Sadness at the start of term: Clive Martin (LHA) had died suddenly during the holidays. Within days Patrick Pike (LHB) passed away after months of illness.

Just one new member of staff: Michael Williams, who stayed for fifteen years.

An antiques sale raised £7,525 for the Endowment Appeal. 200 William Daniell aquatints were exhibited and sold. Th A staged an indoor sport marathon, Mid B a cycle marathon and La B a major raffle. But the failure of boys to support the Appeal was the main story of term, as a blunt internal memo testified. After a year’s fund-raising the School’s tally was £21,500, with more expected.

Through injury and loss of form the First XV didn’t fulfil its promise, though moustachioed captain Robert Bing (Col B) led from the front. Master-in-charge Richard Smyth is now head of King’s, Bruton.

An Edwardian Evening was huge fun. An ambitious School Concert featured Zadok The Priest and the 1812 Overture. Future novelist James Rogers (La A) directed Son of Man and co-directed Waiting for Godot with Robin Case (Pe A 61-68, Staff 75-80). Olive Peto (Staff 52-77) and Patrick Cullen (Staff 54-87) excelled in The Rivals.

Two teams of CH Scouts won the Downsman Hike.

A memorial service for Nell Todd (Staff 50-69), addressed by David Herbert (Staff 55-61), attracted many old faces.

The Medical Officer instigated an inquiry into the School’s food.

24 boys, including the outgoing and incoming Senior Grecians, obtained Oxbridge entrance awards or places.

At the end of term Head of History Derek Turner left to become a schools inspector and Edward Turner (Staff 58-61) died aged 45.

Place House, Bluecoat Yard, Ware, where CH kept its youngest pupils from the 1670s until 1761, was acquired by the Hertfordshire Building Preservation Trust and an appeal launched for its restoration.

Group Capt C T Anderson (Pe B 05-11) was revealed as Churchill’s pre-war mole in the RAF. Ian Trethowan (Ma A 33-38) became BBC Director-General. Bruce Thomason (Col B c. 1970) was freed by Eritrean guerrillas who had abducted him. Psychologist Sir Cyril Burt (1’s, 14’s, Ma B 1895-1902) was posthumously accused of faking his findings.

Tim Clark (Ba A 46-54) was appointed Professor of Thoracic Medicine at Guy’s. Michael Gray (Ma A 42-50) was promoted Brigadier.

New books: Cricket Rebel by John Snow (Th B 51-59), The Naked Investor by Robert Heller (Pe A 42-50), English Parish Churches by Graham Hutton (Th B 16-20), Air Raid by Norman Longmate (Pe A 36-43).

Ivor Keys (Ba A, Th B 31-38) presented BBC1’s ABC of Music. Stewart Thompson (Ba A 49-57) reached the final of Mastermind.

Among obituaries was concert pianist John Hunt (Ba A 17-23).

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