Over the holidays, the organisers of our Chess Club, Paul and Rosie Dansey, set a challenge for anybody interested to create their own chess set and board using any creative materials you may have at home!
We had several very impressive entries and the winning designs were chosen.
1st Prize was awarded to Edith Marshall (RW)
2nd Prize went to Priyanka Gowda (1M)
A group of Merchant Taylors’ Year 10 boys visited the University of Liverpool Management School on Tuesday 25th April to collect the awards they had won for the ‘Making a Difference’ challenge. The project, which invites schools to present a business case for philanthropic efforts in the local community, involved synthesising marketing, advertising and budgeting elements in a presentation judged ultimately by the Director of Studies for Marketing at the Management School. Three groups won prizes, with the team led by Noah Williams and Scott Thomson securing the prestigious Directors’ Prize.
The competition was run through our Middle School enrichment programme, World Tomorrow Today and Mr Simpson, who runs the World Tomorrow Today programme, commented that the awards were ‘a vindication of our intention to have boys acquire skills that are wholly essential in the world of work at a young age and to offer them the opportunity to interact with other institutions and organisations. To this extent I am very grateful to the Management School for giving up so much time to provide feedback on the projects submitted’.
Below is a photograph of representatives from the three winning teams.
Easter Monday saw 18 Year 11 girls set off on their Silver Duke of Edinburgh Practice Expedition to North Wales. Spring may have sprung but they endured all four seasons in three days. Day One was a long slog through the rain through Llandegla Forest, over the Horseshoe Pass and down the valley to Llangollen. Skies cleared just in time to pitch tents beneath the ruins of Castell Dinas Bran. Day Two was a scorcher by comparison, rouging many cheeks. Teams bestrode Thomas Telford’s mighty Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, 120 feet above the River Dee, forging onward by way of Chirk Castle. Clear skies meant near-zero overnight temperatures, yet battle was cheerfully resumed on Day Three for the final gallop along Offa’s Dyke to Oswestry. All manner of privations were endured: trench foot, Trangia cooking and even the attentions of an over-familiar ram, yet as always the spirit of BEFL prevailed. Well done, girls – you were an absolute credit to yourselves. Bring on the Eden Valley in July!
Our Reception classes held yet another successful Stay and Play session towards the end of last term. The EYFS Unit was filled with parents and relatives collaborating with the children as everyone got stuck into lots of fun-filled ‘Dinosaur-themed’ activities.
Died peacefully, aged 84 – 8th February 2017
Born in Great Crosby on August 19th 1932, Bryan was the son of James Christopher Corrigan and his wife Daphne Hilda Corrigan. He attended MTS from 1942 – 50, along with older brother Sydney (1938 – 47) and unfortunately lost his father during the Second World War who served as captain on a Merchant Navy ship. Despite this, he was academically successful during his time at MTS, being appointed a pro-monitor in 1949 and serving on the committee of the debating society with Brian Goodman.
Upon completing his studies, he became articled to T Raymond Robinson in 1951 to train as a chartered surveyor. He served in the Royal Air Force from 1955 – 57 as part of his National Service, and later moved to London as a surveyor. He made his home in Chelsea and was a generous supporter of the Chelsea Society. He eventually became a partner of the firm he worked for, Matthews and Goodman, where he served with distinction for many years.
Bryan was a generous donor to the schools, and was a regular attendee of many functions over the years, from Old Boys’ Dinners to the John Harrison Society Luncheon in London. His funeral was held at Christ Church, Chelsea, and was conducted by the Rev Dr Brian Leathard. He is remembered fondly, and will be sadly missed.
Died peacefully, aged 91 – 14th March 2017
Born in December 1925 in Myers Road, Crosby – Nora was the youngest of seven siblings, five of whom attended Merchant Taylors’ Schools. Her father, Commander CP Freeman attended Merchant Taylors’ Schools as a boy, often telling mother of the time his class marched from the Old Merchant Taylors’ School to the ‘newly-opened’ Merchant Taylors’ Boys School in 1874. With strong ties to the School and Nora’s mother being acquainted with Miss Fordham, headmistress of the Girls school at the time, it was hardly surprising she started at Merchant Taylors Girls School in 1933-4. Unfortunately, this was a difficult period, with her mother dying aged 45 in 1933 and World War 2 looming, but Nora had a big family for support and enjoyed school, winning form prizes and developing a liking for literature. She wasn’t just academically successful but also enjoyed sport, playing netball, hockey, and cricket, and developing an interest in rugby, all of which she passed on to her children and grandchildren in later years.
Nora left Merchant Taylors’ School in 1943, commencing orthopaedic nursing at Oswestry Orthopaedic Hospital, helping nurse the returning wounded soldiers and qualifying as a physiotherapist. After working locally Nora moved to St Thomas’ Hospital in London as a lecturer in Physiotherapy. In 1952, following her work at St Thomas’, she was invited over to Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, Canada, where she helped set up and develop a physiotherapy department in the newly built University Hospital. Following the death of her father in 1957, Nora returned to physiotherapy in Oswestry. It was there where she met my father, 10 years her younger, a toy-boy, but they were smitten and their marriage lasted 52 very happy years!
On reflection, Nora was an inspiration, passing on much she had learnt at Merchant Taylors’ School and in her own life to our family. A stable loving family life, a deep Christian faith, the love of sport, academic success and never being afraid of trying new things or travelling. Last year, three of her grandchildren played for regional representative teams in rugby, cricket and hockey in New Zealand!
Gordon Orritt
On Monday 27th March it was Viking day. It took place in the hall. We had Viking day to learn about Vikings.
First of all, we got a brown cloth. We pretended to cut down a big brown tree and then we sat on the ship (brown cloth) and pretended to row the boat.
Next we learnt about a shield wall. We had to stand shoulder to shoulder and our shields overlapped other people’s shields. The Viking (Njal) taught us how to protect us from enemies when they’re going to aim at our legs. We put the shield down to the legs, but, they are going to aim at our heads we put the shield to our heads and so on.
After a while, Miss Jack and Mrs Silverman dressed up as monks. Njal gave them silver and gold so we could invade them, later on we had to CHASE Miss Jack for her gold!
Later on Njal took us outside, he got a piece of rock and steel he used a cloth too. He rubbed the steel and rock together and tried to catch a spark on the cloth to make fire and it worked! I couldn’t believe it.
After a while Miss Jack sold us to the Vikings! Chloe and Sophia had to stand in wee! We had to beat them too. We made underwear Jessica made a bracelet too.
At Viking day I learnt so, so much stuff. It was such a good day I enjoyed it so much.
By Gabriella.
Our first social event of the 2017-18 Year was the reunion at the Travellers’ Club in Pall Mall.
The Travellers’ has become the established location of our London Dinner, and naturally is an elegant setting as one of the premier London social institutions in the heart of Westminster’s clubland.
We enjoyed on arrival a Champagne reception before proceeding upstairs to the old-world ambience of the Library. A group of more than forty individuals comprising Old Crosbeians and guests sat down to a sumptuous Dinner which were served with discreet efficiency by the Club’s staff.
It may be invidious to name one attender, but I must record that our Past President, Lt Col Harrison Cail, who left in 1939, travelled up to London to support the Dinner.
It was then for us to set to work. I had the honour of proposing the Toast to MTS, and I took the opportunity to update members on the Old Crosbeians’ support for MTS projects, our mentoring of those still at School and recent leavers, plus our ability to help Staff liaison with our MT kindred Schools. The response from Deputy Headmaster Bob Simpson was extremely witty and erudite, as well as informing members about the School’s current projects.
Darius Ferrigno, always supported by his wife Elizabeth in this work, organised an evening which ran like clockwork. Darius rounded off the formal part of the evening by in his customary way listing a host of “apology reasons” for the absent friends whom he then toasted.
We then adjourned downstairs to catch up with one another over drinks.
Jeremy Myers, OBA President
