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Dear Old Honitonian,

It is over 25 years since Allhallows closed and it is quite an incredible achievement to have kept the OH Club going throughout this time!

We have achieved so much over the years and the various OH committees have continually provided their invaluable voluntary support, which has meant that we have survived for as long as we have.

However, as time slips by, the number of OHs decline, or become less active, and therefore we need to ensure that we have a clear direction for the future, which has the backing of the Club. Therefore, I would ask you all to provide answers and feedback to the questionnaire HERE which will determine how the Club moves forward.

We will conduct this review over the next two months and provide a full update thereafter.

All the very best,

Seb Warner – President

Did we usually win or were we more often the losers? And which sport were we best at?

    To find out, I have spent years researching the results of matches between Allhallows and other schools. 

    I have compiled the results of hundreds of fixtures by consulting school magazines going back to 1940. 

    That has given me a detailed picture of 1^st XI and 1^st XV match results over half a century for all three major sports: hockey, cricket, rugby. 

    I was never in any of those teams and my only part in first-team matches was to spectate. Just a casual curiosity started my statistical enquiry but, as I came across more match results, my curiosity grew. 

    Ours was a small school. “But Allhallows punched above its weight in sport,” I have heard OHs say. This article tests that claim. Perhaps you should stop reading now, so as not to risk disappointment if Allhallows is revealed as a frequent loser. But for all you know I could be about to reveal a victorious past. 

    There is much to tell so in this month’s article there is space to summarise only what happened in matches between 1940 and 1969. For match results in the 1970s, 80s and early 90s you will have to wait for my March 1^st website article. 

    Draws are neutral so this analysis considers only matches that Allhallows won or lost – what I call “result matches”. 

    The harsh truth is that, in matches where there was a winner, the winner was usually the other side. In the 1940s, 50s and 60s there were 745 result matches and Allhallows won 315 of them, which is just 42%.  

    The least successful sport in those 30 years was cricket, with just 39% of result matches won. Hockey won 42%. Rugby 50%. 

    Results worsened over the period. In the 1940s 54% of matches were won but in the 1960s the victory rate fell to 32%. 

    Hockey declined most steeply, with more wins than losses in 86% of seasons in the 1940s, 33% in the 50s and just 20% in the 60s. Hockey’s reversal of fortunes happened in a single year. More hockey matches were won than lost before 1955 but for the next 14 years, with the exception of the almost unbeaten 1963 season, we lost more than we won.  

    Depressing seasons without a win – there were three of them: Hockey in 1942 and 1966, Rugby in 1965. By the way, the regrettable ’65 season must have been a particular disappointment for Gethyn Hewan, a new headmaster who had arrived that term. Hewan loved sport. He followed VAL Hill, a head with little interest in sport. The statistics show that one of the first things Hewan did was arrange more fixtures. 

    Bear in mind that losses were not quite as frequent as analysing only result matches suggests, because even disastrous seasons often included at least one draw to provide relief.  

    Undefeated seasons? Only one: Rugby in 1948. 

    1965’s rugby team had a similar distinction but the other way round: Eight matches and no wins. 

    The following year results were even worse for hockey: 12 matches, 12 losses. 

    To find out what happened next to Allhallows sport, read next month’s column, where I will summarise results from 1970 to 1992 (when recording of results faded out). Did Allhallows manage to ascend from usual losers to usual winners? Did rugby continue to be our strongest sport? 

    Cricket had a poor five-year run up to 1969, when every year for five years we lost more than we won. Next month find out how long it took to recover from that. 

    Rugby had an excellent three-year run up to 1969, when results showed the number of matches won averaged twice the number lost. Next month I will reveal how long our rugby glory years went on.

Following the very sad news of OH Phil Tuck's passing last year, the club has received news of his Memorial Service. 

The service will be held at Southwark Cathedral at 11.00 am on Thursday, February 15th. It would be greatly appreciated if as many OHs as possible could attend the service to pay their respects.

If you plan to attend Philip's Memorial Service at Southwark Cathedral on Thursday, February 15th at 11.00 am, OHs have been asked to please register on Hatch Mansfield's form so that they can manage catering. Thank you in advance.

Most Allhallows boys weren’t much affected by the hippie craze but I really got into it. 

When the 1967 summer of love was revolutionising youth in America, I was at an impressionable age. Just turned 15 with no girlfriend and not getting on with my parents, this new prospect of universal free love was a very attractive idea for me. 

A new laid-back lifestyle based on doing nothing much more than being tolerant – count me in, I said to myself. I was looking forward to a bright new future of peace and happiness. 

It was in June of 1967 that the Beatles convinced me that Flower Power was right for me and for everybody. That month the group appeared on TV screens around the globe live. Britain’s contribution to the unprecedented Our World global broadcast showed the group in EMI’s Abbey Road studios, recording their next single. All You Need Is Love disseminated hippie anti-materialist philosophy to the world – including Allhallows. The recording session looked like a love-in, with participants in floral kaftans sitting on the floor or promenading with placards proclaiming love in different languages. We in Venning house were allowed to watch the pioneering global hook-up, and I think it was also seen by pupils elsewhere in the school. Me and many of my friends were impressed. We felt the Beatles’ appearance heralded exciting social change. 

However, large numbers of our more conservative fellow-pupils were not drawn to Flower Power. Me and my hippie-inclined colleagues could not understand why. Conservative pupils, who we might have referred to as “squares”, weren’t even very interested in growing their hair a rebellious length. How boring squares were, we thought. And how foolish and old-fashioned to put their energy into getting good marks and doing well at sport! Poor squares seemed blind to important change that hippie counterculture was bringing to the world. Some of us enlightened rebels talked of dropping out, but the squares still wanted careers. 

While squares were practising their forward defence or revising irregular verbs, hippie types like me were larking about or listening to Frank Zappa records. I took Flower Power further than most, by investing in the brightest blue, pink and purple floral shirt ever worn at Allhallows. 

Being in a traditional male English public school most of the year kept me and other hippie sympathisers largely isolated from the outside world, where Flower Power was bursting into bloom. Within the school, the dominant square culture, based on the Eton model, was still one of sporting heroism, punishment and prefect-led feudalism. 

How wrong I was about Flower Power. To my dismay, it went into rapid decline after 1967. The ascendancy of hippies and love-ins had lasted just a year! San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighbourhood, the epicentre of hippie culture, was rapidly overcome by overcrowding, homelessness and drug problems. The world’s youth followed the mood downturn. Idealism faded at Allhallows, and I stopped wearing my shirt. The Beatles abandoned their kaftans and fell into bickering amongst themselves. The world carried on as if Flower Power had been just a dream. Which I suppose it was. 

A reply to High hopes or gullible dopes? by George Hayter by Dudley Hopkins OH 

I did smile and chuckle at George Hayter’s 1965-1970 descriptive and colourful article on the effects that the said Movement had upon him while he was serving time at the School.....A lad with a rebellious nature!....
I Dudley Hopkins1959- 1964 left before the Movement which had its roots in the American opposition to their involvement in the Vietnam War had gathered pace but sure enough there were plenty of souls indeed who with the same rebellious nature were always pushing the boundaries on school dress, hairstyles and interpretation of the vast raft of school rules which were ALL encapsulated in the last one namely.....A breach of Common Sense was a breach of the school rules..Until the departure of the Head VAL Hill In 1965 after many years the rules were strictly applied in a somewhat Dickensian environment which in fairness was indeed common throughout the public school systems.I did however along with others sample the delights of the Beatles in concert in a master’s room adjacent to the balcony of the Great Hall....Upon leaving
While at Guildford Law School I entered into the spirit of the Movement by purchasing inter alia 2 Pairs of colourful hipster trousers in vogue from a trendy boutique in Quarry Street Guildford but there was no scope for wearing them back in the office while I completed my training before qualifying in June 1972
Long gone are the days when either George or myself could wear a flower in our hair if we had so chosen BUT we can still go to SAN Francisco if we so wish ( Scott McKenzie 1967 )......
Dudley Hopkins.....I felt compelled to say a few words on the topic !!

OHs are truth hounds who like to wrestle with great mysteries of our time. 

    “What was there before the Big Bang?” is an example of a mystery we like to get our teeth into. 

    “What is the effect of all-encompassing mist on learning and sanity?” is another puzzler that fascinates alumni of the West Country school. 

    Such challenging questions are of little import compared to a very deep mystery baffling the OH Club’s older membership. 

    What everyone who left school in the 1940s, 50s, 60s and 70s wants to know is this: “Why do hardly any younger OHs come to club events?” 

    The current generation of active OHs won’t live forever so, unless more of the “missing generation” of 80s and 90 leavers come to OH events, the club could disappear in a few years. 

    Identifying why many younger OHs stay away could help the club find a carrot to attract them. 

    A possible reason could be that they didn’t like their time at Allhallows, and don’t want to be reminded of it. There have always been pupils who hated the school. But if there was an increase in Allhallows allergy in the 80s and 90s, it seems unlikely to have been widespread enough to stop so many OHs of that era attending bargain lunches and drinks parties decades later. 

    But just supposing there was mass displeasure with the school in the 80s and 90s, what can the club do about it? Perhaps it could emphasise that club socials are enjoyed as much by detractors of Allhallows as by its admirers. 

    Here’s another possible explanation for the fall in attendance: China. Towards the end of Allhallows, about a third of sixth form boarders came from there, I’m told. You can’t expect them to fly from China for a lunch or a drink. 

    How about this? Maybe some OHs stay away because  the school closed after they had left, leaving them with an irrational sense of failure. Maybe they felt their CV was tarnished, or they found it difficult getting a reference. Maybe the subject became taboo for them. 

    Some might imagine that OHs who were pupils actually when the school suddenly closed would harbour the greatest grievance, because their education was disrupted. But boys and girls who were there at the time of the closure constitute one year that do often turn up at our London drinks party. They don’t seem to feel a grudge. Some of them have even told me closure was a good thing, because they transferred to a school with better A-level results. Some male 1998 leavers have described their delight at finding that their new school had a higher proportion of girls. “More hot women!” one of them told me. 

    Maybe the school’s disappearance has hit the club in anther way. With no school to go back to, there is no rallying point to draw OHs. No school premises to welcome them back, and no on-going school to keep up to date with. 

    Closure also means no school staff to help us promote our events. 

    People are sheep. We’re sociable. We won’t go where others don’t. You see that pattern in the club, including some years of the so-called missing generation. A few years turn up in large numbers, while other years are absent. 

    Therein could lie the solution. If one or two brave sheep lead the way by turning up at an event and by inviting some contemporaries along, the club will thrive a few decades more. 

    I’m not a brave sheep. For 40 years I had nothing to do with the club but another sheep kept baaaaaing at me to go. Now I’m a regular. 

    If you’re a younger OH who can baaaa, you could be a leading sheep. 

Dear OHs,

I am writing to inform you about a significant decision that was made during the Annual General Meeting held on November 16th at the RAC Club. The decision was to transition to an opt-in model for receiving a printed edition of the OH Magazine. This decision was made after careful consideration and in response to various factors.

The primary objective behind this decision was to maintain the high quality of the magazine. The club wanted to ensure that the printed version of the newsletter was delivered only to those who genuinely preferred a hard copy. By adopting an opt-in system, the focus shifted from widespread distribution to targeted delivery, which would enhance the overall satisfaction of those who truly valued a physical edition. Additionally, there were environmental and financial factors behind producing and sending out fewer copies. The funds saved through this streamlined approach could then be redirected into vital areas such as organising events, enriching member experiences, and furthering the club's core objectives.

To secure your printed copy of the 2023 and future editions, please fill in the form here.

All OHs we have email addresses for will continue to receive the OH Magazine in digital format, and it will be available here on the website. This is just opting in to have a printed copy delivered to your address.

All the very best,

David Woollatt

Honorary Secretary

Dear OHs, please find below the minutes of the AGM that was conducted on 16/11/23 at the RAC Club, London. There is also a link at the bottom to download the minutes and accounts as a PDF file.

Minutes of the Old Honitonians Annual General Meeting (AGM)

Date: 16th November 2023

Venue: RAC Club

Opening Remarks

The President, Seb Warner, opened the meeting at 6pm. He welcomed all attendees and expressed gratitude for their presence. The AGM reflected for a moment on all the OHs we had sadly lost in the last 12 months.

New Member of the OH Committee

Victoria Berry was introduced as the as the newest member of the OH Committee.

West Country Lunch

It was announced that the West Country Lunch will be moved to a May date. Victoria has generously agreed to lead the organisation of the event. The Secretary will contact David Richardson to confirm the details for the transfer.

Opt-In Policy for Old Honitonians Magazine

A proposal for an opt-in policy for the Old Honitonians magazine was discussed. Members will be able to opt-in to receive a hard copy of the magazine. Digital copies will be emailed to all members on the database and made available on the Old Honitonians website.

Old Honitonians (Unofficial) Facebook Page

The members expressed the desire for closer control over the unofficial Old Honitonians Facebook Page. President Seb Warner spoke with Toby Davis, an OH and Admin of the page, who confirmed that Dave Woollatt will be made an Admin. Dave Woollatt was requested to inform the club when this has been completed.

Ladies' Broach/Pin/Scarf

The possibility of producing a Ladies' broach, pin, or scarf was discussed. Members are invited to share ideas and preferences on this matter.

Instagram Account

The suggestion of creating an Instagram account for the Old Honitonians was discussed. Dave Woollatt was approached to initiate this, and further details will be communicated to the members.

Condolences for Richard Hurlock

Jeremy Harding informed the attendees about the passing of Richard Hurlock.

School Register for Ahmed Ghazzal

The club was requested to send the school register to Ahmed Ghazzal. The Secretary will oversee this task.

Magazines on the Website

The need to upload the more recent magazines (last 20 years) onto the Old Honitonians website was discussed. Efforts will be made to obtain copies from Mr Blooman/Alec Crawford for this purpose.

Bigger Summer Event at Rousdon

The consideration of organising a larger summer event at Rousdon via Martin Boulden (July) was discussed. Members are encouraged to provide input and suggestions for the event.

London Event in November

Feedback suggested keeping the London event in November for the AGM and party. The RAC Club was proposed as the venue, pending any alternative suggestions. The President will liaise with JET Clark for further coordination.

OH Video

David Woollatt introduced a video compilation of OH interviews from the last year. The aim going forward is to gather more and produce a library as an aural history project of Allhallows. 

AGM Accounts

Please see below for a copy of the full OH Accounts that were presented at the AGM

Closing Remarks

The President thanked everyone for their active participation and contributions to the AGM. The meeting was adjourned at 6.30pm.

To download the minutes and OH accounts, please click here.

Wow! What a fantastic turnout it was for our OH AGM and Drinks Part at the RAC Club in Pall Mall on Thursday evening. The energy was buzzing as we delved into discussions about the exciting future of our club and shared lovely moments during the first-ever screening of the OH Film, a video documenting members' stories and memories of Allhallows. 

There was also a chance to reflect on all the OHs we had sadly lost in the last 12 months. 

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended and made it such a special evening. Thanks must also go to OH John Clark who helped secure this event at the wonderful RAC Club and Lucy Forte for the AGM Photographs. Here are some of the photographs.

There will be a document of minutes from the AGM meeting published on our website soon, highlighting decisions made and the general direction of the OH Club in the next year.

by George Hayter

AT ALLHALLOWS  I spent not far short of one-tenth of the working week in worship. 

    If you were at school around the 1960s, you probably spent a similar proportion of your time in the chapel. See if you agree. 

    This is how I worked it out. Morning chapel (including hymn practice on Saturday mornings) lasted about 20 minutes per day, in other words, two hours each week. For most of my time (1965-1970) pupils also had to attend a service lasting about 45 minutes twice each Sunday. That bumps up the total time in chapel per week to 3.5 hours. That equates to about nine per cent of the average working week. 

    If you agree with that figure of 3.5, you can go on to multiply it by 36 (the number of weeks we were at school each year) and then multiply that by the number of years you were there. That gives you your total hours spent in worship. I was at Allhallows for five years, adding up to 567 hours. 

Headmaster 

Lots of people didn’t see much in the chapel but my house, Venning, was allotted the front few rows of pews in the lefthand half. Younger pupils sat at the front of each house and so in my first year I was in the very front row, an arm’s length from Rev Leech and not much further from Mr Hewan. 

    Suppressing giggles was almost the only source of enjoyment, along with the wildly enthusiastic singing of just a handful of hymns. The whole school raised the roof on those few popular numbers. You might remember the rip-roaring one that went: “Feed us now and evermore [pause] evermore!” 

Strike 

But during psalms, most of the congregation stood in silence, as if taking industrial action. Few liked the boring psalms and juniors soon learned to follow the example of the bigger boys, folding their arms and leaving their psalters unopened. 

New boys all had to audition for the choir. I was a tone-deaf atheist too shy to be upfront wearing something like a dress, so I needed to fail my audition. When music master Alan Thomas pressed a note on his organ I deliberately croaked. Whatever organ note Mr Thomas tried, I missed it by a mile, croaked, ran out of breath, and pretended to choke. 

    Since 1962, the Beatles and Stones had been wearing their hair ever longer and most boys wanted to follow the fashion. The headmaster had other ideas and told any boy with hair over his ears that he must visit the peripatetic barber on his next visit. Before each service, Mr Hewan stood outside the door, casting an eye over the coiffure of each boy entering the chapel. 

    My mate Peter Callender was the envy of many. He had the longest hair in the school. He used to hook it behind his ears, plastering it with saliva so it stayed there when he walked past the headmaster. 

    Allhallows rock bands performed in chapel services occasionally. I remember laughing at the novelty of drums set up between the choir stalls and seeing classmates toting electric guitars next to the lectern. Few didn’t smile at the part of the otherwise staid service when drums thundered into the opening bars of the rocking Small Faces chart-topper All or Nothing. 

Fear 

Assistant chaplain Rev Michael Drew came from a working-class parish in London’s East End. He had a liberal approach and when he arrived at the school in 1966 he introduced occasional house chapel services, devised and conducted by pupils themselves. My friend Simon Anstey and I volunteered to do one, taking the places at the front of the chapel usually occupied by the chaplain and the headmaster. We were both mischievous rebels. We persuaded our colleague Richard Banfield to interrupt our prayer for the school’s wellbeing by shouting from within the congregation: “What about the workers?” 

    Banfield’s heckling was followed by a tape recording of comedian Peter Sellers saying in a posh voice like our housemaster’s: “Yes, what about the workers indeed?” There was more nonsense and at the end of the service, we accelerated towards the exit. Then we broke into a run, fearful that we would be expelled for ridiculing religion and insulting the school. But no one took offence! 

Homeless 

After my 567 hours in it, I have a soft spot for the chapel. My affection includes the carved wood screen which stood behind the altar. That reredos is lying neglected in a disused church on the edge of Honiton. Searches and pleas to find the intricate woodwork a permanent home have so far failed. Local churches, the museum and the secondary school in Honiton have all been tried. Got any ideas? 

We were absolutely delighted by the strong turnout of OHs at our annual Memorial Service, which took place at St. Paul's Church in Honiton on October 28, 2023. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Cannon Chris Vallins for his exceptional leadership during the service, as well as his wife Beth, whose organ performance was superb. Patrick McCaig's bugle playing added a poignant touch, and Brigadier David Shaw's reading of the second lesson was deeply moving. Special thanks must also go to Tim Huxtable, who not only captured the day through his photography but efficiently managed the collection.

We want to express our sincere appreciation to all who attended, even in the face of relentless downpours. Your presence was greatly appreciated.

It was also, as always, fabulous to visit the Allhallows Museum in Honiton, a truly wonderful collection which will fascinate OHs and is well worth a visit.

With gratitude, Seb Warner OH President