Old Warwickians

Today’s takes, as its theme, the fact that National Best Friends Day is celebrated on June 8th. National Best Friends Day was established in 1935 by the U.S. Congress to celebrate close friendships, and these friendships are most likely to have been generated at school.

organises regular reunions of class-mates, and the teachers who taught them. This Saturday, 6th June, we’re looking forward to welcoming back over 200 Old Warwickians for their anniversary reunions - a great opportunity for friendships old and new.

The attached image is of friends from 1971.

G. N. Frykman

Today’s item features an advertisement for the school, published in 1880. It’s a very important document, containing a great deal of information not available elsewhere. But there are some details, and, indeed, errors in it, which my readership might like to tackle. A certain book, – a History, might be helpful…

1. What did Rev W. F. MacMichael transport in 1879? From where?
2. Where was the Middle School? What happened to it?
3. What effect might the much higher fees charged at the new Grammar School over the Middle School have had on numbers?
4. Why didn’t Miss Fisher have a degree?
5. What’s wrong with the date of 1546 so proudly displayed?
6. Governor G. H. Nelson – why did his company produce terrible smells in Warwick?
7. Governor Archdeacon James Baly was taught at the school from 1832 to 1838, learning just Latin and Greek. Who was the headmaster at the time, and how long did he serve?

G. N. Frykman

For today's , I offer a little quiz.
1. What was this room called in 1879?
2. What was the function of this room from the early 1970s to 2000?
3. What is it used for now?

G. N. Frykman

Looking forward to seeing Old Warwickians at this year's OW London Drinks at The Hydrant, Monument, this Thurs 7 May, 18:00-21:00. There's still space for a few more - simply register at https://www.oldwarwickians.org/2026london if you'd like to come along.

2026 OW London Drinks OWs are warmly invited to OW London Drinks at The Hydrant, Monument on Thurs 7 May, 18:00-21:00. Reconnect with old school friends, expand your network, and enjoy a relaxed evening with camaraderie, conversation and new connections.

Today’s celebrates the third anniversary of the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on 6th May 2023, and also what appears to be a hugely successful state visit to the USA. We fondly remember the visit of the Prince of Wales (as he then was) to in 2014. Pictured below is the Prince of Wales signing the same autograph book that his grandmother used. The school has never, in its long history, had a visit from a reigning monarch, so the visits from the Queen Mother in 1958 and Prince Charles in 2014 are the closest that we have got. We should not forget that HRH Princess Anne has visited the school twice, too.

G. N. Frykman

Today’s celebrates St George’s Day, April 23rd.

Saint George is best known for the legendary tale in which he slays a dragon to rescue a distressed princess. The story, which originated in the Middle Ages, tells of a dragon terrorizing a town (often identified as Silene in Libya). The townspeople tried to keep the dragon at bay by offering it livestock, but when they ran out of animals, they were forced to sacrifice people, chosen by lottery. One day, the king’s daughter was selected, and as she was about to be offered to the dragon, Saint George arrived.

Seeing the terrified princess, George charged at the dragon on horseback and, after a fierce battle, wounded it with his spear. He then used the princess’s belt to tie the dragon up and led it back to the town, where he promised to kill it if the people converted to Christianity. After they agreed, George slayed the dragon, and the town was saved.

This narrative symbolizes the triumph of good over evil and has been integral to English folklore for centuries. The red cross on a white background, known as Saint George's Cross, serves as England's national flag and is a prominent emblem during the celebrations.

Though little is known about his actual life, historical records suggest that Saint George was a Roman soldier born around 275–285 AD in Cappadocia (modern-day Turkey). He later served in the Roman army but was executed on April 23rd, 303 AD, for refusing to renounce his Christian faith during the persecution of Christians by Emperor Diocletian.

The west window of Warwick School's chapel, designed by F. H. Spear in 1925 as a war memorial window, commemorates several saints, as well as our founders Queen Aethelflaed and King Henry VIII: Saint Edward the Confessor, Saint George, Saint Eric and Saint Wilfred. These last two were personal touches from headmaster H. S. Pyne in memory of his son, Eric Wilfred Pyne, who had died serving his country in the First World War.

In fact, St George, the Patron Saint of England, not of Britain, features much more prominently in Spear’s vestry windows, originally largely hidden away, but displayed in the chapel since 2005. Spear’s designs are now displayed in the chapel corridor.

G. N. Frykman

OWs are warmly invited to OW London Drinks at The Hydrant, Monument on Thurs 7 May, 18:00-21:00. Reconnect with old school friends, expand your network, and enjoy a relaxed evening with camaraderie, conversation and new connections.
With impressive views towards Monument and London Bridge, The Hydrant is a fun and lively venue serving craft beers, draught and cask ales, alongside a full selection of wines and spirits.
Please pre-register at https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/s7j75WxxLN to secure your place and complimentary drinks.

At the start of the 2026 summer term, for , we welcome back all staff and pupils to Warwick School in what is often a busy season of examinations - and sport.

Featured is an image of the 1926 1st XI, and also one from the turn of the 20th century, when, perhaps, the summer term was not quite so frenetic.

Gervald Frykman

this week celebrates Hockey at Warwick School

There is evidence that headmaster J. P. Way encouraged the game – but only if played carefully. In 1889 he wrote:
As the hockey season has commenced, I feel bound, both as a Housemaster & as Head Master, to warn boys against the danger that is incurred, if boys will violate the published rule of the game, which forbids the raising of the hockey stick above the shoulder either at the commencement or end of the swing of the stick. I have seen bad accidents result from the violation of this rule, & I must ask the Captains of sides to enforce it. At first the enforcing it may cause interruptions to the game, but the custom of observing the rule will soon be established.

J. P. Way ’s promotion of hockey had obviously not lasted long, for in the March 1895 edition of The Portcullis is a letter to the editor, asking:
Could not a Hockey Club be established at this Ancient School?

However, in 1901, hockey was “reintroduced after a lapse of 10 years”, during which time soccer was enthusiastically played.

Hockey sticks seem to have been used for unauthorised purposes, unfortunately, in Edwardian times:
It has been reported to me that boys are in the habit of hitting stones with their hockey sticks over the Gymnasium. Several of the slates on the Bicycle Shed have been broken. It is also very dangerous for men working in the field behind the Gymnasium. (March 4th, 1905).

In the late 1960s, thanks to the persistence of Phil Heelis, the status and popularity of hockey rose rapidly. Competitive matches against other schools were increasingly successful, and the 1973-74 season was a milestone, as the U16 team won the county knock-out championship. In 1974, Roger Thurman was selected to play for England, and Neil Thomas was selected to play for Wales – hockey was well and truly on the map! The 1982 season was described as the school’s most successful season so far at that time - the 1st XI, captained by Denys Shortt, won 22 of its 30 matches. This was surpassed in the 2002-03 hockey, with the 1st XI being national finalists.

Much more recently, in fact this week, the U15 side won 3 – 0 against Millfield School in the Independent Schools Hockey Cup Final.

G. N. Frykman

This week’s celebrates British Science Week, which in 2026 is held between 6th and 15th March. This is a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths. The theme for 2026 is ‘Curiosity: what’s your question?’.

All Foundation Schools actively promote STEM subjects, and, in particular, put on special events at this time to promote scientific curiosity.

In November 1958, to entertain the Queen Mother during her visit to Warwick School, a demonstration of a Tesla Coil was mounted in a lecture theatre in the (what was then) new science block. The Tesla Coil was capable of generating several thousand volts, and survives in the archives to this day, but it is considered far too dangerous to operate. I wonder what sort of Risk Assessment, if any, was applied to operate this apparatus in close proximity to the Queen Mother?!

G. N. Frykman