faculty, The OH Club, History or Cricket. In truth, they all were, and his warmth, kindness and professionalism shone on them all equally.

When I started organising his 90^th Birthday party, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of OH’s who recited just how Derek had caused them to fall in love with History to the extent that they now have large libraries of Historical Books published on eras that Derek first exposed to them. One OH also revealed that he is writing his own book on an historical period, to which Derek opened his eyes!

The private dining room at The Ship Inn in Axmouth provided a perfect setting with excellent food and wines. The renditions of Happy Birthday and For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow had undertones of choral practices in the Chapel, in the dungeons of our old school.

Thanks are due to Tor Berry for organising and presenting to Derek a framed Cricket Shirt signed by a number of OH’s.

To David Woollatt for getting all the printed matter co-ordinated and the email addresses of many OH’s and his general help in organising the day.

To those who came, a huge thank you, to those who could not be there but donated towards our gift of a new state of the art 50” TV with Alexa to help Derek find his programmes within the subscriptions we gave him to Sky Sports, Netflix, Amazon Prime, The History Channel and Discovery plus……thank you for your generosity

But most of all thanks to Derek for being himself, doing all that he did for the school, its pupils, The OH club and so much more.

Nigel French. March 24^th 2025

Photographs by David Woollatt and Geroge Hayter.

We recently received these wonderful photographs from John Jerome (Headmaster's House in 1961, Chudleigh 1962 - 66).

John has spent a fantastic 55 years at his family business, Edgar Jerome Aldershot’s oldest traditional gentleman’s outfitter and quality school wear, which recently celebrated an impressive 102 years in the heart of Aldershot.

John shared with us: “Still working in my 55th year at my business. Sun shone on a very happy day.”

Thank you, John, for sharing these with us. We wish you many more successful years ahead.

The OH Club is often called upon to assist with research into the lives of former pupils, and we recently received an interesting inquiry from the Institute of Historical Research. They are researching Cyril Longhurst (11879 - 1948), an OH who played a significant role in organising Captain Scott's first expedition to Antarctica. Cyril was also a key figure in the OH Club, being the President of the Club in the 1920s. Cyril attended Allhallows in Honiton from 1889 to 1896, and the institute is particularly interested in his time at school, what life would have been like for him, and his achievements.

As a Club, we're fortunate to have excellent records that we can reference, helping us continue to uncover and share these valuable historical stories. It's always rewarding to contribute to preserving the history of our former students!

During this research into Cyril's time at Allhallows, we came across a captivating account that sheds light on what school life would have been like for pupils before the turn of the century. In the 1870s, the Headmaster was Rev. Thomas Izod.

This remarkable first-hand account, shared by pupil J.E. Case, offers insight into the challenges faced by students at the time. While the narrative is difficult, it is very much a reflection of its era. One particularly intriguing story involves pupils setting off an explosion in their school desks, which resonates with a similar tale from another public school, Weymouth College, in the 1930s, where students engaged in similar mischievous antics. It’s a fascinating glimpse into life at Allhallows in Honiton.

You can see the document by  J.E. Case here.

On Saturday 8th February we hosted the Salisbury OH Coffee and Catch-Up at Salisbury Cathedral, and what an incredible event it was!

With the Refectory temporarily closed for refurbishment, the South Transept of the Cathedral provided a magnificent setting for the temporary café. The grand space created the perfect atmosphere for OHs to reconnect and share stories.

The attendees spanned a wide range of eras, from the 1950s to the 1990s. It was especially wonderful to welcome one OH attending for the first time, along with several others who hadn’t seen each other since their school days. Dudley Hopkin's said 'It was a delight to see for the first time Willie Parke who I had not seen since leaving in 1964.'

Laughter, memories, and conversations filled the air as OHs exchanged stories and reminisced. Many brought along treasured photographs fascinating insights into the estate, including images taken shortly after the school’s closure. Dudley Hopkins (Headmaster’s House, Baker House) brought his original school documents from 1959, revealing that the termly fee at the time was just £98—approximately £2,800 in today’s money!

Attendees:

• Timothy Bourn
• Stephen Dixon
• Jenni Dixon
• Russell Frith
• Dudley Hopkins
• Clare Hopkins
• Brian Meeke
• Colin Meeke
• Nik Milner
• Edward Musto
• Caroline Plumptre
• Will Parke
• Nick Parish
• Lizzie Parish
• Quentin Sandell
• Peter Sloan
• Charles Stimpson
• David Woollatt

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended—it was truly a fabulous event. Special thanks also to the Cathedral Café staff, whose exceptional support made this gathering possible. 

We are excited to announce that the latest OH Newsletter is out.

Packed with interesting articles such as:

• The Eccentricity of OHs (In a Good Way) by Stephen Dixon (Venning 197070 - '75) and his wife Jenni tell the story of their incredible South American road trip.
• The Rousdon Mansion Marble
• Tragedy in the Skies above Allhallows
• London AGM
• The 2024 OH West Country Luncheon
• OH Golf Society 2024 Update
• John Bardolph Remembered

...and so much more...

With lots of photographs and details about all that's to come for the club in 2025

You can have a look and download your copy HERE.

We’re thrilled to invite you to our next OH Coffee and Catch-Up at the beautiful Salisbury Cathedral Refectory Café on Saturday, 8th February, at 10:30 AM.

We can’t wait to see you there for a cup of coffee and great conversation!

To help us plan, please let us know you’re coming by filling out this quick form: https://forms.gle/yE8cxRd5Vq2M2QFk9

We can’t wait to see you there for a cup of coffee and great conversation!