The
THE CARTHUSIAN 2021 VOLUME 45/2
CARTHUSIAN
20 21
VO
LU
M
E
45
/2
Charterhouse Godalming Surrey GU7 2DX
charterhouse.org.uk
The Carthusian_Cover_2021_AW.indd 1
17/08/2021 14:43
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
1YS Tennis
CONTENTS 1st VIII
04
50 04 Interview with James Adair (B99) 08 Interview with Sir Jonathan Faull KCMG 12 Uniforms 16 OC Beaks Interviews 23 Valete
37
60 34 Salvete 37 Music 50 Drama 60 Art 79 Design & Technology
82 82 Sport 108 School Trips 122 Societies & Events 132 Prizes 134 Sport Reports
U15 Tennis It has been another enjoyable tennis season with the U15 teams this Quarter. It has been pleasing to see a very good run of fixtures against other schools, with comfortable wins over RGS Guildford and Winchester, a tightly contested defeat at the hands of Tonbridge, and two valiant efforts against Eton. There were some excellent performances from our top players, especially Ben Skinner (P), Kasra Mafi (g), Charlie Raeside (W), Vlad Dmitriev (V), and Roman Zolotov (B). Credit must also be given to some solid performances from other teams, especially the “dream team” Bodeites pairing of Jeremy West and Dominic Wilder, and to Yubin Zhang (R) and Jack Tenenbaum (D) for their excellent work as substitutes and dedication to training. Finally, it is worth commending Mac Grachangnetara (G) for making it to the last 16 in the Junior Singles Competition, despite his main sport having been cricket this Quarter! This was an impressive accolade and an excellent note on which to end a good Quarter’s tennis.
Internal Competitions There were several internal events that took place:
Mr William Tink
The Plate Draw winners were the Sacco family
1YS Tennis
School Singles In the school singles events: Ethan Kovalev won the Junior Boys Singles Emma Haynes the Senior Girls Singles Jamie Richardson won the Senior Boys Singles House Tennis In House Tennis: Saunderites won the Senior Boys House Tennis Chetwynd won the Senior Girls House Tennis Gownboys won the Junior Boys House Tennis Family Doubles Saturday 26 June saw the playing of the Family Doubles Competition. There was excellent play from students in the Fourth form all the way up to the 2YS, as well as all the family members that played.
2YS Tennis
The Main Draw winners were the Wilkinson family The Bowl Draw winners were the Richardson family The Shield Draw winners were the Capuano family
2YS Tennis
The Thomas Sutton Draw winners were the Waller family
147
The Carthusian_Cover_2021_AW.indd 2
17/08/2021 14:43
The
CARTHUSIAN
20 21
VO
LU
M
E
45
/2
N
o commentary on the Covid-19 pandemic gets very far without rolling out the phrases ‘unprecedented’ and ‘the new normal’. Tempting though it is to stubbornly avoid any use of such language, they are quite useful lenses through which to view this academic year and to assess which label best fits which event. Last year’s Editorial was written with the hope that the 2020/21 year would be different. This year, we already know that certain now-familiar precautions will be required at the start of OQ21, but again look forward to things returning to the old normal. Much within this magazine attests to the belief that creativity can indeed flourish, and even be inspired by, adverse circumstances. Oration Quarter began with great rejoicing as pupils returned, but also some trepidation as we adjusted to a brave new world of social distancing and sanitising. Much was unprecedented. Hand sanitising stations appeared everywhere and one-way pedestrian routes, hashroom spacing, extra ventilation, bubbles, and daily temperature checks were the order of the day. A blanket ban on site visitors saw the sad cancellation of all external sports fixtures with keenly contested inter-House sports competitions instead allowing everyone the opportunity to compete.
Editorial Team Mr James Davey Mr Michael Freeman (S19) Mr Will Gaisford Mrs Catherine Smith Pupil Team Demi Adedoyin-Adeyinka (V) Henry Anderson (L) Horace Choi (G) Hattie Cole (Su) Laura Galbraith (F) Mark Gorman (B) Christopher Lim (R) Zhen Yang Lin (W) Shiv Pillai (G) Olivia Pryer (F) Anika Shah (F) Maksim Solomon (W) Lea Wessel-Aas (C) Jessica West (F) Olesia Vasileva (C) Designed by Gary Martin Printed in England by Scanplus Print Group scanplus.co.uk
However, despite some local success in containing the worst of the virus, the national picture worsened. After a month of lockdown in November, albeit one that didn’t require all schools to close, it came as no great surprise when, on 6th January, England went into a third national lockdown. Undaunted, Charterhouse@ Home swung back into action, with our resourceful beaks supplying a full timetable of online hashes and co-curricular activities. The School site fell quiet once again (other than a spectacular number of projects and building works progressed), but The Carthusian pays tribute to the vast amount of activity that continued online. It was therefore a relief to look forward to an increasingly familiar Cricket Quarter. Social distancing, masks, seating plans, ventilation and ‘bubbles’ were still mandatory and an ‘exciting new challenge’ was the delivery of
EDITORIAL twice-weekly lateral flow tests for the entire School, with the QSC Sports Hall transformed into a testing centre. However, this meant that nearly all pupils were back on site and sports fixtures with other schools were possible, although hampered by the exceptionally wet weather. CQ is also the key period for public examinations and in February, the government finally announced details of how public examination boards would award grades in the summer, using Teacher Assessed Grades. This necessitated a large amount of planning and preparation by the School and a gruelling schedule of assessments for 2nd Year Specialists and 5ths, with an equally gruelling amount of marking for their beaks – a most impressive achievement, but one that we all hope will never have to be repeated. Ultimately, whilst government restrictions meant that some events had to be rather curtailed, much else did continue. Artifex excelled with mainly outdoor events, Activities Week allowed everyone an opportunity to let off steam in the great outdoors, and a glorious production of Les Misérables was performed in the BTT against all the odds, offering hope of a life about to start when tomorrow comes! On the final day of Quarter, the sun came out for the 2YS to make their traditional farewell walk around Green. We wish them every success as they embark on new adventures. The Church of England has a useful maxim for those worried about ‘change’: after one year, something becomes a tradition; after two it becomes an ancient tradition. Perhaps even ‘the new normal’. We are undoubtedly into our second year of living with Covid, and yet hopefully the CofE is wrong here. This year has certainly seen extraordinary changes to our vocabulary, with ‘lockdown’, ‘self-isolation’, ‘bubble’ and ‘Zoom’ entering the lexicon alongside some of those unique elements of the ‘Lingua Carthusiana’ (such as banco, hashroom and homebill) that have tripped off the tongues of Carthusians for centuries. You will find examples of both old and new language in this edition of The Carthusian, just as you will find a rich summary of old and new activities (some of which may yet become ancient traditions). It has been an unusual year, of course, but neither lens on its own adequately describes 2021 and the cherished and special identity of Charterhouse remains perfectly intact. 3
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 3
18/08/2021 17:50
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
INTERVIEW WITH
JAMES ADAIR
(B99)
J
ames Adair (B99) is a head-hunter and a partner of Big 5 Search, an executive search company for Africa and other emerging markets. He has lived in Ghana, Spain, and the Channel Islands, and has worked in various fields, from journalism to shipbroking. But perhaps the most memorable moment of his life was when he rowed across the Indian Ocean with a friend, from Australia to Mauritius, completely unsupported. James arrived at Charterhouse in the Fourths, but as he was about to start his Remove year, he collapsed, breathless, while playing football. Completely paralysed, he was rushed up to a London hospital, and put on a ventilator. The doctor diagnosed him with Guillain-Barre syndrome, an autoimmune illness which affects the nervous system. He missed two Quarters of Removes, lying in intensive care and then a general ward, his nerves slowly growing back. James tells us how keen he was to go back, not to miss out too much, returning to the same House and same year. By CQ 1995, he was back in School, but in a wheelchair. This entailed a particular ‘bonus’, as he called it: he was able to get
off Chapel, since at the time the School wasn’t cut out for wheelchair access. However, it also provided some challenges, such as having to ‘bum-shuffle’ up the stairs to get to a biology lesson. He doesn’t seem bitter about the experience, quite the opposite, as in many ways he remembers it as a positive thing. The School didn’t make a big deal about it, and he didn’t feel special or different as a result – “everyone kind of got on with it.” He recalls that Mr Georgiakakis sent him back to House for a book he had forgotten, in his wheelchair, in the rain. As he says, “it was only fair and I didn’t forget my Maths book again!” He spent the rest of Removes in a wheelchair, by Fifth Form he was on crutches, and when he reached 1YS, he had a walking stick, able to walk without much issue, but sadly left with paralysis in the feet. The conversation then moved onto regrets, and James really only had one – missing out on sport, which was the only thing he was hampered in doing. He feels no regret about being naughty at School, remembering it as “quite fun”. As he wasn’t able to participate in team sports, James attended quite a few
4
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 4
18/08/2021 17:50
Ben Stenning and James Adair
The most memorable moment of his life was when he rowed across the Indian Ocean with a friend, from Australia to Mauritius, completely unsupported. societies, including the Thackeray Society, and he would play a bit of golf, or perhaps go off cycling: “I was given a bit of a free pass, it was all quite sort of relaxed really. I was allowed to ride a bike around without actually being a Monitor.” So, what kind of influence did the School have on him? “The School has a big impact, and a group of friends really shapes you. There were some real characters amongst the beaks too. I remember three in particular – Mr Balkwill, Mr Wilson and Mr Thorpe. Mr Balkwill would walk on the desks reciting poetry, and Mr Wilson would teach stuff that didn’t have anything to do with the exams. These teachers were more like university dons, they didn’t teach the syllabus, but they were actually incredibly
interesting, some wrote books and were genuine academics. I understand that there were some negatives from a school perspective, but it was good for me, because it prepared me for university, and just simply to be interested in things.” Apart from these characters then, what are some of James’ other most abiding memories? “Some of the most vivid memories are early on. Being in the Fourths is a huge shock, being one of 800 pupils, and I think you really realise that especially in Chapel”. What connections does he have to the School now? “I see on a regular basis five people from my year, and then a few other individuals now and again; it is a really good group of friends. By any objective criteria, Charterhouse is by far the best school in the country and so of course most OCs are great people.” After leaving Charterhouse in 1999, what did James end up doing? “I initially took a gap year and then went up to St Andrews, where I studied Modern History, which was a load of fun. After that I basically went walk-about. I did some trekking and a few other great things, and ended up in Alderney, a small
island in the Channel Islands, where I was the editor of the Alderney Journal and the correspondent for the Guernsey Press, which was really just an excuse to go spear fishing!” He admits that it wasn’t the most exciting place for news, with headlines featuring albino lobsters and speeding at 35mph. “I then decided that it was time for me to go out and get a proper job and having watched all the Channel shipping go by I decided to become a ship broker. I managed to get my feet under the desk in 2008 just before the financial crash.” James felt like he was struggling to find a career, but that, in some ways, this was beneficial for him: “I am now settled and will be doing this for the remainder of my working life, but if I had gone into something too early then I would almost certainly be in the middle of a midlife crisis!” His advice for people struggling to find a career path is that every person is different, and there is no right or wrong way of building a career, so you shouldn’t worry about it too much, because everything will sort itself out. The idea of rowing an ocean had first occurred to James and his friend, Ben Stenning, in 2004, when they were 5
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 5
18/08/2021 17:50
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
sharing a flat that would regularly get plunged into darkness as the pay-as-yougo electricity meter ran out again and again. But where did the idea to take this monumental challenge come from? “The idea first came from a newspaper article about a guy that had rowed the Pacific solo, Jim Shekhdar, in his 40s or 50s. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, I hated the idea of ‘climbing the greasy pole’. And all of a sudden there was this great adventure that seemed like, well, a great adventure, and experience and an excuse to skive off work essentially. I started talking about it to Ben and we decided it had to be one of these things we actually do, not something we just talk about.” By 2011, after a few issues, James and Ben had finally decided they were going to do it, they were going to row the Indian Ocean. They started looking at second hand boats, and settled on a 23 foot, two-time Pacific Ocean veteran, and named her Indian Runner. The boat decided on, they set about other preparations, such as the supplies and the route. They headed to Australia on a cold March morning, realising that they were about to spend almost the next four months at sea, completely alone. What must that feel like, to be the only thing in sight? “Very free and very liberating, but also extremely scary. Six or seven weeks out of Australia, you end up in the most
Sunset over the Indian Ocean
Bodeite 2nd Year Specialists, CQ1999 (James seated, centre)
isolated area of the Indian Ocean, with nothing, day after day. You start to realise, as you go deeper and deeper, further away from everyone and everything, from shipping lanes and other sources of help, that you are completely alone if something goes wrong. That you might actually die here, and no one would know. But on the other hand, it’s incredible, the beauty and isolation. I loved it, it was one of the best bits.” They set off from Australia on Thursday 21 April, on a journey that would last 116 days, and take them 3,600 miles from Australia to Mauritius. How did they entertain themselves, alone on the ocean for days and days? “Our policy was that we rowed two hours on, two hours off, taking it in turns. So, although you are doing it with a friend, you are also doing it by yourself. This meant we didn’t need that much entertainment. Something was always happening around us, be it the sun going up or down, the moon, the stars, clouds, birds, fish, animals. The sea moved in a different way all the time. If it was rough, we would be concentrating on the rowing and steering and if it was calm, it was relaxing and peaceful. We did have iPods full of music and audio books. Ben had a terrible iPod with ten Celine Dion songs and nothing else! My iPod broke early on because Ben would always borrow it, so we were left with his one, and that soon broke as well. Ben,
though, had insisted on bringing physical books. Every inch of space while packing counted, weight was critical. I was trying to prepare with food and essentials, and as I put things in, Ben would take them out, like toilet paper, saying “we won’t need that much” and putting in books instead. One of these was Moby Dick, which meant a lot to us by the end of the row. It is a great book, great fun, and we would read it aloud while one rowed. It whiled away tough parts of the row.” In his book, James mentions that his boss at HSBC had asked him, before the row, if he was doing this to prove a point. Ten years after the event, does he feel this was the case? “Yes, I proved a point to myself. When something like that happens to you, you become a certain person, the person “with the illness” or “the person who this thing has happened to”. It wasn’t necessarily negative, it was just that people saw you. But I felt like it wasn’t really me, it didn’t describe who I really was. And I suppose that part of the reason for the row was to prove that I was someone else, the one who rowed the Indian Ocean, who did something really dangerous and big, something other people would have been afraid of. So yes, I did prove a point. In terms of other people, no one really cares what you do, and it’s important not to do these things for other people. Crucially, I proved it to myself - that’s what’s important.” After an eventful row, which included giant squid, flying fish, a near
6
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 6
18/08/2021 17:50
collision with a cargo ship and a capsize, James and Ben finally reached Mauritius. How did James manage to adapt back to normal life? “It was definitely difficult, there are a few people who have done things like the army and they told me it would be really hard to go into an office. But, to be honest, I didn’t really return back to normal life, as after the row I moved to Ghana and have been on a journey ever since, which has been really interesting. The idea of commuting on the tube to work every day (not that anyone will ever do that again after Covid) was just not for me.”
James on board Indian Runner
Because the row was such an eventful one, did James feel there was an expectation for him to write a book? “I hadn’t actually planned on writing a book in the beginning and didn’t keep a proper diary or any of the other things that I should have done if I was going to write a proper book. But I think that, in the end, it was quite an interesting trip and I say that for two reason; not many people have done the Indian Ocean and we were the first pair to do it unsupported. It also was quite an eventful row as we had a few disasters, on the last day we were capsized and had to swim to shore, it was a very dramatic finish, which made me think that it was perhaps worth writing a book on.” The book is excellent, full of amazing stories combined with some light humour. It is a very enjoyable read. What has he
done since the row? “I wrote the book, then I moved to Ghana to a port town called Takoradi where I was the general manager for a shipping agency. After that I got headhunted to move to Barcelona to be an off-shore ship broker, but it was rather different this time. When I initially did it was just before the crash in 2008 and this time I started when oil was over 100 dollars a barrel and witnessed it crash to 26 dollars a barrel. Despite this, I had a great time in Barcelona. Then I started to work for a Ghanaian / Singaporean ship owning joint venture, so I was back between Ghana and the UK, but then decided to move on from shipping into an executive search firm covering Africa. I then left to set up my own company executive search business, “Big 5 Search”, which does senior executive searches across Africa and emerging markets.”
Lastly, we thought we would ask James what kind of advice he might have for current Carthusians? “I’m not necessarily someone to be dispensing advice, but as you ask I would say that, when it comes to people, the world is much smaller than you think. Your Year or House will include lots of very interesting and eclectic people and inevitably you will end up crossing paths for the rest of your life.” As we all (awkwardly, as these things are) logged off from the Zoom call, we realised that James was right. You don’t meet many people as good as OCs. ■ Henry Anderson, (1YS, Lockites)
7
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 7
18/08/2021 17:50
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
INTERVIEW WITH
SIR JONATHAN FAULL KCMG prizes. He played for the 2nd XI Cricket team, was Captain of Daviesites Football team and, on top of all that, found time to perform in several French plays. After leaving Charterhouse, Jonathan studied Law at the University of Sussex and at the University of Geneva, followed by a Master’s degree at the College of Europe in Bruges in European Law. He then took an unusual career path (for that time) by joining the European Commission.
D
uring LQ21 we were lucky enough to meet Sir Jonathan Faull (W71), an Old Carthusian who has been at the centre of European institutions for over 40 years. Sadly, we were not able to meet Jonathan in person because of Covid-19 restrictions, but instead had a long chat with him over Zoom. Jonathan Faull arrived at Charterhouse in 1967 as a Fourth Form Foundation scholar. He was in the original Daviesites boarding House, which he described as an old rundown building on the far side of the Duckites Bridge. At first, he felt a little homesick and found School life challenging, but he soon made lots of friends, with whom he is still in contact. Jonathan studied English, French, and Economics as a Specialist. He still feels grateful to the dedicated teachers at Charterhouse, especially his French beak, Mr Caillot de Chadbannes, who sparked his interest in the language. Jonathan enjoyed a full range of co-curricular activities at Charterhouse – He belonged to the Jazz, Poetry, Essay and Wesley Societies, and he was Secretary of the Debating Society. He won the Thackeray and Ivor Gibson
Jonathan arrived in Brussels in 1978, not expecting to stay for long, but he married there, made new friends and enjoyed being a European civil servant. He started work in the Customs Department as an administrator, a job which he saw as a great opportunity to learn how the Common Market operated. After this, he spent a couple of years as assistant to the Director General for Competition, dealing with mergers, subsidies, agreements, and abusive positions. He enjoyed working on competition issues. He later went on to become chief spokesman and Director General for Press and Communications in the early 2000’s – a job which entailed facing hundreds of journalists every day! He was appointed as Director General for Justice, Freedom and Security in March 2003, at a time when the world was still reacting to the tragic events of September 11th 2001. He then took up a role as Director General of Internal Market and Services, dealing with financial services at the height of the financial crisis. He had a privileged overview of what was going on, attending many important meetings and contributing significantly to some of the solutions found. In the lead up to the UK Brexit referendum, Jonathan was Director General of the EU Task Force, with the difficult task of negotiating with the
Cameron government. He was involved in successfully reaching an agreement in 2016, which was adopted by the British Government and by the European Council (which is the highest body of presidents and prime ministers of the EU). Jonathan was quite proud of the agreement, although he modestly told us that it didn’t play a big role in the referendum campaign. He retired from the Commission shortly afterwards and in 2017 he was awarded a knighthood for “services to UK relations with the European Union”. In retrospect, he is happy that his career panned out the way it did and believes that what he did was useful. He now works for a British based public affairs consultancy firm called the Brunswick group. His job involves a lot of
The old Daviesites House
8
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 8
18/08/2021 17:50
Having served for 40 distinguished years in the European Commission, Jonathan has a unique perspective on the inner workings of the EU.
Council of Ministers meeting in Brussels (photo taken by Sir Jonathan)
advising on the EU (where it is going, the ongoing impact of Brexit and where it will go in the future) and he also teaches at several universities and webinars. Having served for 40 distinguished years in the European Commission, Jonathan has a unique perspective on the inner workings of the EU. He told us that, to understand current politics, you have to understand why the European Union was formed in the first place: it was born out of the belief that “the longer term interest lies in doing things together rather than separately”. Being united allowed the creation of the single market and enabled countries of declining importance to band together to preserve their station and influence within the world. When asked about the criticism of the EU as being needlessly bureaucratic and outdated, he responded that he believes the EU still needs time to mature – 27 countries banding together to make decisions is always going to be messy, especially when the democratic process must be constantly observed, and big decisions require unanimity. He stressed that the EU is not a single country and
was never designed to be one, yet its strength lies in its ability to face issues with a united front and, if peoples and their leaders continue to believe they are better off together, then the EU will continue to operate. The process of change is slow and exacting, but time is the only way to learn from mistakes and to move forward and face the new challenges of the digital revolution, in which Europe faces the risk of becoming a consumer of products rather than a producer. In conclusion, “the EU is evolutionary, not revolutionary”. Few have been able to glean more insights into a country’s overseas persona than someone who lives and works abroad. “I’ve been an expat my entire life – you get a different perspective on your home country” Sir Jonathan noted. He believes that the UK still wields considerable soft power around the world, both from our language and from our rich culture which is widely recognised in areas as diverse as, Shakespeare, the Beatles, and football. He stressed that the UK has a strong tradition of democracy and is regarded
as a well-run country with great political continuity and with excellent diplomatic and civil services. However, recent political unrest has rather tainted this image. He saw first-hand the massively influential role the UK played within the EU and how it brought the best traditions of ‘pragmatic British politics’ to the table, ensuring that ideas were properly vetted before becoming law. The UK viewed the EU as an economic endeavour and thus maintained a “healthy scepticism” about EU projects, wanting to understand a problem before moving ahead with a solution. The UK brought its “fine traditions of judicial independence” and a willingness to innovate, alongside its links with the rest of the world into the EU, causing it to be the big advocate for open markets and free trade and to minimise protectionist tendencies. Projects such as the creation of the single market and enlargement of the EU were some of the notable successes of the British influence within the EU. However, Jonathan reflected that the same “unique cocktail of geographic and historic factors” which influenced UK politics to pursue these policies also set 9
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 9
18/08/2021 17:50
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Brexit poses many challenges to the UK – one of the biggest that Jonathan highlighted is the threat to the unity of the UK. Both Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own issues with Brexit, with neither having voted in favour of it.
Daviesites 1971 (Jonathan Faull 2nd row back, 2nd from left)
it apart from the rest of the EU member states. The UK sees the world differently because it was not occupied during the Second World War and has never been in the thrall of a dictatorship of the left or the right, and therefore it has never been very comfortable with the “rhetoric of the European project”, having never seen the EU as a guarantor of peace and democracy. Brexit poses many challenges to the UK – one of the biggest that Jonathan highlighted is the threat to the unity of the UK. Both Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own issues with Brexit, with neither having voted in favour of it. The UK sits in an unusual situation whereby our constitution is unwritten, unlike many other developed nations. We have three devolved parliaments which have very different politics: Northern Ireland has few common political parties with the rest of the UK and Scotland’s politics continue to drift away from England’s and Wales’.
The complexity of the interconnection between the parliaments and the constitution has been brought to the forefront during the pandemic (as each government took different actions) and also during Brexit, where disputes had to be settled by the Supreme Court, leading to criticism of the Court as the ‘enemy of the people’ (a situation which Jonathan abhorred). Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England are intertwined in many different ways, as Jonathan explained, using sports teams as an example – we compete all together as Great Britain during the Olympics and yet we have separate rugby union teams which every four years unite into one big team, alongside Ireland and Northern Ireland (which forget their old tensions and combine to create one team). The England short-form cricket captain is an Irishman. This mention of Ireland reminded Jonathan of the seeing the Northern Ireland conflict as a child and schoolboy: he remembers seeing on the
news familiar-looking streets with high-street brand names, such as WH Smith, but with the shocking addition of soldiers and guns as well. Jonathan observed that most English people visit Scotland and Wales at some point in their life and view it as part of their country, but how many are familiar with the daily realities of Northern Ireland? Nobody wants to see a return to old tensions in Northern Ireland, but Jonathan fears that Brexit will revive them and put the UK’s Union in jeopardy. The border between the EU and the UK runs through Ireland. It is our only land border. A similar situation could occur if Scotland gains independence, as there would be an international border between England and Scotland that has not existed as a trade border for hundreds of years, surely causing even more difficult issues than the current one in Northern Ireland. Jonathan warned us that our generation can no longer take for granted the strength of the Union on which he could rely in his youth. And Jonathan’s advice for young Carthusians, as he looks back on a long career in public service? He stressed the importance of reading widely, travelling and learning foreign languages, but, above all, he advises our generation to take opportunities when they arise and not to get held back by fear of failure. ■ Jessica West (F) and Maksim Solomon (W)
10
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 10
18/08/2021 17:50
11
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 11
18/08/2021 17:50
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
UNIFORMS Charterhouse fashion evolves very slowly and September 2021 will see the first major change to the Under School uniform since 1938. We asked a few brave volunteers to try on some of the historic uniforms that were worn in days gone by.
12
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 12
18/08/2021 17:50
1611
1611-2021
At the original Charterhouse in London, the only pupils who were required to wear a uniform were those with free foundation scholarships from Thomas Sutton’s bequest: the Gownboy scholars wore black academic gowns (hence their name) over a short black jacket with knee breeches and the look was topped off with a mortar board, known as a “Trencher”. This was the standard dress for students in universities and many schools. We made life easy for our Gownboy model by providing modern long socks instead of traditional stockings held up by garters, breeches with an elasticated waist (elastic was not invented until the 19th century) and a shirt with buttons, rather than “points” (laces used to do up clothing before buttons became more prevalent).
13
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 13
18/08/2021 17:50
Following the School’s move to Godalming in 1872, uniform was introduced for all pupils, consisting of a black jacket, dark trousers, white shirt and black tie – a generic outfit worn by most British schoolboys. This deceptively simple-sounding outfit was soon adapted into a complicated dress-code that demonstrated a pupil’s seniority: new boys had to wear the three buttons on their jackets done up and could not put their hands in their pockets; after one year they could have the top button undone, and the Upper School (Specialists) could keep their jacket unbuttoned. Woe betide any junior pupil who got these rules wrong! The costume itself is actually very simple, but it is the collars and the style of tie (tightly knotted) that give it that historic look. Collars were detachable and had to be fixed to the traditional shirts using metal collar studs. The sleeves were fastened with cuff-links, once commonly used instead of buttons. Younger boys wore uncomfortable starched Eton collars that overlapped their jacket, while senior boys could wear smaller rounded collars, or wing collars (“stick-ups”). Those at the top of the social order – Monitors and the ‘Bloods’ (1st XI sports team members) – could wear light grey trousers, coloured waistcoats, pocket watch chains and buttonhole flowers. The School colours of pink, dark blue and maroon only featured in sports team clothing. The proud owners of 1st XI cricket colours ruled the roost in pink Charterhouse blazers, whilst 1st XI footballers sported blue and maroon shirts.
1899
1872
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Boys wore their uniform at all times, without any opportunities to wear casual ‘home clothes’, and Charterhouse uniform lists were therefore remarkably short compared to today’s kit list. The monochrome uniform was brightened a little by a variety of headwear. When going outside Charterhouse, pupils wore bowler hats, but for walking around the School, they could wear caps with piping in their House or team colours. These could be ordered from Mrs Mary Anne Wright, a widow who ran a cap-making business from her cottage in Peperharow Road. Carthusians wore their caps with the peak at the back, long before skateboarders took this up as a fashion statement – when walking past a beak, pupils would therefore touch the back of their neck in a “Charterhouse salute”. We (carefully) tried on several genuine Carthusian caps from the museum collection and found that they were all surprisingly small, presumably because they were made to be perched on the back of the head. In the summer, pupils could wear straw boaters instead of caps and a more relaxed daytime dress code of cricket flannels, black jacket and open necked shirts.
14
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 14
18/08/2021 17:50
The arrival of Headmaster Robert Birley in 1938 heralded some radical modernisation of the School, including changes to the uniform: out went the formal black jackets, to be replaced with comfortable tweed jackets for the Under School and plain dark blue blazers for Specialists. This was viewed as daring casual-wear at the time and there were complaints about the horror of wearing black shoes with a brown jacket (!) and the smell of wet sheep when the jackets got wet, but the uniform was soon accepted as, well, part of the furniture and remained largely unchanged for 80 years. The tweed jacket was adopted by many public schools in the mid-20th century and is still worn by some. The first girls to arrive at Charterhouse in the 1970s were not required to wear uniform and it was not until 1999-2000 that a girls’ uniform of a fitted black jacket and skirt with open necked shirt was introduced.
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 15
2020
1938
According to A H Tod (Charterhouse by A H Tod, publ. G Bell & Sons 1900), pink was adopted as the Cricket XI colour in 1849, and dark blue and red became the 1st XI Football colours in 1861.
In OQ 2020, a new Specialist uniform was introduced, designed for Charterhouse by Schoolblazer Ltd, featuring boys’ and girls’ grey suits with a subtle pink check and pink lining. From this September, the Under School uniform has also been updated to celebrate the move to full coeducation. Both boys and girls have a smart grey blazer with pink piping, the Charterhouse crest on the lapels and a pink lining; boys have matching grey trousers, while girls have a choice of trousers or grey culottes with a pink check. This is the first time in the School’s history that our uniform has been distinctively Carthusian, rather than a generic uniform in common with other public schools. A momentous uniform change indeed, and one that (based on past experience) could last until the turn of the next century.
15
18/08/2021 17:50
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Mr Mik (R1993- e Gillespie 1998, B H2 His tory 002)
r Bagley Mr Pe te H2014) 82, B (P1977-19 Biology Head of
Mr Alasdair Buchan (S2000-2005, BH2020 ) Drama Director in Resid ence
OC Beaks Interviews There was a time when it was unusual for beaks NOT to be Old Carthusians, but this has not been the case for the last 150 years and we think that the exceptional number of OCs currently in Brooke Hall (nine) may be a record. Their collective memories of the School as pupils stretch from 1977 to 1982 and then in an almost unbroken run from 1989 to 2011. We thought it would be interesting to hear about their experiences as pupils, and also their reflections on returning to Charterhouse as beaks. Our team of inquisitive interviewers met with them one lunchtime in CQ and were rewarded with wide-ranging and illuminating conversations. Some information and anecdotes were just too sensitive to publish and must remain safely locked away for the historic record in the archives, but here are just a few interview snippets to pique your interest.
16
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 16
18/08/2021 17:50
Miss Georgia Gordon-M ar tin (S2002-2004, BH2020 ) Politics
ne ny Ka 19) o h t n Mr A 011, BH20 6-2 (g200 hemis try C
ogg Mrs Cathrina H 2019) (B1989-1991, BH Geography
Miss C harlo (S200 t te Hughes5-200 D 7, BH2 ’Ae th 019)
Reid Mr E J 2001 ) 94, BH (g1989-19 Housemas ter tics, V Mathema
Mr Phil Stimpson (L1999-2004, BH2011 ) Physics 17
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 17
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
What do you remember about your first day(s) as a pupil at Charterhouse? Mr Bagley: Being unable to remember any joke to include in my New Hop’s test paper. [New pupils were set a test by their House monitors to ensure they knew all about the School; some Houses set quite bizarre questions and pupils who failed the test had to sing a song in front of the monitors.] Also, successfully barricading my room by wedging the bed between the door and desk, thus avoiding getting soaked in the middle of the night by some rather nasty Removes. Also, my roommate insisted on doing his oboe practice in our room. Mr Buchan: I remember the first night very vividly – we had great big long dormitories then. I had come from a very little prep school and Charterhouse seemed vast and very weighty and important as an institution. Miss Gordon-Martin: I turned up at Northridge, terrified. We had to go straight in to have a photo and I remember thinking, “Gosh, if I had known I would’ve spent a bit of time on my hair”. That first day was all rush, rush, rush, go, go, go. But what was New Girls 2002 really nice that evening was that the 20 or so girls in Northridge just got two massive jars of Nutella out and sat in the kitchen, demolished both, and simply got to know each other. And instantly, I felt relieved and knew I’d found my crew. Mr Stimpson: I remember my very first day, my first hash as a Carthusian, and I was late, the bell had gone, and my beak just shut and locked the door! I was locked out and didn’t know what to do, but I was very clear that I would not be late ever again after that! My first calling over also stands out as a memory. It doesn’t happen anymore, but several times a Quarter the beaks would give you a grade for effort and achievement in every subject, then you would go into Hall and be lined up in the order to show how hard your beaks thought you were working. The Master of the Under School would be wearing his academic gown and would go down the line and speak to you one at a time. It was all very formal and very serious.
18
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 18
Pageites 1982 Did you ever get into trouble at Charterhouse? Mr Bagley: Fortunately, most of my misdeeds remain undetected, but there was the chicken coop on the Pageites roof incident… The hens had just started laying nicely when the Housemaster found a couple of bags of chicken feed in the attic and the boy concerned had to admit to the livestock. The Housemaster was quite amused – “how enterprising” was reported to be his response. Unfortunately, most of the eggs were used as projectiles. Mine was but a small bit part – using my workshop skills to build the chicken run on the roof so the hens could be released from their temporary housing of my friend’s trunk. Mr Buchan: No, I was ridiculously well behaved – absurdly well behaved. I must have got into trouble for talking too much, but I don’t think I ever got Extra School and I don’t think I even got an Armoury Run – these are punishments that no longer exist. Mr Gillespie: Well, I spoke in Chapel with my hands in my pockets and I remember I got told off about that. It was just before a midweek cricket match, so I was wearing my 1st XI pink blazer. Miss Gordon-Martin: If you were given an Armoury Run, it meant you had to see this really scary lady, all in a uniform, and do a run around Big Ground early in the morning. There were Grass Rules – no walking on the grass – and if you had three ‘Grass Rules’ you got an Armoury Run. On my first day back as a beak I saw people walking on the grass, so I said ‘Grass Rules’, and they looked at me as if I was absolutely deranged!
Calling Over 18/08/2021 17:51
What were your favourite sports: Mr Bagley: Swimming in the old swimming baths, but the unheated atmosphere made it freezing when you got out, and the walk from down by Racquet Courts back to House in the dark was not much fun, so I took up squash instead!
Miss Hughes-D’Aeth: Ah, sport was not my forte! I enjoyed netball, but I definitely did not do hockey and I don’t think I did anything in the summertime. You didn’t have to, and no one really chased up on that.
Mr Buchan: I did absolutely no sports whatsoever – I was really quite good at avoiding all forms of sport!
Mr Kane: I came from a very small prep school where there was really only one team, so if you signed up, you played. But here, I joined and was in the Under 14E’s for football and hockey, and the Under 14D’s for cricket. I think it made me really competitive and I went from Under 14D’s cricket to the 2nd XI and playing on Green, and that was a real drive for me.
Mr Gillespie: I played football, hockey, cricket and a lot of squash, but I gave up squash as a Fifth because I just didn’t have the time. Miss Gordon-Martin: I played everything! I was Captain of girls’ hockey and I played for the boys’ second XI, which I was pretty proud of. I played netball, tennis and did athletics – I held the School record for the 200 metres, which I felt quite proud of too. Sport is my happy place.
Cricke t 2nd XI 201 1
4 Girls Hockey 200 Mrs Hogg: I did everything, but then I was from a sporty background. I enjoyed trying new things likes Fives.
Mr Reid: I came here because of a football course I went on when I was about 11 – it was run by Mr Malcolm Bailey (BH742013) and he basically persuaded me that Charterhouse was the place for me. Otherwise, I might have gone to my dad’s old school (Marlborough), but it was a rugby school, which I wasn’t interested in. Mr Stimpson: When I arrived I wanted to try everything – I managed it all for three or four weeks before I realised I was just dead and couldn’t quite do everything. So, my three big sports were shooting, rock climbing and basketball. My twin brother and I were very different, but we had a shared passion for basketball, so playing in the basketball team with him was terrific. I was also very excited to join the CCF.
Lacrosse 1990 Baske tball 2004 CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 19
19
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
What are your best pupil memories of Charterhouse? Mr Bagley: My great friends who remain a big part of my life, completing the 50 Mile Walk, Specialist hashes, 2nd Tics Hockey, Club nights, and a number of my undetected misdeeds! Mr Buchan: My Housemaster for my final three years was Dr Peterken. I liked him. I thought he was a tremendously good Housemaster, and he used to make me laugh, and I think I made him laugh as well, and I became Head of House. I think the role of Head of House has changed a little bit, but we did have quite a mission – we worked together to make sure that Fourths weren’t being bullied. That was a huge part of what we ended up doing.
Mr Gillespie: Cricke t 1st XI 1998 I can still remember scoring a hundred on Green, and the 50 Mile Walk and notable group things, rather than individual history hashes. Miss Gordon-Martin: My favourite thing was waking up on a Saturday morning, being able to put my PE kit on because I knew I was going to go straight from hashes to a match, and I couldn’t wait. Mrs Hogg: 2nd year Crown evenings [the top floor of Crown was run as a pub for 2nd Year Specialists, who could use tokens to purchase limited amounts of beer]; The Fifty Mile Walk; living in a beak’s home (R A Gordon-Smith) with my two best friends in 2nd year [girls lived in lodgings with local families until Chetwynd opened as the first girls’ hall of residence in 1999]. Miss Hughes-D’Aeth: I loved Scottish Dancing on Mondays with Mr Bogdan, getting very sweaty dancing increasingly difficult reels and eating far too many malteasers.
Saunderites 2005 My first play was Return to the Forbidden Planet, which was a musical in which I played a roller skating robot. My costume was a silver sort of leotard onesie, which is a horrible thing to put a 13 year old in! My favourite drama role was probably Thénardier in Les Miserables because it was so much fun and it was such a massive thing. We did a production of Antigone – the Jean Anouilh version, because why do anything easy? I played ‘The Chorus’ and that was extraordinary – I loved doing that. So you basically just hung out in the Theatre? Yes, I spent most of my time there and now it’s my job, so not much has changed.
I was really lucky with my house, with lovely boys and a great group of girls, which was handy because it was complete luck of the draw! We devoured cheese toasties made by Fred (Manuel) and did the crossword with different years groups in the S library whilst eating them. Amongst my fondest memories.
St Andrew s Ball 200 6
Mr Kane: I went on a Classics trip to Greece with Mr Freeman and I think probably also Mr Haynes, which was pretty memorable. I ballboy-ed at the ISFA Cup Final as a fourth, because Duckite Fourths were recruited to do that. And then when I was a Second Year, obviously I wasn’t involved in the actual match, but we won the ISFA Cup, so that was pretty memorable. Mr Reid: I remember going on a chamber choir (or as it was called, ‘special choir’) tour down the Eastern seaboard of the USA. That was fantastic. I had an absolutely brilliant clarinet teacher, who was utterly inspiring, and, for me, the Christian Union was the other thing that was hugely influential, run for many, many years by Cary Gilbart-Smith, who was a Classics beak.
Forbidden Planet 20
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 20
An tigone Choru s
Mr Stimpson: I had the same tutor for all five years, Dr Elizabeth Holloway, who taught physics and was an amazing tutor – she guided me all the way through, from settling into Charterhouse, wishing me happy 13th birthday in my very first week here, helping me through my GCSEs and when I was applying to universities – she helped me achieve all of those things.
18/08/2021 17:51
What kind of impact did Charterhouse have on your life choices? Miss Gordon-Martin: Dr Peterken was my Housemaster in Saunderites and I would genuinely say he changed my life – that sounds a little bit over the top, but it’s true because when I was first here I struggled a bit. I lost my confidence hugely and I didn’t quite know what do, and I had a few run-ins with some of the beaks. Dr Peterken was also new as a Housemaster and was great. In the end he made me Head of House of Saunderites, which was quite a big moment because there hadn’t been any girl Heads of House at the School before. Miss Hughes-D’Aeth: I’d really love to have had some accounting and finance advice and to have learnt general things like fixing a tap and how to change a car tyre, but Charterhouse taught me to be very independent and it taught me a lot about friendship as well. Mr Kane: I think one thing it did inspire in me is a really strong sense of justice and fairness.
Saunderites 2004 What was your first day back at Charterhouse as a beak like? Mr Bagley: Busy. So was the second, and so on…
Why did you decide to return to Charterhouse? Mr Bagley: The Specialist Curriculum and the reputation of the department I am privileged to lead. Mr Gillespie: I was finishing my History degree, but didn’t know what it was going to lead to. I had just been to my university careers department and took away a rucksack full of careers ideas, but I never looked at any of it because that night, at the Old Robinites’ dinner, Will Lane (Head of History) and Hugh Gammell (Robinites’ Housemaster) came up to me and asked, ‘what are you doing next year? Do you want a job?’ And that was it – a new History teacher had pulled out of the job at short notice, so they needed a replacement, just for a year – well, it was meant to be a year, but obviously it’s become a bit longer than that! Mrs Hogg: I have a strong family connection with Charterhouse. We live locally, and it is a great place to work. Miss Hughes D’Aeth: Part of the reason I came back was because I felt very strongly about getting girls’ education right at Charterhouse and establishing our own Girls’ Houses was a vital part of that. Mr Kane: I don’t think I’d necessarily be teaching here if I hadn’t come here myself and had the teaching that I had. I was fortunate enough to have some excellent teachers throughout my time across all my subjects.
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 21
Classics trip to Greece
Mr Buchan: Being back is extraordinary, because it is a very different place. When I arrived in 2018, I had to adjust to suddenly having a School email account and being allowed into Brooke Hall and all of that. Coming back, it feels like Charterhouse has accepted me more than it ever did the first time around. Mr Gillespie: I ran out of thing to say in my first hash! The Headmaster had set aside a 40-minute hash to talk to the different year groups, but only took a few minutes with my Removes, so what should have been ten minutes just to meet them became half an hour. Nowadays I can talk for hours about all sorts of things. At the end of the first day, I had lost my voice. Miss Gordon-Martin: It was bizarre going into Brooke Hall and seeing my pigeon hole for letters, because you don’t go into Brooke Hall as a pupil. I felt a bit weird when I saw the row of letter boxes with my name, together with Gillespie, Georgiakakis, and Hall. I took a photo and sent it to my brothers! I felt like an imposter, but then every teacher has imposter syndrome. Mrs Hogg: Manic – trying to learn lots of new names (beaks and pupils alike)! Miss Hughes-D’Aeth: It was a bit odd to begin with, I’m not going to lie! I think I made some of the beaks who had taught me feel quite old. Mr Kane: It’s strange, because you’re going back to places where you used to live (five years!) and some of the corridors aren’t how you remember them, because they’ve been renovated. It’s all slightly different. And that’s when you realise that this doesn’t really belong to you, it’s something that you’ve passed through and you are a tenant for a while. There’s a Charterhouse that exists in your memory, which doesn’t exist anymore. 21
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
How has Charterhouse changed? Mr Bagley: Today’s pastoral care would be unrecognisable in the late ‘70s, though I benefited from a very caring Housemaster who knew a lot more than we realised. In other ways, no. It is still a place that allows a wide range of characters to thrive, where academics matter, but they are far from the only thing, and everyone has the opportunity to find something that they really love and can contribute to. Mr Buchan: Charterhouse is now a school where diversity is slowly, but very certainly, being accepted and encouraged and I sometimes feel quite emotional about the fact that I can do a tiny, tiny little bit to make a difference with that. Mr Reid: We did the 50 Mile Walk without mobile phones. It was five miles or so between checkpoints, so if anyone broke an ankle, well, someone would have to walk three miles to the next checkpoint and then bring adults back to get them and so on. It would be unthinkable now. I remember going on Charterhouse’s first ever Model UN trip, which was organised basically by a group of pupils and we went to the Hague for a week with no beak, just a group of 2nd Year Specs on a school trip. The idea of that now…!
Thank you to our interviewers: Anastasiia Afanaseva (F), Henry Anderson (L), Giovanni Andrenelli (B), Giulia d’Errico (C), Laura Galbraith (F), Alberto Giardino (B), Amelia Groom (F), Oliver Muir (D), Alexa Mukherjee (C), Astrid Riddoch (C), Flora Stevenson (Su), Max Stockmeier (S)
Mr Kane: There’s been a marked increase in the proportion of female staff, which can only be a good thing. That only really came to my mind when I was a pupil and did a tour for a prospective parent, who asked me, “What’s the proportion of male to female teachers?” And I instinctively said 50/50 because that’s the gender ratio of a population. And then I went, hang on a minute, there’s a hundred or so members of Brooke Hall and only two of them are women. Mr Stimpson: Some traditions in the past were not so pleasant and have been got rid of: when I was first here we still had ‘fagging’ – the idea that senior boys could ring a bell and order junior boys to go to Crack to get sweets. Also, we would have to get up at 6.30 in the morning to knock on the senior pupils’ doors, bring them toast, bring them coffee, turn on their lights, turn on their stereo, open the blinds and so on. My year group in Lockites were very proud that we got rid of this system when we were 2nd Year Specs because none of us had liked being forced to do these jobs as Fourths. All schools change slightly as time goes on. I think Charterhouse still offers a fantastic education with small class sizes and high-quality teaching. Charterhouse does keep changing though. The traditional Charterhouse terminology is still here, and I hope we don’t get rid of it. I like the fact that we have beaks and hashes and that you are First Year Specs. I think it’s nice, it creates a nice little identity and it’s not elitist, it’s not discriminating, but it is something that you can take pride in.
22
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 22
18/08/2021 17:51
VALETE / SALVETE 23
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 23
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
VALETE Nikos Georgiakakis
Mr Nikos Georgiakakis (Mathematics, BH1983-2021) is retiring after 38 years at Charterhouse. He has chosen not to have a valete.
John Troy Anyone who has ever been to a school or had the privilege of working in one will know that in every school, there was once a golden age. Despite the lack of eyewitnesses, there is no shortage of accounts of what this golden age was like. In short, it contained none of the worst and only the best bits of the current age, plus other features so attractive that cynics consider them the product of imagination. There is nothing remotely mythical about John Troy (JCT), but in accounts of Charterhouse’s golden age, all beaks were like him. John has been a fine teacher of Economics, inspiring many of his pupils to read the subject at the world’s best universities, as well as showing the patience to guide others towards grades that they had considered to be beyond their reach. He has also been a soughtafter tutor, encouraging his tutees to make the most of every opportunity. His credibility as a teacher and tutor comes, not just from his subject knowledge and personal skills, but also his ‘real-life’ experience: before teaching at Westminster and King’s Canterbury, he had careers in the Royal Navy (he is a Falklands War veteran) and as a city solicitor. His methods as a tutor, however, have occasionally lacked the probity
associated with a legal training and his reputation for adherence to a strict moral code. His Lockite Second Years were ‘incentivised’ to run Pontifex this year with the promise of a trip to the pub. That his tutees fulfilled their part of the contract when pubs were not open, not to mention wearing kit bearing the legend ‘Troy’s boys’, tells us something about their worthy motivation. Fives and cricket are the two sports which have benefitted most from John’s dedicated attention. Countless hours have been spent enthusiastically introducing boys and girls to the idiosyncrasies of the former. A bumper fives fixture list was planned for LQ 2021 to make up for all the matches missed in OQ. In retrospect, it was perhaps rather too full a list and the post-Christmas lockdown probably spared many sore hands. Given his experience, John was an obvious fit for the CCF Royal Navy Section. In this, as in every other area of Charterhouse life touched by his enthusiasm, there was an increase in interest. There is no doubt that pupils benefitted from his expertise and the access he was able to gain at naval bases and afloat. John has been a popular member of Brooke Hall, always willing to share a joke and to help out colleagues who have found themselves in need of another pair of hands. It should be noted that, in return, his colleagues have been remarkably tolerant of his occasionally indecipherable e-mails. John was an early adopter of speech recognition software which, without the required editing, yielded less than perfect results. This does not explain, however, his email seeking help supervising his new waterboarding activity. He meant wakeboarding. John is a firm believer that Economics should be experienced and, for Carthusian economists, this has been achieved not just through visiting speakers, in person and online, but also an ambitious series of excursions to London (for lectures at LSE and the
University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business outpost) and overseas (to Brussels, China, and Vietnam). JCT is responsible for the only risk assessment in the School’s archives which refers to unexploded land mines. John joined Charterhouse in 2006 to be Head of Economics. This is a subject involving statistics and their interpretation. Here are some figures which speak for themselves: in 2006, there were 87 Carthusian Specialists studying Economics; in 2021, there are 192. Mr Andrew Turner
24
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 24
18/08/2021 17:51
Pablo Funcasta
improved the efficiency of the department, employing a collaborative style of leadership which has given everyone a sense of value. His interest in his team is shown by his early morning patrol of the department, greeting us with a cheerful grin and often a useful article from The Economist while making sure we are all ready for the day. This is good in normal times; in a pandemic when some of the dinosaurs were struggling with OneNote and Zoom, it was a lifesaver. Of course, he proved his potential as a schoolmaster as he became Assistant Housemaster to Steve Hearn who writes:
In March 2008, Charterhouse was fortunate to receive an application from Pablo Funcasta. It was clear that he would be appointed from the moment his application hit the inbox. A CV boasting an Economics degree from Trinity College, Cambridge, honed by a Masters at LSE, and time at the Bank of England had him at the top of any list of applicants for an Economics job. When this was accompanied by an interest in sport and an obvious interest in education, I knew that we had struck gold. In the ten years we have known each other, my admiration for his passion for Economics and interest in how best to inspire pupils has only increased. My initial fear was that he would not have sufficient patience to deal with the less interested and numerate Carthusians. This proved to be unfounded, as I saw him coming into the department early and staying late to help any boy or girl with a wish to improve. At the same time, he has never lost his desire to push the most able so they might follow in his footsteps to study Economics at the top universities in the world. His hashes have combined a thorough approach to the basics with a constant stream of innovative ideas which have kept the lessons fresh. As we started the IBDP, it was an obvious step to ask Pablo to run this. He succeeded in producing the best results in the School for the Department. It was equally obvious that he should take over running Economics when the post became vacant. Since then, he has
‘Making Pablo my Assistant was one of the best decisions I made as a Housemaster. Pablo is an exemplary schoolmaster, able to contribute to every sphere of School life. In House, he was happy to play Tics football, proudly wearing his Barcelona shirt as he played the unforgiving centre back role. Despite trips to see QPR, I could never turn his back to his local team: his dedication to Blackburn Rovers is unshakeable.
‘Pablo has been an integral part of delivering football to the U15 age group. Indeed, the U15B side was very much his own! Favouring the 4-2-3-1 formation (very much like Barcelona would operate during their tika-taka phase), Pablo would spend time organising drills to get the very best out of the footballers. What’s more, he was very much a leading figure in staff 5-a-side football, whether rampaging forward like Diego Costa or saving shot after shot like David De Gea. He will be greatly missed.’ To finish at the beginning, Charterhouse has indeed been fortunate to have such a wholehearted individual as a member of Brooke Hall for the last 12 years. St Leonards School is equally fortunate to be in Fife (whence Sarah and her family hail) and thus takes Pablo and his family away from us. He leaves friends who hope to visit him and that he will often return to Godalming. Mr John Troy
Tasos Aidonis
Pablo was able to take over the running of the House when I was not there, and I always felt confident that he was in control. He was kind and considerate in this pastoral role, as well as being fully aware that rules need to be followed to ensure the happiness of everyone. He built good relationships with all the members of the House. They regarded him fondly and he commanded the utmost respect. Pablo joined in with every House social occasion, was happy to take trips out, and understood fully that the House was a second home for the pupils. I could not have asked for a more dedicated tutor and assistant.’ Once he became free from the trials of coaching rowing (his qualification – having relatives in a country that, some time ago, launched the Spanish Armada), Pablo became an excellent football coach (qualification – that same country winning the World Cup in 2010). James Silvester, a fellow coach, writes:
There are all sorts of words one can use to describe Tasos Aidonis – though only a few are printable. He’s a Tasmanian devil of a man, a (small) bundle of energy, and a fun loving and hugely energetic Housemaster of Bodeites. As his next-door neighbour in Hodgsonites, I can testify to Tasos’s can-do attitude and his deep engagement in the lives of the Bodeite boys. From his famous Burns Night Supper through to his casino nights and London theatre trips, he has always put on a good show for those under his 25
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 25
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
VALETE care. He is constantly on the go around the House and always looking to chivvy, encourage, cajole, and charm the boys to do their very best. Tasos arrived at Charterhouse in September 2010 after a ten-year stint at Fettes College in Scotland following a very successful four years at Lancaster Royal Grammar School. He had already been Head of Classics, Head of Year, and Head of Sixth Form at Fettes. He says he came to Charterhouse because he “loves boarding” and that affection has been sustained and enhanced in his ten years with us. Alongside leading the Classics department here, he was soon the Assistant Housemaster in Bodeites under James Hazeldine’s tutelage. It was clear from early on he was destined for bigger things. Everything he did in those early days was done with gusto. For instance, he is fondly remembered by many boys as an unskilled but enthusiastic football coach. He would typically join in the practice games (to limited success) and roar the boys on from the side-lines during the matches. What he lacked in tactical awareness, he more than made up for in man management skills. He was no Pep Guardiola but he knew how to get the best out of each boy and build a team spirit. In September 2016, Tasos started in Bodeites and hasn’t looked back. In his words, “it’s been the best thing ever… I’ve loved it, every single moment”. He has enjoyed the big set piece House events as much as the small, revealing conversations with individual boys. He likes to have a busy House with the boys always on the go and getting stuck in – much in his own mould. Indeed, it may sound odd at first to hear that one of his favourite sights and sounds is “a quiet corridor” because it means the boys are busy (so Tasos thinks, at least!). For him, the House is more important than the School. It is the lifeblood of Charterhouse. However, Tasos was never content with merely running a boarding house. In the past few years, he has collected job titles and responsibilities as if they are endangered species. He has been Head of the Scholars and Head of the Extended Project Qualification in the
Specialists. He has thrown himself into both jobs with his customary zeal. It’s a miracle his wife, Kathryn, has been so patient with him. He rarely seems to stop (other than for the occasional afternoon ‘power nap’). Everyone who meets Tasos likes him – teachers, support staff, parents, and pupils. The queue to get a place in Bodeites is long, with Tasos being the main draw. The boys in Bodeites respect and like him, even in the most difficult of circumstances. They know he will have their backs and support them to the very end. He says he wants to leave the House with a culture that when one commits to something one sees it through. As he says, “If you’re going to do something, you do it properly”. He hopes he will leave that sort of legacy and his successor, Mr David McCoombes, will benefit from having a unified and committed set of pupils. Of course, he couldn’t have made that sort of impact without a dedicated team of tutors and wonderful matrons. Tasos picks out Elaine Carden (his current matron) as a “force of nature” and a fellow traveller. It is certainly true that they make a dynamic duo – Elaine’s no-nonsense grit balancing Tasos’ maniacal and passionate approach to everything. Elaine says that when the boys misbehave (as they inevitably do) they are usually more upset at the thought of letting Dr Aidonis down than any punishment they might receive. “I think that shows the type of man he is,” says Elaine. Tasos leaves us here to take up the job of Head of Senior School at Westminster. It’s still a hands-on, pupil-focused role and that will play to Tasos’s strengths. It sounds like he has landed on his feet too, with a lovely apartment overlooking Westminster Abbey. Not bad work, if you can get it. We wish Tasos the best of luck. He is a one-off and he will be sorely missed. Mr Ian Richards
Tom Aberneithie
After nine years as Head of Design & Technology at Charterhouse, Tom Aberneithie has decided to pursue a full time Master’s in Fine Art. Since joining in 2012, Tom has been responsible for introducing greater breadth to Design & Technology education here at the School. With a focus on the wider disciplines in product design, Tom has developed strong curriculum links with Art to enrich the subject and has made contributions to a significant renovation of the John Derry Technical Centre in 2016. Tom was responsible for organising several overseas Design trips, most memorably to The Bauhaus in Berlin and to supercar museums and factories in Bologna. He has also made strong links between Charterhouse and universities both in the UK and abroad, organising popular evening Design lectures for our pupils. Tom also involved himself in the cocurricular life of the School, coaching the swimming teams, running Pioneers, and tutoring in Weekites, where he will surely be missed. Over the last nine years, many pupils have been inspired to pursue Product Design and Architecture degrees after studying sixth form DT, and we wish Tom every success for the future with his own creative endeavours. Mr Simon Brian
26
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 26
18/08/2021 17:51
Simon Brian
Simon Brian joined Charterhouse in September 2018 as Deputy Head (Academic), bringing with him extensive experience of academic leadership positions in both independent day and boarding schools. His previous experience of a range of different approaches to the formal curriculum, to innovation (for example, in the form of non-examined electives), and to the use of technology in teaching proved extremely valuable to the powerful impact he has had on taking Charterhouse’s teaching and learning to the next level. During his tenure, Charterhouse was a leading light in the move away from Pre-U to reformed A-Level exams (a move since followed by many more schools, leading to the collapse of the entire Pre-U system), the extended project qualification (EPQ) was introduced for 1YS, and a system of academic enrichment and workplaceready electives were introduced. Simon’s speed in understanding the DNA of Charterhouse was hugely important in the success of these reforms. Carthusian Specialists are hungry for independent learning, for wider research, for presenting ideas to their peers, and handling a critical audience. Carthusians are keen to study beyond the confines of the exam syllabus, whether that be Archaeology, Biomechanics, or Forensic Science. They also have a keen interest in Business, in Investments, in Leadership, and Entrepreneurship – all things which now form part of the Charterhouse experience for our young learners.
Simon’s defining moment at Charterhouse came in March and April 2020 in the weeks after the Government announced the first Covid lockdown and the closing of Schools for an extensive but undefined period. He was the architect of Charterhouse@Home, quickly seeing that the combination of Zoom and One Note was the platform for the most effective delivery of on-line learning, moving quickly to train staff, to lead and reassure them in uncertain times, and to radically alter the timetable from the very start to make sure it was suitable for teenagers working on screens at home. Again, Charterhouse, under Simon’s operational direction, led other schools in this regard, many of whom followed suit in due course. Simon leaves the Academic Heads of Department forum transformed. The atmosphere of professional collaboration, the sharing of best practice, and the relentless pursuit of excellence as a collective endeavour for academic middle leaders is inspirational to see in action. As one Head of Department commented in their annual review this year, “Simon is the best line manager I have ever had in my career”. A staunch advocate of the IB, Simon leaves Charterhouse to take over the headship of St Leonards School in St Andrews, a 3-18 coeducational School with an IB-only Sixth Form. We thank him for his enormous contribution to Charterhouse in a relatively short space of time and wish him and his lovely family every success in Scotland. Dr Alex Peterken
Sue Golding
Sue joined Charterhouse in September 2007 from Guy’s Hospital, where she worked in the Microbiology Department. She subsequently decided to apply her skills to school laboratories. For the first seven years, she worked in the Chemistry Department and then transferred to the Biology Department, where she could utilise her Microbiology skills. Sue is going to be missed, as she is an integral part of the technician team and an integral part of the Biology Department. She is patient and will prepare practical equipment at short notice without complaint, even on the occasions when beaks have forgotten to pre-order the materials for their lessons! Sue’s approach is quiet and without fuss. She remains calm and composed even at the most stressful of times, typified by the time when the team was faced with last-minute problems before the final A-Level practical examination. More recently, Sue has been involved in the preparation work for the Biology laboratories’ refurbishment and was a valuable contributor when the new Chemistry laboratories were fitted out in 2018. Outside of work, Sue has in recent years belonged to Godalming Rock Choir and even took part in a flash mob choral sing on Guildford High Street. She likes to keep fit and was often to be found in the gym after work. She has recently started drawing lessons and hopes to progress to painting classes in retirement having 27
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 27
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
VALETE been inspired by an ex-colleague’s artwork. She is also starting to learn Welsh. Sue has a keen interest in the environment and animals and hopes to encourage more wildlife to live in her garden. She recently went on a dawn safari in Sussex to observe wildlife and would like to learn more about birdsong, in particular to learn to identify different species. Sue has added hugely to the success of the Department, and we are certainly going to miss her. We would like to share our best wishes for everything she aims to do in her well-earned retirement. Mr Tim Hingston
Eleanor McIntyre
They say that some of the best things in life happen by chance, and the truth of that statement would certainly seem to be borne out by Eleanor McIntyre’s long association with Charterhouse. Eleanor, who retires (again!) this year, first taught here in 1977, following a dinner-party conversation in which she let slip that she was a teacher of German, currently taking a career break to look after her children. On such small events do great histories turn. The ears of the Charterhouse Head of Modern Languages, who happened to be present, pricked up; arms were twisted, contracts were signed, and Eleanor soon found herself taking the daily walk from Peperharow Road up Racquets Court Hill to teach a Fourth form German division, to which a Remove History division was soon added. It will come as a surprise to no-one who knows
her that she was immediately exerting an influence well beyond the narrowly intellectual: as one of only a small handful of women in Brooke Hall at the time of her arrival, Eleanor was clearly determined to inject some style into the community of slovenly men in which she found herself: a school trip to London to visit a museum (itself a revolutionary idea) went ahead only after all the boys were made to have their hair cut and their uniforms cleaned. The presence in the late 1970s of a powerful blonde so close to home clearly alarmed and confused some of Brooke Hall’s bachelor beaks, one of whom refused to share a hashroom with Eleanor, allegedly fearing that he would walk in one day to find his beloved den decorated in chintz and filled with flowers. How times have changed. Eleanor was soon lured away, first to The Grove School in Hindhead and then to the RGS in Guildford, where she stayed until her first retirement in 2013. Unfortunately for her (though fortunately for many budding linguists), she was immediately persuaded to take on some teaching at Hampton School, and then, a year later, she found herself once again taking the daily walk up Racquets Court Hill, having been asked to bring her expertise back to the Charterhouse Modern Languages Department. Eleanor is known and highly valued for her ability to teach and enthuse pupils in the widest of ability ranges, from those who join the School with no prior experience of a language to those who have a near-native competence, as well as her excellence as a linguist, her energy, and her willingness to share insights gained from her experience. She has also shown exemplary courage and openmindedness in facing the challenges recently confronting all beaks, embracing the use of iPads, OneNote, and Zoom to keep the pupils on track and smiling. She tells me that she has found, in her most recent stint, the small divisions and the contact with pupils of various nationalities interesting and rewarding, and the conviviality of Brooke Hall refreshing and stimulating. While she is saddened by the decline in the number of young learners of languages in the maintained sector, she is keen to remind Carthusians of the
edge they enjoy in the world of work by having had the opportunity to learn languages to an advanced level at School. Her humour, thoughtfulness, and commitment to the cause will be much missed not only in the Modern Languages Department but also in the wider School community, where she has lent her support to all sorts of activities, from drama productions and theatre trips to the 50 Mile Walk. She is now looking forward to being able to spend some more time with her family, as well as continuing her work in mental health support and as a governor at Godalming Junior School. I would only advise her to decline any invitations she receives to dinner engagements in the Godalming area, at least in the short term, as, given the designs fate clearly has for her, she would probably, if careless, find herself once again taking the daily walk up Racquets Court Hill to Charterhouse... Mr Peregrine Rand
Revd Adam Watkinson
“You’re an unusually smiley chap, aren’t you?” “Am I? Well yes, I suppose I am!” This somewhat unusual observation was uttered by one public school chaplain to another. The date was Tuesday 21 June 2014, the venue, the Saunders Room, Charterhouse, and the occasion, a School Chaplains’ Conference. The former’s identity has, thankfully, been forgotten; the person he was addressing was the then Chaplain of Repton School, The Revd Adam Watkinson.
28
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 28
18/08/2021 17:51
As the host of that year’s conference, I was immediately struck by the rudeness of the initial remark and impressed by the recipient’s disarming response. Little did I imagine that just two years later, Father Adam would return to Charterhouse as Assistant Chaplain and TPE beak.
and Partnerships programme, giving advice to Oxbridge entrants... but perhaps more importantly, having those private conversations with pupils and staff who needed someone kind, understanding, and willing to be with them; someone who would listen.
of innovative and inclusive initiatives, such as the Tea Club! We offer our collective thanks to her for all she has contributed to Charterhouse over these years and wish her well for the future. Mr Simon Brian
Adam had been Chaplain at Repton for ten years before arriving in Godalming to be closer to his wife Sue, a Dame at Eton. Adam settled seamlessly into life at Charterhouse and it’s difficult to think of any aspect of School life where his impact and personality has not been felt. Most publicly, I suppose, is in Chapel, where pupils and staff alike enjoyed his Ayckbourn-esque, self-deprecating, and humorous sermons, which always touched something deeper within the lives of the listener. I was always amused when he used to say, “Oh Clive, I’ve just nothing to say”, because, every time, he did.
Adam is a man of deep faith, but he is not one to shout about it. The words of Jesus, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done to you” (John 13.15), are lived out in Adam’s treatment of others and in his own actions. They say that clergy teams in the Church of England seldom work well together; in this case, they couldn’t be more wrong. We all wish Adam well as he returns to Repton to be their Chaplain. The Revd. Clive Case
Mandy Jordan
Naomi Sutton
Within the hashroom, Adam’s unassuming ability was evident. His gentle guidance of the least confident pupil along with academically challenging the most able made all those that were taught by him appreciate how fortunate they were. Adam would always seek new ways to make his teaching both relevant and interesting and would find ‘ways in’ to a topic which would often amuse and delight.
Mandy joined Charterhouse over three and a half years ago and took up the post of Matron of Chetwynd Hall. She has provided care, guidance, and help to so many girls over her time here and she is a loved and well-respected member of the House.
A year into his time at Charterhouse, Adam moved into Fletcherites to take on the role of Resident Assistant Housemaster. The community there gained an enormous amount from Adam’s kind and patient pastoral care, but it was also a community that Adam took solace in being a part of, especially in the time of Sue’s illness. It is a measure of Adam’s character that, on his return to School after a short break following Sue’s death, although he never hid his deep grief from me, he still remained as concerned about his care for others, placing their needs before his own.
Naomi joined Charterhouse in OQ 2018 as Teacher of Design, Engineering & Technology and has taught all year groups from Yearlings to Second Year Specialists. A very capable teacher, Naomi shows a professional ease with young people and her pupils have always trusted and respected her, which has allowed for the flourishing of caring relationships across all the areas of School in which Naomi has contributed.
Adam’s quiet influence was evident in so many other areas of School life too: holding a stopwatch while entertaining other timekeepers at athletics, getting in the pizzas for the cross-country squad on a Saturday, heading up the Community
Naomi has also enthusiastically involved herself in a range of co-curricular activities, notably climbing, and taking on tutoring and evening duties in Sutton. She has also played a key role in promoting staff wellbeing with a number
In the time she has been here, she has assisted with countless essays, read and re-read UCAS statements, and guided the girls through their learning journey. She came from a teaching background and has always offered her intellectual talents as well as her practical ones. Whether bandaging feet after the overnight Endurance Challenge, contacting parents to offer reassurance, helping with House events, or finding literary quotations, Mandy’s role has been varied, bountiful, and appreciated. The girls refer to her affectionately as ‘Mrs J’ and it is through her humour and her kindness that they have formed many lovely memories, such as singing in the common room and dancing, when it was allowed! Her treats and snacks have always been plentiful and flowing and always there at the right moments, especially when the girls were finding things a challenge. Her late night ‘soft tellings off’ for mischief, noise, and 29
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 29
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
VALETE mayhem when teenage brains couldn’t settle will be remembered fondly, alongside her boundless capacity to listen. A member of the House said, “she always found time for me and always listened, even when I had nothing really to say”. We appreciate her skill, her devotion, her support, and her kindness and she will be much missed. We wish her well in her new adventures in Devon and know that the loss of her here in Chetwynd is her family’s gain. Mrs Michelle Creer
Cathrina Hogg
As a beak, Cathrina has replicated her old Carthusian days where she was happiest on the lacrosse and cricket pitches. She has contributed to developing the skillset of our girls in lacrosse and has shown real enthusiasm, dedication, and desire to improve their stick work. Unfortunately, Cathrina has only had the opportunity to help develop the girls’ cricket programme in one Quarter due to Covid last year. With the introduction of cricket into the girls’ sport programme, she was the first to sign up, to develop their game and hopefully instil her love for the sport in the girls. She has done just that. The girls have been fantastic, and they value Cathrina’s knowledge of cricket. She will be deeply missed, and we thank her for the help and support she has given over the last two years. Mrs Nicola Edwards
None in the Department can beat the beauty of her displays on Chinese culture and art. Her professionalism and unflappable nature in the past two years have been admirable. When she returns to China this summer, Mingzhu is looking forward to seeing her husband again and all of her colleagues and pupils at her school in China, which she left two years ago. Mingzhu has not just been a great colleague and beak to her pupils, but also a remarkable ambassador for her country and culture. Xiè xie, Mingzhu! Mr Pierre Pillet
Marie-Amance Schwartz
Mingzhu Cui
Cathrina (B 91, née Barker), whilst ‘only’ a part-time beak, has made a huge contribution to the academic side of the school over the last two (unprecedented) years. Her decade of teaching Physical Geography and the Extended Project Qualification at Godalming College made her a natural fit for passing her expertise on to a new generation of Specialists. I have appreciated her genuine care for every pupil (also demonstrated by her tutoring in Daviesites) and consummate subject knowledge. Her professionalism and resilience were very well demonstrated by the ease with which she embraced iPad teaching and Zoom when lockdown struck last March. More remarkably, Cathrina performed her duties without missing a beat whilst project-managing a major renovation of her and Andy’s house in Chiddingfold. This meant that she taught most of her ‘remote’ hashes from a mobile home in her garden, whilst simultaneously home-schooling her two young children. Wow, and bravo, Cathrina! Mr Peter Price
It did not take long for Mingzhu to make friends at Charterhouse. Since her first day, she was eager to get to know all of her colleagues and expand her knowledge of European languages and culture. Mingzhu is an amazing teacher whose patient, supportive, and creative approach to lessons has benefitted Mandarin-learning Carthusians. Her anecdotes and thorough knowledge of her country’s history have inspired both students and colleagues. She has spoiled the Modern Languages Department and pupils with exquisite Chinese dishes and beautiful Chinese handmade cards as well as personalised gifts (does she have Mary Poppins’ bag?).
Marie-Amance has been French assistant at Charterhouse since September 2019 having joined us following her work at Hull University. She impressed immediately with her lively engagement with pupils, reliability, and resourcefulness. She has given her time generously to both pupils and staff in the department. Her support of pupils who have prepared Pre-U French orals over the last two years has been outstanding. We have been so impressed with the detail and quality of their work with Marie-Amance. Equally, she has done some fantastic work with IB, A-Level, and IGCSE candidates. She settled quickly into the wider school community and in the boarding Houses she has worked in (Bodeites and Chetwynd). House staff found MarieAmance to be a delightful addition to the House teams. She has always been calm,
30
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 30
18/08/2021 17:51
reliable, and sensitive to pupils. House staff appreciated her ability to conduct the House duties/routines but also to remain approachable and connected. We have been very fortunate to have a French assistant with Marie-Amance’s experience, energy, and ability to get things done efficiently without fuss. She will be greatly missed. Marie-Amance will be leaving us to pursue her ultimate aim of being a French teacher and to continue her passion for equestrianism. Mr Pierre Pillet
professionalism has never wavered and her contribution will be greatly missed. An outstanding baker and cook, her sweet creations have been something to behold and have kept everyone going during the last two years. We wish her every success as she leaves School to take up a fundraising post at the Royal Surrey Hospital. Mr Chris Hibbs
Sophie Cox
Victoria Greenshields
Victoria arrived at Charterhouse in August 2019, joining us from the Portsmouth NHS Trust, immediately making her mark on the team, thanks to her positivity and supportive nature. Her fundraising skills have been put to excellent use during the last two years, building upon the School’s regular giving, telethon and legacy programmes to good effect. Her creativity will leave a lasting impression on the School, thanks to her launching of our new 1611 giving circle, as a way of both encouraging and recognising the regular support of our donors. The beautiful 1611 Society bookcase which now stands in OHH Reception is a lasting mark of her contribution to School life. Despite the challenges of fundraising during the COVID pandemic, her
Catherine Harrison
Sophie joined the Reception Team in September 2019 and was based in Engineer’s Cottage prior to the move to the newly refurbished Reception at Old Headmaster’s House in early 2020. Settling in seamlessly, Sophie provided a bright and warming welcome in Reception and took the time to meet and get to know both Support and Academic staff. During the first lockdown in March 2020, Sophie was committed to supporting Reception and her colleagues, and managed the changes in routine and the challenges that Reception often receives with great sensitivity and effectiveness. Sophie’s other great skill is in her baking, which the residents of OHH will miss! She is a very talented baker, creating delicious brownies from any kind of chocolate confectionery you can name, and, more recently, wonderfully elaborate ‘stack’ and ‘drip’ birthday cakes.
Catherine Harrison joined Charterhouse in August 2019 as Matron of Sutton. She considers education a vocation. Teaching from the age of 21 in Senior Schools in South Africa, Catherine established herself at Roedean (SA) from 1995, first as an English teacher, then as House Mistress, Head of Department, and finally Senior Mistress. She completed her Master’s degree while raising her now adult, married daughters. Catherine retired from her position as Head of School at St Teresa’s School in December 2018. Her passion lies in transformation, inclusion, and diversity and, as a devout Christian, Catherine holds on strongly to the tenet of loving thy neighbour as thyself. Catherine was simply indispensable during the process of setting up Sutton House and was always calm and committed to the girls in her care. She also stepped up to teach English, making herself an invaluable member of the English Department, as well as tutoring in Robinites. She is far, far more than the sum of her parts, and everyone in the Charterhouse community will miss her terribly. Our loss is very definitely St Catherine’s gain as she becomes Housemistress and Teacher of English there. Mrs Jani Lambeth
Sophie made the decision not to return to Charterhouse after her short spell of furlough to focus on her children and her baking business. We wish Sophie every success. Mrs Shirley Partridge 31
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 31
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
VALETE Charlotte Corderoy
Isabella Clarke
Charlotte came to Charterhouse in September 2020 as the School’s first Graduate Music Assistant, having graduated with a first-class degree as Organ Scholar at Hertford College, Oxford. Covid has been particularly punishing for young people, especially those moving from one school to another, or from school to college, or college to workplace. Despite missing all the usual joys of university celebrations and the natural cohesion and interaction of working life here, Charlotte has applied her unassailably calm, intelligent, and positive approach to everything she has faced here and, despite the lockdown, has made such an enormous contribution that most people would have failed to achieve in a normal year. She has very capably helped with teaching, coached instrumentalists, sung in Chapel Choir, conducted and been an invaluable coach and accompanist for the School production of Les Misérables, to mention just a few. Her intelligence, perception, diplomacy, and initiative have all shone in the quality of the work she has tackled, and I know that her contribution as a House Assistant has been equally admired. It came as no surprise that the two positions she applied for were both offered to her: a full-time teaching post in an equally prestigious school to ours and one of just two places on the Conducting Course at the Royal Academy of Music. She accepted the latter offer and I am quite sure has a very bright future ahead of her. Mr Mark Shepherd
Izzy joined the Marketing Department at Charterhouse after completing her degree in Business Management from the University of Liverpool. Having already worked as a Marketing Assistant for a year at King’s School, Chester, as part of her studies, Izzy was able to hit the ground running as soon as she arrived. Often, Izzy would quite literally be seen running around campus, eager to capture photos of everything going on, so that they could be shared on our website and social media! As a skilled and highly motivated self-starter, Izzy’s output in her role was vast; she managed the “What’s On” email campaign during lock-down, regularly wrote and posted news stories for the website and social media, designed and produced collateral for the BTT for Les Mis and produced several brochures, including the House Handbook and Sixth Form brochures. Everyone who met Izzy was impressed by her energy, enthusiasm and willingness to get stuck into all of her tasks and projects and we’re grateful to Izzy for everything that she achieved in her time here with us. We wish her all the very best in her new role as Marketing and Learning Events Executive with Hawk Training and are certain she will be a great success. Mrs Cressida Lee
32
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 32
18/08/2021 17:51
GRADUATE SPORT ASSISTANTS Dayne Massey
Guy Sandys-Renton Guy spent the 2020-21 academic year as a Graduate Assistant in the Sports Department. His energy around the students was infectious and he helped to inspire a love of sport in countless Carthusians during his time with us. He will now move to Oundle to further his career in Physical Education, where he will certainly be a big success. He has an exciting future ahead of him.
Dayne Massey leaves the Sports Department after two years of service. In his time at Charterhouse, Dayne has been instrumental in the development of the Charterhouse Athlete Programme (CAP) and in the running of the wider sporting side of the School. His energy, organisation, and strong administrative skills in all aspects of School life have been second to none and his assistance in running the Athletics Programme in CQ has been key. He will be heading to Forest School to pursue his career development as a teacher of Physical Education, and we are confident that he will continue to make an impact on the physical wellbeing of young people for years to come.
UNDERGRADUATE SPORT ASSISTANTS Georgia Bowers
David Voller Georgia will be heading back to Bath University after spending a placement year at Charterhouse as part of her undergraduate degree. Georgia has been a breath of fresh air and her interaction with the pupils, as well as her organisation and diligence in everything she has done, has certainly been noticed by many people. She has demonstrated fantastic potential and her interest in becoming a teacher in the future has been strengthened by her time here.
David will also be returning to university after completing a placement year at Charterhouse. He is a great young coach and our pupils have enjoyed learning from him this year. He has assisted the Sports Department in a variety of different sports, has really thrown himself into everything we have done, and has generally been a superb addition to the team. David is also interested in developing a career in Physical Education and has made a very good start at Bournemouth University.
33
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 33
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
SALVETE
BEAKS Mr Juan Fernando Martin Albalat Spanish Language Assistant
Juan Fer joins Charterhouse School after having worked at King’s College School, Wimbledon, where he worked as a Spanish Language Assistant during the 2019-2020 school year. Previously, he had studied English Literature at Universidad Complutense de Madrid, where his dissertation explored his deep interest in English rock music and romantic literature. Afterwards, he studied Literary Translation at the same university and worked as a Translator at the prestigious charity Plan International. While doing this, he began to think of pursuing a course in teaching, since he enjoyed conducting private tuition classes in his spare time. He obtained his Spanish PGCE at Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Spain, in 2019. He is an avid film, sci-fi literature, and rock music enthusiast.
Mr Stephen Barnett Head of Business & Entrepreneurship
Stephen has joined as head of Business and Entrepreneurship, having spent the last four years as the CEO of Util, the financial technology business he founded in 2016. Previously, Stephen worked in corporate finance for HSBC, with roles taking him to New York and Hong Kong. Teaching has been a constant throughout Stephen’s career. After a year teaching Economics at Wellington College, Stephen continued to be involved in education, founding and managing a new school and associated charity in Mozambique. Stephen is a keen longdistance runner, cyclist, and sporting jack-of-all-trades though, by his own admission, master of none!
Dr James Chapman SCITT (Mathematics)
James joined Charterhouse for a placement year as a Trainee Mathematics teacher, having spent the last 20 years working as an Interest Rate Derivatives Trader in the City. Previously, he attained a Pharmacy degree and a PhD in Dosage Form Design from the University of Bath. James is a keen sportsman, who played football at semi-professional level.
Housing Trust, one of the largest housing associations in the UK and held management positions at InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG). Georgia is incredibly passionate about all sport. She has competed in District League netball, plays tennis as regularly as she can (she recently won the 2019 Colchester & District Ladies’ singles tournament), and her three-year-old twin boys ensure she is always active!
Mr Owen Chisholm Teacher of Geography, MA, iPGCE
Miss Anjum Khan Teacher of Mathematics
Owen joins Charterhouse from Cranleigh School where he has taught Geography for the last three years alongside a role as Prep School Chaplain. Before joining Cranleigh, he worked in a church in Edinburgh after graduating from The University of Edinburgh in 2016. He was educated at Shrewsbury School where he spent a bit too much time rowing and playing rugby. These days, you are most likely to find him with his nose in a book, walking his dog, or trying to show a semblance of physical fitness on his road bike. Owen is married to Becky.
Miss Georgia Galton-Ayling Teacher of English
Georgia joins us from Ibstock Place School, where she was a teacher of English, Gibbins tutor, and fencing coach. Georgia graduated from the University of Oxford with a BA in English Language and Literature before gaining her PGCE through the Teach First programme. She loves travelling and being outdoors, but you’ll find her with a cup of tea and a book when it’s raining. Her hobbies include cycling, playing the saxophone, learning French and loitering in book shops.
Miss Georgia Gordon-Martin Teacher of English & Politics
Georgia joins Charterhouse from Honywood School where she has been teaching English and was responsible for Year 8 pastoral care. Georgia was educated at Charterhouse before reading Politics at the University of Leeds. Her passion for global politics led her to the US, working as a congressional campaign advisor. Before completing her PGCE, Georgia worked at Notting Hill
Anjum joins Charterhouse from Langley Park Girls’ School where she has been teaching Mathematics for four years. Previously, she worked in the United States at the College of DuPage. Anjum gained a first-class degree in Mathematical Sciences from City, University of London and went on to study for a Masters Degree from Queen Mary, University of London, followed by a PGCE.
Mr Ben Mohammed Teacher of Mathematics
Ben joins us from St James Senior Girls’ School where he has been Head of Mathematics for the last six years and concurrently Gifted and Talented Coordinator for the last two years, as well as helping out the Science Department by teaching Physics. He graduated with a first-class degree in Physics and Business Studies from the University of Warwick. He enjoys cricket and football, representing Middlesex CCC as a youth and supporting Aston Villa from an even earlier age! Ben’s partner, Laurence, is French and they have two sons, Matias (6) and Rémy (2). He enjoys languages and having made significant efforts to learn French, Ben is now trying to ameliorate his Spanish too.
34
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 34
18/08/2021 17:51
Ms Angela Murphy SCITT (Mathematics)
Angela joins us from the University of Surrey, where she was responsible for managing research partnerships in 5G, Cybersecurity, and AI. Previously, she held global Product Marketing responsibility for cybersecurity and analytics for Webex at Cisco. Angela gained an MEng degree in Electronic Systems Engineering from the University of York, starting her career as a research engineer with BT, and has since held a variety of roles in the tech sector. Angela will be spending her placement year at Charterhouse.
Mrs Vanessa North-Panting Head of Computer Science
Vanessa joined us in January 2021 and has over 20 years’ experience in Technology and Education gained globally at top independent schools including Bedales and Queenswood in the UK and, most recently, Jumeirah English Speaking School and Jebel Ali School in the UAE where she is presently Head of Computer Science. With a degree in Computer Science, she has also worked in industry – IBM in the UK and the Human Rights Commission in Australia. TED is a particular passion for Vanessa. Having curated four TEDx events in Dubai, she was awarded a scholarship to attend TEDWomen in 2016. In the true spirit of TED, Vanessa loves to hear about ideas worth spreading particularly if they involve technology. Away from teaching, Vanessa can be found on the golf course, cycling, or playing Padel tennis. She is married to a New Zealander, Warren Panting, and their combined passion for all sports makes for jovial rivalry during international events.
Dr Jem Pearson Teacher of Chemistry (maternity leave cover) & Computer Science
Jem joins having completed a degree in Physics at Trinity College, Cambridge followed by an MSc in Theoretical Particle Physics at Sussex University. He then went back to Cambridge for a Masters Degree in Mathematics and their one-year Diploma in Computer
Science. He then made a move into Chemistry with a one-year MRes in Chemistry at Queen Mary, University of London, followed by a PhD at Oxford University in Synthetic Organic Chemistry. He worked as a private tutor in London for five years and taught Physics at St Edward’s school in Oxford for one year before joining Charterhouse. His main interest is coding and building apps for the iPhone and Android. He also does a bit of stand-up comedy, and enjoys running.
Mr Pierre Pillet Head of Modern Languages
Pierre joins Charterhouse from The Perse Upper School in Cambridge where he was Director of Modern Foreign Languages. Previously, he was Deputy Head (Academic) at King’s College Prep School, Cambridge and, prior to that, was Head of Faculty at Sevenoaks School. At Highgate School, he was Head of Department alongside running the Graduate Teaching Programme, the Charity Committee, and coaching both basketball and handball. In 2006, with the French Institute, he created the National French Debating Competition. He is currently a Trustee of the Alliance Française. Earlier in his career, he taught French and Spanish at Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Boys where he was involved in CCF. While at King Edward’s Witley, he gained boarding experience as Assistant Housemaster. Pierre is married to Charlotte and has one son, Dylan (aged 14). In his spare time, Pierre enjoys cycling, travelling, Art, and cinema as well as discovering new wines!
Miss Charlotte Roland Teacher of Economics
Charlotte joins Charterhouse from the University of Oxford where she is finishing her Master’s in Economic and Social History, studying women’s wages in pre-Famine Ireland. She previously taught Economics for two years at Winchester College, where she also taught PE and advised on applications to US universities. Prior to Winchester, she completed a teaching fellowship in Economics at St. Paul’s Girls’ School. Charlotte is from Tennessee and enjoys time spent outside in any shape or form.
Mr Chris Sandbach Director of Sport
Chris joins us from Pangbourne College where he has been Director of Sport. Previously he was Head of Cricket at Royal Grammar School, Guildford, as well as teaching Physical Education across the School. Prior to this, he taught at St Edward’s, Oxford. Chris is a sports fanatic having played a wide variety of sports all his life including rugby, football, tennis, golf, racquets, and his main love – cricket. At Oxford Brookes University, he read Sports and Coaching Studies with Marketing Management and represented Oxford UCCE, where he featured in some first-class cricket fixtures. He went on to represent Oxfordshire at minor county level for six seasons. Chris is married to Anna with two young daughters.
Mrs Louise Wilson Deputy Head (Pupils & Community)
Louise joins Charterhouse from Bedales, where she was Senior Deputy (Operational and Pastoral) and was Designated Safeguarding Lead for five years. Previously, she was Deputy Head (Academic) at The Portsmouth Grammar School. She is a regional and school governor of the Thinking Schools Academy Trust in Portsmouth and an Independent Schools Inspectorate Boarding Team Inspector. Louise began her teaching career in the maintained sector in Kent, having worked as a journalist after reading Hispanic Studies at King’s College, University of London. From 1999-2007, she was Head of Spanish at Charterhouse before becoming Head of Languages and live-in Assistant Boarding Houseparent at Millfield, Somerset. She is delighted to be returning to Charterhouse, of which she, David, their oldest son (aged 19) and twin son and daughter (aged 14) have many fond memories.
35
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 35
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
SALVETE
SUPPORT STAFF Teleri Allen Foundation Officer
Teleri joins us from a luxury private members’ club in Mayfair, London. Prior to this, Teleri planned events for London’s prestigious Dorchester Hotel. She has a degree in Philosophy from the University of Leeds. Having recently moved to Godalming, Teleri looks forward to becoming a part of the local community. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, swimming, painting, and cooking.
Dean Chisnall Actor in Residence
Jacqui Holloway Safeguarding Assistant
Jacqui joins us from Godalming College where she worked in Student Support. Prior to raising her two daughters she studied Law at Leicester Polytechnic. After qualifying as a solicitor, she worked in-house as a marketing lawyer for NatWest and BT for several years before travelling around the world. She still enjoys travel and the countryside.
Justine Hunnisett Science Technician – Biology
Born in Lancashire and now residing in Farnham, I very proudly joined Charterhouse as the inaugural Actor in Residence in October whilst live theatre took an enforced Covid break. I’ve been fortunate to perform in many musicals in the West End and across the UK for the past 16 years. Les Misérables is the latest – playing the part of Jean Valjean. In my spare time I am a sport nut, playing golf and cricket and fanatically supporting my beloved Blackpool FC.
Having recently relocated to Woking, Justine joins Charterhouse from her most recent post as Physics Technician at Mayfield School, East Sussex. With a First-class degree in Chemistry, she enjoyed an early career encompassing research, regulation, and management of initial scale-ups within the pharmaceutical industry before leaving to become a full-time mum. Justine has spent the last few years in Education as a science technician. In her spare time, she enjoys tennis, reading, and eating out.
Huw Hallybone Science Technician
Gary Martin Design and Production Manager
Huw joins the School as a part time member of the science technician team after a career of 35 years with a leading London firm of Patent Attorneys specialising in patents in Molecular Biology and Pharmaceutical Chemistry. He has degrees in Chemistry and Electronic Engineering (Jesus College, University of Oxford and University of Surrey). Huw lives locally and enjoys spending time with his family, mountain walking, choral singing, skiing, and sailing.
Gary joins Charterhouse with over 20 years of experience working in the creative industry as a Graphic Designer in various design studios in London, the South East, and Auckland, New Zealand, where he lived for three years. He was educated at Broadwater School before doing an HND in Graphic Design at Kingston University. Gary’s passion outside of work is trail running and travelling which has taken him to every continent on the planet.
Alex Warburton Clerk to the Governors
Born in Hong Kong, Alex returned to the Far East after University, as part of her extensive travels as a Buyer of home and interiors for some of the UK’s leading retailers. Motherhood ignited her passion for the education sector and Alex has spent the last five years as a governance professional, working for schools in South West London and Surrey. She has a busy home life with her husband, their two children, and a wilful dachshund.
Andrew Watson Admissions Officer
Originally from Staffordshire, Andrew graduated from the University of York with an Archaeology degree before studying for a Master’s in Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management at Keele University because Archaeology doesn’t pay very well! He joins Charterhouse having previously worked within HR and most recently as a School Business Manager within an SEN secondary school in Surrey. Andrew lives in Busbridge with wife Amy and mischievous cockapoo Daisy.
Alan Wilson School Staff Instructor (SSI) CCF
Alan comes to the School from the 2nd Battalion, The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment (PWRR) where he spent 28 years covering many specialist roles. He has spent time training both male and female recruits for military service before moving to the CTT (Cadet Training Team), helping young adults grow and achieve. Alan has been married for 23 years to Zoe and both are blessed with two children and two goldfish, Fernando and Tiger!
36
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 36
18/08/2021 17:51
THE ARTS
MUSIC 37
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 37
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
MUSIC REPORT It comes as no surprise that Music at Charterhouse in 2020/2021 has had to endure the trials and tribulations of lockdowns at various points in the year, much as the rest of the School and its other societies and sports teams alike. From September 2020, Music continued to take on a very different shape as a result of restricting activities to individual year groups, meaning that larger groups such as Symphony Orchestra and Concert Choir had to be put on hold. There has been extensive and continuing use of video and audio recordings, both to reach wider audiences but also to provide lasting records of a variety of musical performances. All pupils, the Department, and its staff can be immensely proud of what has been
achieved in a very bumpy academic year. It is a credit to all involved that Music at Charterhouse has continued in as strong a fashion as it has done, delighting audiences far and wide, at home and within the Charterhouse walls. What a year it’s been, but bravo to all those that have persevered. Some of the instrumental highlights of the year were the Evening Recitals. Indeed, the musical year at Charterhouse began with a splendid recital by 1YS pupils, Martin Young (g), Horace Choi (G), Taki Ejima-Dalley (V), and Michael Huang (G), showcasing some wonderful music by Rachmaninoff, Saint-Saëns, and Brahms amongst others. The socially distanced audience were equally thrilled to be experiencing live music once again,
an art form that had sadly been so affected over the last six months. Evening Recitals II and III were just as impressive: Justin Wang (L) took the stage for Evening Recital II and gave a truly outstanding piano recital with music from Bach to Prokofiev. Justin gave a performance of real intellect and understanding, filling Hall, with its wonderful acoustics for such performances, with the sound of a superbly talented pianist. Evening Recital III in Hall was also a memorable occasion. Performed by 2YS Music Scholars Tony Zhang (H), Elvin Lam (H), Charlie Harrison (G), and Pierre Debroe (V), there was some outstanding playing of real talent and calibre. Individual performances were the bread to a wonderful saxophone quartet filling of Herbie
Taki Ejima-Dalley (V) – Piano Evening Concert
Singing Quartet: Eva Pomery, Charlene Zehnder, Katharina Wallach, Nyx Fei
Horace Choi (G) – Bassoon
Charlie Harrison (G) – Piano Evening Concert
38
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 38
18/08/2021 17:51
Sam Troy (G)
Hancock and Stevie Wonder before the evening’s culmination with Mendelssohn’s wonderful Konzertstück no.1 for two clarinets and piano. In LQ, the Music Department was unable to host its ongoing series of Evening Recitals due to the new lockdown, but CQ was greeted with the joy of an almost full and ‘normal’ return to School with a clear buzz of activity around the campus once more. Straight away, Evening Recitals in Hall began. Pianists Taki Ejima-Dalley and Charlie Harrison, alongside wind players Tony Zhang and Horace Choi, gave a truly exceptional concert to celebrate a return to live music. Charlie’s poised yet atmospheric performance of Debussy’s Cathedrale Engloutie before a more energetic and fiery rendition of Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G-minor was the perfect opener to the evening, before Horace delighted us with Louis Spohr’s beautiful Adagio, accompanied by Mr Clive Williamson. Following this piece, Taki Ejima-Dalley took to the stage. In recent times, Taki has taken to the works of the Second Viennese School, composers who push the boundaries of tonality, an anti-
Romantic characterisation. Their music is complex, both to play and to comprehend. However, Taki’s performance was one of outstanding ability, showing extraordinary musicality and understanding of the notes on the page, a real treat for the capacity audience. Tony Zhang concluded the concert with some expert and acrobatic clarinet playing in Luigi Bassi’s Fantasia da concerto, a tribute to the music of Verdi’s Rigoletto. Tony has always impressed on his instrument, and this was no different; more wonderful playing – the perfect way to round off an evening of superb music making. Just before Exeat, Evening Recital II showcased the outstanding vocal talent in the School with a concert to be remembered. Eva Pomery (F), Charlene Zehnder (F), Katharina Wallach (F), Nyx Fei (C), and Sam Troy (G) took to the stage, all 2021 leavers, and gave us a wonderful recital. In the first item, the four girls sang as a quartet in Ben Ponniah’s Litany to the Holy Spirit, a short yet modern setting of this beautiful text. Following this, each of them performed one of Vaughan Williams’ Four Last Songs. In this haunting piece, somewhat
untypical of the composer’s work, each of the performers gave their own spin on the performance, collectively combining to present these four songs to a captive (and capacity!) audience in the spacious acoustics of Hall. Expertly accompanied by Mr Shepherd, this was a wonderful start to the concert. Next, the 1YS string quartet of Sophie Ju (C), David Yang (H), Michael Huang (G), and Mr Bolivar performed Arvo Part’s achingly serene Summa, totally entrancing the audience. The final item was Bach’s Cantata no.82, Ich habe genug, performed by Sam Troy, accompanied by string ensemble and solo flute. Jonathan To (L), in his first year at Charterhouse, joined the quartet this time, offering poise and maturity on the cello line. Sam’s performance of this substantial and challenging repertoire was outstanding; he showed understanding, musicality, and real enjoyment in his performance, the result of all the time and effort he had put into learning this work. It’s no easy feat to perform such repertoire, particularly at Sam’s tender age, but this was a performance and concert to be remembered. Evening Recital III similarly did not disappoint and even boasted two Vivaldi Concerti, played by Chamber Orchestra under the expert direction of Head of Strings, Mr Bolivar. It must be noted that the pupils put this repertoire together in the short space of three weeks, more or less, amidst assessments and the like, delivering what was a truly splendid showcase of virtuoso string playing. As usual (a phrase all too underused over the last year), Piano Prizes saw a display of truly outstanding musical talent in OQ. Piano Prizes always offer up a chance for our excellent piano pupils to show their skill and ability and, with social distancing in place, we were fortunate enough to be able to hold the competition once again this academic year in Hall. Mr Clive Williamson, a member of our fantastic piano department, adjudicated both the Junior (4ths, Removes, and 5ths) and Senior 39
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 39
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
(Specialists) competitions. The standard of playing was incredibly high across both evenings with some wonderful performances; repertoire included everything from Kevin Wooding’s Egyptian Level to Prokofiev’s Sonata no.1 in F minor. Justin Wang (L) took the Junior Prize whilst Charlie Harrison (G), the Senior Prize. Bravo to everyone that performed – these were two wonderful evenings of piano playing. There were, of course, fewer opportunities for the pupils to perform in OQ thanks to the restrictions. However, short recitals as part of year-group Chapel, particularly given that guidelines suggested that congregational singing was still to be discouraged, became a feature of musical life at Charterhouse.
The Fifths welcomed Justin Wang (L) and Adrian Choy (L) in a beautifully haunting performance of Vitali’s Chaconne, echoing around the cavernous Memorial Chapel, performing to all their peers. In addition, on the topic of small-scale performances, Beak lunches were on offer in the Llewellyn Room where performances from a variety of pupils – Jago Brazier (R), Will Taylor (V), Jamie Hume (H), Vlad Margarint (S), to name a few – accompanied Beaks’ and Staff’s lunchtime! With restrictions continuing to affect, the Department admirably soldiered on, creating performances for as wide a range of occasions as possible. Despite the restrictions, Ensembles were created throughout OQ, despite the year-group bubbling system, including
string and wind ensembles in almost every year group, and sometimes more than one in each year. A brass quartet was even engineered, with a somewhat coincidental stroke of luck that four brass players that neatly form an ensemble all fell into one year group. Chapel Choir, despite being restricted to a cohort of seven singers (plus some teacher bolstering), worked incredibly hard to mark special occasions during OQ. Their rendition of Douglas Guest’s For the Fallen for the Remembrance Services (four of them in fact!) was the perfect addition to a very special occasion. Mention must also go to our excellent Last Post trumpeters – Tim Colin (B), Jonny Wilkinson (D) and Tom Fowler (D) – who all played expertly.
Ivan Samuel (V) and Jonathan To (L)
40
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 40
18/08/2021 17:51
Last Post trumpeter – Tom Fowler (D)
Likewise, although Candlelit Carols looked very different this year, with a socially distanced and limited audience in Chapel, the vibrancy and beauty of their performance and their continued dedication ensured that everyone could enter the festive spirit. This is all on top of the weekly Evensong which continues to grow in stature and the knowledge of and confidence in the repertoire is becoming second nature to many of the singers. Once the post-Christmas lockdown had abated, we were left with only three weeks of LQ. Nevertheless, Chapel Choir returned to the stalls once more for Evensongs until the end of term, rehearsals for Les Misérables continued, very much live and in the BTT, and many of our instrumentalists were able to showcase their work over lockdown. Thanks to Mr Shepherd, Mr Sutton, and also the Music Graduate Assistant Charlotte Corderoy, for their tireless commitment to making music in Chapel. Before we were able to return, however, a lengthy period of Charterhouse@Home had set in once again. Nevertheless this certainly didn’t mean a let-up in the Music Department. Our wonderful team of Visiting Music Teachers (VMTs) leapt into
action and once again provided expert tuition over Zoom amidst their own busy home lives. Pupils worked towards individual goals in the first half of LQ, aiming to produce performances through a variety of means: a living-room performance to their family, a performance over Zoom to their teacher, producing a remote recording with audio and video technology, or combining with friends in a remote ensemble setting. Our VMTs worked tirelessly, often behind the scenes, and we’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for everything they’ve done this year: the flexibility they’ve shown; the understanding they’ve developed, and ultimately, the care they continue to provide to our pupils, are truly outstanding. Thank you. So, what delights did we encounter in LQ21? Sophie Ju (C) recorded a superb recital with Mr Hill right at the end of OQ, and we were fortunate to be able to hear the fruits of their labour as the performance was broadcast to the School at the start of Quarter. As LQ progressed, we had two wonderful remote wind ensemble performances, collated and masterminded by Head of Woodwind, Mr Sam Corkin. The Junior Wind Trio of Vlad Margarint, Jago Brazier,
and Jeremy Holguin remotely recorded a wonderful arrangement of Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer whilst the Saxophone Quartet of Horace Choi, Hattie Palmer (F), and Will Taylor, alongside Mr Corkin, produced a truly impressive recording of Karen Street’s Welcome Dance. From the string department, many remote projects also appeared – Timothy Tso (V) recorded the first movement of Bach’s A minor violin concerto whilst Michael Huang and Sophie Ju have been producing some Shostakovich duets, again all remotely. Charterhouse@Home and Music@Home were once again very successful ventures and the department produced, under the editorial eye of Ms Corderoy, two excellent Virtual Concerts over the term. Pupils and staff will be able to look back on these occasions and they can be very proud of what was achieved under the circumstances. In CQ, Composition Prizes came around once more and entries from our Fifths and 2YS, including a handful of Removes, made up the competition. Judged by Head of Composition at Winchester College, Mr Oliver Tarney, we heard a wonderful array of pieces from pupils across the school, showing their talents 41
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 41
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Justin Wang (L)
42
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 42
18/08/2021 17:51
Freya Jones (Su)
and abilities in this most difficult of art-forms. Elvin Lam and Jago Brazier were judged Senior and Junior winners, with the Intermediate prize going to Eddie Chai (R); Lancelot Liu (S) was rightly Highly Commended for his astonishing piece for solo piano. The end of CQ saw this year’s Artifex, once again masterminded by the wonderful Mr Mark Begbie. As ever, this was a celebration of pupil achievements at Charterhouse. From the Music Department, a daily Coffee (1045) and Cloister (1730) concert showcased everything from a wonderfully atmospheric piano recital by Charlie Harrison (G) to ensemble playing outside the Science Block, radiating sonorously through the neo-Gothic architecture. A particular highlight was the Jazz Band accompanying the Food Festival on Founder’s Court mid-week alongside a re-run of the Mendelssohn Trio, but this time in the South African cloisters in an altogether atmospheric and celestial performance by Messrs Lam, Zhang, and Harrison. The term ended with the traditional Leavers’ Walk around Green to the sound of the Carillon bells (with subtle hints of Les Misérables and Three Lions On A Shirt!) before the procession into Chapel for the Leavers’ Assembly
and Chapel. Chapel Choir sang beautifully, delighting the congregation with a setting of Psalm 23 and Charles Wood’s O Thou the Central Orb, before sending the 2YS off into the world with Walford-Davies’ God Be in my Head. The choir itself says goodbye to a number of leavers, some of whom were sadly unable to join for the service; nonetheless, we thank them for their years of service – Eva Pomery, Sam Troy, Charlene Zehnder, and Katharina Wallach. 2020 and 2021 will forever live in the history books as times of challenge and new normals, but Carthusians can be immensely proud of all they’ve achieved in adversity, showing perseverance, understanding and maturity. The same is true in the Music Department; online or in person, pupils and staff alike have worked tirelessly to put ensembles and performances together. There have been a few gaps in the concert calendar, understandably, but there have also been an impressive number of achievements and performances. Bravo to everyone for the past year and let’s look forward to hitting the ground running, properly and normal, in September. Mr Mark Shepherd and Mr Jamal Sutton
43
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 43
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Compared with the usual Lack of Talent, this was always going to be a different beast; a socially distanced half-hour in the confines of a boarding house, instead of a noisy, crowded, all-evening event. Lack of Talent It is impossible to match that atmosphere, but if anyone was going to have a go, it is Miss Fox, the Theatre’s Artistic Director and the cast themselves, who had the audience whooping behind their screens. Sadly, students and Beaks alike were not able to enjoy the Brooke Hall sketches this year, for a very long time one of the funniest things in Lack of Talent, but we all look forward to their return next year. Darkness. We are plunged into an immersive musical experience like no other. Out of the darkness, Eva Pomery’s (F) voice gently carries The Beatles, developing it into something quite spectacular. Her faultless control of difficult melismatic effects produced a truly incredible performance. With Prom Kingchatchaval (L) on lead guitar, Giuseppe Canta (g) on bass and Noah Rogerson (V) on drums, this group is simply unparalleled. Emily Xu (Su) followed with an astounding performance of Thunder in the Drought, a piece written to celebrate the rain after a drought, thoroughly appropriate as we (hopefully) reach the end of our current crisis, skilfully bringing out textural nuances in the contrasting sections of this piece, with thunderingly fast movement over the keyboard. Overall, a great piece played by a great pianist. Dennis Wei (W) featured in this year’s performance with two original songs. Not only is writing two impressive songs an admirable achievement, but passionately conveying heartfelt emotion whilst performing them in his own style is a true mark of accomplishment. Next, an electrifying rendition of John Mayer’s 2005 hit Gravity, precisely sung
by Virginia Cavicchi (C), with Prom Kingchatchaval on lead guitar, Giuseppe Canta on bass and Konstantin Merabishvili (S) on drums. Simply gravity-defying! The next act truly took us by surprise: the complete contrast of Reptilia by The Strokes, is certainly unexpected. This furious hard rock number was sung and played by Xavier Currill (R), with Daniel Cross (R) on guitar, Edward Chai (R) on bass and Justin Wang (L) on the drums. Xavier superbly brought out the musicality that is so often forgotten in this kind of music. After such an upbeat performance by Xavier and the band, it is only fitting that Eva returned about three quarters of the way through with Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me by Elton John. A technically demanding piece by SZA, both from the musicians’ and the vocalist’s perspective, was delivered confidently by Charlene Zehnder (F), with Nyasha Kunorubwe (P) on guitar, and Konstantin Merabishvilis on drums. The
melancholy undertone and the message of hope, resilience and self-love truly resonate with modern times. Of course, we must not forget the people who made all this happen. Backstage, Harry Church (G) and William Dyer (L), supported by Mr Bagust, worked hard to make sure all the sound, lighting, smoke effects and filming were perfect. Eva Pomery was the student co-ordinator, organizing the event alongside her performances, and Miss Fox was the beak co-ordinator, ensuring everything went smoothly and to plan. None of this would have been possible without the skills of Nick and Morgan from The Filming Co, who were able to film all the acts in the BTT professionally, alongside the tech team. The show was broadcast via eStream and each pupil donated £2 to watch the performance in support of The Meath, a local charity in Godalming. Henry Anderson (L) and Mark Gorman (B) (1YS)
44
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 44
18/08/2021 17:51
45
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 45
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
House Singing – Weekites
House Singing House Singing. Isn’t that the ONLY event in the year when the whole School crowds into Hall and each House gets up on stage and sings their hearts out? What about COVID rules? Isn’t that going to kibosh the whole thing? There was no live audience, no live performance, no live adjudicator, no mixing of year-groups. Instead, each house selected a team of sound recordists, videographers, editors, and music co-ordinators. Each year-group was individually recorded with a backing track and the audio was mixed to create a whole-house song. Credit was given, not just for decent singing but for an imaginative and entertaining video. Of course, a number of Houses came late to the party and limped about in corridors and studies, but several got themselves out and about; Chetwynd (good singing – did they deserve a placing?) danced around Founder’s Court and other nearby areas. Verites appropriated the South African Cloister (but the generous acoustic couldn’t conceal some shocking singing). Choosing to stay mainly indoors, Sutton, Lockites, and Pageites nevertheless brought some individuality and imagination into their productions. On replaying the video, I found myself considering an award for the worst singing, but there seemed to be at least three contenders, so I’ll leave out the specifics. At the higher end of the spectrum, Sutton sang very well (third place) with Pageites clinching second,
perhaps because they sang OK but with an entertaining video. There were also impressive vocal ensembles from Lockites and a tidy full chorus from Gownboys. Our very own West End star, Mr Dean Chisnall, adjudicated and gave first prize to the House that had really gone to town with an eerie monochrome chapelsetting of I Wanna Be a Billionaire; well-sung, finely-honed year-group choruses, punctuated with dramatic solos
Well, needless to say, House Singing needed tweaking in order both to comply with restrictions and to survive another day or, indeed, year. The outcome was different, ground-breaking, and successful. from Jack Guest-Gornall all brilliantly mixed, engineered, produced, and directed by Dennis Wei, Tony Luo, Pétrus Desbois and Morgan Clarke – a real team effort from worthy winners, Weekites. The main purpose of House Singing is, through its unique design, to get everyone in each House involved. It’s great for House spirit and involving and including new pupils early on in the school year. This year that spirit and inclusion prevailed. Let’s get planning for 2021 soon! Mr Mark Shepherd
House Singing – Chetwynd
House Singing – Gownboys 46
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 46
18/08/2021 17:51
47
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 47
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Mitsu Jeffcock (G)
Timothee Colin (B)
48
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 48
18/08/2021 17:51
Candlelit Carols On Friday 4th December, the Chapel Choir delivered to us the annual Candlelit Carols in Memorial Chapel. What immediately caught our eyes was the slightly different setting to previous years: the coronavirus measures meant that only some 96 Specialists could attend, sitting in a socially distanced manner. However, the things which had not changed from previous editions were the warmth and fragrance of the candles, and the brilliant singing by the Chapel Choir. Although slightly smaller than before, the choir was composed of a good mix of students and members of staff: Harriet Palmer (F), Eva Pomery (F), Aurora Wu (C), Samuel Troy (G) and Takuma Ejima-Dalley (V) all sang. Along with Mr Shepherd, who was of course conductor, a number of Beaks also took part, such as music teachers Miss Corderoy, Mr Sutton, Mr Clifford Hill, and Mr Corkin, as well as Miss Fox, Mr Begbie, and none other than our Headmaster, Dr Peterken. Edward Chai (R) also featured, playing a violin solo beautifully. The programme of the evening included arrangements of traditional Christmas carols, such as In the Bleak Midwinter, Away in a Manger and Ding-Dong Merrily on High, as well as more modern works, such as I am the Day by Jonathan Dove and O Root of Jesse by Samuel Rathbone, which was in fact commissioned recently by our Head of Woodwind Mr Corkin,
who added to the tranquil atmosphere with a calming soprano saxophone solo in this piece. Brilliant vocalists Eva Pomery and Sam Troy were the main soloists throughout the programme, but Harriet Palmer and Takuma Ejima-Dalley also showed off their musical talent with more solos. Between all these soothing songs were several readings about different perspectives of that famous night in Bethlehem. The entirety of the service was hugely enjoyable, and as the last piece, This is the Truth Sent from Above by OC Ralph Vaughan Williams (R1890), drew to a close, the audience all felt they could leave Chapel with a lighter, more Christmassy mood than that with which they had arrived. Everyone has had a tough few weeks, with more and more schoolmates going home and going into self-isolation. The Chapel Choir, with their warming Candlelit Carols, duly reminded us that it is now time to enjoy a muchneeded Christmas break. Horace Choi (1YS, G) 49
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 49
18/08/2021 17:51
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Jesse Jabaru (R) as Thénardier in Les Misérables
50
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 50
18/08/2021 17:52
THE ARTS
DRAMA 51
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 51
18/08/2021 17:52
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
THEATRE OVERVIEW On being asked to write for The Carthusian a summary of the Theatre’s achievements during a year of lockdowns, distancing, and the other Covid restrictions we have all had to endure, one might think that there would be slim pickings, little to report. This time last year, as I was reflecting on the enormous good fortune we had had to perform Guys and Dolls just before we were forced to close our doors, none of us thought we had a year ahead of such continued challenges.
But perhaps with challenge comes an increased determination (bordering on madness?) to carry on as normal as much as possible and even to venture beyond. And so, the Ben Travers Theatre has been a busy place since September, adapting along the way, often at short notice, to ensure that the Performing Arts are kept alive in our School. Our resolve has also allowed us to think of new ways forward and new projects, so, in a nutshell, this year has been an exciting and productive one which now paves the way for more to come. Who’d have thought, in this year of all years! First up in OQ was our annual Lack of Talent show and this year we had to film the performances to be shown in Houses. Not without its logistical challenges but it went ahead, thanks to the organisational skills and perseverance of Eva Pomery (F), her LoT team, and the talented performers who stepped forward to be part of this annual festival of talent. It was fun to have a crew in to film, but we look forward to being back live with LoT at the end of September 2021. Congratulations also to Eva on working so hard on her singing, dancing and acting in those dark and very chilly days of LQ in preparation for Drama School auditions. A happy
outcome, as she now takes up her place this summer on the British Youth Music Theatre course, and from September starts her musical theatre training at London’s prestigious Urdang Academy. Well done indeed. The original plans for the OQ whole School play changed when year group bubbles were announced as the order of the day and so we turned our hands to performing some Shakespeare Shorts. Pushing all the seating out of the way created an enormous playing space, as we’ve not seen it before, to allow us to welcome a distanced audience. With The Dream, Much Ado and Twelfth Night performed over several days to bubbles, we dodged Covid (just, though it did sadly murder Macbeth!) and opened our newly-installed main doors to staff and pupils before the second lockdown began. It was wonderful to see seats filled and pupils supporting their peers. And it was obvious that more than ever we needed drama! Just to have the stage lit and alive was quite something, and those on it did a great job in standing in for isolating friends at the last minute and managing swift costume changes, as they multi-rolled their way along. After all, who needs four fairies when one can be them all!
OQ also saw a fabulous day of workshops for our Groundlings, GCSE and A-Level groups, delivered by visiting director Shane Morgan, from RoughHouse Theatre Company. Shane and RoughHouse have worked with us before and we look forward to welcoming them back this coming year. The first of two LAMDA showcase evenings followed soon after, where we were treated to pupils delivering their exam monologues and duologues. The number of Carthusians taking LAMDA lessons continues to rise rapidly, and it is great to have the chance to see the work that they are doing. We were able to fit in several weeks of ballet with our first ever classes delivered by the Phillipa Hogan School of Dance and this CQ we have finalised a partnership with the dance school that will allow our pupils to access weekly ballet classes, as well as modern dance, from September. This is an exciting venture and just the start of dance of all genres becoming a core part of our performing arts programme – watch this space! By November, following auditions, preparations were underway for our production of Les Mis, with rehearsals spread across the pews in Chapel – the biggest challenge yet, and not quite the
52
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 52
18/08/2021 17:52
Below: A Level Drama Right: Les Mis Bottom left: Shakespeare Shorts Festival Bottom right: Lack of Talent
‘ensemble’ approach we needed but that wasn’t going to stop us. What’s written over the following pages gives an idea of what this project meant to us all, to those involved and to those watching. We needed it to happen, and it did. Our Actor in Residence, Dean Chisnall, joined us, wonderfully unexpectedly, as we started those auditions and rehearsals. None of it was planned for this year – his arrival was COVID-induced and just meant to be! And then how to keep going in LQ when the second lockdown came along and Zoom fatigue threatened to set in? Well, the Les Mis cast had strict instructions to be singing around the house at all times. They and their families were to live and breathe the music until we could be together again. By this stage we had made the decision to push the performances to the end of the school year, in the hope we would be able to open our doors to a live audience and the outside world. And we also turned to radio plays, with a cast of pupils and staff ‘meeting’ every Friday for Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution. Here the strict instructions were to turn Zoom cameras off! It was a lot of fun, just when we needed it most. And we see this as an ongoing project. There is now a place for radio plays in our yearly programme.
We have seen work in the BTT from our 2YS A Level Theatre group who performed their devised piece in OQ (see review) and then in CQ they gave us scenes from the hard-hitting That Face and monologues from the extraordinary verbatim piece called Working. They set the bar high for the 1YS group who performed their ingenious, nursery rhyme-based devised piece for us, and also our first cohort of GCSE Drama pupils, currently in the Remove, who were mesmerising in their scenes telling the story of online gaming victim, Breck Bednar. Artifex ended the year, giving pupils the chance to do a series of staged readings in some of our School’s beautiful outdoor settings. How lucky we are to have such theatrical backdrops!
So, Theatre has been busy and buzzing at Charterhouse at a time when we might not have expected it to be so, and when we start OQ 2021, we’ll be excited to see new faces, as well as familiar ones, coming through the doors with their enthusiasm and talent. We also look forward to seeing our auditorium full at performances! Come and make up for all those months when you were deprived of it all… We need theatre in our lives and there’s a great one on top of the hill in Godalming! Come and check it out – those new glass doors are always open!
Miss Emily Fox Artistic Director of Theatre 53
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 53
18/08/2021 17:52
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
DEAN CHISNALL In November we were delighted to announce that West End musical theatre star, Dean Chisnall, joined Charterhouse as our first ever Actor in Residence.
54
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 54
18/08/2021 17:52
It is an honour and a privilege to be at Charterhouse to help and to nurture the already exemplary pupils and staff at this magnificent school. The history of one of the greatest schools in the world speaks for itself.
It was purely by chance that when Dean got in touch to see if he could be of help in our Theatre, we were just putting up audition posters for our production of Les Misérables! That in itself was enough to set the ball rolling. The idea of having an Actor in Residence had been part of a long-term plan, not one that could possibly present itself, and cement itself, within the space of little more than a week, and during a pandemic. His vision for the theatre at Charterhouse was our vision, so here was a partnership not to be missed! And we thank Covid for it. Dean has worked non-stop in the professional musical theatre industry for the past fifteen years, both in the West End and on tour, taking on principal roles in hit shows such as Blood Brothers, Evita, Mamma Mia! and Shrek, in which
he played the title role, to name but a few. He had been playing the leading role of Jean Valjean in Cameron Mackintosh’s Les Misérables since 2018, in the West End and on tour, until the pandemic paused play. It goes without saying that for us to have a professional Jean Valjean on board to help with this year’s ambitious musical project has been an inspiring experience for us all. We are so grateful to Dean for the experience and dedication he brings to our theatre and to our community as a whole, and we are delighted that he will be staying on with us as Actor in Residence, whilst also continuing his work as a highly respected performer within the industry. Dean is a passionate believer that the theatre should be open to all, that all who want to be involved should have that chance. When he arrived he told us: “It is an honour and a privilege to be at Charterhouse to help and to nurture the already exemplary pupils and staff at this magnificent school. The history of one of the greatest schools in the world speaks for itself. Just when I thought I’d been lucky enough to achieve many of my dreams in my life, this wonderful opportunity comes along. I’ll endeavour to work as hard as I can to inspire and expand all things theatrical. I truly believe that every pupil should have exposure to drama in some form – the life skills you gain from it are incredibly precious and stand you in good stead for ANY career.”
If I were to give the pupils here tips about how they should approach their work in the theatre (or indeed in their every day), it would be these: • Be a good human – be gracious and kind. • Always be prepared to make mistakes, forgive yourself and learn from them. • Don’t let fear take over. Fear is good – nerves are important! • Be whoever you want to be. You will always be embraced – especially at Charterhouse. • As a story-teller you have the chance to change someone’s life every day. There is no greater joy. 55
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 55
18/08/2021 17:52
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Freddie Davenport (W) as Enjolras
Les Misérables A pre-show note from director Miss Fox: “So, what’s your favourite musical then Miss Fox?” “Les Mis – obviously!” I reply without hesitation. I am not unusual in that respect of course. That question is often met with the eager admission that a person has seen this most extraordinary of musicals multiple times. I think I’m up to five! And by the end of this week does that count as ten?! To be honest it feels like a lot more than that (in a good way!) – our company has been living and breathing the show now for quite a few months (and our Actor in Residence a good few years!) since we held auditions back in November, and I know that our Les Mis family will carry with them always the experience of having been part of this. I write this programme note as the Theatre has emptied after our first technical rehearsal. The dressing room and the barricade have fallen silent, the working lights are back on in the auditorium, so the magic of the stage is somewhat diminished, or at least on hold temporarily, but it stands there, promising to deliver much in the week to come. A few props abandoned (note to self to be stricter with cast about that!), a candlestick here, an apron there, and tucked behind a flat are Javert’s truncheon and Fantine’s wig, which seem to have a life of their own and are never where you need them to be! I’m sitting here wondering how on earth we will ever get this up and running in time – I’m starting to doubt myself – and then I remember that we are thrice blessed in this theatre. Back in March 2020 we cheated lockdown by a matter of days to bring Guys and Dolls to the BTT. Then, although we couldn’t make our originally planned dates of March 2021 for Les Mis, it seems like a small miracle that we have managed to get it to you today at all, let alone in its entirety. And now the smell of damp carpet and auditorium seats is the aromatic reminder of this morning and
the deluge of biblical proportions that emptied itself through our theatre roof. Some say blocked gutters but I say smiling theatre Gods, testing our resolve and ever so carefully (and goodness knows how) avoiding not only the set but every single light in the gantries. So, thrice blessed. But actually we’re so much more blessed than that. Blessed that Victor Hugo created this beautiful story for us to tell and that Claude-Michel Schönberg set it to such magical music for us to sing. Blessed that as a School we are able to embark on projects such as this in a theatre such as this. Blessed that the wretched pandemic in fact brought Dean Chisnall to us – I can’t thank him enough for the support, years of experience and passion he brings. Ask any of the cast members about our trip last week to see him perform as Valjean at the Sondheim, and they will tell you it was life-changing! We should never doubt the power of the theatre to have that effect on us. And so, it seems to me that we have a lot to be thankful for here. For this production we have formed a Les Misérables bubble of dedicated, determined and talented Carthusians in the most challenging of times, many of whom have come on the journey in their GCSE or A-Level year, many of whom had not acted or sung since their Year 1 nativity when we started out and some of whom have had to step in and step up for others who sadly couldn’t see the journey’s end. The production has perhaps provided pupils with something of a lockdown rudder, a lifeline, and we have seen the whole company grow in all sorts of ways since we came together. Thank you to Mr Shepherd and Miss Corderoy who have so expertly coached big singing voices out of small ones over the months. If you are looking for evidence of our School values, they are all happening in abundance during the
There’s nothing that reassures your faith in the human spirit quite like Les Misérables. performance you are about to see. These Carthusians are, I think, quite rightly proud of what they have achieved, against the odds. They have surprised themselves (and their directors multiple times!) along the way. I hope that their families, friends and our whole School can share in that pride too. And finally, before I gather up some vocal scores that have seen better days, reposition some of the black bins in the auditorium in case the heavens open again over night, and lock up our Ben Travers Theatre, I sit here and thank our lucky Les Mis stars that with that dedicated, determined and talented creative team, cast and crew, with whom I have the great pleasure to work, we made it. Truth be told, I never really doubted we would! Emily Fox (and a few days after this programme note went to print, as we prepared for our dress rehearsal, we were struck another Covid blow that threatened one last and very real time to stop the show completely… but no, we were blessed yet again. Oh ye Theatre Gods! What you put us through!)
56
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 56
18/08/2021 17:52
Below: Andrew Shum (V) and Xavier Currill (R) Bottom: Jesse Jabaru as Thénardier and Eva Pomery (F) as Eponine
Below: Ciarán O’Lionaird (C) as Madame Thénardier Bottom: Matthew Parnall (G) as Javert
Hattie Palmer (F) as Cosette
Eddie Chai (R) as Jean Valjean
57
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 57
18/08/2021 17:52
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
An audience member reviews: ‘The Time is Now, The Day is Here’, these lyrics from ‘One Day More’ never more relevant for the cast of Les Misérables as they made it to opening night. Many obstacles had been overcome – putting on a show in a global pandemic is no mean feat. As the band (an exciting mix of pupils and professional musicians) struck up the opening chords, the impressive set lit in red, white and blue, lucky ticket-holders in the audience were poised and ready for the musical that charts a pivotal point in history. From the opening number as the prisoners sang ‘Look Down’ through to the beer-swilling pub locals in ‘Master of the House’, and the chilling moments at the barricades, there was a real sense of ensemble. It was abundantly clear this was a team effort. The supporting cast worked extremely hard multi-rolling to create the many different scenes and it was great to read from the programme that for some of the cast this was their first taste of performing. The ensemble were so energised and focused throughout – Theo Needs (B), Daniel Cross (R), Guy Ellis (W) and Andrew Shum (V), to name but a few, never missing a beat. And high praise to true team player, Ciarán O’Lionaird, for taking on so many parts and stepping in at the very last minute as Madame Thénardier, complete with wig and fan. His enjoyment, alongside Jesse Jabaru (R) as the convincingly greedy swindler Thénardier, palpable. Our leading man, Eddie Chai (R), played a beautifully nuanced Jean Valjean, directed by Miss Fox and West End Jean Valjean, and Charterhouse Actor in Residence, Dean Chisnall (no pressure!). Chai’s stunning rendition of ‘Bring Him Home’ in absolute stillness held the audience with every word as he played this huge role with ease and control. Matthew Parnall (G) gave such an assured
and imposing performance as Javert and the two combined to create great tension. A stand-out moment was Parnall show-casing his vocal ability during ‘Stars’ against a beautiful backdrop, and bringing out a softer, more reflective side to his character. Hattie Palmer (F) played a charming Cosette and Xavier Currill (R) a perfect hero as Marius. A particularly poignant moment was his ‘Empty Chairs at Empty Tables’, the ensemble under the arches, facing the audience to produce a very haunting effect, and the lyrics feeling particularly significant. Eva Pomery (F) excelled as the lovestruck Éponine showing considered characterisation through her physicality and communication of the lyrics. She has a bright future ahead as she pursues a career in Musical Theatre. The show was performed with tremendous heart. Although billed, as required, as the ‘School Edition’, this epic tale was conveyed in full, every single word sung on the journey through 19th Century France – high praise, then, to the entire cast and creative team for such an impressive achievement. We have been deprived of shared experiences over the last year and it was a privilege, and heartwarming, to be in an audience to watch a company come together against the odds. For the pupils, being part of the production must have provided great escapism and a silver lining in this most unusual of years. I look forward to working with pupils old and new in the Theatre this coming year, and hope to encourage many of them to follow in the footsteps of the Les Misérables cast. Bravo. Mrs Elizabeth Bennett (LAMDA co-ordinator)
Miss Corderoy gives a conductor’s perspective: What a wonderful working partnership was fostered here between the BTT and the RVW (Music Department). The cast were supported beautifully by a band made up of professionals and Carthusians. We were fortunate enough to welcome players from the pits of the West End, as well as our very own Music Faculty – for pupils to play alongside players of such a high calibre is a rare and special opportunity. Once again Covid reared its ugly head. Come performance week we found ourselves in an almost unheard-of scenario – the first time cast and band would hear each other, would be on the opening night itself. Both parties rose to the occasion wonderfully, however. After months of rehearsing alongside the piano, the cast were in total awe of the sound produced by the 20-piece ensemble; new life was breathed into the performance at an all-important moment. A final word from Mr Dean Chisnall: It was a magical week in the BTT – our pupils FINALLY got their chance to perform Les Mis. My goodness it was worth the wait and I really couldn’t be more proud of them if I tried. What family spirit we created! This wasn’t just a cast and crew of people standing on or working back stage – it was a community pulling together in the most inspiring of ways to deliver a stellar evening of entertainment and to create memories for life. A shame not to perform in front of the sell-out crowd we’d originally packed in, but grateful parents, pupils, friends and family came along in their bubbles and rose to their feet in the finale to celebrate the company’s hard work and incomparable talents. A real rollercoaster of an experience ended on the highest note possible. There’s nothing that reassures your faith in the human spirit quite like Les Misérables. Thank you to all who took part, from a very emotional and grateful Mr C!
58
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 58
18/08/2021 17:52
A Level Drama Who are we? What are we really afraid of? These fundamental questions about ourselves were answered by this year’s 2YS A-Level Drama & Theatre pupils in the form of a short play. This was their devised exam, where pupils are given a stimulus and a practitioner from which they create a piece of theatre. This year the stimulus was Joseph K by Tom Basden, which is based on Kafka’s The Trial, and the practitioner, Berkoff.
“ Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.” (Victor Hugo)
The mysteriousness and suspense were instantly created with a quiet but penetrating music in the background, which sounded as if it echoed one’s heartbeat. Frederick Bott (D), Pétrus Desbois (W), and Piers Ninham (g) all took turns acting as the main character, Joe, who is asked questions by two interrogators about his fears. Facing inwards, they stood tall either side of Joe, who sat uncomfortably centre stage. Each of the three actors was responsible for being one of Joe’s three split personalities: first he was interrogated about his fear of the dark; in the next scene, a different actor was in the role of Joe and had a different fear, this time of closed spaces; in the third, Joe feared memories. After this series of interrogations, Joe, again with contrasting personalities, then appeared in a few real-life situations. In each of these scenes, all Joe said was
the word ‘really’ repeatedly. His emotions, however, were conveyed very effectively by the three talented actors, through the different tones with which they said the same word: he was at one time excited to propose to marry, and in the following scene he was devastated to find out that he had been fired from his job. Joe then found himself interrogated again, but this time the sense of mystery had disappeared – the whole theatre was lit up as if the conflict between Joe’s characters had been resolved. The audience found out that Joe was in fact being interrogated for murder: he had killed his other personalities. This brought an end to the play, perhaps leaving the audience even more confused about themselves than before. The questions posed at the start might have taken some time to digest, but the effort put into creating this play was clear from the outset. There have been difficult circumstances, with two other pupils having to stay at home, therefore cutting the cast from five to three. Despite this, the message of the play was told powerfully, not only with impressive acting, but also effective stage settings, lighting, and music. It was wonderful to have an opportunity to watch live theatre in such challenging times, and hopefully there is a lot more to come. Horace Choi, 1YS, G 59
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 59
18/08/2021 17:52
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Annabel Fox (Su)
60
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 60
18/08/2021 17:52
Andi Lu (S)
ART 61
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 61
18/08/2021 17:52
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Pre-U Art
Oscar Sunderland (D)
Celeste Colin (F)
62
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 62
Oscar Sunderland (D)
18/08/2021 17:52
Andi Lu (S)
The Pre-U exhibition this year displayed a striking variety of techniques and ideas that reflected 18 lively minds, from beautiful figurative studies by Ariane Boulanger (Su) in oils to layers of dead insects by Charles Levett (L) and installations involving trauma and dreams by Megan Suckling (F). It was also good to see medium format analogue photography making a comeback with Ivo Freeman’s (D) studies of members of Brooke Hall and his fellow Carthusians. Narrative appears in much of the work, with Celeste Colin (F) building ambiguous stories with her sensitive wide-eyed figures, Andi Lu (S) setting up modern versions of Renaissance tableaus, and Noah Rogerson’s (V) investigations on the male gaze. It has been a particularly aspirational year group with 15 out for the 18 students getting places at an art college to do Art, Design, Fashion, and Architecture. Through this turbulent year, creative vision has been maintained by our talented year group.
Andi Lu (S)
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 63
63
18/08/2021 17:52
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Megan Suckling (F)
Ariane Boulanger (Su)
64
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 64
18/08/2021 17:52
Charles Levett (L)
65
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 65
18/08/2021 17:52
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Astrid Ashdown (F)
Ivo Freeman (D)
66
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 66
18/08/2021 17:52
Sutton – First Prize
House Art Video competition: Live link between LA, London, and Charterhouse. This year was a Charterhouse first for House Art. Each House was given the challenge to produce a two-minute video reflecting the chosen theme ‘Outside In’ for the House. They were judged on their editing skills as well as their communication of the concept in an original way. Who better to judge than OCs Luke Millington-Drake (V11) and filmmaker Lallie Doyle (V12) LA-based actor Luke has become a TikTok and Instagram sensation for his comical impressions of celebrities like Keira Knightley and was therefore very well placed to judge video as a digital media artist. Lallie, as an art filmmaker, was able to notice the more avant garde tendencies in the students’ presentations. With time zones in mind, we had a live Zoom link up with the judges who went through each video presentation and gave feedback. They enjoyed the work immensely and were impressed by the students’ ability to collaborate and pull together inventive and imaginative video art.
Hodgsonites – Second Place
Daviesites, in fourth place, represented the trauma of youth in enclosed spaces using Hitchcock’s editing techniques. Oscar Sunderland was the mastermind of this work and wanted to explore mental health issues with the young in lockdown.
Overall, the first prize went to Sutton pictured. The video depicted the outside world merging into the inside world through photography, drawing, animation, and sound. It evoked a sensitive emotional response when considering what we have been through in lockdown. Tatiana Winterflood, Harriet McCreanor, and Emily Xu were responsible for collaborating and producing the artwork and edits.
Other mentions by the judges: Best House for Collaboration: G Best Photography: B Best POV Editing: P Best Direction: Pétrus Desbois (W)
Second prize went to Hodgsonites (pictured) where Stanislav Valev curated a virtual show depicting artwork and photography from many members of the House. Third prize was awarded to Fletcherites (pictured) on which Mirabella-Rose Mekki collaborated and put together a collaged TikTok style video with an upbeat flavour with clips from friends’ everyday lives at home and in House.
Daviesites – Fourth Place
Judges’ Special Award for Animation/ Creativity: Nyx Fei (C) Outstanding Individual Creative Concept: Andi Lu (S)
Fletcherites – Third Place
The competition really reiterated that video and filmmaking is a very active and exciting artform in our culture today. Its ability as a medium to communicate the ‘pupil voice’ is powerful. 67
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 67
18/08/2021 17:52
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Stanislav Valev (H)
GCSE and 1st year artwork
Annabel Fox (Su)
68
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 68
18/08/2021 17:52
Thomas Brocklebank (P)
Rowan Vincent (W) 69
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 69
18/08/2021 17:52
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Rob Knight (R)
70
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 70
18/08/2021 17:52
Zhangir Amangaleyev (S)
Akinda Kodithuwakku Arachchige (V) 71
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 71
18/08/2021 17:52
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Emily Xu Cartoons Emily Xu (Su) has produced a series of cartoons for The Carthusian that capture the life of our School in a light-hearted but poignant way. Her interview with art scholar Andi Lu (S) likewise presents a thoughtful caricature of a Carthusian in the great traditions of our very own OC Max Beerbohm (Rg 1885-1890), who parodied beaks in his time at School. Other famous OC cartoonists of note are Osbert Lancaster (P 1922-1925), the doyen of Fleet Street cartoonists. He abandoned Law at Oxford for life classes at the Ruskin and Slade. OC William Makepeace Thackeray (Charterhouse 1822-1828) was not only a world-class author but had ambitions to illustrate. At a similar time, John Leech (Churton’s 1825-1831) was a fellow pupil at Charterhouse and studied Medicine before taking to art. He joined Punch in 1841 and continued to make an impact with his politically astute work. A good link back to Emily’s cartooning is the comic strip ‘Alex’, famously produced by OC Charles Peattie MBE (G75) for a well-known daily newspaper. One must not forget that historically, Charterhouse has produced many creative minds that go on to make an impact on popular culture in a way that opens our eyes to new ways of seeing life. Mr Peter Monkman
72
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 72
18/08/2021 17:52
73
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 73
18/08/2021 17:52
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Lockites
The Times Are Changing:
Graffiti Competition
Our initial preparations for the Inter-House Graffiti Competition gave us an opportunity to collaborate with the Art beaks and technicians, who shared their time and experience very generously, ordered all the supplies, and helped us to understand what would be needed on the day. Looking for inspiration, Michelle Oyinlola (C) and I enjoyed researching the graffiti we had found under the M25 bridge along the River Wey. Michelle then shared these ideas with House teams, and the competition was on. With the flurry of spray, fumes, and colour, it was exciting to watch the works evolve in the evening sun, which illuminated Charterhouse’s beautiful gothic architecture. School musicians set the tone, whilst pupils enjoyed a generous plateful at Artifex’s International Food Festival. Everyone was very patient as they waited for the teams to meet all the competition requirements, and then Michelle Oyinlola sounded the horn, setting loose floods of creativity. Each House had a team of six and, within two-minute intervals, only one person could wield a spray can, so it demanded some team effort and planning as well as spontaneous responses. The responses to this year’s theme of ‘2020’ ranged from the colourfully abstract to the hard edge political, but the overall message was that times are changing, and we need to embrace it through action.
Even knowing that there would be 14 Houses, each with ten students involved, I had not quite anticipated that the crowds would feel like a wonderful mass of 200. All artists were incredibly respectful of the paint, subject material and their opponents. The contrast between the old and the new was especially stimulating, with our historical buildings and grounds playing host to abstract expression through free-flow graffiti. Fantastic creations were produced, and I was pleased that I did not have the difficult task of adjudicating. Our judges, Mr Monkman and Miss Pinkney, made some incredibly tough decisions to come up with a winner. The results are as follows: fourth place went to Verites with a heavily layered design which looked like an abstract painting, whilst third place went to Lockites for a well-executed series of stencilled clocks representing time. At second place, Gownboys highlighted a ‘post-pop’ character with ZOOM sprayed onto its head, and first place went to Daviesites – a tight team who, despite being non-artists, conceived a deceptively simple design using the dark spires of Charterhouse with ‘times are changing’ stencilled overhead. Thank you to all our organisers and participants for your ideas and enthusiasm! Mrs Jean Curry
74
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 74
18/08/2021 17:52
Gownboys
BLM
75
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 75
18/08/2021 17:52
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Fourths’ Black History Month Virtual Show To celebrate Black History Month in October 2020, Charterhouse Art Department ran a series of workshops for Fourths to investigate and make a collage artwork dedicated to a significant black individual from history and contemporary culture. Several Specialists were also invited to show their work. For example, Ariane Boulanger (Su) created a portrait of the powerful South African artist Zanele Muholi relating to a current show at the Tate Modern that will be visited by students. Discussions about who should be memorialised were sparked by the removal of Edward Colston’s statue in Bristol. Black Britons such as Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Claudia Jones, Olive Morris, Jack Leslie, and more recently Marcus Rashford deserve recognition for their impact on Britain’s story. Other international names such as Steve Biko, Nelson Mandela, Chadwick Boseman, Louis Armstrong and Muhammad Ali, to name a few, all inspired thought and artistic response. Important Black women such as Angela Davis, Maya Angelou, and astronaut Mae Carol Jemison were also explored. Composing and creating an artwork using a portrait image with mixed-media collage enabled students to reflect on the significance of these noteworthy individuals. Art can contribute to shifts in ways of thinking, asking the question, ‘Who should be memorialised and celebrated?’ A virtual exhibition was curated by Studio. Mr Peter Monkman
Ariane Boulanger (Su)
76
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 76
18/08/2021 17:52
Arthur Reventlow-Grinling (G)
Ethan Kovalev (g) Giacomo Stevens (S) 77
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 77
18/08/2021 17:52
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Zander McCulloch (D)
Karam Paul (V)
Louis Ellwood (W)
Ian Yang (G)
Angus Leslie (L)
78
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 78
18/08/2021 17:53
DT
Isabella Bampton (C)
79
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 79
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
Phoenix Fang (C)
Will Adams (G)
Louis Renault (R)
Harriet Baker (Su) 80
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 80
18/08/2021 17:53
Mitsuhiro Jeffcock (G)
Serafima Klimenko (F)
Andrew Shum (V) 81
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 81
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
82
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 82
18/08/2021 17:53
SPORT 83
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 83
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
HOUSE FOOTBALL COMPETITION Due to the limitations imposed by the pandemic, the football season looked very different this year. External fixtures had quickly been ruled out as a possibility, but the Sports Department was determined to find a way to occupy the boys in OQ. So, they organised a House Football Competition that took the form of the Premier, Champions, and Europa Leagues. Split into their separate year groups, each House fought for the titles in what turned out to be a novel and enjoyable season.
2YS
A tightly fought League came down to the last day with two League matches to play back-to-back to complete the season, and what a final day it turned out to be! In their penultimate match, Weekites squeezed past Duckites 2-1 in a very tight game. They then benefited from Daviesites beating Saunderites 3-2 in a tightly contested match, in which Daviesites secured the victory in the last minute of the match. That left a Weekites vs. Saunderites match to decide the Premier League title. Weekites would have to win this match against League-leaders Saunderites to add to their trophy cabinet and continue their football dynasty. They say it would have been ‘a travesty to Weekites folklore if the team (had) returned empty-handed from a season’. It was 1-1, last play, Weekites corner. With Saunderites players filling the box, the corner is taken, and the ball is knocked in by a spectacular leaping header from a Weekite with three seconds to spare. The side-lines erupted. Weekites was not so fortunate in the Champions League, however. Though they had managed to get to the final after beating Lockites 12-5 in the semi-final, the return of a star player to Saunderites sealed their fate as runners-up. In the final, the score was tied at 1-1 by half-time. However, Saunderites managed to take a convincing lead in the second half, ultimately winning with a score of 4-1. Once Saunderites had begun to take the lead, Weekites were forced to look for another equaliser, but Saunderites managed to score on the counterattack to make the final result look more lopsided than the match actually was. The fact remains, however, that Saunderites were looking very strong defensively whilst also managing to remain a real threat in the attacking third. In the final of the Europa League, Bodeites narrowly missed out on claiming the Plate championship title, suffering a 4-2 loss to Duckites. Despite their disappointment, Bodeites showed real character throughout the tournament, with many nonfootballers stepping up to play due to the effects of Covid-19. In light of this, their finishing position is highly commendable. Daviesites secured third place in a 5-1 victory over Robinites despite arguably having been away from the game for too long. Overall, it is certainly true to say that these Carthusians experienced an exceedingly eventful final season at the School, despite the limitations of the pandemic.
84
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 84
18/08/2021 17:53
1YS
Duckites describes their Premier League performance as ‘something special and extremely cheeky, to say the least’. Their success is certainly reflected by their League results which display a track record of seven wins and a draw. Whilst Duckites won the League, Weekites just missed out on silverware by two points, finishing second. It was a similar story for both teams in the Champions League in which Duckites’ ‘pure skill and talent’ reportedly ‘put Weekites in their place’ in a memorable final which saw a Duckite 1-0 victory. Both teams deserved their place in this match after dominant wins in their respective semi-finals: Weekites beat Verites 6-1, while Duckites triumphed over Saunderites 3-1. Saunderites took third place in the ensuing playoff after a respectable season which included a difficult win over Robinites in the quarter-final. Congratulations must go to the Duckites team, however, for claiming the titles of both Leagues. In the Europa League, Pageites became the Plate champions after weathering a tough tournament. In a gritty semi-final match against Bodeites which advanced onto penalties, Pageites secured their place in the final where they were met by Robinites. In the culmination of their season, a commendable defensive performance combined with some creative play further up the field allowed Pageites to emerge as victors, defeating Robinites 1-0.
85
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 85
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
FIFTHS
Pageites seemed to be the team to beat in the Fifths’ tournament, winning the Premier League ahead of Bodeites in second place, the highest ranking of any Bodeite team in the League. Daviesites came in third, but they managed to defeat the Pageite champions 2-0 in the final match and so earned the title of ‘linear champions’. Nevertheless, Pageites still managed to take the League, having enough breathing room to lose to Daviesites, since Bodeites and Daviesites had played out a 1-1 draw on match day eight and Daviesites had lost to Duckites on match day seven. The Pageite Fifths also describe their Champions League campaign as ‘mesmerising’. In any case, they entered the final (without their captain!), though were unfortunate to lose to Weekites on Big Ground in a game that had the spectators watching on the edge of their seats. Weekites brought home the trophy having played some sublime football over the course of the tournament, including a victory over Saunderites in the semi-final – a rash tackle from a Saunderite defender allowed them to gain the upper hand. A high scoring third place playoff match between Saunderites and Hodgonsites saw a monumental total of ten goals with Saunderites emerging victorious by a margin of two points. As for the Europa League, Bodeites and Verites made it to the final, representing some of the best results within their respective Houses throughout the tournament. In order to earn their place in the final showdown, both teams had to hold their own against formidable Houses such as Daviesites and Duckites. The match itself was incredibly closely fought: a 1-1 draw progressed to penalties where Bodeites narrowly clinched a 5-4 victory.
86
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 86
18/08/2021 17:53
REMOVES
Duckites was once again triumphant in the Premier League and enjoyed an unbeaten run after playing ten and winning ten to win the League by three points – a Premier League record! In the final they played Daviesites, which turned out to be a pivotal match. A 2-2 draw progressed on to penalties, with Daviesites, for all their effort, coming second. They claim they deserved a trophy for their performance, but they settled for pizza instead. The Saunderites’ Remove team was plagued by injury and consequently their talented players were perhaps not at their best. In spite of this, however, they managed to win all of their matches going into the final week, but were unlucky to lose out both to Daviesites in the deciding game of the group stages and Duckites in the knockout round. They played for third place and beat Gownboys convincingly in that match. In the Champions League, Duckites and Daviesites remained dominant, both topping their groups and winning their respective semi-finals against Saunderites and Gownboys by enormous margins to play for the title. The resulting final was hard fought and, once again, progressed to penalties after a 2-2 draw. Duckites emerged victorious again, with Saunderites beating Gownboys to claim third place after a close playoff match. The final of the Europa League was played out to much the same result as the other Leagues – Weekites and Robinites fought over penalties after yet another 2-2 draw! One starts to sense the emergence of a theme with Removes’ House Football this season... Weekites ultimately managed to bring home the silverware following two impressive performances, including a 2-1 victory over Pageites in the semi-final.
FOURTHS
Duckites’ Fourths had a blinder of a season! In the Premier League, they came top of the table by a long stretch, despite a draw against Weekites and a loss against Saunderites in their first four matches. Five wins in a row after that allowed them to claim the League. Weekites, despite the bizarre circumstances of their first football season at Charterhouse, also did amazingly well to finish second, with Saunderites one point further behind in third place. In the Champions League, Saunderites and Daviesites, though both were (by their own admission) slow to start this season, topped their respective groups before winning a quarter-final each. Gownboys and Bodeites both won a quarter-final as underdogs after not topping their group. Of these teams, Gownboys and Saunderites were triumphant in their respective semi-finals and moved on to face each other in a closely contested final. Saunderites managed to win 4-2 on penalties and added to their trophy cabinet in the process. Daviesites beat Bodeites 3-2 to secure third place, bumping Bodeites to fourth. Somehow, despite performing well in the Premier League, both Duckites and Weekites missed out on the Champions League knockout stages and dropped into the Europa League. Weekites perhaps needs a little more shooting practice in the future after losing to Duckites on penalties in the final. Pageites beat Lockites to come third in the League, but Lockites showed great character throughout. All in all, a strange but enjoyable first season! 87
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 87
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
HOUSE FOOTBALL COMPETITION
88
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 88
18/08/2021 17:53
89
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 89
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
DRAFT FOOTBALL FINALS Following a competitive House competition in the first half of Quarter, all year groups entered a draft-style competition after half term. The Under School year groups all used team names that have a historical link to Charterhouse football. For more information on the history of Charterhouse football, it is worth perusing Malcom Bailey’s (BH74-13) monograph, From Cloisters to Cup Finals. On a decidedly less intellectual note, the Specialists were given the responsibility to choose their own team names which (predictably) produced some questionable results such as ‘Portugeezers’, ‘Rude Boyz’, and ‘Baloteletubbies’. Captains were selected in each year group who then attended a ‘draft’ event to select their squads. Each team would then play everyone else once in a League format with the top four teams qualifying for the Cup competition and the remaining four teams entering the Plate competition. The 2YS entered their League with a competitive spirit, emulously attempting to secure their legacy in what was to be their last taste of Charterhouse football. PSG, captained extremely well by Daniel Mote (G), were the clear favourites going into the semi-finals having won six and drawn one of their seven League fixtures. Bayern Munchies FC, captained by Frankie Parker (S), Portugeezers FG, captained by James Taylor (D) and Squad Wins Only XI, captained by Freddy Clinton (W), were closely matched in second, third, and fourth place. SWOXI produced an upset in the semi-final and knocked out PSG with a 2-0 win while Portugeezers beat Bayern Munchies 3-1. In the final, the Portugeezers were clinical in defeating SWOXI 4-0 with goals from Benedict Moulton (B), who scored two, Tobias Ball (B), and Frederick Portavella Potter (L). Meanwhile, in the 1YS tournament, The Balotellitubbies, captained by Ash Ticktum (P), were the clear top seeds after winning six and drawing one of their League games while the Rude Boyz, captained by Joshua Diri (W) finished in second place. Happy Feet, captained by James Burns (g), responded to a drubbing on the opening day to qualify in third place while Spicey CFC, captained by Sacha Newbegin (P), just scraped into the fourth and final cup semi-final spot on goal difference despite three losses. Both semi-finals then saw upsets with Spicey CFC beating Balotellitubbies 4-1
fourth seed Darvellites beat the previously undefeated Stanbroughite top seeds 1-0. Ryderites as the third seed also won 1-0 against second seed Hoomanites. A tense final was played on Big Ground and finished 0-0 to set up a dramatic penalty shootout. Ryderites triumphed 4-2 with Henri Whitehorne (P) scoring the winning penalty.
and Happy Feet beating Rude Boyz 5-4. In a competitive final, Spicey CFC were 3-1 up before a late Happy Feet goal inspired panic in the Spicey ranks. However, they held on to complete a massive turnaround following a poor start in the League campaign. The Fifths’ competition saw Stanbroughites, captained by Theo Needs (B), the only team unbeaten in the League stages. They consequently qualified as top seeds with 19 points from seven matches. Hoomanites, captained by Frederick Hay (B), and Ryderites, captained by Caspar Beyer (P), were tied on 16 points in second and third respectively with Darvellites, captained by Harry Baker (V), taking the fourth and final spot in the Cup semi-finals. Both semi-finals saw an upset as underdog
In the Removes, the Baileyites (named for the former member of Brooke Hall), captained by Travis Lewis (R), qualified as top seeds and after penalty shoot-outs in both semi-finals, Baileyites and Rowlandsonites, captained by Joseph Johnson (S), met in the final on Big Ground. Henry Wigg (L) finished off an excellent team move to put Rowlandosnites 1-0 up who then sat back and tried to soak up pressure as Baileyites pushed for an equaliser. With two minutes remaining, David Aneke (R) showcased some clever footwork to beat two players and feed Travis Lewis. His shot from 20 yards found the top corner and took the match to penalties. Both teams traded goals, saves, misses, and dives as the shoot-out went to the 18th penalty. Rowlandsonites finally broke the deadlock at 5-4 after Felix Palmer (S) scored their ninth penalty to win the match and the tournament. Finally, in the Fourths, Prinsepites and Nepeanites took the top two spots in the League after each of the ten teams played 18 League matches. As the top
90
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 90
18/08/2021 17:53
seed, Prinsepites then played fourth seed Sparrowites in the semi-final, while Nepeanites played third seed Waltersites. Nepeanites, captained by Leith Fallon (B), took an early lead with an unfortunate own goal ricocheting off Prinsepites’ defenders and goalkeeper. Within a minute, the Prinsepites captain, Massimo Sevensma-Wells (g), had scored an excellent equaliser to make it 1-1. The scores were level at half-time in a tightly fought match that saw lots of exciting play from both sides. Early in the second half, Marcus Aberneithie (H) won a penalty (and converted it himself) to give Nepeanites a 2-1 lead. Shortly after, Aberneithie scored his second to extend the lead to 3-1. Going into the last five minutes, Nepeanites still led 3-1, but the Prinsepites team showed inspiring perseverance. After Sevensma-Wells had hit the woodwork, he managed to find the back of the net twice to send the match into extra time. After the extra period ended goalless, the match culminated in an exciting penalty shoot-out where Prinsepites triumphed 5-4. Mr Simon Hayward
I would like to congratulate all the pupils for their efforts and engagement in the Draft Football Tournament, despite the ever-changing circumstances.
91
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 91
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
INTER-HOUSE GIRLS’ HOCKEY Girls’ Hockey promised an exciting season with our keen 2YS bolstered by talented 1YS, but, unfortunately, national restrictions and their implications for schools made external fixtures impossible. To replace the usual schedule, we ran two House competitions and an internal draft team series for each year group, aiming to promote skill development and fun competition. To simulate fixtures, each year group also played an internal 11-a-side series, which fostered a slightly more competitive environment. On the first weekend of the 1YS series, the Stormers took the lead with a 3-2 win. Skilful counterattacks from Ellis Britz (Su), Emma Haynes (Su), and Camilla Pearce (C) got the ball past Susannah “The Wall” Bullivant (C) to make the score 3-2 with just minutes left. The Stormers had managed to endure the intensity of Laura Galbraith (F), Pippa Rogerson (Su), Emma Gregson (F), and Catherine Chauhan (Su). The players of the match were Kandy Zhang (F) for the Stormers and Jemima Hudson-Davies (Su) for the Hurricanes.
The first highlight of OQ was the 1YS Girls’ Interhouse Tournament on Saturday 10th October. It was a highly competitive event, with two teams from each House showcasing some excellent play in the seven-a-side round robin. A new and elaborate scoring system was adopted, whereby points were scored for skill, excellent play, and scoring goals. The games were fast and furious, and it was wonderful to see the girls embrace House spirit. With over 60 girls taking part, the pitches were positively buzzing with activity. The standard of play was a credit to the effort the girls had put into improving their ability during practices. Despite a few close games decided only by a couple of points, Sutton were the winners of the 1YS event, and the girls eagerly awaited the results of the 2YS competition and the calculation of the overall House winners.
There wasn’t long to wait – the 2YS competition was held on Thursday 15th October after a team practice had been held for each House. Chetwynd, Sutton, and Fletcherites were well represented and supported by students and staff alike. It was an unusually warm afternoon for the season and the competition on the pitch was just as heated. This created a fantastic environment, and the girls complemented the occasion with enthusiasm and dedication. The games were hard fought with each team winning at least one match in the afternoon. At the final whistle, it was clear that Chetwynd had won their tournament for the second year running. Following this competition, Mr Ellis-Woodley relied on the mathematical expertise of Ms Batty to award the House Cup. After several recounts, Sutton emerged triumphant, winning by only one point!
The second match of the series was extremely eventful. The Hurricanes were left reeling after missed chances in the previous week and it was clear they were going to put the Stormers’ stand-out defender Jessica West (F) under immense pressure. Elyse Wu (S), Amber Howard (Su), and Camilla Pearce led a threatening Stormers’ front line. However, the Hurricanes were hungry for vengeance, claiming a 7-4 victory thanks to the efforts of Flora Stevenson (Su) and Annabel Arbuthnott (Su). Hattie Palmer (F) captained the Stormers well, but even this was not enough to turn the tide; the series was levelled going into the final week. The final was a tense affair. Hattie Cole (Su) was eager to impose herself with dogged defence when the Hurricanes were in possession, but the Stormers were put under immense pressure from Anastasiia Afanaseva (F) and Catie Chauhan. The lead changed hands several times in the deciding game, but at the final whistle, the scores were tied.
92
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 92
18/08/2021 17:53
This meant that the title came down to penalty flicks. Susie Bullivant made some fantastic saves to allow the Stormers to win 3-1 on penalty strokes. As for the draft competition, the duel between the Cyclones and Tornados commenced on Saturday 14th November. With some horrendous weather that day, it seemed the girls had named their teams aptly! After the lockdown drought, the girls relished the opportunity to play an official match. The captains prepared their teams under the lashing rain but did not let this dampen their spirits. Both teams came close to scoring in the early exchanges. Sophie Stingelin (C) was industrious on the right wing and worked with Imogen Wareham (C) to produce entries into the Tornados’ circle. However, the Tornados broke the deadlock. Fantastic counterattacks from Sixtine de Ladoucette (F), Amelia Pritchard (C), and Ria Sadarangani (F) allowed the Tornados to score a flurry of back post goals to finish the first half with a convincing 3-1 lead. Despite the score, the Cyclones used half time to reorganise themselves
and returned to the pitch ready for the second half. The Tornados scored early but this did not faze the Cyclones. Pim Jongpairat (F), Vayers Hew (F), Liv Sinnes (F), and Alanagh Kelly (F) maintained relentless pressure on the Tornados’ defence. Their persistent attacking play was rewarded, and the score was poised at 4-3 with two minutes remaining. The Tornados were pinned into their own half, but resolute defence led by Ekaterina Nikitina (Su) allowed the Tornados to hold onto their narrow advantage and take a 1-0 series lead. The players of the match were Amelia Flanagan (C) for the Tornados and Ore Akinfemiwa (F) for the Cyclones. Game Two was well fought, and a draw meant it was all to play for in the deciding match. It was inspiring to see all the girls participating – the intensity of gameplay was fantastic. In the final game, the Cyclones pushed for a win to level the series. Veronica Berger (Su), Ariane Boulanger (Su), and Vayers Hew worked tirelessly in midfield to counter the threat of Poppy Hopkinson (F) and Ameera Williams (F). Despite Imogen Wareham’s
fantastic efforts in front of goal, the Tornados won the series 2-0. Sixtine de Ladoucette and Emma Horiguchi (F) were brilliant for the Tornados defensively, and this allowed the team to play freely and launch numerous attacks. The internal matches were well attended by all pupils involved and their enthusiasm was much appreciated by Mrs Strutt-Moore and Mrs Edwards. Finally, I would like to thank all the pupils and staff for their tireless dedication in adapting to the circumstances of OQ 2020. Such a positive outcome could never have been achieved without their cheerfulness and hard work. It is testament to the success of this bizarre season that many girls ultimately decided to pursue hockey as a sport following the event, and others had a wonderful time enjoying a sport that they had perhaps not considered doing before. We all look forward to an exciting future for Girls’ Hockey at Charterhouse. Mrs Nicola Edwards 93
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 93
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
INTER-HOUSE BOYS’ HOCKEY The third national lockdown limited the time the pupils had in School to three weeks. With such little time and without the prospect of a ‘normal season’, the hockey coaches arranged a draft-style league competition for each year, which was to be complemented by focussed training sessions. This format was aimed at providing an enjoyable schedule, in which players of all abilities could get involved. Despite the lack of normalcy, I am pleased to report that the boys rose to the challenge commendably. With larger numbers of Fourths on-site, it was possible to play a Cup, Plate, and Vase competition on the final afternoon of LQ. The Cup semi-finalists were Daviesites, Bodeites, Weekites, and Robinites. These matches were fast paced throughout, and the pupils were eager to succeed in their first experience of a House hockey competition. Both semi-finals were end-to-end affairs with lots of goals. At the final whistle, the results dictated that Daviesites would play Weekites for the Yearlings’ House Cup. The quality of hockey was extremely high from both sides and the lead was exchanged throughout the match. Unfortunately, the smaller Daviesites squad ran out of steam in the second half and Weekites were able to score two unanswered goals to win the final 4-2. The Plate competition was also full of top-quality hockey, and it was pleasing to see that the pupils had improved their game in the fleeting time that they had on the pitches together. The Plate semi-finals saw Gownboys play Lockites and Duckites play Pageites. Silky skills were on show in these matches with several pupils demonstrating their talents well. Duckites and Lockites progressed to the final after both teams secured wins in their semis. Lockites had arguably the tougher semi-final and were pushed to the wire by Gownboys winning 5-4 with a late goal. The final was tight throughout, with neither team able to secure a comfortable margin over the other. Goals were going in at both ends and this created a tense finale to the Plate competition. At the final whistle, Duckites
were 4-3 up and crowned the Yearlings’ Plate winners of 2021. The Vase group consisted of three Houses (Hodgsonites, Saunderites, and Verites) and this tournament was played as a round robin, allowing all teams to play twice and battle it out for silverware. Saunderites and Verites were competitive throughout and supported each other well. However, Hodgsonites secured the points needed to win the group and take the Vase trophy this year. In the Removes, the final groups for the House Cup and Plate were decided after two league rounds. This produced evenly matched games with one of the competitions won on goal difference. In the Cup group, Saunderites prevailed by securing a draw and a win from their two matches. Daviesites were left to rue missed chances in their first game of the afternoon which ended in a loss to Saunderites. After equalising late on in the match, Daviesites were bitterly disappointed to have their efforts dashed by Saunderites scoring with the last play of the game. This left Pageites in third place after securing a draw in their final match against Saunderites. The Plate competition was a tightly contested affair, and it was fantastic to see such competitive spirit from the players. After relegation from the Cup group in week eight, a combined Gownboys and Hodgsonites side were out to prove a point. This effort started well with a convincing win against Verites. However, when they were held to a draw by the Lockites/Weekites
combined team the result was out of their hands. They were left watching from the side-lines in the hope that the result of the next match would go their way. It was not looking hopeful. After early pressure on their goal, Verites conceded two goals quickly and with the result of the match looking assured, Mr Hingston was required to do some quick maths to decide the final winner. Eventually, the numbers were published: the Gownboys/ Hodgsonite combined team won the Plate competition with a positive goal difference. For the seniors, the focus was on enjoyment throughout what was left of LQ once we had returned. We were incredibly pleased to be able to host a fixture against RGS Guildford in CQ. This event was designed with a festival feel in mind and the pitch side BBQ helped immeasurably with this atmosphere. Despite this, all players were keen to represent their respective schools well and did not leave anything on the pitch. A full write up for this match has been provided by our 1st XI captain James Taylor (D): The season did not get off to its usual start due to a Covid lockdown, depriving the squad of any hope of pre-season matches. However, Zoom hockey was soon a regular occurrence and twice weekly sessions of both stick and ball work and fitness allowed some hockey to continue, albeit online! The arrival back to School left us with three weeks of hockey – of course, in Covid safe bubbles organised by year group.
94
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 94
18/08/2021 17:53
Eventually, as lockdown measures eased up, Mr Ellis-Woodley was able to organise the first and final game of the season. Despite missing a pre-season and a lot of training, the squad were really looking forward to a home match against local rivals RGS Guildford. The game promised to be rusty with little hockey played in the preceding months, but our standards thankfully returned quickly. The opening minutes produced some end-to-end hockey as both teams fought for the first goal. Gabriel Jonsson (P) provided the assist for a Marcus Rawlings’ (S) deflection into the roof of the net to break the stalemate. This lifted our spirits and was quickly followed by a reverse strike from Sam Thomas (W) to double the score line. Another Rawlings’ goal meant that Charterhouse had a commanding 3-0 lead at half time. Considering the lack of hockey over lockdown, it was a very good half. The midfield trio of Rupert Evans (G), Gabriel, and Hugo Samuelson (g) looked threatening every time they had possession. RGS fought hard in the third quarter and scored two quick goals promising a very close final period of
play. Henry Titchener-Hooker (V) kept us ahead with a goal line stop after our fantastic keeper Nyasha Kunorubwe (P) had been beaten. Freddy Clinton (W), Morgan Clarke (W), and Henry Wilkinson (W) were solid at the back and stopped wave after wave of attacks. With RGS pushing for an equaliser, space opened up for the forwards towards the end of the game as Hugo Samuelson and Rupert Evans both scored, putting the game to bed. Players and parents then enjoyed the barbecue and a chat about what a great season it could have been. Thanks must go to Mr Ellis-Woodley for organising the game and coaching an unbeaten side! I would like to thank all the Carthusians that took part in the hockey programme this year. It was unfortunate that external fixtures were not possible. However, I was thoroughly impressed with the open-mindedness with which all players approached their training and House matches. It was great to see the Removes all attending Saturday hockey and playing fun 11-a-side intramural matches
containing lots of laughter and good hockey. The Fourths were fantastic and fully bought into the Charterhouse experience. There is a lot of hockey talent in this year group, and this has been demonstrated by the participation of over 30 pupils in extra performance training on Friday afternoons after hashes. Finally, the Seniors have persevered tremendously well. The 2YS have been great servants to Charterhouse hockey in their time with us and it is unfortunate that they were not able to showcase their talents more this Quarter. As evidenced by the match report above, they would have been a great Charterhouse 1st XI. They have been a pleasure to work with and have taken responsibility in leaving the programme in a better place. I cannot thank them enough for this. They have set a good example for the lower years to emulate. They will also be welcomed back to play in OC matches against future 1st XIs. I hope that they all continue to enjoy the sport at university and beyond. Mr Jason Ellis-Woodley
95
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 95
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
INTER-HOUSE GIRLS’ NETBALL Of course, the season was heavily affected by lockdown, with the girls only having three weeks in School. Having welcomed a strong 1YS cohort in September and enthused by the clear potential they displayed in the pre-season, I was optimistic that it was going to be a promising Quarter. With a full fixture list organised, Inter-House Netball scheduled, and high numbers of girls choosing the sport, I honestly thought we were going to witness one of the strongest sets of netball teams in Charterhouse’s history. With an excellent captain at the helm, Scarlett MacGregor (C), the writing was on the wall for success in our Invitation Tournament, one of the main events we work towards. Unfortunately, Scarlett never got the opportunity to captain her side, but I know she will continue to play netball at university, and we will welcome her back as an OC to take on the 1st VII. In the three weeks we had, we certainly made up for the sport the girls had missed whilst they were at home. Fast Five Netball, with new rules and new shooting boundaries, was introduced to the girls with the hope it might bring an element of versatility to their game. This format helped the girls work on their spacing around the court and meant that we had more teams to participate in internal matches. The 2YS girls took on the staff and, within a matter of minutes, they had demonstrated that they were the superior team whilst the staff fell by the wayside and injuries came thick and fast. It was a real shame that the 2YS girls didn’t get the chance to play in the final matches for the School, but I just hope that we see girls continue to play when they leave School. Inter-House Netball is always very competitive, and this year was no different. Chetwynd dominated the 2YS tournament with a strong centre court set up, with Scarlett MacGregor, Izzy Bampton, and Amelia Flanagan playing an integral part. Chetwynd had a full side with subs cheering on from the side-line and their play was of an impressively high standard. Fletcherites had some accomplished shooters with Solange Adeogun-Phillips in the circle, but Chetwynd took the win on the day.
The 1YS tournament saw each House field two teams. The standard was extremely high, and matches were very close. The fast pace of the game meant that interceptions were stolen, shots scored and missed, and the pressure weighed heavily on certain individuals. A thoroughly enjoyable tournament, which saw Sutton the eventual winners. Mrs Nicola Edwards
Harriet Cole (Su), a member of the winning side, gave the following account of the Quarter: “Covid-19 only allowed us three weeks of LQ, and a lot of this time was naturally dedicated to House events, since we couldn’t play any external fixtures. Nevertheless, Mrs Edwards and the other coaches encouraged everyone to get involved as much as possible with a packed schedule of exciting, fast paced, and competitive sessions. Everyone threw themselves into every drill, game, and match with enthusiasm and commitment. We had three training days (Tuesday, Monday, and Thursday) where we worked on feeding the circle, defensive teamwork, and eradicating silly mistakes. But Saturday was match day! The matches were filled with competitiveness, tactics, and
unstoppable laughter. Everyone (especially me!) had realised they’d eaten one chocolate bar too many over lockdown, so the matches really tested our fitness. Just around the corner, though, was the highly anticipated House Netball competition. Every House put out high quality teams which made for a hotly contested tournament. Fletcherites fielded two five-a-side teams, and this kept our smaller squad trying out new tactics and supporting our teammates to the end. The five-a-side games were intense with shouts of encouragement from the spectators. Every shot mattered. Chetwynd’s very strong combination of offensive and defensive play made matches tense and turnovers key. However, with determination and some impressive netball skills, Sutton secured the overall trophy, much to Mrs Lambeth’s delight. Netball was just what the doctor ordered this Quarter, providing a source of much needed fun and exhilaration. I felt as though the House Netball tournament brought some semblance of normality back into our lives. Playing with friends again, laughing, and having fun (even in the rain!) has been a great highlight this Quarter.”
96
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 96
18/08/2021 17:53
Special mention to the following girls who were awarded prizes for their netball this season:
1YS
Coaches’ Players – Annabel Arbuthnott (Su) and Susannah Bullivant (C) Most Improved – Astrid Riddoch (C) and Sienna Wallis (F) Carthusian Award – Alexa Mukherjee (Su) and Camilla Pearce (C)
2YS
Coaches’ Player – Hero Coles (F) Most Improved – Scarlett MacGregor (C) Carthusian Award – Imogen Wareham (C) We look forward to seeing all the girls play in competitive fixtures next year. Though this season presented its unique challenges, we certainly made the best of a bad situation. Nicola Edwards, Director of Girls’ Sport
97
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 97
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
98
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 98
18/08/2021 17:53
99
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 99
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
100
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 100
18/08/2021 17:53
101
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 101
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
2021 SEASON REPORT – 1ST XI After a nightmarish 2020, the 1st XI relished the opportunity to play some external fixtures this CQ. Though some lockdown cobwebs led to a pesky lack of bowling consistency, our batting was at times outstanding. Against Bede’s, Ayush Patel (S), Freddy Clinton (W), and Sam Thomas (W) reached a staggering combined score of 215 from 20 overs. This year also saw the rise of some exceptionally talented young Carthusians. Lucas Kher (W) and Luke Griffiths (g), both Removes, have shown heaps of potential and, with more experience, I am sure that they will be batting at the top of the order very soon.
1 02
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 102
18/08/2021 17:53
Played: 17 Won: 5 Lost: 6 Abandoned: 6
If batting was our strength, the bowling left a lot to be desired and we thus failed to create enough pressure to defeat the better sides. However, promising performances from Jonty Postlewhite (V), Luke Griffiths, and James Burns (g) give this team a bright future. The 2022 season will present its own challenges with our top four graduating from School, creating a massive hole in the team. It is, however, very encouraging to see a fine group of younger players waiting in the wings to become the School’s next star cricketers. Charterhouse 1st XI Match Reports 2021 Played 17, Won 5, Lost 6, Abandoned 6 I Zingari – Won by 6 Wickets Charterhouse started strong with a win over I Zingari. After losing three wickets before we reached 50, Ayush Patel and Freddy Clinton set about restoring the innings. Patel unleashed a series of thumping drives to snatch 50 before lunch. After the break, the partnership flourished. Patel went to his first School hundred and Clinton passed 50. The loss of Clinton for an excellent 60 didn’t slow the rate as Patel kept launching the ball to all parts. We declared on 255-4 with Patel unbeaten on a magnificent 147. In reply, I Zingari exploited our wayward bowling before tea, and it wasn’t until the introduction of Postlewhite and Will Abbott (S) that the wickets started tumbling. The game was eventually wrapped up with six overs to spare, getting the team off to a great start. Radley – Lost by 8 Runs Charterhouse travelled to Radley for the first Cowdrey Cup fixture. Under
cloudless skies, Radley elected to bat first. After a shaky start, Luke Griffiths made the breakthrough. Postlewhite proved a willing foil but runs flowed as Charterhouse lost control. A total of 267 looked a big ask but Charterhouse stayed in the game thanks to Clinton and Kher. When Clinton fell, the race looked over, but the lower order took us close to an improbable win. Alas, we fell short in the final over – plenty to work on for Charterhouse. Hurstpierpoint – Lost by 105 Runs Charterhouse travelled to Hurstpierpoint on another stunning April day. On losing the toss, a flat pitch, quick outfield, and short boundaries worked firmly in favour of the opposition. We found it hard to gain control - the conditions were ideal for batting. We persevered as Hurst took their score to 315. Things looked bleak for our batting after the loss of Kher, Thomas, and Anik Moore (R). However, Patel and Clinton shared an extraordinary partnership as we took the score to 150-3 off just 20 overs. Alas, it couldn’t last as Clinton departed and we were bowled out in the 33rd over. Eton – Lost by 42 Runs We travelled to Eton for the second match of the Cowdrey Cup. Losing the toss again, Eton began batting on a good pitch. We bowled well, and the introduction of Postlewhite changed the game, taking 4-34 in his 11 overs. 100-5 off 35 saw us in control at lunch, though we soon dropped a couple of catches and lost our former success. However, a score of 208 should have been attainable. We lost wickets at bad times despite Clinton’s and Thomas’ excellent 1 03
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 103
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
reached a glorious 100 to lead us to 315-8 in 50. Griffiths took two early wickets while Reed’s fell behind. Burns then produced his best performance of the season taking five cheap wickets. Reed’s were 164 all out.
batting. Inexperience and a lack of power cost us in the end. MCC – Won by 6 Wickets On winning the toss, we elected to bowl and after a steady start, Thomas Fowler (D) made a breakthrough. A flurry of wides and good shots took the MCC to 100-2 before they crumpled against some steady bowling from Will Abbott. Jevan Kher (W) was simply sensational behind the stumps. Chasing 158, the arrival of Patel saw an explosion of the run rate and, with Moore at the other end, we progressed nicely. Patel ended with 65 not out and good contributions from Moore and Clinton saw us win by six wickets. Tonbridge – Lost by 4 Wickets In a match reduced to 30 overs due to morning rain, we were inserted onto a damp wicket offering plenty of bowling assistance. It was a struggle from start to finish as we lost regular wickets to a skilled Tonbridge attack. Clinton was our highlight, scoring 34 of our 90. We then bowled and caught superbly but defending 90 was always going to be a struggle. Harrow – Abandoned Under murky skies, Thomas and Moore started brightly, running well and
capitalising on anything loose. When Moore departed, Clinton and Thomas shared a fruitful partnership. Thomas reached 50 before getting out, which left Clinton to play the dominant hand in scoring an excellent 78. Our score of 211 in 45 overs was a superb effort. Griffiths got the dangerous Connell after a poor start with the ball. The scoring rate was healthy as the dark clouds swirled again. Two quick wickets before a heavy downpour put the game under threat at 111-3 with over 20 overs to go. But the heavens opened just before Duckworth Lewis could get involved. A great shame. Bradfield – Abandoned In a week where Noah’s ark may have been more useful, another game fell to the weather. Bradfield won the toss and batted, making a quick start. Patel took an important wicket before the match was abandoned after nine overs. Reed’s – Won by 151 Runs Batting first, Thomas and Moore were patient in building a sturdy foundation to our score. With Moore’s departure, Thomas and Clinton formed a fine partnership. When Thomas departed for 46, Patel took over and dominated. Both passed 50 and unfurled a series of scintillating shots. Clinton fell for 78, leaving Patel to dominate further who
OCs – Lost by 3 Wickets We welcomed back the OCs on a warm, sunny May Day. We won the toss and quickly found ourselves in trouble at 40-4. Postlewhite led the recovery to restore some control. Sadly, on the stroke of lunch, he was out. We stuttered to 231 all out in the 49th over. Griffiths started well, imposing himself on the game. At 86-5 by teatime, the game should have been ours to win. However, Gianluca Capuano (D20) and Tom Wainwright (D20), two recent leavers, put together an excellent partnership as we faded in the sun. Once they fell, Tom Hurley (S15) and Jonathan Charles (L16) saw the OCs home. Bede’s – Won by 77 Runs Charterhouse entertained Bede’s in a 20/20 game on Green in ideal conditions. What followed may go down in history as the finest 20/20 innings we have ever produced. Thomas and Clinton got us off to a great start, striking the ball cleanly and running brilliantly. Thomas reached his half-century first and Clinton soon followed. Bede’s had no answer to the onslaught. When Thomas got out, Patel had his day in the sun, striking the ball to all parts. At the end of 20 overs, we had amassed 215, an incredible performance. Thomas 50, Clinton 80, Patel 50. Bede’s never got going. Burns took 2-15 in 4 overs, helping us to an excellent win. Wellington – Lost by 2 Wickets On winning the toss at Wellington, we had no hesitation in batting first. After the loss of Thomas and Moore, Patel and Clinton set about the Wellington attack with relish. Patel fell for a breezy 37 but Clinton registered another half-century in an exceptional season. At 208-6 after 40 overs, we looked on course for 250, but a series of poor plays left us 216 all out with 4 overs unused. Once we got going with the ball, we seemed sure to win and at 133-8, the game was effectively over. But it wasn’t. Some very clever batting and undisciplined bowling saw the home
104
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 104
18/08/2021 17:53
side creep closer. An incredible partnership won the game for Wellington. Winchester – Abandoned The English summer ruined yet another game in our stop-start season. After winning the toss we made a hash of the early overs, losing the top four cheaply. Jevan Kher and Jonty Postlewhite set about restoring the innings with careful batting. It was tricky, and regular wickets fell towards the end allowing us only 185. Winchester got off to an aggressive start before the weather intervened, forcing us to abandon ship. Westminster – Won by 132 Runs After a soggy month, we finally saw some sun against Westminster. Batting first, we lost Moore early before Thomas and Clinton built steadily, Clinton departed for 38 leaving Thomas and Patel to take us to lunch with a flurry of boundaries. Pressing the accelerator after the break, we lost a few wickets, but Thomas stood firm, eventually falling for 72. Westminster struggled from the off against Griffiths and Ibrahim Khan (V) making his debut. The introduction of Postlewhite and Patel then spread eagled the batting as both collected three wickets which saw us win the match comfortably. Cranleigh – Abandoned Cranleigh won the toss elected to bat, making good progress before we pegged them back with regular wickets. A score of 210 all out was a good effort from the bowling unit. The Cranleigh bowling, led by the superb Majid, who bowled 30 overs from one end, taking 6-53. Good contributions from Jevan and Lucas Kher (W), Harry Wood (D), and Griffiths took us to 161 at the end of Day One. Needing a good bowling effort to get back into the match, Griffiths and Ibrahim Khan (V) were superb with the new ball, backed up very well by Clinton and Postlewhite. At 80-8 the game was beautifully poised. That, however, was the final action of the season as the heavens opened and prevented a fantastic finish.
AVERAGES Batting Innings
Not Out
Runs
Average
A Patel
14
2
547
45.58
F Clinton
14
0
626
44.71
S Thomas
12
0
330
27.5
J Postlewhite
11
1
235
21.36
L Kher
6
0
109
18.16
J Kher
13
0
224
17.23
6
1
81
16.2
L Griffiths
13
3
140
15.55
T Fowler
5
1
40
13.33
A Moore
13
0
125
9.61
J Burns
7
1
39
7.8
M Capuano
8
3
27
5.4
H Wood
Bowling Maidens
Runs
20
1
81
7
11.57
4.05
I Khan
27.3
7
65
5
13
2.38
J Burns
50.5
3
218
14
15.57
4.31
A Patel
53.1
2
250
16
15.62
4.7
J Postlewhite
124.1
17
420
22
19.09
3.38
L Griffiths
123.1
12
461
22
20.95
3.74
H Wood
9
0
49
2
24.5
5.44
F Clinton
86
8
393
15
26.2
4.56
5
1
37
1
37
7.4
T Fowler
36
4
181
3
60.33
5.02
S Thomas
9.3
0
62
1
62
6.67
47
1
242
2
121
5.14
W Abbott
H Wheatland
M Capuano
Wickets Average
Economy Rate
Overs
Mr Martin Bicknall
1 05
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 105
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
GIRLS’ TENNIS An exciting season, some extraordinary matches, and the eternally beautiful Charterhouse backdrop shaped Girls’ Tennis this CQ. Set against the woodland canopy, offering fine views of the manicured lawns on Green, and extending into the unmistakably unique architecture of the Charterhouse spires in the distance, the newly established Prom Courts were often the venue of choice for our matches. moving forward for the knockout matches. The matches saw several twists and turns, defying our original expectations, resulting in a different set of seeds. Sophie Stingelin (C) beat Annabel Lawson in the semi-final to secure her place in the final. Following several terrific rallies, close games, and match winning points, Emma Haynes beat Serafima Klimenko (F) to square off against Sophie and, ultimately, she turned out to be the better player on the day. For her excellent performance, Annabel Lawson won the Plate competition. In this tranquil setting, our girls were gracious hosts and made our visitors feel extremely welcome. Once on court though, they transformed into fierce competitors, battling for every point. To say that this Quarter has been unusual would be an understatement. Our 2YS girls were faced with the constant cycle of assessments and endless revision. Despite this, the girls recognised the importance of sport and the crucial role it plays in physical and mental wellbeing – they turned to tennis as a means to decompress and re-energise their tired minds. It would be hard to ignore the efforts of our 1YS who have really set the stage for future girls at Charterhouse to follow in their footsteps. Sutton girls Annabel Lawson and Emma Haynes demonstrated true leadership throughout this season, showcasing exemplary conduct, unquestionable dedication to tennis, and a commitment to furthering girls’ sport at Charterhouse. In recognition of her
achievements in the sport, and her ability to be a true role model for her peers, Emma was given the Captain’s Award. The two girls remain one of the most well-rounded pairs with fabulous groundstrokes, consistent serves, and reliable backhands. Crucially, they showed how important it is to understand each other as much as it is to read their opponents. The connection between them bordered on telepathy! As the season progressed, however, some of the inexperience in the wider cohort was quickly seized upon by our competitors from KCS, St. Mary’s, Reed’s, and Bradfield. However, these fixtures offered our girls a chance to show their skills and grow as athletes. On Saturday 22nd May, we held the much-anticipated Tony Williams Singles Championship, which presented the girls with a unique opportunity to play against each other in a round-robin format during the early stages, with seeded players
The tennis season wouldn’t be complete without the 1YS Inter-House Tennis Tournament held towards the end of Quarter. There was stiff competition throughout and every player brought to the fore their skills and the experience they had built up over the course of the season. Sutton were the eventual winners, closely followed by Chetwynd who put up a strong fight against some tough opposition. Fletcherites also fielded a promising team, who should be encouraged to do tennis next year. Our girls ended the season on a high – they trained hard, played with determination in the matches, treated our visitors with respect, but ultimately, they cherished their friendships and showed a real love for the game. As coach, there is little else I could possibly ask for... Dr Ganesh Balasubramanian Tennis Coach
106
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 106
18/08/2021 17:53
ARYAMAN NAGPAL TROPHY Current Carthusian students and staff will remember the sudden and unexpected passing of 2YS pupil, Aryaman Nagpal (G), on 12th May 2020. During his time here, Aryaman immeasurably improved the lives of those who had the privilege of meeting him and it is a real tragedy that the life of such a promising, popular, and kind young man was cut short so abruptly and at such a young age. Aryaman had been accepted to study at Wake Forest University, North Carolina, after graduating from School and would surely have enjoyed great success in the coming years. In honour of Aryaman’s keen passion for tennis, the School has established a trophy in his name. This year therefore saw the inaugural Aryaman Nagpal Tennis Trophy competition, in which Charterhouse’s
best tennis players go head-to-head. In the tournament, the top six Specialist boys and top six girls are placed into six mixed doubles pairings. All twelve students were outstanding and engaged wholeheartedly in the spirit of the competition. The winning pair today were Mackenzie Faull (W) and Emma Haynes (Su). All players deserve credit though, and the pairings were as follows: Annabel Lawson (Su) and Luke Hornett (g); Camilla Pearce (C) and Alexander Lord (g); Emily Weil (Su) and Jaime Burguera Gonzalez de Castejon (W); Emilia Andrade-Brown (Su) and Bart Keijer-Palau (V); Emma Haynes and Mackenzie Faull; Mia Viventi (C) and Jamie Richardson (B).
1 07
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 107
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
The Lakes – Duke of Edinburgh
108
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 108
18/08/2021 17:53
SCHOOL
TRIPS 109
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 109
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
1st Year Classicists at the National Gallery in front of Titian’s Renaissance painting, ‘Bacchus and Ariadne’
ART TRIP
TO THE NATIONAL GALLERY On 25th May 2021, 1YS Classicists enjoyed the first post-lockdown Charterhouse trip. Our expedition took us to London to study paintings inspired by Greek and Roman mythology. In rooms less crowded than usual, pupils enjoyed many famous paintings based upon the works of Classical poets such as Homer, Virgil, and Ovid. The tour started with two versions of the ‘Judgement of Paris’ by Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens, in which the Trojan Paris awards the golden apple to Aphrodite, goddess of love, rather than to Athene or Hera. Ominous events in the sky foreshadow the tragic consequences of Paris’ decision.
Also on view was Turner’s 19th century ‘Dido Building Carthage’ with its luminous background: Dido, mythical queen of Carthage, guides Aeneas, the hero who survived the Trojan War, around her new city. The painting brilliantly suggests how new empires grow before eventually crumbling.
drawn chariot to rescue princess Ariadne, who has been cruelly deserted on the island of Naxos by Theseus – you can even spot Theseus’ ship on the horizon just to the left of Ariadne’s shoulder. Looking up into the ultramarine sky, one can also see the ring-like constellation Bacchus created from Ariadne’s crown.
The two-hour tour concluded with a close look at Titian’s masterpiece. Bacchus, god of wine, leaps from his cheetah-
Before returning to School, the group enjoyed a suitably Mediterranean menu at an otherwise deserted ‘Bella Italia’. Mr Richard Haynes
11 0
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 110
18/08/2021 17:53
JENNIFER PACKER
AT THE SERPENTINE, NOT ONLINE Since lockdown had allowed me time to research and visit online exhibitions, I discovered Jennifer Packer at the Serpentine gallery, and this became a highlight of my daily online excursions. An artist from New York, this is her first exhibition outside the US. I was drawn to her varied vocabulary of mark-making and her manipulation of paint, through which Packer demonstrates the capacity of a restricted palette to convey her deeply personal and political subject matter. I focused several Zoom lessons on her, looking at her technique and imagemaking, and then set a project to create a composition combining a portrait with objects to spark a personal narrative. We listened to podcasts of Packer talking about her work and took virtual tours around the gallery space. My own painting was developing at the time, and I was inspired by the physicality of her work and the deep intimacy she depicts. For Packer, the paint is equal to the image-making; it has a life of its own and she controls it in such a way as to inspire an emerging and changing narrative. The more you look, the more you see. As soon as the gallery opened, I was there, walking through Kensington gardens with a sense of freedom (not felt for a long time) and with a slight nervousness (I was out in London, not online, with limited arrows to follow!). Seeing the works in the flesh, I felt an immediate emotional connection to the observation of life and death depicted through her flower paintings. Packer describes her flower paintings as ‘vessels of personal grief’. Looking was not enough: it was a question of feeling your way through the paint, the layers, and the dissolving images. These ephemeral and absorbing paintings are an exercise in slow looking. Do not walk past or record the work with a quick click of your phone and move on. Absorb the painting slowly, spend time with it, become part of it.
I revisited the exhibition three times before the desire to share what I had experienced with the students became a small field trip with five open minded artists who had all suffered through my Jennifer Packer obsession on Zoom. Having not yet been on a Charterhouse Art trip, we all felt how good it was to be outside Studio and the classroom walls learning this is what Charterhouse is about! This is what teaching is about: expanding the mind, sharing thoughts, ideas, colours and shapes, and making memories outside of the classroom; talking about paint, mark-making, life, flowers, politics, and dogs (always dogs). A dog in one of Packer’s paintings slumps on a bed listening at the light crack of a door, suggesting a thousand stories. Tatiana Winterflood (Su), Harriet McCreanor (Su), Akindu Kodithuwakku Arachchige (V), Freya Jones (Su), and Lucy Jennings (F) were great students: responsive, interested, willing to sit and stare and eat ice cream. Mr Monkman was equally inspiring to be with, shedding light on a different perspective of Packer’s work from his own stance as a painter. I look forward to many more trips next Quarter. Miss Helen Pinkney 111
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 111
18/08/2021 17:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
ENDURANCE CHALLENGE WALK
SOUTH DOWNS
At the end of each Cricket Quarter at Charterhouse, The Endurance Challenge (which most former pupils will know as the 50 Mile Walk) kicks off for 1YS, keen to test themselves both physically and mentally. Because the event had to be cancelled last year, 2YS were given the chance to participate alongside 1YS, only days before the end of their Charterhouse careers. The Carthusian asked two pupils to give their experience of the challenge: Laura Galbraith (F), who walked the 50 miles in a time of 18hr26min, and Lea Wessel-Aas (C), Head Girl, who was brave enough to run the route, posting a time of 12hr3min. Laura Galbraith (F) Have you got your maps? Have you downloaded What3words and OS Locate? Show it to me! You can’t get on the bus until I’ve seen it! We crouched over our phones and willed the internet to work. You signed a form saying you had downloaded them! Now you’re holding us all up. Ed made a face. Well, we didn’t realise they would actually check, he said. The coach on Wednesday morning eventually left at 10:40, 35 minutes after its scheduled departure. Goodbye, Charterhouse. We swung around the corner and the sandstone disappeared behind rustling foliage. We then drove for about two and a half hours. On the way, we passed a sign welcoming us to East Sussex, and Lucy said we had been driving for ages, it would be a long way back. I remember her reminding me of this comment later: it was 2am and her face was lit from beneath by her phone torch. Even that early in the night she looked exhausted. We eventually arrived at the starting point. It looked to me very much like the side of the road. Is this it? I heard a boy say behind me. I guess so. We set off jubilantly, walking a little too fast, across the South Downs. Why do they need to be so hilly? Lucy asked me, panting. The view, probably, I panted back. Rolling hills
spread out on either side of us, rippling out towards a dusky sea. The wind picked up my backpack straps. It was beautiful. I don’t care, they should’ve made it flat, said Lucy. There were lots of local people on the hills, walking their dogs and children. They appeared unperturbed by the swathes of children filing like ants over the hills. This some charity event? Asked one man with his wife. We replied that it wasn’t: just a challenge. Good luck, he said. Thank you! We were still very bubbly. The boys, Sam, Amir, Ed, and Alex, started to stride ahead. We had been overtaken too many
times, and they wanted to get a good time. We watched them disappear over the crest of a hill and joined another group slightly behind us. The South Downs went on for about 18 miles. We stopped once for ice-cream when we were still with the guys, which we ate staring at the incredible view. We saw a man on an adjacent hill playing the bagpipes and he waved back at us when we shouted hello. I guess bagpipes and hills just go together. By the time we reached the hotel where we would be pausing for homebill, we were all tired,
We stopped once for ice-cream when we were still with the guys, which we ate staring at the incredible view. We saw a man on an adjacent hill playing the bagpipes and he waved back at us when we shouted hello. I guess bagpipes and hills just go together.
112
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 112
18/08/2021 17:54
sweaty, sore, and very much in need of the pasta and brownies they fed us. In the pretty pub garden, the atmosphere remained jubilant: it was still light, and we exchanged stories with friends from other groups (someone had spoken to the bagpipe man, who was not Scottish, but in fact from Surrey, like us). We set off again at about 9pm, and we suddenly felt the isolation of the huge fields. We’ll probably remember this night forever, said Lucy. The other group was gone – they had stayed for a longer rest at supper, so it was just the two of us walking up a dusty road. The light over the fields was orange and already felt nostalgic. We crossed onto the old railway track – the Downs Link. Around it was a tunnel made of trees, which the sunset filtered through. Inside we encountered a lady walking her dog, who congratulated us on even attempting to walk fifty miles, and we gave her a Percy Pig: I wouldn’t, but they’re my favourite sweet… Oh, go on then, she said. We gave her another for the road. Eventually, we joined a group of Second Years, with whom we shared some Redbull. It became twilight. We stopped
at a checkpoint and one of the Second Years revealed his horrible blisters. We turned on our headtorches. My feet were starting to hurt. Do you think we’ll get to thirty miles soon, I asked the boy. Map says it’s another few hours yet, he replied. I could tell I was getting blisters. I hoped they weren’t like his. We shared more sweets. The torches bounced around the tunnel of trees. Outside it was totally black. It was midnight, then one, then two. Remember when we passed that sign, said Lucy, we had no idea. We didn’t have any idea then, either. My eyes started to burn. Mr Tully bounced past us, yelling that the thirty-mile checkpoint was only five minutes onward. Five minutes came and went. We caught up with the boys from our original group, now just dark shapes holding torches. Any idea where the checkpoint is, we asked. Not a clue, we think it’s up there, one of them replied. We checked Snapmaps and a bunch of people had all congregated a few hundred metres off the path. When we arrived, twenty minutes after seeing Mr Tully (that wasn’t five minutes, you liar), the mood was starkly different to homebill. It was like a military hospital: one battle over, preparing for the next. The lights were cold and very bright, like
in a car park. Everything was beige, and wipeable. People – volunteers – were moving everywhere, shouting, fetching food and drinks and painkillers. The walkers, by contrast, were motionless in their seats. There was a station where you could get your feet strapped. Should I get them done, I asked one of the Second Years. Ignorance is bliss, he said. I saw my chemistry teacher, Mr Johnson. He looked very happy for someone out of his bed at half two, surrounded by broken and odorous teenagers. You should probably keep going, he said. People who rest too long never make it to the end. We got our stuff together and left. On our way out we passed the group we had joined before. We’re finishing at thirty miles, one of them said. I just can’t go any further. We practically ran away from them after expressing brief sympathy, like giving up was contagious. The night was very dark, and instead of circling round the cricket pitch by the checkpoint we cut straight across. We re-joined the black tunnel of trees. We walked in silence for a bit. One of the Second Years quizzed me on my A-levels. The lights from headtorches in the tunnel bounced, and I started to feel dizzy. We 113
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 113
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
listened to some music, the boys played rap and Lucy played ABBA. Who has better taste, they asked me. Lucy, I replied, although Dancing Queen sounded eerie at 3 AM. We walked in silence. Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight. Lucy’s phone was very tinny. One of them pulled out some glucose tablets. They tasted horrible. Won’t somebody help me chase the shadows away? We came to another checkpoint, this one lit with orange candles. We refilled our water bottles. Take me through the darkness to the break of the day. How much further, we asked them. Just under twenty miles. I became aware of every step. Before we got on the coach that morning, the Headmaster told us sometimes people don’t finish because they have an asymmetrical walk. I wondered whether that was me. The tunnel’s light was false and harsh, and it echoed. My entire lower half hurt. My breath began to get shallower. I stopped wanting to talk to the good-looking second year next to me and plugged in my earphones. Billie Eilish – too slow. My rock playlist was too loud. I ended up – and I am not proud of this – listening to the entire track of Hamilton. Alexander Hamilton, what’s your name, man? I started to check the time obsessively. We had been walking for hours, but the minutes dragged. We eventually got to Cranleigh. A nice lady with dyed brown hair and glasses gave me more painkillers. You should probably get up, she said. We were sitting on the floor. My feet really hurt. We got up. We lurched away. Just ten miles to go, she shouted after us. It’s starting to get light, I said. This was met with silence. Talk less, smile more. I focused on the grey edges of things. Lucy wanted to speed up but stop more frequently. I can’t stop, I said. I won’t be able to start again. The path was very straight and long. King George III drowned out the waking birds. You’ll be back, like before. We were hardly even shuffling. I don’t think I’m going to make it, I said to Lucy. You will, she said. The path turned from grey to brown, and the leaves turned green. The sun glanced off the
mist around us. The world turned upside down. How far, I said. But the boy with the map had gone. All alone, across the sea. We arrived in Bramley. Just five miles, guys, they said. We filled our water – this time, none of us sat down – and kept going. A few cars began to pass us. We walked through a pretty wood and by a deserted golf course. We recognised the places where we had taken photos on the practice walk. I suddenly felt very cold. The mist was burning off the fields. I tried to walk symmetrically. We got to Godalming. We passed a minibus of people who had bowed out. Dr G leaned out of the window: keep going! You’re nearly there. Death doesn’t discriminate between the sinners and the saints. We walked, dizzy slow, up Charterhouse hill. The remaining boy slowed to a halt and then it was just us again, me and Lucy, walking alone through the cold morning.
I tried not to shiver. We came under the bridge leading to Brooke Hall, and we staggered up under it, until we were finally on the bridge itself. Charterhouse rose before us. Hamilton died to thunderous applause, ringing in my ears. I took out my earbuds. As we walked towards the arches of Brooke Hall, the teachers waiting there stood up to clap. Lea Wessel-Aas (C) Starting on the South Downs, a range of chalk hills across England’s south-east coast, the route runs north-west across vast hills, through forests, small towns, and, famously, along a 25-mile-long old railway track, now engraved in the memories of those who have attempted the challenge for stretching on monotonously and endlessly. My experience of the 50 miles (or 52 with a few wrong turns!) was perhaps somewhat speedier than others.
114
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 114
18/08/2021 17:54
Together with three friends and crosscountry teammates, I had made the decision to run (and strategically walk parts of) the 50 miles. In the days before we set off, merely thinking about the distance made me dizzy. My running mates will remember me frantically and deliriously going through all the practical details, trying to compensate for my incompatible feelings of complete inaptitude and child-like, all-consuming excitement. No matter how much time put into choosing the right socks, blister plasters, clothing, energy bars, downloadable audio books, and running techniques, there were only a few elementary things that got me to the finish line: good company and a single, clear goal to complete (also, hopefully, with my health intact). For the first ten miles, we ran past a lot of other walking pupils, chatty and in high spirits, listening to music and cheering each other along. A group of lucky boys had encountered a soft serve van and it looked as though that sugar rush alone could carry them easily for the next 40 miles. Along the way, us runners left our drop bags of food at various stations, with very particular items and cravings
– Redbull, Jelly Babies, Hoisin Duck wraps, hazelnut cake, pot noodles, and wasabi peas. Around mile 20 we entered the old railway track. Dreading boredom and the feeling of being on a treadmill, I remember talking a lot to myself and anyone who would listen. Even when the others were occasionally wearing headphones and zoning out, I would keep talking, or I would call friends. Surprisingly though, I found neither the landscape nor the running/walking combination monotonous or draining. At the time of sunset, I remember how the colours and the hypnotic group motion (in addition to some probable fatigue) made me feel incredibly serene and grateful to be out and moving, although I understand not everyone shared this particular emotional response. The first mistake I made was when I started thinking about the finish line. Until then, I had only been concerned with moving forward and making sure no points on my body were signalling potential injuries or pain. But, suddenly, with four kilometres left until Brooke Hall Arch, I started looking forward to the end.
I started comparing the distance left to four-kilometre runs I had done before and thought of it as a relatively swift and leisurely distance. However, the difference was I already had 78km in my legs, and my hamstrings were very close to cramping me to the ground. But nothing at that point was more tempting than taking my shoes off, having a shower, and curling up on my bed, and the quickest way to get there was to keep running. Finally, we came to the finish line, and throughout the rest of the night and the following morning, there was a continuous stream of exhausted and relieved walkers coming in through the arch. The campus resembled a zombie apocalypse in the following two days – with tender, blistered, and sore bodies, we dragged ourselves around, looking for food, a soft chair, or somewhere to put our feet up. The combination of pride, perhaps some shock, and a great deal of relief were quite overwhelming in my state of complete physical and mental exhaustion. Whilst I will not be embarking on another double marathon any time soon, I will not forget this extraordinary experience. It is evidence of what I, like anyone, can do if I set my mind to it. 11 5
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 115
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
FOURTH FORM PIONEERS’ TRIP
ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT, WILTSHIRE
Wales… Wiltshire… Wales… Wiltshire… Charterhouse… Wiltshire… Charterhouse… Wiltshire. After the to-ing and fro-ing of not one but two governments, we settled on the H5 Adventure Headquarters outside Royal Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire as the destination of this year’s Fourth Form Pioneers’ trip. And what a trip it was – a return to form after last summer’s lockdown. The boys also developed their sharpshooting skills on the archery range and the woodland trail, and tested their fear of heights on the cave-ladder climb. Cooking trout and marshmallows (not at the same time) on an open campfire proved to be another popular activity. No surprises there: extra food always seems to go down well with teenage boys on expeditions in the Great Outdoors. Let’s just wait and see how many of them offer to take on the barbecuing duties at home this summer.
Having dodged some heavy traffic, heavy rain, and a yellow thunderstorm warning, we rolled through the stone circle at Avebury and into the car park of The New Inn at Winterbourne Monkton, where we were greeted warmly by the H5 Adventure team. After a quick briefing over lunch, the groups set off into the Wiltshire wilderness, overloaded with enthusiasm and hand-sanitiser. Three days and three nights of trekking and team building ensued… With the exception of one or two wounded warriors, the boys covered over thirty miles in this time – no mean feat with their packs on their backs and the countryside bombarding them with a battery of pollen. Conditions underfoot were soggy too, especially on the first afternoon, and the wet grass mercilessly lashed any uncovered legs. But the boys kept trucking.
And their rewards came soon enough: all the campsites on the trip were beautiful or luxurious or both. Without a doubt, the jewel in the crown was the spot by the willowy lake behind Upper Ham Farm: here the boys cooked and camped in view of some shaggy longhorn cattle and of the white horse chalked into the hillside above, while owls hooted in the trees and fish splashed in the water. Some of the boys did their fair share of the latter too, whether falling from the rafts they had built or tumbling from the bridges they had engineered. Given his acrobatics on the bridge-crossing, Nikita Vishnyak (G) could probably qualify for any Olympic gymnastics team; it was Michael Montague (R), though, who made the only successful river-crossing, even if he did spend half of his journey on the riverbed, knee-deep in mud and reeds.
All in all, the boys acquitted themselves superbly on this trip – a culmination of their enthusiastic and productive approach to school life across the year – and special mention should go to Mr Dobson’s winning team (Michael Montague (R), Matthew Rhee (R), Jai Chatterjee (R), Luke Leavett-Shenley (R), Xavier Guerlain-Desai (R), Andile Thabethe (D), Shae Ibrahim (D), Fraser Armitage (D), Jack Perei (g), and Caspar Wood (S)) and to the most valuable team players of the week (Matthew Rhee and Nikita Vishnyak). Well done to all involved, though, and I really hope it will be the start of a lifelong enjoyment of the natural world for some. Thanks as well to the members of staff on the trip: Mr Paul Webb and the H5 Adventure team, Mr Dobson, Mr Tink, Mr Ellis-Woodley, and Miss Struttmoore. Mr Charlie Sparrow
11 6
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 116
18/08/2021 17:54
117
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 117
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD
UNITED KINGDOM
I don’t think I need to remind anyone how strange and disruptive the last sixteen months has been. Not only did we receive the saddening news that our founder, HRH Prince Philip, had passed away, but also that schools across the country were having to start postponing (or even cancelling) expeditions altogether due to Covid restrictions, leaving hundreds without the chance to complete their award. But we were determined to find a way... Things started to look promising for the end of March and we even dared to start planning routes and dates, but once again, the Covid hydra reared its ugly heads, forcing us to postpone to CQ. We were, however, eventually able to get our award programme back on track. It was a very busy time for all participants, leaders, assessors, and supervisors. To get everyone through we had to sacrifice a great deal of our spare time, but we did it gladly. Our priority was to assess those pupils whose expeditions had been delayed from last summer. At long last, we could dust off the kit and venture outdoors for the first time since October 2019! Our busy schedule began with the Gold Paddling and Trekking Expedition. Many of us associate DofE with encountering lost, haggard teens on afternoon dog walks, but some of our Carthusians elected to paddle their expedition, taking to the water rather than trudging the beautiful Surrey grasslands like their trekking counterparts. The trekkers, however, performed amazingly, navigating local routes under the sun. Meanwhile, in Chichester Harbour, the paddlers thrived, fulfilling their expedition requirements with assurance and enthusiasm. In early May, last year’s Silver trekkers were also assessed on the Surrey Hills, despite our original intentions to take them further afield. It’s always frustrating when plans change, but all pupils were remarkably adaptable and even seemed to be enjoying their expeditions! It is with
a sigh of relief that they can now work towards finally completing their awards. This year’s Gold and Silver cohort completed their practice expeditions with aplomb and maturity, despite an unfortunate lack of practical training and, for the Gold award candidates, utterly miserable weather. Their assessment in the Lake District was rather warmer though, reaching highs of a sweltering (for the British) 24°C. Heat presents various risks for walkers, so the pupils had to make sure they followed treelines and kept their water bottles topped up over the four days. But rewarding views under clear skies, wild camping, and the sense of achievement made this expedition a memorable and worthwhile experience. A dizzying array of Becks, Tarns (Sprinkling or otherwise), Crags, and Gaps are now forever imprinted on adventurous Carthusian minds. Special thanks must go to Carlotta Ossini (C) for some wonderful photos, as well as to Lucas Brenninkmeijer (R) and Binghua Wu (V) for acting above and beyond the call of duty in helping a member of their group out. Local campsites were either shut or full when it came to the Silver assessment in the Surrey Hills, so groups would have to begin and finish each day on Carthusian soil. Moreover, this was the hottest UK-based expedition we had ever run – the first day reached 28.5°! The heat stuck around for the entirety of the expedition, making the pupils’ feats of endurance all the more impressive. It came as a small consolation that they
11 8
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 118
18/08/2021 17:54
could return at the end of each day to the comfort of the Charterhouse fields for some much-needed R and R: playing football, cooking meals, and chatting before crawling into their tents for the night. After the expedition in Chichester Harbour, it was now time for the Gold Paddling Assessment. We met at Gatwick after an uncomfortably early start (6am) for a flight to Inverness – we were headed for the Summer Isles. After paddling 15km on the first day, we reached Horse Island. But as we hauled up the kayaks and laid down our paddles, we looked to the sky and read the signs of a storm. In a flurry of canvas and rope, we had just managed to take cover under tents and tarps before the flash of lightning and the rumble of thunder filled our eyes and ears. We woke the next morning to clear skies and a gentle easterly wind and set out questing after caves and inlets, spotting seals as we split the sea under blue skies. Besides the occasional storm, midges were the
other great menace, but driftwood fires kept them roaring quietly at bay. When the last day arrived, tired arms took us back to fresh clothing and spring beds. It was strange to think that we would never see many of these pupils in School again – they had now graduated and were looking forward to a long summer before university. I hope their future Odysseys are just as exciting as ours was! The final expedition of the year to the Cairngorms was in fact an OC expedition; last year’s Gold trekking cohort had been unable to complete their assessment in the summer of 2020. The group was small, comprising only of two very recent OCs, Henry Riddoch (S21) and Henry Wilkinson (W21), alongside Kit Nelson (D17), the expedition medic, and Sam Martucci (g19). Despite poor weather forecasts for the first day, the trekkers set off in sunshine. That day gave an indication of the sort of terrain the pupils would be facing – boulder fields, river crossings, and undulating paths.
Stopping for the night at a bothy, everyone was in their tents by 8.30pm with no hope of any phone reception – possibly the only young men to be in bed before the second half of the Euro Cup Final! The next day was tough, though herds of reindeer, remote paths and sublime views of the clouds and hills below reminded us why we had come. A hard push on the third day brought the expedition to a pithy conclusion on the fourth. The group retired quickly to a café to eat some proper food. I would like to thank all of the pupils, beaks, assessors, and supervisors who made this possible, including Mr Massey, Dr Snell, Mrs Nelson, Mrs Higgins, Mr and Mrs Tully, and Mr Freeman, not to mention Mr Brian Mennie, our Health and Safety Officer, who guided us with sage advice through prolonged periods of uncertainty and frustration. Mr Dave Martucci 11 9
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 119
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
CCF
UNITED KINGDOM
Activity Week The new CCF recruits enjoyed a fantastic spread of activities this year. Despite the challenges posed by Covid, restrictions on training, and the lack of availability of MOD resources, all sections managed to conduct training that was pertinent to their individual service.
The sections trained independently for three days, focussing on the specific skills of their individual services before joining together for a brief visit to Brookwood Military Cemetery and a Service of Remembrance at the graveside of Lt Mark Evison, Welsh Guards (R 2000).
The Royal Navy chartered a yacht to sail the Solent and around the Isle of Wight; the RAF conducted Adventure Training and a Range Package as well as Flight Simulation, all delivered by a visiting team of RAF instructors; and the Royal Marines and Army conducted a field training and tactics exercise. Despite all the signs over the weekend of apocalyptic weather, the clouds held for training over the week.
Throughout the week, the cadets were excellent company and displayed commitment to their training and an excellent humour. All the staff were impressed with their conduct, attitude, and the progress they made.
Ordinarily, the week is used as an opportunity to complete all the remaining elements of the Cadet Basic Syllabus, and although this hasn’t quite been achieved (due to lost training time during the pandemic, and the continued restrictions on training from the MOD), all the cadets achieved elements of their syllabus, learned a lot, and had fun to boot!
The CCF must say bon voyage to three departing officers this year; Capt A Aidonis (Army), Lt JC Troy (RN) and Dr JM Pearson (RAF), all of whom have contributed massively to the success and life of the Contingent, in some cases over many years! I wish them all the very best for the future.
120
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 120
18/08/2021 17:54
Summer Camp A number of both Army and Royal Marine cadets departed for the annual 11 Brigade Summer Camp at Longmoor this year. The format of the week was to be very different due to Covid restrictions, but the team organising the event was determined to offer a fun and challenging week to the cadets attending. We were very lucky, as much of the cadet summer programme across the country had already been cancelled and both the cadets and staff were very appreciative of the efforts by the Cadet Training Team (South East) to deliver a package. Day One was Adventure Training, based on Hawley Lake and Training Area by Gibraltar Barracks, Royal Engineers. The day was split in two, beginning with the wet activities (raft building and racing, kayaking, and paddle-boarding). Even the SSI, CSgt Wilson, was persuaded by the cadets and his old colleagues from the Training Team to participate and only fell in once! The afternoon was allocated to dry activities: mountain biking, climbing, and archery. Considering that the 1YS had only just completed their 50-mile Endurance Challenge, they threw themselves into the activities despite the blisters and pulled muscles! Day Two was ranges, and the cadets got their first opportunity to live-fire the L98A2 in 18 months. The scores were impressive, as was the standard of their weapon-handling, both commented on favourably by the directing staff. We achieved the highest score for a contingent so far with many of the cadets and all the staff achieving the highest possible score. Shotguns followed, and the opportunity to blast clay pigeons from the sky was well received by all. It was excellent to see that we maintained our reputation amongst the Training Team and other schools as marksmen!
Day Three was fieldcraft, lessons in observation and patrolling, followed by section attacks using paintball guns, which lend an extra urgency to the need to adopt covered firing positions for the cadets and appreciation of what happens when you don’t! Training In Built Up Areas (TIBUA) followed, and the cadets benefitted from some of the most experienced instruction available in the Army in house clearing drills. The use of pyrotechnics always adds a sense of realism and the energy, enthusiasm, and excitement were palpable. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) challenges followed, giving the opportunity for the cadets’ grey-matter to be stretched as they raced to complete a number of theoretical and practical challenges, including the building of a working catapult without instructions. The cadets were then transported to 1917 and asked to solve puzzles to get them through an escape room and tunnel complex so they could successfully deliver a set of de-coded orders to troops on the front line. Day Four was survival. The cadets were lucky to have a day devoted to the priorities of survival: shelter, food and water, fire, and protection. Lessons in building improvised shelters, collecting and purifying water, trapping for food, and firelighting were taught by expert soldiers of the Jungle Warfare Training School. The cadets built A-Frame beds strong enough to support even the weight of the Contingent Commander! Unsurprisingly, we’ve already confirmed with the cadets that Long Walk is not the appropriate place for traps! It was fantastic to be out training again and the cadets benefitted from the real imagination and creativity in the activities that had been put together by the Training Team. They all seemed to have enjoyed the week and have already put their names down for Camp 2022, when we will be returning to the traditional venue, Crowborough Camp in Sussex. My thanks go to Capt Burrell Taylor, CSgt Wilson, Sgt Godden, and Sgt Richards for their hard work in administrating and accompanying the Contingent on Camp. Without them it would not happen. Bring on Camp 2022! Major John Eastham 12 1
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 121
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
122
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 122
18/08/2021 17:54
SOCIETIES & EVENTS 123
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 123
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE This June, Charterhouse hosted its second annual climate conference to try and spread awareness of climate change and possible solutions to it. The event was attended by 400 people from 14 different schools. Here is a summary of all the talks from our presenters:
This talk really highlighted how we already possess the technology to change and how innovative solutions need not be too invasive to be beneficial to all. Dr Jan Maskell: How does psychology relate to climate actions? Dr Jan Maskell is a Psychologist and Environmentalist working with businesses and individuals to improve their environmental profile. Dr Maskell first showed us climate change graphs – the ones we have all seen and know well – and then explained the idea of cognitive dissonance, when there is an inconsistency between our beliefs and actions, for example, the G7 leaders flying to the June 2021 climate summit in Cornwall. There are many psychological barriers to sustainability: limited or selective knowledge, unhelpful social comparison, sunk cost fallacies, tokenism, and greenwashing.
Pawel Kisielewski: Waste is only a resource in the wrong place CCm Technologies Ltd is one of the Solar Impulse Foundation’s 1,000 solutions to climate change, due to its focus on better utilisation of food, agricultural, and water waste. Its technology takes ammonia out of wastewater from industrial processes which normally would be left to contaminate water supplies. It is combined with C02 and additional nutrients to make fertiliser. This process is exothermic so the operator can use the heat produced. CCm Technologies also produces anaerobic digestors, which produce biogas. This can be used for heat, electricity, and transport. PepsiCo, owner of Walkers crisps, takes potato waste and turns it into fertiliser for its potato farms. This process uses 10% less nitrogen, reducing water contamination. By using C02 to produce the fertiliser, 1.75 million tonnes of C02 are removed from the atmosphere annually, the equivalent to taking 375,000 cars off the road.
Answering questions from the audience, Dr Maskell said she believes the airline and fashion industries must change the most, both in terms of production but also in the types of consumerism they encourage. Francesca Fryer Rigden: Social entrepreneurship and community interest Francesa Rigden founded Roots for the Future which works with local communities to plant trees. Roots for the Future is a social enterprise organisation, meaning that its mission is to tackle both social and environmental problems. In her talk, Francesca highlighted the need for tree planting. Globally, 15 billion trees are cut down a year while only five million are planted. Not only do trees function as carbon sinks, but studies have also shown that they prevent antisocial behaviour, allow children to learn better and ill patients to recover better. The foundation works with local governments to reach communities that wouldn’t normally get the opportunity to plant trees and increase green space in
their areas, whilst also aiming to increase social cohesion. Her talk highlighted how environmental action can have many social benefits too, and how the two goals can work together to increase living standards everywhere. Euan McDougall (W13): Social enterprise – promoting environmental sustainability and empowering people Euan McDougall is the regional director for East Africa of DelAgua which works with the Rwandan government to provide cooking kits to its population. The company has benefited three million people through the provision of stoves. Previously, open fires were used which require lots of wood and present hazards to health and the environment. Using a stove rather than an open fire for five years results in a 10-tonne reduction in CO2 emissions, as 50% less wood is required to make it run, reducing both emissions and deforestation. Upon completion of the project, when two million stoves have been provided, an area of trees the size of 8,000 football pitches will be saved per year alongside a drastic reduction in CO2. There is also a 73% reduction in household air pollution. The project also has social benefits as it reduces the time taken to collect wood, enabling women to earn an income and children to spend longer at school. The message of this talk cemented how intertwined environmental and social progress can be and how small changes can have a lasting impact. Arik Rosenblum: Israel and the sea Arik Rosenblum is director of EcoOcean, a non-Governmental Organisation which operates in the sea around Israel. The organisation aims to protect the ecology of the 195km Israeli coast through fact-based research and collaboration with governments around the Mediterranean. The organisation is part of EU Commission project ODYSSEA which aims to connect Mediterranean countries and collate their research into one database, thus facilitating protection and awareness of the marine environment. This is much needed: only 0.3% of sea is protected in contrast to 23% of land.
124
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 124
18/08/2021 17:54
EcoOcean’s research boat, MEDEX, uses a robot, buoys, and gliders to map the seabed, collect data on habitats, and monitor microplastics. EcoOcean also takes action in emergencies. It trained and deployed 16,000 volunteers a day to clean up an oil spill off the Israeli coast in February. Education is another important strand of EcoOcean’s work, with video footage of their work shared globally and their organisation of the world’s largest beach clean. This talks highlighted how an organisation of only 12 employees can have a huge impact on protecting the environment. Dr Katherine Drayson: The importance of turning London’s transport green Dr Katherine Drayson works in the Transport for London (TfL) strategy and planning team. Her role involves greening the ancient transport systems of London – work that has been particularly challenging in the last year as the pandemic has greatly decreased use of TfL and the fares on which it depends. Congestion costs London £5 billion a year and causes a lot of pollution from idling vehicles. Ultra-Low Emission Zones (ULEZ) have been introduced to tax heavily polluting vehicles. Cycling and walking have been encouraged with new cycle paths and walking routes hoping that, by 2041, 80% of journeys will be
taken by bike compared to the current 60%. TfL seeks to maintain its green spaces and promote biodiversity, encouraging wildflower growth by reducing mowing and taking away cuttings that otherwise stifle growth. This is important in a city which, despite gardens and parks making up 38% of its land and containing ancient woodland, is in the country with the poorest biodiversity of any G7 country. Even in a global city, it is still possible to work towards a greener future and carbon neutrality by 2050, and the changes are starting now, with plans due to be published soon. Dr Martin Evans: Restoring peatlands – returning ecosystem services and mitigating climate change Dr Martin Evans is lecturer at the University of Manchester and his area of special interest is the peatland bog. Peatlands are areas made of up of 95% decaying organic matter which is saturated with water. These areas preserve carbon due to the low oxygen conditions which slow the plant matter decay. Worldwide peatland areas account for 50% of soil carbon storage. In the UK these areas are under threat as less than 20% are undamaged and, as they degrade or are drained, release the carbon stored within them.
A 5% loss in peat is equivalent to the annual UK greenhouse gas emissions. Martin’s team stop water draining from peatlands and establish vegetation on them which will become part of the peat and restore its carbon sink properties. Establishing vegetation is extremely important as, when peat is initially restored by increasing the water levels, C02 is sunk whereas methane gas is released, meaning that it takes ten years for the peat to become a greenhouse gas sink. The team are investigating the effect of iron sulphate on vegetation growth which suppresses methane breakout. They are also examining the effect of burning the vegetation. Many peatland areas are managed for grouse and the vegetation is burnt to allow them to live. This process can be beneficial as burnt heather produces charcoal which then becomes part of the peat and thus sequesters carbon. However, if too much plant matter is burnt the positive effect is offset by the emissions produced from burning and thus the team is trying to uncover the ‘ideal fire’. Peatland management is also important for reducing the effect of floods in lowland areas and thus is beneficial to all. Conserving and restoring little known habitats are extremely important in the fight against climate change. 125
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 125
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
ATOMIC – CHARTERHOUSE’S ‘NEXT BIG THING’ This is Atomic, Charterhouse’s brash, new, student-led scientific magazine – written, edited, and designed by Charterhouse students. In creating this magazine, we aim to explore different topics within the Natural and Social Sciences as well as provide an opportunity to show off the talent and potential of Charterhouse’s brightest scientists. Our aim is to create a platform for our contributors to write about scientific ideas and research, allowing them to step outside of their comfort zones. This also encourages them to learn more about their interests beyond the school syllabus as well as to exhibit and improve their writing skills, which is important in further education. We publish our articles in a magazine intending to educate our readers, and we hope they learn something new and interesting in the carefully crafted articles. Tom Crowther: Reversing the effects of climate change via the ecosystem Tom Crowther is the Chief Scientific advisor to the UN’s Trillion Tree Campaign. Tom is responsible for Restor, which is an open-source platform onto which landowners provide data on the ecology of their land. This information is compared with satellite data from 20 years ago and demonstrates how vegetation has changed over time. The overarching aim of the platform is to form a hub whereby users can be informed of vegetation native to their area and have support to increase biodiversity, while also possibly growing a sustainable business. Benefits of Restor include creation of agribusinesses from edible plants; funding via carbon credits, as the platform measures carbon sequestration; increased customer base for landowners who demonstrate their environmental credentials; and protection of endangered flora.
Our process of writing the magazine is relatively straightforward: after gathering a group of writers and editors, we all come up with our topics and write them separately. Topics are grouped into sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Social Sciences, and mixed). As we want to maintain the quality of our writing, the references are attached at the back of the magazine. After some proofreading and quality checks, our graphics team adds images and transforms the essays into an attractive magazine for you to enjoy. Currently, we are collaborating with Concord (UK) and West Island School (HK), and we expect to collaborate with more schools to expand Atomic next year. Collaboration projects are in the works and when they are confirmed, we cannot wait to share them with you. We share the same website with these schools (atomicmagazine.weebly.com) and it is a platform for all schools to publish their work as well as to access and view magazines written by different students. Additionally, our shared
Instagram page, @atomic_mag, is also managed together with other schools. It is a page for us to share academic resources recommended by our beaks, celebrate science days, or simply teach basic concepts about different scientific topics. We hope you enjoy our next few issues! Christopher Chan (L), Jiayi Gu (Su), Ningyi Zhou (F), Elyse Zhi Qing Wu (Su)
CHRISTIAN UNION The Christian Union, like most societies, had to adapt this year to meet in year group bubbles. Three of these met regularly: a small group of 2YS studied Philippians and some Psalms together; a group of Fifths did a Bible overview and tackled lots of common questions about the Bible; and about twelve Fourths met each week to watch Christianity Explored talks online and then to discuss the questions raised. The highlight of the year was the annual BBQ at Artifex. Well over 100 pupils gathered to enjoy food together and to listen to a great talk from Nick Dagnall (former member of BH) about faith and sight. We look forward to the resumption of “normal” meetings in September; as always, anyone is welcome. Mr Ed Reid
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS SOCIETY It has been another magnificent year for our merry band of Dungeons & Dragons players this year. Not put off by the frustrations of Zoom, our campaign has continued to take us through a variety of different planes of existence and introduced us to easily out-wittable trolls, angry fomorians, and mysterious warlocks bearing the eggs of ancient dragons. We have been particularly fortunate to have Alex Hall (G) and John Deacon (R) as our Dungeon Masters this year, as well as a short campaign led by me. I look forward to debut campaigns run by Ciarán O’Lionaird (C) and Jeremy West (B) in the next academic year. Mr Will Tink
126
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 126
18/08/2021 17:54
HISTORY SOCIETY The past academic year has proven to be a seminal moment in the development of History Society, thanks to the members for their commitment to the society and to their fellow pupil speakers in those long winter months over Zoom. On our return to school in CQ, the popularity of the society has grown to the point that we have had to change venue. We are grateful to George Lake Coghlan (S), Yusuf Furniss (D) and Henry Anderson (L) for arranging the change in venue, as well as to CSgt Wilson and Major Eastham for allowing us the use of Armoury on a Wednesday afternoon. Our pupils have, as ever, spoken on a fascinating range of topics from across the globe and a variety of different time periods. We have been lucky to hear well researched and engaging presentations from Caspar Stansfield (V), Ryder Hammond (V), Finn McCooke (B), Nero Jones (H), Viggo Terling (g), and Ritvik Mekala (B), covering everything from the Russo-Polish war through to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Next year, History Society is expected to go from strength to strength thanks to the enthusiasm and dedication of our pupils. Well done, everyone!
Seth (F18), a 20-year-old OC, Mr Grossegger from Pictet Group, Mr Cyrus Kapadia of Lazard, and Dr Tatiana Boroditskaya of UBS Wealth Management. These speakers were able to share the experiences and knowledge they had gained from working in the finance world. They illuminated topics such as emerging markets and their role, investment banking as a career, and portfolio management. In addition to the lectures, the society undertook the Charterhouse Investment Challenge, where students were given $100,000 to develop a portfolio with the knowledge they have gained. At the end of the summer, we will declare a winner who will win a cash prize of fifty pounds. We have had an eventful year with massive cooperation from our members and speakers and we look forward to seeing them back in OQ. Mr Stephen Barnett
LAW SOCIETY ARTICLE Throughout the past academic year, the Law Society has been known for attracting multiple high-profile speakers, hosting talks from Michael Mansfield QC to Lord Heseltine and even Nigel Farage in what has been a packed schedule. Though the Charterhouse Law Society by name, we have welcomed a large number of political speakers, underscoring the significant links between law and politics. In particular, Nigel Farage talked about ‘the role of lawyers in the recent US Election’ in which he lost £10,000 by betting on Donald Trump winning! Farage heavily criticised President Biden in his talk, labelling him weak and unfit for the job, whilst adoring Trump, calling him a larger-than-life character and defending him at every angle. Whilst pupils were keen to ask Mr Farage some challenging questions, the responses were very
Mr Will Tink
INVESTMENT SOCIETY Rebranded as the ‘Investors’ Club’, the society has had a very interesting and exciting first year, with its main purpose to serve as an academic platform suiting the interests of students interested in the financial markets and its ever-growing sectors. Our vision is to teach students about the benefits of investing early and actively, while educating them about the responsibility and risk involved. While the coronavirus pandemic has posed various challenges with inviting speakers and planning events, the society has still enjoyed a regular 40 members via Zoom. This year, we covered a range of topics ranging from the fundamentals of investing to the financial crisis in 2008 to cryptocurrencies. Fortunately, we were able to invite and interact with high profile investors and financial institutions. Our lineup of speakers included Samridh 127
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 127
19/08/2021 10:53
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
much pro-Trump. Yet, Mr Farage was willing to admit that there is a real lack of evidence to suggest that President Biden was elected illegally. This year, we have enjoyed hearing from a range of speakers with different political stances, and this is demonstrated by the talk from Lord Falconer QC, Shadow Attorney General and the inaugural Justice Secretary under Tony Blair, who provided an ideological counterbalance to Farage. He reflected both on the 1997 Labour landslide and the future of the Party, telling us why he believes Sir Keir Starmer is the right leader to unify Labour. Lord Falconer was also questioned about his somewhat controversial pro-euthanasia stance, about which he spoke passionately. Our range of speakers was complemented by the diverse audiences for these talks, containing not only Carthusians, but also a great number of students from local comprehensive schools in the Surrey area as well as from the Guildford University of Law. Inevitably, Brexit and Covid-19 were at the forefront of many of the talks. The first talk of the year was given by former Leader of the Green Party, Baroness Bennett, who discussed Brexit and, of course, her own political career, as well as today’s tumultuous political landscape. Those attending the Law Society this year were able to gain a well-informed understanding of this landscape, since we were exceedingly fortunate to hear from so many active members of British politics, including notable OC, Jeremy Hunt (W84), former Foreign and Health Secretary (and, perhaps more significantly, former Head of School!), who was questioned on Dominic Cummings and the 2019 Conservative Leadership Election. Mr Hunt praised
Rishi Sunak heavily for his involvement in the UK Government’s Covid-19 response, labelling him as a future Tory leader. Indeed, it was pleasing to welcome back two Old Carthusians to speak for Law Society this year – not only Jeremy Hunt, but also Lord Briggs QC (B72), Justice of the UK Supreme Court, who talked about the role of the Supreme Court in today’s society as well as their work on a day-to-day basis and how the Justices make decisions. World renowned barrister Michael Mansfield QC labelled his talk ‘A Brief Encounter’, and discussed how the law has changed since he first started practising, highlighting the constraints the pandemic has put on the legal system, especially in courts. Mr Mansfield suggested that the chance of seeing a jury again in person might be very small, also making some particularly powerful predictions for the future such as, ‘the way we live, the way we work, and the way we relate all are going to be governed by how we respect nature; and at the root of this is rebellion’. We were able, however, to gain an insight, not only into the future, but also into the past of British politics with a talk from Lord Heseltine, former Deputy Prime Minister, who talked about his career in politics. Interestingly, when questioned about the occasion when he lost the Conservative whip, Heseltine became very defensive, saying that he was still a Conservative having recently donated money to the Party. Finally, I would like to thank all our speakers for collectively providing us with an extremely well-rounded picture of British politics in the past, present, and future! I would also like to thank Mr Turner and Mr Tink for their help this year with the Law Society, as well as, of course, Father Adam. A legend in his own time, Father Adam will be greatly missed, and I’d like to thank him for creating the Law Society with me and I wish him all the best at Repton. Shiv Pillai (G)
NETWORK SUMMIT Over the first five days of March, I had the pleasure of leading the effort to organise and host the Network Summit with the help of other dedicated members of the Academic Committee. Over the course of the summit, we heard from leading academics in their fields at some of the best universities in the UK, speaking to pupils on topics as diverse as Law at University, ‘Visual Representation in Film,’ and ‘Multicultural Iberia.’ Firstly, my thanks go out to Olesia Vasileva (C) and Kendall O’Donnell (L), who were both pupil hosts for a few of those lectures and senior members of the Academic Committee who helped us liaise with the speakers. The purpose of the five-day Network Summit was to broaden pupils’ horizons, providing them with the opportunity to better understand the sheer diversity of university courses and career options in front of them. From pursuing a career as a musician at a world-leading orchestra, to working in Square Mile law firms, the Network Summit lectures were able to break down the options available to pupils. Pupils got the opportunity to learn what it takes to study these courses and apply for these jobs, and they got to see the variety of higher education facilities available at the speakers’ universities, from Chemistry labs to recording rooms. In addition to learning about the careers opportunities these lectures presented, attendees also gained insight into the speakers’ research. From the political narratives behind the portrayals of people in documentaries to translating the poetry of Catullus, viewers got to see what it’s like to be an undergraduate student at some of the UK’s leading universities. From in-depth analysis of texts to discussions on turning points in British interwar history, pupils were able to pick up the skills needed to conduct university-level research and discussion, while remaining interested in these stimulating discussions. Overall, given the feedback we received from beaks, pupils, parents, and other members of the Charterhouse community, I think we can say that it was
128
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 128
18/08/2021 17:54
a success. The amount of interest shown by pupils and parents in the sheer variety of options on offer and opportunities available was staggering. This year, we broadened our horizons, and we were more learned because of it. https://charterhouse.fireflycloud.net/ student-council/committee-pages/ academic-committee/network/2021photographs Christopher Lim (R)
PERCEPTION – INSIGHTS At the heart of Perception lies human behaviour and the human condition. Perception holds the stage as one of the most high-profile academic societies at Charterhouse and in this exceptional year, I have sought to explore themes related to psychology, neuroscience, medicine, cognitive behaviour, physiology, biotechnology, and much more. In his lecture ‘Battles between minds’, Lt Col Alasdair Truett MBE spoke about his experiences in the Parachute Regiment and painted a vivid picture of what it is like to face extreme danger, the importance of controlling human instinct, and the strategies he employed to deal effectively with stress.
to combine laparoscopic and vascular surgery. He is also author of the incredibly moving book, The War Doctor. The main purpose of the organisation is to equip surgeons operating in unstable regions of the world with the skills, knowhow, and technical expertise to offer support to those most in need. We were joined by Head of Donor Relations, Mrs Rebecca McLoughlin, who shared with the audience real-life case studies, including a young female doctor in Libya who was able to save lives thanks to the training offered by the Foundation. Forensic psychologist Dr Rebecca Milne from the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies has worked closely with police and criminal justice organisations both within the UK and abroad and we were delighted that she was able to lend our pupils her insights for Perception. As a member of the ACPO Investigative Interviewing Strategic Steering Group, Rebecca introduced the concept of ‘the cognitive interview’, a technique that she has developed to help train police officers to interview suspects or witnesses to a crime effectively. She explained how the approach was underpinned by human psychology and identified key pillars including ‘context reinstatement’ to create a vivid image of the scene, ‘reversed temporal order of
recall’ to disrupt memory scripts from playing out, and ‘changed perspectives’ as a mechanism to get people to think out of the box and to trigger memory. Pupils were mesmerised when Rebecca presented real-life examples and the strategies that she would use to improve and enhance the quality of information retrieved. Pupils also learnt about how the process of memory consolidation and recall works and how they could use this knowledge to improve their own cognitive function. The lecture was a powerful example of psychology in application. Whilst ostensibly straightforward, the ability to read is a complex skill that is acquired, refined, and developed through many years of continuous, guided practice. Knowing her background and research interests, I specifically invited Prof Kate Nation, Fellow of St John’s College, Oxford, to dispel some myths around this very ‘human’ skill and the challenges associated with reading. She spoke about the alphabetic principle, addressed how children decode words and derive meaning, and highlighted the complexities of comprehension and our growing knowledge base which is crucial to mastering fluency. In addition to the evolutionary need for a writing system to code for the complex sound signals of speech, Prof. Nation also discussed the
Alasdair’s perspectives and stories, many relating to the operations in Afghanistan, were both thought provoking and chilling as he stressed the importance of building psychological resilience in people, particularly in the face of adversity. He emphasised the value of effective communication, approaching tasks with discipline and focus. Towards the end of his lecture, he got pupils thinking about developing their own skills and how they could apply them when facing personal challenges to achieve successful outcomes. From war zones and areas troubled with conflict, Perception shifted its focus to humanitarian work and presented Carthusians with the inner workings of the Nott Foundation, an organisation founded by Dr David Nott, a leading figure in medicine and the first surgeon
Dr David Nott training surgeons in war-torn zones. The speaker, Mrs R. McLoughlin, is Head of Donor Relations at the Nott Foundation. 129
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 129
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
POLUNIN SOCIETY
Prof Kate Nation, Director of ReadOxford & Language and Cognitive Development Research Group
Mr Greg Davies, Head of Behavioural Finance, Oxford Risk
methodologies for measuring and understanding comprehension. She left our pupils contemplating deeply about the very skill that they have taken for granted for many years.
obesity and cardiovascular disease, but also appreciate the approaches that could be taken on a daily basis to mitigate their risk.
Every lecture had a powerful and lasting impact on our pupils. Mr Davies’s lecture on ‘Beeswax & Ropes’ explored human behaviour within a financial decisionmaking concept. Mr Hope chronicled his experiences of setting up and managing the only neurosurgery unit in Nepal and the issues of providing medical care within an impoverished country, despite the limited facilities and funding. These lectures illustrate the mechanisms by which topics are approached in a holistic and cross-disciplinary manner, something so unique to Perception. We were very lucky to have been joined by Mr Levine, President of Foundation Ipsen, is an internationally renowned expert in obesity, a named expert at the United Nations, and a consultant to governments across the globe. His lecture, ‘NEAT – The Energy of Life’, focused on the effect of sedentary lifestyles on our body at the molecular level and even explored the impact of office design. He says: ‘people often associate health problems such as heart disease and obesity with eating too much, but not sitting too much’ and that ‘sitting is bad for lean people too – sitting in your chair after a meal leads to high blood sugar spikes, while getting up after you eat can cut those spikes in half’. Throughout the lecture, pupils were able to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges associated with rising
The Perception lecture series culminated with an exploration into ‘The Beauty of Silks’ by Cambridge scientist Dr Darshil Shah whose research into sustainable materials and product design at the Centre for Natural Materials Innovation led him to explore the unique properties of silk, leading to the discovery of future materials that can help solve plastic pollution. Covid-19 brought with it unprecedented disruption but, despite this, pupils have enjoyed an extraordinary year of outstanding Perception lectures and the programme occupies a very special part of life at Charterhouse, inspiring our pupils with the wonders beyond. Dr. Ganesh Balasubramanian
Dr James Levine, President of Foundation Ipsen
It has been another exciting, yet academically rigorous Quarter for Polunin Society, the society for select Specialist biologists. Led by Mr Bagley, the society discusses a wide range of biologically relevant topics, drawing connections between seemingly distant parts of the global ecosystem – from 1,000-acre mycorrhizal networks to Mr Bagley’s own phylogenetic connection with a mushroom. Members are always encouraged to think outside the cell membrane and to contribute ideas – no matter how outrageous they might sound. After all, life on earth itself is controlled by small colliding spheres of sugar and protein. We studied many exciting topics, ranging from the respiratory system to applying ecology to cancer. Members of this society also went far beyond the curriculum’s boundaries, delving into questions such as seal mating strategies, considerations of a link between mutations and cancer, and the introduction of a top predator leading to an increase in biodiversity. We also celebrated International Women’s Day in Science by dedicating one of our sessions to discussing amazing discoveries made by women, mentioning Rosalind Franklin, Alice Roberts, and many others. One of the most memorable moments was the opportunity to work in a team with each other and face the challenges of the Olympiad. Members of the Polunin Society were invited to take part in the British Biology Olympiad. This is a competition for students in which they have the opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency in Biology and possibly receive a commendation. The competition involved two papers; they were both multiple choice papers that questioned us on a number of biological topics of which we had never previously heard. During Charterhouse@Home, we practised the skills required to succeed in this competition; we were all given several past paper questions and discussed how we came to our answers in breakout rooms. Overall, the practise we acquired in the Polunin Society improved our ability to answer these questions and optimised our performance in the Olympiad.
13 0
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 130
18/08/2021 17:54
Finally, we would like to thank Mr Bagley, whose unrelenting efforts have come to fruition in yet another term of fascinating society meetings which, without a doubt, every single one of us enjoyed. We truly appreciate the opportunities Mr Bagley has presented us with, and we hope to be able to take full advantage of them in the months to come. Mark Gorman (B), Olivia Pryer (F), Olesia Vasileva (C), and Zhen Yang Lin (W)
UNITY SOCIETY Following the tumultuous events in the summer of 2020, including the tragic passing of George Floyd and the subsequent riots, a group of pupils came together to form a group called ‘Unity’. The aim was to create a safe space where individuals can feel comfortable discussing issues of racism and discrimination, particularly if they feel marginalized on account of their background. It was also an opportunity to socialise with likeminded people, ultimately leading to proactive discussions regarding how we can improve the School. We met every Friday during OQ over Zoom – hopefully it will be in-person next year! In September and October 2020, during OQ, the pupil Heads of the society spoke to all the year groups in Chapel on the topic of equality, discrimination, and our general experiences inside and outside of School. Through these speeches, we hoped to help spread the message that hate is never the answer and we, as a School, are much stronger if we are considerate and kind to each other. It was an obvious message, but it was very well received and further raised awareness about the society throughout the School.
acknowledged that there was a similar reckoning in the corporate world after the summer’s events and is pleased to note that improvements have been made. Although, he also stated that there is further room for progress. This talk was very valuable to anyone interested in finance, regardless of race, as well as being an excellent insight into the corporate world. For Black History Month, in addition to the aforementioned speeches in Chapel regarding equality and discrimination, the School helped to raise approximately £1500 for ‘Show Racism the Red Card’. This is a charity established in 1996 and dedicated to educating individuals about racism through workshops, training sessions, and multimedia packages. We had a mufti day to raise money where everyone wore red, and it was pleasing to see how many participated. The highlight of this year was the talk given on the 23rd April 2021 by Stuart Lawrence, the younger brother of Stephen Lawrence. Stephen Lawrence was, as many of you know, killed on the evening of 22nd April 1993 in a racially motivated attack. The case gained international traction at the time and sparked an important conversation concerning systemic racism. Stuart, a teacher and motivational speaker, spoke about his own personal experiences
surrounding the death of his brother and how it has affected him and his family throughout the years, and he left us with the poignant message about the power of our voices, and how each of us can make a change. We would like to take this opportunity once again to thank Stuart for taking time out of his busy schedule and for articulating his message so brilliantly. Please also be sure to read his new book, Silence Is Not An Option, which is also available in the School Library. Overall, in a year hampered by the pandemic, Unity Society has been one of the highlights and we are pleased to have contributed in this way. It goes without question that we owe a massive thanks to the School for supporting us. A special thanks goes to Ms Jan Symes and Mr Rotimi Akinsete, who were all crucial in helping organize the society and outside speakers, and to Mrs Louise Wilson, whose initiatives such as the EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) steering group was and will continue to be a huge device for challenging stereotypes and implementing lasting change. Lastly, Unity Society would like to thank every single person who spoke up against injustice and discrimination and decided that silence was not an option. You are the real difference makers! Demi Adedoyin-Adeyinka (V)
Our first invited speaker was Ayo Gabriel on 25th November 2020, who works at the prestigious firm Goldman Sachs. His role as Executive Director in Private Wealth Management allowed him not only to provide an insight into the mechanics of banking, but also to articulate his experiences of the industry as a black man of Nigerian descent. He 13 1
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 131
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
PRIZES GREYHOUND AWARDS Christopher Lim (R) For services to the academic life of the School Eva Pomery (F) For services to musical theatre Sam Troy (G) For services to choral music Taki Ejima-Dalley (V) For outstanding service to School music Eddie Chai (R) For his outstanding performance as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables HEADMASTER’S PRIZES Demi Adedoyin-Adeyinka (V) For service as Head of School, including his work on inclusion and diversity Lea Wessel-Aas (C) For service as Head of School Ambrose Witherspoon (B) For service as Deputy Head of School Sabah Ahmed (C) For service as Deputy Head of School Sam Thomas (W) For service to the sporting life of the School as Best Sportsman Scarlett MacGregor (C) For service to the sporting life of the School as Best Sportswoman Freddy Clinton (W) For contribution to sport Sophie Stingelin (C) For contribution to sport Ore Akinfemiwa (F) For services to inclusion and diversity at the School Amil Folawiyo (P) For services to inclusion and diversity at the School Nyasha Kunorubwe (P) For services to inclusion and diversity at the School Charlie Harrison (G) For services to the academic and musical life of the School Elvin Lam (H) For services to the musical life of the School David Rees-Mogg (V) For services to the spiritual life of the School Tony Zhang (H) For services to the academic and musical life of the School Alessandro Armanna (G) For services to the academic life of the School (The Perceiver) Horace Choi (G) For services to the academic life of the School (The Perceiver) Kelly Gu (Su) For services to the academic life of the School (Atomic) Michael Huang (G) For services to the academic life of the School (The Perceiver and the Beveridge Review) Shiv Pillai (G) For services to the academic life of the School (Law Society and The Perceiver)
SUTTON PRIZES Sam Troy (G) Charlie Harrison (G) Dylan Toussaint (L) Giuseppe Canta (g) Morgan Clarke (W) Avana Patel (F) PUBLIC EXAM PRIZES Awarded for straight 9s in IGCSE Henry Anderson (L) Horace Choi (G) Taki Ejima-Dalley (V) Mark Gorman (B) Michael Huang (G) Emile Jurgens (S) Rohin Shingadia (V) Oliver Trill (W) Sam Wells (P) David Yang (H) SENIOR FOUNDATION SCHOLARS Elliot Blaikley (S) Morgan Clarke (W) Charlie Harrison (G) Morgan McLucas (g) Dylan Toussaint (L) Sam Troy (G) Tony Zhang (H) HONORARY FOUNDATION SCHOLARS Jack Brown (H) Giuseppe Canta (g) Pierre Debroe (V) Wendy Hua (F) Katerina Nikitina (Su) Avana Patel (F) Yvonne Rong (C) Uliana Sadovskya (C) HONORARY SCHOLARSHIPS Serge Artinian (R) Caspar Beyer (P) Adrian Choy (L) Felix Hughes (B) Max Sheridan-Oliver (P) William Taylor (V) Stan Valev (H) HONORARY EXHIBITIONS Aaron Khasidy (g) Tom Kinmont (D) Theo Needs (B) Christian Paasch (R) Carter Sutherland (S) IB DIPLOMA PROGRAMME CAS PRIZES Maya Fulford (C) Max Jencks (G) Massimiliano Rimonti (L) Lea Wessel-Aas (C) IB LEARNER PROFILE PRIZES Londyn Denford (C) James Titchener-Hooker (V) EPQ PRIZES Victor Chen (S) Joseph Eames (G) Ivo Freeman (D) Juskarun Hullait (P) Fife Subair (F)
ELECTIVES PRIZES William Barraclough (D) Peach Suwannakit (C) Kirtan Uppal (P) ACADEMIC PROGRESS PRIZES Ines Catallini (C) Grace Gurney (C) Marianna Jones (Su) Ernest Law (g) Piers Ninham (g) Ayush Patel (S) Louis Renault (R) Eddie Chai (R) Theo Needs (B) Henri Whitehorne (P) ATTITUDE TO LEARNING PRIZES Elsye Wu (Su) David Yang (H) Lisa Zhou (F) Guiseppe Canta (g) Samuel Troy (G) Lea Wessel-Aas (C) Serge Artinian (R) Caspar Beyer (P) Carter Sutherland (S) Justin Wang (L) Bill Zhang (S) BIOLOGY OLYMPIAD Lisa Zhou (F) NAMED ACADEMIC PRIZES ART David Baldwin Prize (Photography) Ivo Freeman (D) Dean Prize (Figure) Noah Rogerson (V) Erhman Prize (Design) Alex Johnson (G) Leech Prize (Drawing) Andi Lu (S) Levison Prize (Sculpture) Yvonne Rong (C) Struan Robertson Prize (Painting) Ariane Boulanger (Su) Thomson Prize (Ceramics) Izzy Bampton (C) Jackson Prize (Portfolio) Stan Valev (H) CLASSICS Palamountain Prize Sam Troy (G) Elder and Alick Tassell Sam Troy (G) Gordon Whitbread Ekaterina Nikitina (Su) Bryant Prize (Fifth Form Greek) Justin Wang (L) Bryant Prize (Fifth Form Latin) Caspar Beyer (P) DESIGN TECHNOLOGY Power 1 Prize Yvonne Rong (C)
DRAMA Gygax Prize The Crew of Les Misérables Hyde Prize The Cast of Les Misérables Emily Leonard Prize Eva Pomery (F) Theatre Tech Cup Harry Church (G) ECONOMICS Beveridge Prize Charlie Harrison (G) Wales 1 Prize Morgan Clarke (W) Wales 2 Prize Piers Ninham (g) ENGLISH Tennant Prize Sophie Stingelin (C) Thackeray Prize Sam Troy (G) Fifth Form English Literature Prize Daniel Cross (R) GEOGRAPHY Jenner Hoskin Prize Freddie Portavella Potter (L) Talbot 2 Prize Kandy Zhang (F) Talbot 3 Prize Giuseppe Canta (g) Wales Prize 4 Nyasha Kunorubwe (P) Best Pupil in the Remove Jeremy West (B) HISTORY Loughlin Prize Elliot Blaikley (S) Elwyn Prize Morgan McLucas (g) Bryant 2 Prize Laura Galbraith (F) MATHEMATICS Talbot 2 Prize Oliver Trill (W) MODERN LANGUAGES Havelock 1 Prize (French) Ekaterina Nikitina (Su) Talbot 1 Prize Charlie Turner (G) SCIENCE Eustace Dallin Wade 4 – Removes Science Clement Chan (L) BIOLOGY Eustace Dallin Wade 3 Jack Tenenbaum (D) CHEMISTRY Kreis Prize Maja Fulford (C) Mabbott Prize Avana Patel (F) Eustace Dallin Wade 2 Edward Wilmouth (G)
132
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 132
18/08/2021 17:54
PHYSICS Allsop Prize Elyse Wu (Su) Eustace Dallin Wade 1 Alex Makelberge (g) THEOLOGY Monahan Prize Charlie Harrison (G) MUSIC PRIZES For astonishingly high levels of sustained technical achievement and musical service Horace Choi (G) Outstanding Musical Service Lancelot Liu (S) Justin Wang (L) BRASS Open Prize Martin Young (g) Intermediate Brass Prize Timothee Colin (B) PIANO Ehrman Prize (Over 16) Cynthia Shao (F) Ehrman Prize (Under 16) Lancelot Liu (S) VSH Russell Prize (Open) Taki Ejima-Dalley (V) VSH Russell Prize (Junior) Justin Wang (L) Thatcher Prize Charlie Harrison (G) STRINGS Antonia Butler Prize Michael Huang (G) Sophie Ju (C) Geoffrey Ford Prize Jai Chatterjee (R) Intermediate Strings Prize Timothy Tso (V) WOODWIND George Draper 2 Prize Elvin Lam (H) Ashley Prize Vlad Margarint (S) Carpenter Prize Jago Brazier (R) HARVARD BOOK PRIZE Mark Gorman (B) SECOND YEAR SPECIALIST SUBJECT PRIZES ART Celeste Colin (F) BUSINESS Charles Levett (L) CLASSICS Classical Civilisation William Miller (R) GREEK Sam Troy (G) LATIN Anik Moore (R) DRAMA Piers Ninham (g) ECONOMICS Tony Zhang (H) ENGLISH Matilde Codecasa (Su) GEOGRAPHY Eva Pomery (F)
HISTORY Charlie Harrison (G) MATHEMATICS Further Mathematics Jack Brown (H) and Dylan Toussaint (L) MATHEMATICS Charlie Harrison (G) MODERN LANGUAGES FRENCH Charlie Turner (G) GERMAN Jack Rockey (G) SPANISH Freddy Clinton (W) MUSIC Elvin Lam (H) POLITICS Lea Wessel-Aas (C) SCIENCE BIOLOGY Avana Patel (F) CHEMISTRY Dylan Toussaint (L) PHYSICS Dylan Toussaint (L) THEOLOGY Prom Kingchatchaval (L) FIRST YEAR SPECIALIST SUBJECT PRIZES ART Harriet McCreanor (Su) BUSINESS Elena de Rossi (F) Arman Kryukov (G) CLASSICS Classical Civilisation Alice Duan (C) LATIN Sienna Wallis (F) DESIGN TECHNOLOGY Mitsu Jeffcock (G) DRAMA Lucy Ellis (C) ECONOMICS Oliver Trill (W) ENGLISH Ciarán O’Lionaird (C) GEOGRAPHY Carlotta Ossini (C) HISTORY Henry Anderson (L) MATHEMATICS Further Mathematics Michael Huang (G) Sophie Ju (C) MATHEMATICS Heling Cai (Su) MODERN LANGUAGES FRENCH Mark Gorman (B) GERMAN Mark Gorman (B) ITALIAN Anika Shah (F) SPANISH Andrea Leone (L) MUSIC Taki Ejima-Dalley (V) PHILOSOPHY Heling Cai (Su) POLITICS David Yang (H) SCIENCE BIOLOGY Lisa Zhou (F) CHEMISTRY Kelly Gu (Su) PHYSICS Will Gao (L)
UNDER SCHOOL ACADEMIC TIES Matthew Balogun (G) Clement Chan (L) Fraser Dobie (V) Mathieu Jouvensal-Lepere (D) Alex Makelberge (g) Amar Sanghera (R) Jay Tao (G) Denis Tkachev (H) Yubin Zhang (R) Roman Zolotov (B) FOURTH FORM ACADEMIC PRIZES ART Rhys Llewellyn-Williams (V) BIOLOGY Ethan Kovalev (g) CHEMISTRY Ed How Prize Ryan Ying (L) PHYSICS Enzo Pierrat-Brichon (B) SCIENCE Ian Kwan (B) CLASSICS Nicko Lawrence (B) DESIGN TECHNOLOGY IDC Technology Trophy Cyprus Egloff-Curran (W) ENGLISH Karam Paul (V) Anderson Prize for Reading Viggo Terling (g) GEOGRAPHY Alfred Smith (R) HISTORY Carter Prize Viggo Terling (g) MATHEMATICS Jonathan To (L) MODERN LANGUAGES Stasys Milius (g) FRENCH O’Meara 2 Prize Nicko Lawrence (B) ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS Jai Chatterjee (R) Cyprus Egloff-Curran (W) Nicko Lawrence (B) Stasys Milius (g) Enzo Pierrat-Brichon (B) Seamus Robinson (B) Viggo Terling (g) Jonathan To (L) Ryan Ying (L) ACADEMIC EXHIBITIONS Olu Agboola (P) Jasper Berry (R) Freddie Cowling (B) James Hubble (L) Zach Kirton (H) Ethan Kovalev (g) Krishiv Sekhri (H) Ian Yang (G) FOURTH FORM ALL-ROUNDER PRIZES Leith Fallon (B) Stasys Milius (g) Viggo Terling (g) FOURTH FORM PRIZES FOR SPORTING CONTRIBUTION Olu Agboola (P) Zach Kirton (H) FULL SCHOOL SPORTS COLOURS Jaash Parekh (g) Jeremy Ogbonna (H) HONORARY SPORTS SCHOLARSHIPS Alexa Mukherjee (Su) Camilla Pearce (C) Caspar Beyer (P)
SPORTS PRIZES (2YS) Boys’ Football Freddie Clinton (W) James Dovell (L) Omos Kuye (S) Dan Mote (G) James Taylor (D) Girls’ Hockey Poppy Hopkinson (F) Scarlett MacGregor (C) Amelia Pritchard (C) Girls’ Lacrosse Issy Bampton (C) Services to Sport Colours Sam Thomas (W) Mimi Flanagan (C) Vayers Hew (F) Sixtine de Ladoucette (F) Ben Moulton (B) Ekaterina Nikitina (Su) Marcus Rawlings (S) CREATIVE ARTS COLOURS Ariane Boulanger (Su) Celeste Colin (C) Andi Lu (S) Noah Rogerson (V) Oscar Sunderland (D) Eva Pomery (F) Katharina Wallach (F) Sophie Ju (C) Martin Young (g) Eddie Chai (R) Adrian Choy (L) Lancelot Liu (S) Justin Wang (L) Jackson Wiggert (G) Mark Gorman (B) Mitsu Jeffcock (G) Ciarán O’Lionaird (C) Hattie Palmer (F) Toby Russell (P) Jonathon Wilkinson (D) Timothee Colin (B) Daniel Cross (R) Xavier Currill (R) Guy Ellis (W) Jamie Hume (H) Theo Needs (B) Jago Brazier (R) Jeremy Holguin (L) Vlad Margarint (S) Timothy Tso (V) Edward Wilmouth (G) COMMENDATIONS CUP Hodgsonites DECLAMATION PRIZES Stuart Prize (Specialists’ Greek) Sam Troy (G) Stuart Prize (Specialists’ Latin) Sienna Wallis (F) Stuart Prize (Under School Greek) Justin Wang (L) Stuart Prize (Under School Latin) Caspar Beyer (P) Havelock Prize (Specialists’ German) Hattie Palmer (F) Under School German Stasys Milius (g) O’Meara Prize (Under School Spanish) Caspar Beyer (P) Specialists’ Italian Alessandro Armanna (G) Specialists’ Mandarin Alexander Lord (g) Specialists’ Spanish Mariacarla Aloi (C) Ivor Gibson Prize (Rems English Recitation) Clement Chan (L) Ivor Gibson Prize (4ths English Recitation) Harry von Haniel (W) 133
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 133
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
SPORT REPORTS The editors apologise for the absence of some team photos, which could not be taken due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
BODEITES HOUSE FOOTBALL
include Tobias Ball, who showed his class in a pitch-long run in the final, and Matteo Capuano, on whom the team could rely for world-class goals. Max Carpenter had the best work rate, but the stand-out player was Amaury Halley, who was the rock at the back and truly controlled the game, acting as a true leader. Overall, Bodeites had a very successful season over all age groups, even with the tough limitations of Covid-19. Benedict Moulton
Bodeites Fifths: 2nd Prem & 1st Europa Lge As a House, Bodeites had a very promising football season in the Premier League, Champions League, and Europa League competitions. The Fourths had a solid start, with a mid-table finish of sixth in the Premier League and fourth in the Champions League. The Removes unfortunately did not have as much success, coming last in the Premier League. The Fifths had tremendous success as they came second overall in the Premier League, which was the highest of any Bodeite team. They even won the Europa league! The 1YS had a solid season finishing sixth in the Premier League table with a notable 4-1 victory over Hodgsonites and finished third in the Europa League, showing Bodeites competing at the highest level for silverware. Finally, the 2YS, in
DAVIESITES HOUSE FOOTBALL
Timur Boranbayev’s excellent goalkeeping. A late equaliser (described as a ‘cracker’ by the team captain) from Alex Weir sent it to penalties, where they didn’t get the result they deserved. Another second place in the Premier League. It was tough, but congratulations must go to the boys for scoring 35 goals and conceding only four. The Fifths were a strong side. They came third in the Premier League whilst beating the champions on the final day, so they are the ‘linear champions.’ Jinghan Xi’s pace up top provided many goals for the side. The boys got to the Europa League semi-finals, where they were knocked out in the last moment due to a lapse of concentration. The 2YS struggled from being away from the game for too long. Nonetheless, we were carried by our captain, Sam Nichols, who scored a tremendous goal against Gownboys, kickstarting a winning streak only broken later in the season. The pinnacle came with our victory over Saunderites, in which Stanley Cooper scored an outside-the-box goal, which was equally as impressive as his backflip celebration.
Daviesites Removes: 2nd Champ Lge & 2nd Prem Lge Daviesites’ drought of silverware in football has continued for another year. Nonetheless, from the matches I watched, the effort put in by the House was remarkable.
Duncan Petrie
DUCKITES HOUSE FOOTBALL
Unfortunately, we couldn’t field a Daviesites 1YS football Premiership side this year due to their exceptional abilities in other sports keeping them away from the footy field. However, we were fortunate enough to be led in the other four years by Samuel Nichols (2YS), Oscar Bott (V), Diar Boranbayev (Remove) and Andile Thabethe (IV). They did a tremendous job. Bodeites 2YS: 2nd Europa Lge their last year representing Bodeites, showed full character, acting as clear role models for the House. Due to Covid-19, many nonfootballers were asked to play and, showing the Bodeite values, stepped up to the challenge. These individuals include Ambrose Witherspoon, Nikolay Fedorov, Paul Boehrs and Sebastian D’Souza. The team came fourth in the League and just missed out on the Europa League title, coming second in a narrow loss to Duckites. The star players of this team
The Fourths struggled to hit the ground running on the pitch but, eventually, they were stunning. Andile was scoring from free kicks to win games and Alex Wells was scoring too many goals to count against Saunderites. Overall, we came fifth in the Premier League and third in the Champions League. The Removes really were remarkable. They deserved a trophy for their performance, but settled for pizza. Their Champions League performance resulted in second place on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Duckites could only score penalties against us in the final, due to
Duckites 2YS: 1st Europa Lge In OQ, Duckites had a very successful run across all the years in House Football. The 2YS were placed fourth in the Premier League and won the Europa League comfortably, beating Bodeites 4-2 in the final. The Duckites 1YS did something special and extremely cheeky to say the least: they won both the Premier League and Champions League with some extraordinary matches being played, the most memorable of which was fought against Weekites, who were put in their place by the
13 4
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 134
18/08/2021 17:54
without its silver linings, its moments, and even successes to some extent. The Fourths’ efforts in the League and Champions/Europa League competitions were rewarded with three wins, one of which involved a goal from Krishiv Sekhri that has been highlighted by his teammates as one of their team’s outstanding goals.
Duckites 1YS: 1st Champ Lge & 1st Prem Lge
Duckites Removes: 1st Champ Lge & 1st Prem Lge
Duckites Fourths: 1st Europa Lge & 1st Prem Lge pure skill and talent demonstrated by Duckites. The Fifths, despite the lack of numbers, had the spirit to match any other House, with everyone putting in great effort and playing for the badge. The Removes – what a season! They won the Champions League on penalties to beat Daviesites. They also enjoyed an unbeaten run in the Premier League, winning ten matches out of ten. Once again, the Fourths had a blinder of a season with an unfortunate knockout in the Champions League, the Fourths went on to win the Europa League. Not only this, but they also came top of the table by a long stretch in the Premier League. Overall, all the boys in Duckites went out and performed, bringing back a lot of silverware. Hugo Samuelson
GOWNBOYS HOUSE FOOTBALL Across all the years in Gownboys, the House put in an enormous effort to succeed in the House Football competitions. The 2YS made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League and were placed sixth out of ten teams in the Premier League. Our youngest year, the Fourths,
Gownboys Fourths: 2nd Champ Lge
The Removes, Fifths, and 1YS all lost third place playoffs in knockout competitions, meaning that they successfully secured fourth place finishes.
went the furthest in the Champions League. They managed to make it to the finals, but unfortunately lost in penalties to Saunderites. The Removes, like the 2YS, managed to come sixth in the Premier League. Although the 1YS and Fifths suffered in the competitions, it is still fair to say that they, along with everyone else, had an enjoyable experience.
The Fifths’ third place playoff was in the Champions League, the furthest any Hodge team got in that competition. A highlight for them was a penalty shootout win against Bodeites, thanks to two Rory More O’Ferrall saves, which I’d call heroic goalkeeping if it didn’t sound a bit too dramatic for House Football.
Since House Football had been split into teams of different years, less experienced players were given the chance to shine. Jack Rockey and Elias Mundorf exhibited stellar performances. Rockey scored a crucial first goal against Bodeites, which helped the 2YS to progress in the group stages and Mundorf scored multiple goals in League matches, displaying his natural goal scoring instinct. As for our more experienced players, skill and leadership was expressed through the stellar performances of Daniel Mote who scored a total of eight goals across all competitions, and Oscar Daumas-Snowball who contributed greatly to securing the Fourths’ place in the final.
The 1YS triumphed in the Europa League, winning one game. That one game was a quarter final, ensuring a minimum of fourth place and paving their road to success in the process. However, some of the highlights came in games where the results weren’t so good, such as a 4-3 loss to Pageites, which came in spite of a few of the best goals of the tournament. These included a ‘stunning’ free kick from Freddie Howard and Ben Parkinson’s ‘magnificent’ solo goal, that apparently involved dribbling past six players. It sounds good.
To summarise the season, Gownboys went through ups and downs. There were heroic wins and tough losses, but all in all, we surpassed expectations. The more everyone played, the more the chemistry increased within the teams, which therefore created a healthy environment off the football pitch. Praise must accordingly be given to the staff who organised the league, as well as the Gownboys’ performance. Adetayo Amusan
HODGSONITES HOUSE FOOTBALL I was hoping these reports would follow a kind of George Costanza logic, that “if you take everything I’ve accomplished in my entire life, and condense it down into one day, it looks decent.” Unfortunately for Hodgsonites, that logic doesn’t really seem to work when it comes to football. When you take League results and put them together, in ascending order from Fourths to 2YS, it goes 8th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 11th. Personally, I found it impressive that, even across five different age groups, Hodgsonites maintained such a consistent level of footballing mediocrity. However, this mediocrity is not
Unfortunately, the 2YS (my year!) lost every single game they played. I’d say this was more or less in line with my expectations. In fairness, our team only had one player who regularly plays football, me, and I’m hardly first team standard, so we weren’t especially surprised by the lack of winning. Cameron Challis was a standout performer for us, whilst Maximilian Fairfull was a surprisingly talented makeshift goalkeeper. Overall, Hodgsonites did OK. The expectations were never high in the first place. We took part, we had fun, we matched (and in some cases exceeded) expectations, and that seems respectable to me. Harry Ozin
LOCKITES HOUSE FOOTBALL 2YS The 2YS’ football Quarter procured a strain of highly entertaining, goal filled thrillers. We came second in our group, assuring us a place in the quarter-finals. Whilst the centre back James Dovell secured a string of goals, our run of good luck came to an end when rivals Weekites beat us 12-5 in the semi-finals, the highest scoring game of the season with five goals from Freddie Portavella Potter showing his Spanish wizardry on the pitch. 135
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 135
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
1YS The 1YS’ first game was difficult. We only had five players due to others having other commitments. We still tried our hardest, but the game resulted in a loss. However, we managed to score one goal which was a small victory in itself. Kenzo Allanso gave great contributions and so finished as top scorer for Lockites. An honourable mention must also go Jenson Churchward-Steel for his performance. Fifths The Lockites Fifths’ House Football performance had its ups and downs, with the team finishing sixth in the Premier League competition, and our journey in the Champions League competition coming to an end in the group stages of the plate. Special mentions go to Ashley Marsh for best player, Zakir Meghji for top goal scorer, Samuel Ravenscroft for hardest working player and Osiroyame Mayungbo for most underrated player. Removes Lockites Removes’ OQ football was a very interesting and hard fought season. Noteworthy names include Maxwell Ferber and Elijah Accrombessi for leading the attack, as well as Joao Schneider and Henry Wigg for being the backbone of the defence. Overall, this season has been triumphant. Take for example, the 13-5 victory against Bodeites and the 3-2 win against Pageites. We are looking forward to next year where we can hopefully bring a trophy to the House that is hungry for one. Fourths There was some lovely football from the Fourths. Goals came from everywhere with Hugh Westmacott scoring amazing goals, and Gonzalo Escondrillas Caro scoring a brilliant free kick. At the other end of the pitch, Oluwaseun Itayemi made some courageous saves, giving us confidence at the back. Despite all these highlights, the best part of our season was the spirit in which every game was approached. With the Lockites Fourths, there was always something to laugh and grin about. Even when we were on the back foot, there was never an argument amongst the team. What we lacked in ability, we more than made up for in enthusiasm, and this is what really made the season a triumph! Frederick Portavella Potter
PAGEITES HOUSE FOOTBALL The Pageites Fourths and Removes had similar House Football competitions, as they both fought their way to winning their third place playoffs in the Europa League. The Fourths came together to produce a series of magnificent footballing displays, such as their remarkable 8-0 win over Verites. Similarly, the Removes also played great matches with dominant 4-1 and 5-1 wins over Bodeites and Verites, with massive contributions from
created chances throughout the match and looked to be increasingly threatening. With chances created by Joseph O’Neill and Finn Lakin, Aaron Yang making runs in behind, and a solid all round defensive performance, Pageites looked to be nearing a goal. However, in the closing minutes of the game, they conceded a penalty and a goal that followed, which saw them losing the match in the end. Regardless, after their incredible collective display, they returned to Pageites with praise from the rest of the House. Pageites 1YS: 1st Europa Lge
Amil Folawiyo
ROBINITES HOUSE FOOTBALL
Pageites Fifths: 2nd Champ Lge & 1st Prem Lge Olaoluwakitan Braithwaite. The future of Pageites football looks to be very promising. The 1YS capped off a tough competition by becoming the plate champions. After a long set of matches with goal contributions from Ash Ticktum, Samuel Wells, and Charles Wyatt, Pageites advanced to the plate semi-finals where they were met by Bodeites. After another gritty match, they advanced to the finals on penalties. In the final, they ended their season with a brilliant defensive performance from Sacha Newbegin who helped secure their clean sheet. Finally, with several inputs of creativity from Alexander Williams in the midfield, Pageites eventually broke down the Bodeites defence to score and win the Plate competition. The 2YS in Pageites put on several great performances throughout their campaign with great wins against Verites, Hodgsonites, and Gownboys. Their matches always seemed to be entertaining, with flair-filled performances from Gabriel Jonsson, world-class defending from Edward Wyatt, constant intensity from Peter Coltman and Nyasha Kunorubwe and goals from Amil Folawiyo and Kirtan Uppal. Although they were unable to make it to the Champions League, their last House Football event will be one to remember. Last but not least, the Pageites Fifths found themselves advancing to their respective Champions League final after a mesmerising League campaign, in which they were met by a strong Weekites team. However, they unfortunately entered this event without their captain, Caspar Beyer. Nevertheless, the team stepped up and took the fight to Weekites in a final that had everyone watching on the edge of their seats. With support from 1YS and 2YS raging on from the side-lines, the team steadily
Robinites 1YS: 2nd Europa Lge The Robinites 2YS House team struggled for numbers during the Premier League tournament, which resulted in a ninth place finish. The knockout tournament was different, on the other hand. Winning one group stage game out of two qualified us to play against Saunderites, who would go on to win the tournament. The game was close, with a halfway line goal from William Miller drawing us level near half time. A free kick goal lost us the game in the closing stages of the game. In the plate semi-finals, we lost out on penalties to Bodeites after a 1-1 draw in regular time. A good season and great performances from everyone involved. The Robinites 1YS had a strong season of football in OQ. In the knockout tournament they started off slowly, only managing to get one point in three games. This qualified them for the quarter-finals where they narrowly lost to Saunderites 2-1. They then picked up momentum, getting to the Plate finals where they unfortunately lost 1-0. They played well from the start in the Premier League tournament, where they lost one game in the first five weeks. They finished off fifth overall with a good effort from all. In OQ, Robinites Fifths encountered some strong teams in the knockout tournament and lost three games. In the Premier League, they won a great game 8-3 against Gownboys and drew two other games against Duckites and Verites. The Removes had a great start winning their group. In the knockout tournament, they lost
13 6
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 136
18/08/2021 17:54
their quarter-final game, but made it to the Plate final where they lost 4-3 on penalties in a close game. In the Premier League, they won five and lost five which placed them fourth overall. The Fourths were unfortunately forced to forfeit their place in the Premier League due to coronavirus isolation. They also didn’t manage to qualify for the later stages of the knockout tournament. Hopefully they will have more success next year and will be able to compete in House Football.
SAUNDERITES HOUSE FOOTBALL
Saunderites 2YS: 1st Champ Lge & 2nd Prem Lge 2YS As a year group that had won both the Junior House and the Fourths Cup during their time at the School, there were high expectations for the House in the Champions League. The team’s main goal was to get the results needed to get us to the final, which we demonstrated early on after a few easy wins to kick the journey off. However, it was quite evident that the post-lockdown fatigue was starting to kick in. Despite this, we continued to march on and faced one of our toughest opponents yet in the semi-final. Within the first ten minutes, Gownboys took an early 2-0 lead. Half time was a must for the team, and after some motivation, the team came out stronger than ever and won the game 3-2. This led the team to the final, full of confidence to face their well-known rivals, Weekites. This game had a dramatic start in which Marcus Rawlings scored a wonderful goal, assisted by Omowale Kuye. Due to a lack of concentration, they equalised through a set-piece. We hadn’t lost faith going into the second half, and this was shown once again through Marcus Rawlings scoring another two goals and Omowale Kuye scoring a tap in to finish the game off. This was an all-round solid performance from the team looking both defensively very strong and a real threat in the attacking third.
Duckites, we had decided that our focus would be the Champions League. This intention started to materialise when we won our group easily. In the quarter-finals we played against Robinites, who played six at the back on the six aside pitch. It was a struggle. However, we made it through a tight game. Next were the semi-finals against an improved (from last year) but injury-hit side in Duckites. It was another tight game, but ultimately their top players showed up and beat us. They went on to win the final, but we celebrated an easy win to claim third spot by beating Verites. Thomas de la Chaise Fifths The season started off shakily due to postlockdown fatigue. The loss of a few key players left us having to reinvent ourselves as a team. Our first Premier League game was against a strong Weekites team that in the past had come up short against us. With the referee blowing the whistle at half-time and a scrappy goal to make it 1-0, this game was an accurate metaphor for our season and foreshadowed what was to come. A string of bad luck and poor performances left us finishing 4th in the table. The Champions League was a different story. Multiple huge wins against Lockites and Hodgsonites put us against Weekites in the semi-final. Held to 1-1 until the final minutes, a rash tackle from our defender (one of many) allowed them to score and push to the final. Once again, our greatest rivals were ourselves. Harry Price Removes There was plenty of talent in the team, but injuries meant we weren’t at our best when the team needed to be. We had a successful campaign in the Champions League, with some excellent wins over Robinites and Verites (7-2). However, we eventually finished second in our group behind Daviesites, losing 3-0 to them in the deciding game. In the knockout round, we lost in the semi-final to Duckites, who went on to win. The team then rallied hard and beat Gownboys easily in the third place playoff. We also came third in the EPL, which our nemesis Duckites won. Joseph Johnson was our top scorer. Benjamin Gibson
Frankie Parker 1YS Having won Junior House Football two years before, Saunderites had high expectations in the OQ House Champions League and Premier League. Throughout the first few weeks, it was clear what the objective would be: having dropped points in the Premier League competition early on against Weekites and
Saunderites Fourths: 1st Champ Lge Fourths The 2020/21 House Football tournament was extremely eventful and our first taste of
Charterhouse football. The Saunderites Fourths started off strong against Hodgsonites. The team had some incredible talent, but for the first few games the chemistry wasn’t quite there yet. Team spirit developed and our performance improved throughout those first six weeks, which meant Saunderites would face Gownboys in an edgy Champions League final. After going down to an early goal, and with help from everybody in the team, the team got back level. It went to penalties – Caspar Wood made some fabulous saves, eventually allowing Thomas Brewster to score the winning penalty to add to the Saunderites trophy cabinet. Lucas Dyer
VERITES HOUSE FOOTBALL
Verites Fifths: 2nd Europa Lge The 2YS had a challenging group for the Champions League and finished seventh overall in the Premier League. However, there was still plenty of top-quality football played, with memorable goals from Sam CobdenRamsay with his diving header and Gregorio Napoleone’s volley from the halfway line. The 1YS were very successful in the Champions League, reaching the third place playoffs against Saunderites, a very tough side, meaning that they finished fourth overall. As the tournaments progressed, they became a more co-ordinated and disciplined team, which helped them obtain their successes. The Fifths had the most successful outcomes of the two tournaments in Verites. They were the runners-up in the Europa League final after narrowly losing on penalties to Bodeites 5-4, and they finished fifth overall in the Premier League. They also managed to hold their own against some tough opposition, namely Weekites and Saunderites. Although the Removes were knocked out early of the Champions League, they proved themselves in the Europa League by drawing to some strong sides like Bodeites and Weekites and demonstrated perseverance throughout both competitions. Although the Fourths didn’t finish near the top in either the Champions or Premier League, the experience gave them a great opportunity to learn how to play as a team and how to work together effectively. Importantly, these two competitions have helped lay the foundations for future successes in House 137
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 137
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
competitions like this. Overall, the determination and perseverance of Verites as a House in both competitions meant that it was very enjoyable and rewarding for everyone involved. James Titchener-Hooker
WEEKITES HOUSE FOOTBALL
Weekites 2YS: 2nd Champ Lge & 1st Prem Lge
Weekites Fourths: 2nd Europa Lge & 2nd Prem Lge The Fourths started the UCL off well by comfortably topping Group Three, scoring 14 goals in two games and successfully restoring Weekites’ dominant reputation. Unfortunately, they lost their quarter-final on penalties, but they bounced back with an impressive 3-0 win over Lockites in the semi-final of the Europa League. Some penalty practice might be needed in the future after their loss on penalties in the final. In a very bizarre first football season, the boys did amazingly to finish second in the Premier League. This is a promising team for the future! The Removes brought silverware back to Weekites (where it belongs) with a win in the Europa League. After topping their group, they came up against a strong Gownboys side in the UCL quarter-final and lost, but after two impressive performances and a win on penalties, the trophy came home. The same glory was not achieved in the Premier League and, like Arsenal this year, they had to settle for a mid-table position. A notable mention has to go to Augustine Anite with his fancy footwork and electric pace. Following successes in previous years, the Weekites Fifths team had a lot to offer with talented individuals who would compete for Senior House team places, including Archie Kirton, David Clapcott, Zachary Frankel, and Frederick Halford. They didn’t disappoint, with a phenomenal win in the Champions League on Big Ground, easing through the earlier stages with some sublime football. The Premier League also brought success as the team maintained a top four position after a promising start, scoring eight past Gownboys and five past Robinites. The Weekite 1YS enjoyed an excellent OQ, but just missed out on silverware in both competitions. In the Champions League they
Weekites 1YS: 2nd Champ Lge & 2nd Prem Lge
as Weekites comprehensively beat Pageites, Duckites, and Verites, scoring 20 goals in the process. 18 more goals followed in the quarter- and semi-finals, with the Reds easily progressing to a much-anticipated final against Saunderites. However, Saunderites were buoyed by the return of Frankie Parker (S) and Weekites ended the tournament as runners-up on Big Ground. The Premier League was another story. Unbeaten going into the last game against league leaders Saunderites, Weekites had to win the match to put another trophy in the cabinet. It was 1-1, last play, Weekites corner. It would be a travesty to Weekites folklore if the team returned empty-handed from a season. Tensions were running high, all 22 men in the Saunderites box. The corner is looped into the box, and up steps Oluwatomi Ojora, leaping above the crowd to head the ball in with conviction. Riotous scenes as we took the Premier League crown, capping off a fine new year for Weekites football.
GIRLS LACROSSE With a new intake of 1YS, the lacrosse season started extremely strongly, with our more confident and experienced players taking a keen role in helping the beginners. This encouraged a tight knit group of girls, who made fantastic progress under the keen eye of Phil Collier (Head Coach).
Weekites Removes: 1st Europa Lge
Weekites Fifths: 1st Champ Lge had three comprehensive victories in the group stage, and then thrashed Hodgsonites and Verites in the quarter and semi-finals respectively. However, Duckites narrowly edged the final 1-0. The Premier League was a similar story, and despite going unbeaten, the Reds once again finished as runners-up. It was a season of near perfection nonetheless, with special mentions going to Mackenzie Faull, Joshua Diri, and William Turner for their leadership in guiding Weekites to two more finals. The Weekite football dynasty continued with the 2YS. The Champions League was a doddle,
They worked particularly hard on their attacking skills, with Annabel Lawson (S) and Iryna Muravska (S) taking control with the most assists and goals of the season. With no opposition, the girls remained extremely motivated and enjoyed small-sided games between themselves as they worked towards the all-important House Lacrosse. In preparation for the event, all the lacrosse girls took on a proactive approach to coaching those in their Houses who had not played the game before. Although Sutton won overall, Chetwynd put in a fantastic performance of determination and commitment in the midfield, with special mention to Mariacarla Aloi (C) who worked tremendously hard throughout the season and in the game. Mrs Charlotte Silvester
INTERHOUSE LACROSSE On 23 March, with the bright sun shining, and the warmth finally here, we held the Interhouse Lacrosse Competition. This had been postponed at the end of OQ when many pupils had to isolate. Unfortunately, we were hit again by absence, so Fletcherites had to withdraw. But that didn’t stop the enthusiasm from the other Houses, and the standard of play was very high indeed. Annabel Lawson dominated
13 8
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 138
18/08/2021 17:54
the Sutton play, but Chetwynd girls Mia Viventi and Camilla Pearce were determined not to let her have a clear path towards the goal. It was lovely to see so many non-lacrosse girls get involved, and for me, that is the reason behind Interhouse sport. Sutton triumphed in yet another Interhouse Competition with a final score of of 8-5. Special mention should go to the Annabel Lawson, Iryna Muravska (Su), Mia Viventi, and Maria Aloi (C) for displaying some excellent skills. Emma Haynes (Su), Camilla Pearce (C), Hattie Cole (Su), and Susie Bullivant (C) must also be commended for their effort and enthusiasm on the pitch and for the progress they made over a short space of time. Sutton’s star player, Annabel Lawson, gives us her thoughts on the season: The lacrosse season in OQ was very successful, with all the team developing new skills and new players learning the game. On Tuesdays, we specifically worked on stick work, whilst Thursdays were used to improve match play and learn set pieces and moves that would improve both our attack and defence. The lack of fixtures meant that a lot of half-pitch matches were played, greatly improving the fitness of the midfield, who worked hard both to attack and defend after a turnover. In LQ, Mondays’ high performance lacrosse sessions continued when we returned to School. Despite being cancelled in OQ due to Covid, the Interhouse Lacrosse Competition took place this Quarter, with Sutton emerging victorious. It was a close match: Sutton led in the first two quarters, while Chetwynd managed to catch up in the third and fourth. It was a fitting way to finish what has been a good season of lacrosse, though of course one that had presented various difficulties.
3RD XI CRICKET Won 2, Lost 2, Abandoned 1 Picture the scene. After two Quarters of no competitive sport against other schools, Maniacs lies pristine, the lush green outfield set against the stunning backdrop of Founder’s Court. The midday sun appears sporadically, as light clouds tumble against the clear blue beyond. Hurstpierpoint’s opening batsmen survey the scoreboard while walking out to the middle. They look towards the scoreboard to see they are chasing 217-5, the target set by the Charterhouse 3rd XI. They look at each other steely eyed, determined, and then take one last look at the stunning surroundings. The silence is uncanny, everyone anticipating the chase to come and the opening ball from Charterhouse…
Then suddenly… a call cuts through the air “wicket ball buddy!”, and then another, “you’ve got this, Nick!”, followed by a series of similar calls of encouragement from the near entirety of the Charterhouse team. Then silence falls once more, and the game continues… The scene above springs merely from the author’s imagination since he was unable to attend the first fixture (many thanks Dr Page), however if subsequent fixtures are reflective of the first, then it will not be far off an accurate description. The group of players who comprised the 3rd XI this year had all played previously. With some particular talent in the team, with the spine of Tom Fowler (D), Nick Lamming (L), Hugo Wheatland (g), Ibrahim Khan (V), Oliver Muir (D), and Sam Wells (P), supported not only in cricketing terms but also vocally by the likes of Ash Ticktum (P), Charlie Wyatt (P), Alex and Charlie Kelsey-Fry (S), and Toby Pascoe (g). That first game ended in a comfortable victory with Hurstpierpoint reaching a mere 92 all out in response. This may have been in due in part to their 3rd XI being a mix of lower and upper sixth pupils while the Charterhouse 3rd XI was more a 1YS 2nd XI of sorts, thanks to the differing covid-safe measures across schools. Perhaps it is best not to dwell too much on this. One can only play (and hopefully beat) the team who appears in front of them after all. In the next match, Eton visited, and we scored a satisfactory total from 30 overs, mainly thanks to Fowler and Lamming, who had also hit a half-century in the opening game. Unfortunately, our middle order collapsed somewhat, and this made it easier than it should have been for a couple of Eton’s better batsmen to build a partnership and reach the target with three overs to spare. Subsequent games against Harrow and Westminster resulted in one loss (by 6 wickets) and one win (by 60 runs) respectively. One further match sandwiched between these two occurred in as long a period of continuous drizzle as one ever sees in Surrey in May. Nevertheless, Charterhouse completed their innings before things were called off, boosted by an impressive half-century by Sam Wells, who narrowly avoided damaging Mr Poynter’s shed in the Weekites garden, and a solid first knock of the season by Harry Smith (W). I would like to thank the players for their efforts and company at training sessions and matches, and I hope they enjoyed their (albeit shortened) season while it lasted. Thanks must also go to Mr Voller, his expert input making up for the author’s lack thereof. Thanks to Dr Page and Mr Kane for providing cover, to MPB for providing advice and support, and finally to the grounds staff for making Maniacs as described in the first sentence. Mr Rupert Massey
16A CRICKET We were all delighted to return to matches as Covid restrictions eased. An intense week of nets in the first week of CQ allowed us to assess the squad and select a team for a tough opening match away at Eton on the Tuesday of Week 2. Our bowling and fielding were good, if a little rusty, in the first innings as Eton put on 170-3 in their 30 overs. Felix Orr (W) and Archie Kirton (W) were the standout bowlers with Oluwapelumi Adedoyin-Adeyinka (V) excelling in the field. 170 was probably a par score on that wicket. Harry Baker (V) was then exceptional as an opening batsman and showed the rest of the team the template for building an innings. He was patient, defended the good balls, played conservatively as he saw off the new ball, and expanded his game once he was in. Baker ended up on 51 not out from 51 balls, but without much support from his teammates, Charterhouse ended up 82 all out after only 20 overs. With no other batsmen showing Baker’s patience and ability to keep out the good deliveries, we wasted ten overs. After matches against Tonbridge and Cranleigh were rained off, we faced Harrow at home on Maniacs in a rain-reduced 20/20 match. Our bowling was inconsistent and, although we saw some good balls, there were too many loose deliveries that were rightfully punished. Harrow scored 149-6 off their 20 overs: 30 – 40 runs too many. Again, we had one batsman show patience and resilience, with Freddie Hay batting fourth, scoring 44 not out. But we were 85-7 off our 20 overs, our lack of patience costing us the game. The highlight moment of the day was a stunning catch behind the stumps from wicket keeper Joe O’Neill (P) as he dived high to his right, snaring a catch off the bowling of Harry Price (S). Five days later, we travelled to Bradfield for a thrilling 20/20 match that went down to the last ball. On a day when we simply had to endure the drizzle, we batted first. After losing Archie Kirton early, Harry Baker and Felix Orr put on a fantastic hundred-run partnership, with Baker scoring his second half-century in three innings. Dr Warren and I had been trying to encourage our batsmen to be patient and build an innings, so we must take blame for the fact that we probably could have looked to accelerate our scoring a little earlier. By the time Orr had departed, the rest of the batting order had little time to do anything other than attack and we finished 119-7. At the start of the Bradfield innings, we looked as if we would cruise to a win. Felix Orr and Harry Price opened the bowling, and both took early wickets to leave Bradfield struggling three down inside four overs. However, a middle order counterattack then had Bradfield looking like they would canter beyond our total with five overs to spare. When Harry Price took two wickets in the 16th over, including the big-hitting du Plessis, the game was once 139
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 139
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
again finely poised. Two more quick wickets meant Charterhouse were slim favourites to win. In the final two overs, Bradfield needed 16 to reach their target, but in the last over, the Bradfield number eight showed astute match awareness by running himself out to get the established opening batsman on strike. With some well-placed boundaries, Bradfield reached their target with the final ball of the match. We finished our season at home against Reed’s two days later. Charterhouse batted first again and posted 154-6 off 30 overs with Felix Orr scoring 39, ably supported by Will Taylor (V) who managed 26 off 19 balls. With Reed’s scoring 88-7 off 20 overs, we looked in control of the match. Dom Smith (V) took four wickets with his spin bowling and, had Archie Kirton not dropped a sitter in his final over, Smith would have taken his first 5-for. A Reed’s lower order slog made the game interesting with the ball flying to all parts of the Maniacs field and beyond. The last Reed’s wicket fell to the last ball and 143 all out was probably closer than Reed’s should have got. Joe O’Neill took two more superb catches behind the stumps, flying to his right to snag both wickets at full stretch. All of the squad made big improvements in their game in a short six-week season before half-term, but particular mention goes to Felix Orr who developed and improved as a captain while opening the bowling and batting well, Harry Baker who was excellent at the top of the order, Harry Price, Caspar Beyer (P), Archie Kirton, Oscar Bott (D), and Dom Smith who all bowled well, Oluwapelumi Adedoyin-Adeyinka who was our best fielder, and Joe O’Neill who was excellent behind the stumps. Mr Simon Hayward & Dr John Warren
the A’s and admission to the B’s. Each training session saw a mix of both simple enjoyment of the game alongside a noticeable competitive streak. As the team settled, it only grew in cohesion and confidence, really bonding as a team unit. Our two matches, at home against Harrow, and away against Bradfield were both affected by the rain, with the B’s playing through howling winds and persistent downpours. On muddy middles and AstroTurf pitches, our B’s battled valiantly, losing both, but maintaining their love for cricket and their sense of comradery. Although both losses were heavy, there were glimmers of promise; fine knocks by Alfred Popoola (V), Samuel Ravenscroft (L), and Alex Wareham (B) against Bradfield added to the runs scored by Charles Nation-Dixon (R) and Thihan De Silva (P) against Harrow. Heroic sixes by David Clapcott (W) in both matches also caught the eye. The bowling was also of high quality, with William Toller (W), Zhangir Amangaleyev (S), and Popoola ably supported with cameos from Patrick Egan (V), Ruben Simms (D) and Hugh Hutchinson (B). This was certainly a season of ‘what could have been,’ with team cohesion and momentum building towards the end of the Quarter. Next year, as 1YS, our B’s will have another chance to prove themselves against more than the weather… Mr Stephen Barnett
U15A CRICKET Played 8, Won 2, Lost 6
U16B CRICKET
Captains: Harry Wood (D) and Ben Gibson (S) Captain: Alex Wareham (B) Despite an abundance of energy, enthusiasm, and willpower, the U16B’s spent more time battling the elements than their opponents. Blighted by Covid outbreaks inside opposition camps, poor weather, and the inconveniences of GCSE assessments, the B’s never really got going. These obstacles, however, did not dampen the team’s resolve, with a competitive number of Carthusians vying for promotion to
This year’s U15A cricketers have been a delightful bunch; keen and enthusiastic, competitive and progressive, learning all the time from fixture to fixture and doing their utmost to improve upon previous results. Let’s be honest, it’s been a tricky season. Covid meant that these boys had no cricket last summer and so this was their first experience of cricket at Charterhouse. Nonetheless, despite a less than impressive season set of stats, the boys must be congratulated for their stalwart spirit throughout CQ.
The season began very promisingly against Hurstpierpoint School. Harry Wood made an excellent start as batsman, scoring an encouraging 62, with Amar Sanghera (R) supporting right at the top of the order. Sadly, a middle order collapse saw Charterhouse score 143 for eight off 30 overs. In response, some decent bowling towards the beginning saw two relatively early wickets fall. However, early season cobwebs and rusty fielding skills allowed our opponents to chase down our total within 20 overs. Credit must be given, though, to Ben Gibson and Mac Grachangnetara (G) for respectable figures. A tricky second fixture against an Eton side boasting five county players highlighted further early season errors – the Etonian batsmen exposed significant cracks in our defence, despite some excellent bowling from Mac Grachangnetara and Ben Gibson who took three wickets each. Nonetheless, Eton amassed 225 from their 30 and, despite another half-century from Harry Wood, we were unable to follow through. The weather turned at this point in the Quarter, cancelling fixtures against Tonbridge, Westminster, and Bradfield. Amongst these games, however, a victory! Under gloriously sunny skies, the U15’s took to the beautiful setting of Maniacs for this fixture against Reed’s School in the ESCA cup. We welcomed back Lucas Kher (W) and Luke Griffiths (g) from the 1st XI and were put into the field. We saw some superb bowling from Luke, Ben, Sonny Albert (g), and Mac as ever, complemented by brilliantly supportive all-round fielding, though a flurry pushed Reed’s through to 116 off their 20 overs. Charterhouse went out in confidence. A steady and assured start from Wood and Kehr saw the run rate slowly move up before the big hitting Luke Griffiths accelerated. Lucas carried his bat with a steady half century, helping Charterhouse to 118 for two off 19. Through to the next round! Next was a fixture against Harrow, on a wet, miserable May Saturday. Charterhouse won the toss, electing to bat first, anticipating that batting would only get harder through the day. We managed a respectable 64 in 15 overs on a wet, stodgy wicket but by the time Harrow went out to bat in sunshine, the wicket had improved and the runs were knocked off easily. Frustrating! But the next fixture was to be against Reed’s. With Ben, Alex Weir (D), Sonny, and Barney Norman (g) all in the wickets column, Charterhouse secured another victory. A 20-20 fixture against Bede’s away saw Charterhouse out in the field first. Frustratingly, their opening batsman aside, Bede’s had very little to offer in the batting department but still somehow found their way to 104 from their 20. Ben Gibson finished with excellent figures of 1 for 6 from his 4 overs, but other bowlers rather disappeared around the park. Nonetheless, this was not a daunting target and a considered, mature approach to the run-chase was all that was required. However, a lack of
14 0
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 140
19/08/2021 14:21
support in the middle order after an excellent opening stand between Lucas and Sonny meant that Charterhouse fell short once more, finishing with 98 for seven from their 20. The U15’s ploughed on, this time out to Wellington on another gloriously sunny day, and on a great looking deck with a short boundary, batting first was the sensible option for Wellington. However, Charterhouse, invigorated by the return of Sam Watson (S), started well. With firepower up top and the ‘spin twins’ Barney and Sonny keeping things tight too, we kept Wellington to 30 for 4. However, a strong middle order partnership, some hard hitting, and sloppy fielding on our part, saw their number six and seven both reach halfcenturies. This proved to be too much for our batsmen. Our strong bowling attack was let down by some poor shot selections, a silly run out, and some irresponsible cricket; the U15’s crumbled to 51 all out. With winnable fixtures against Winchester and Lord Wandsworth washed out, our final game came against St. George’s School in the next round of the cup, which sadly turned out be a disappointing one! Batting first, 120 was never going to be enough. This was especially frustrating given that we were able to post a full-strength side once more and even though there were useful knocks from Sonny, Luke and Harry, our finishing score was well below par. St. George’s are a strong side, and, although they knocked the runs off inside 19 overs, dumping us out of the cup, this was still a game that should have been much closer, and possibly even won. “What could have been’’ is the best phrase to summarise the U15A season. There were too many occasions where a little more application and maturity would have made a huge difference. Nonetheless, there were many positives to come out of their cricket. Many have been mentioned already, but a word must be given to Luke Penney (D) who provided a truly solid (and, at times, brilliant) set of gloves behind the stumps. Many of these lads will go on to make excellent U16 cricketers and, for sure, 1st and 2nd XI players. They have continued to improve, and their cricketing ability promises greater things ahead.
The season got off to a flying start with a home victory against Hurst on the first Saturday. It was apparent from the outset that the Charterhouse U14B’s are a team of allrounders, with depth in both batting and bowling. After such a good start, the season looked promising, and spirits were high. Frustratingly, however, there followed a period of very poor weather during which multiple matches had to be cancelled, and much of this early momentum was lost. The team did manage half a match away at Harrow before the heavens opened, and even completed a whole fixture away at Bradfield (a brave loss) in which the boys spent their entire innings fielding in the rain. However, the second victory of the season was just around the corner, thanks in no small part to a glorious innings of 73 from 50 balls by Marcus Aberneithie (H). The boys suffered a subsequent loss to a strong Wellington side despite very respectable team performances with both bat and ball, and ever-improving fielding displays. A third victory of the season was snatched from their hands – Charterhouse had Winchester on five runs for two wickets off three overs when the rain set in. All in all, a frustrating season curtailed by the weather, but with many positives to take into the following year. Joshua Wyke’s (G) batting improved leaps and bounds; Finlay Threadgold-Ball’s (H) shiny new action produced some devastating outswingers; and Lucas Dyer’s (S) wicketkeeping was impressively reliable. There is a considerable wealth of talent within the team and with a little less rain and a little more luck, there are certainly good times ahead for this talented bunch of cricketers.
chase down the required runs, but we underestimated the strength of their bowlers. Some early wickets in both games put us on the back foot from the start. Great batting performances from Will Bourke (B), William Addison-Smith (D), and Ollie Rowe-Ham (P), and some brave running between the wicket from Oliver Wolny (P) showed there was light at the end of the tunnel, but unfortunately, Eton and Harrow prevailed and claimed victory. The game against Bradfield was wet and windy with the whole squad battling through to keep the run chase to a minimum. Charlie Bromley (H) showed his potential with the bat before cruelly being dismissed but unfortunately, it ended with another loss, with the boys showed superb grit and determination throughout the game. The fixture at Reed’s and our final game against Wellington saw some of our best cricketing displays of the whole season. We were impeccable in the field, with Henry Cardozo (P) bowling some excellent balls to limit teams’ chances of scoring big. Our batting got off to a great start in both games but slowly faded. When it looked to be over, Michael Montague (R) and Arthur Reventlow-Grinling (G) entered the crease and started to produce a sound partnership which threatened the opposition but a wrong decision to run meant the partnership ended abruptly and our chances of winning ran just out of reach. The boys should be proud of their performances, and they showed real promise for next season when they get back out onto the cricket square. Players of the season – Ryan Jones (L) & Will Bourke (B) Most improved – Matthew Rhee (R) & William Addison-Smith (D)
Dr Jem Pearson
Mr Guy Sandys-Renton
U14C CRICKET
U14D CRICKET
Played 8, Won 1, Lost 5, Abandoned 2
The boys started CQ with a real eagerness to get involved in cricket and especially in school fixtures. This was very encouraging to see and made coaching them a pleasure throughout. The team got off to a strong start with a comfortable win against Hurstpierpoint, winning by six wickets. Whether fielding or bowling, the whole team put in a huge amount of effort, producing a very promising first performance. Our next fixture was to be Eton at home but the team struggled against a very skilled side who made sure our fielders were well occupied. However, we had some excellent moments from stand out performers such as Hugh Westmacott (L), who scored a good many runs for the team and kept our spirits high, even after we had lost a few wickets in quick succession. In addition, Kit Simms’ (D) bowling motivated the team to chase a daunting but attainable score but it wasn’t to be.
Mr Jamal Sutton & Mr Ben Mohammed
U14B CRICKET
The boys started off the season promisingly with a compelling victory over Hurstpierpoint, in which Liam Gilmore (H) put his talent on show in the field whilst Khalel Amangaleyev (D) and Ryan Jones (L) dominated the bowling by sending a few opponents quickly back to the pavilion. Our next adversaries, Eton and Harrow, presented us with some tough opposition. Some great bowling from both Charlie Holder (W) and again from Ryan Jones meant that we still had a fighting chance to
After the big defeat against Eton, the boys travelled to a soggy Harrow for their next game. We put Harrow in to bat first and early wickets taken by Jack Waters (R), Hugh Westmacott, 141
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 141
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
and Toby Nash (g) in the field put us in control of the tie. But as the innings went on, Harrow found their rhythm and posted a very convincing 101-5 after 20 overs. We batted with real enthusiasm, exemplified by Toby Nash who contributed 28 runs to our total but as the team continued their innings, poor weather settled in and the game ultimately came down to just three runs we couldn’t quite chase down. In the penultimate game of the season, Reed’s posted a very strong 168 for seven off 20 overs, so we had our work cut out for us. The boys batted impressively but fell short with Caspar Wood (S) standing out as the performer of the game with both bat and ball. The season finale was against Winchester College at home. We fielded and bowled well, with Toby Nash collecting a handful of wickets to help Charterhouse keep Winchester to 80 for eight. Thanks to the impressive partnership of Hayden Mclntyre-Brown (R) and Toby Nash, the boys chased 80 runs with 12 overs to spare. With some great performances this year, I hope the team manages to replicate their exemplary skill and spirit going into next season. Player of the season – Toby Nash Most improved – Hugh Westmacott Miss Georgia Bowers
GIRLS CRICKET SEASON
from getting anywhere near our total. Week in week out the girl’s development was apparent and having initially played with incrediballs for matches the girls faced Seaford in their first ever hardball cricket game. Seaford were extremely strong and competitive which unfortunately dealt the girls their first loss as a team. Despite this the girls performed excellently with the ball, Pip Rogerson and Annie Arbuthnott were the pick of the bowlers. The girls looked to bounce back from this defeat when we welcomed Reeds back to Charterhouse for the reverse fixture. The girls once again bowled and fielded excellently restricting Reeds to 233. Unfortunately, we lost some wickets at crucial moments but Alexa Mukherjee and Annabel Fox (Su) put us in a good position to win the game. Laura Galbraith and Lucy Jennings had got us past the total until with 2 balls to go Lucy Jennings got caught out and we lost 5 runs and ultimately the game. The girls were an absolute pleasure to coach all year and developed their skillset excellently. It was also extremely pleasing to see, Laura Galbraith, Lucy Jennings and Harriet Baker (Su) represent the team by playing for the U15b boys’ teams. A prime example of how strong the girl’s development has been and their drive to challenge their skillsets. End of Season Awards: Coaches Player – Laura Galbraith (F) Carthusian Values – Pip Rogerson (Su) Most Improved – Alexa Mukherjee (Su) Captains Award – Catie Chauhan (Su) Mr David Voller
INTERHOUSE 1YS GIRLS CRICKET
It was a successful first season back for the Girls cricket team, with the programme returning for the first time in twenty or so years. The group of girls were exceptional, demonstrating Carthusian values throughout the entire season. Unfortunately, the season wasn’t as long as planned but after four games the girls returned a 50% winning percentage. Initially cruising to a first victory against Reeds where captain, Catie Chauhan (Su) lead by example first with the ball and then with the bat alongside her pair Hattie Cole (Su). Laura Galbraith (F) and Lucy Jennings (F) put on a tremendous display of running between the wickets to make the victory comfortable. The final pair performed exceptionally throughout the season and really emerged as stand out players for the team. After two games the girls had back to back wins after beating Tormead in what was a great all-round team performance. Aadya Seksaria (C) found the boundary with some pleasing shots while Zara Mukherjee (C) complimented her excellently in their pair. All the girls bowled excellently to prevent Tormead
The sun finally decided to come out in CQ and with that came an exceptional afternoon of Girls’ Interhouse Cricket. There was energy and enthusiasm from the outset with all the girls eager to bring home the silverware for their House. In the opening fixtures, Fletcherites and the Sutton 2nd XI got off to winning starts, despite Camilla Pearce’s (C) best efforts with the bat scoring numerous boundaries for Chetwynd against a strong Sutton 2nd XI. Chetwynd then recorded their first victory after beating Fletcherites in a nail-biting match that saw the victors winning by just four runs. Meanwhile Catherine Chauhan (Su) led her Sutton 2nd XI team to another win against Sutton 1st XI who provided a strong test with some great bowling from Annabel Arbuthnott (Su) and Pippa Rogerson (Su). It was all to play for in the last round of fixtures with Catherine Chauhan’s Sutton side needing a win to lift the cup, but if Fletcherites could deprive them of it, the competition would be blown wide open for all the other teams, depending on the results. Fletcherites got off to a great start, with Laura Galbraith (F) and Jessica West (F) taking early wickets, but Sutton bounced back and posted an imposing total of 255. Fletcherites looked on course to take it right to the wire, but a late run out from Harriet Cole (Su) pegged them back and Sutton held on for victory. Sutton 1st XI defeated Chetwynd to pick up their first win with a great performance from Annabel Lawson
(Su), meaning it was all tied up on points for second place. Chetwynd finished as runnersup having taken more wickets then Fletcherites. Huge congratulations to Sutton who remained undefeated to lift the trophy, which has been donated by Archives for Girls’ Cricket. It’s a stunning trophy that is perfect for this exciting new Interhouse sport. Catherine Chauhan (Su), a member of the winning house, gave the following report of the season: ‘Despite a lack of cricketing experience at the beginning of CQ, the 1YS girls brought a spirit of enthusiasm and determination to each session. This meant that, by the time of the Interhouse tournament, we were champing at the bit to use our newly acquired skills. During the run up to the all-important match day, Mr Voller, Ms Burton, and Ms Bowers provided us with the fundamentals of the game and, after a session in the cricket nets and some fielding practices, the girls were ready to play. Although most of us hadn’t played before, there was an encouraging amount of support from both teammates and spectators which inspired a good deal of laughter and plenty of motivation for all the teams. Despite Fletcherites’ endless catches and Chetwynd’s ability to smash the ball across the boundaries, Sutton won overall and managed to secure the trophy. Victory aside, it was wonderful to see Girls’ Cricket at Charterhouse have such a successful and enjoyable introduction. I am beyond excited to see where it leads in the future. Sunshine, cricket, and immaculate pitches all gave us a memorable end to the week.
ATHLETICS Saturday 24 April was the first afternoon of competitive Charterhouse sport since June 2019, the weather was kind, for once, and there were many athletes making their debut in a Charterhouse vest. We welcomed Wellington College and Seaford College to the Sir Greville Spratt Athletics Stadium under Covid restrictions, but it was clear that everyone – staff and athletes – was excited to be back on (the) track. The start of the season was an indicator of the success to come – there was plenty to celebrate, in particular many Removes who had missed out on last year’s season, and some talented new 1YS. The team had their best ever result at the Radley Relays, albeit in a virtual format – our juniors raced our seniors and inters on our home track to post times for submission. The inters produced an awesome performance in the Medley event: Jimi Johnson (S) (200m), Mathieu Jouvensal-Lepere (D) (200m), Logan Hogg (G) (400m) and Rupert Ferguson (G) (800m) posted a time of 3:56.8min to record the second fastest time behind a team from Abingdon School. All three 4 x 100m teams were third in their respective categories.
142
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 142
18/08/2021 17:54
Oscar Snowball-Daumas ahead of Jack Williams and, in the inters, Jimi Johnson beat Mathieu Jouvensal-Lepere.
Senior Athletics In the seniors, new 1YS Toby Russell (P) and Lucas Brenninkmeijer (R) added strength to the team. Lucas was able to cover all the throwing events, and Toby showed versatility in the sprints and jumps. Jeremy Ogbonna (H) was the star performer, breaking Michael Okoye’s school high jump record at the Waverley Trials to reach 1.97m. He also posted a triple jump of over 12m at Eton. Hameed Belo-Osagie (G), Iacopo Lo Bue (B), Joshua Diri (W) and Hayden Brown (S) all played important supporting roles across a myriad of events, alongside stalwarts of the athletics team, Demi Adedoyin-Adeyinka (V) in the throws, TJ Amusan (G) in the sprints and Tom Miller (L) in the distance events. There was a plethora of Remove athletes, with much raw talent, eager to show their ability, but they found the start of the season tough, as they competed against boys from the year above. However, as the term progressed they showed their mettle and next season looks set to be even brighter. Ryan Vasko (g), Ryan O’Connor (D), Zach Sam-Alao (G) and Andrew Knight (R), joined Johnson, Jouvensal-Lepere and Hogg to make up the backbone of the U16 team, which beat RGS on three occasions over the season. Ferguson showed his class over the distance events, beating a quality field of athletes at Tonbridge (4:28.8min) and qualifying for the Surrey Schools’ trials, where he ran the 3000m, missing out on qualifying for the Southern Counties’ by only one second. Freddie Davenport (W) showed great commitment to athletics, juggling his training and competition (HJ) with rehearsals for Les Misérables and his IGCSEs. A small bunch of U15 athletes took to the track in April, many of them were beginners to athletics, but they trained hard, learned quickly and ended the season as accomplished athletes, brimming with confidence and talent starting to show through. Thomas Bateman (S) faced some stiff opposition in both 100m and 200m, but qualified for the Surrey Schools’ trials, finishing an impressive 3rd in the 200m. Seun Itayemi (L) quickly got to grips with all three throwing events, becoming particularly accomplished in the discus. Jack Williams (P), Benedikt Meyer-Bothling (G), Jasper Kenney (g), Oscar Snowball-Daumas (G) and Oscar Iley (P) all did themselves proud over their first season, beating RGS and the Forest School.
Inter Athletics
As always, I would like to thank my team of staff, who tirelessly coach and encourage the ever-increasing number of school athletes. DCM, NLC, CMR, LXR and Rebekah Warren joined the team (EPN, JFP, CAC, Rafer Joseph and Sissy Gasson) this year and were quick to pick up new skills and pass on this knowledge. My particular thanks to DCM who revolutionised the training programme and thought he had produced a bulletproof scoring spreadsheet… I will miss his enthusiasm, reliability and support next year, but wish him well as he moves on to new ventures. Charterhouse athletics is looking strong for 2022. Mrs Suzanne Allen
BADMINTON
Junior Athletics The weather held out for a fantastic wholeschool athletics event on the last Friday before Queen’s Exeat. The changed format for the Interhouse competition this year saw plenty of House spirit on show, with supporters cheering from the bank of the track and a delicious BBQ on offer. All athletes approached the track with an apparent eagerness to do their House and their peers proud in what would become a spectacle of (and hopefully a regular feature in) the House event schedule over the coming years. The highly competitive Spike was won by Weekites, who held off S and P by a narrow margin. The girls’ houses, competing as independents for the first time, indeed had their own success with their 12x100m House relay. Much akin to the boys, Chetwynd were sure to make the entirety of the Waverley district aware of their successful result. Both track and field events were hotly contested, culminating in the gold-ribbon event, the senior boys’ 100m, which was won by Hameed Belo-Osagie and heralded the start of Exeat for many of the pupils. I would like to thank all the staff who gave up their Friday evening to help support a full programme of events. The girls’ competition was won by Sutton The junior boys’ event was won by Saunderites The inter boys’ event was won by Daviesites The senior boys’ event was won by Weekites The Lessington Cup went to Gownboys Rupert Ferguson was awarded the Maxwell Cup for running There were no Interhouse relays in 2021, and the Victor Ludorum medals were awarded after a stiff Saturday afternoon of competition in May, in which all school athletes competed in four events (a sprint, distance event, a jump and a throw). The winner of the junior event was
A much-anticipated event, the Girls’ Badminton Interhouse Plate Competition saw some of the finest players go head-to-head over the course of an extraordinary afternoon. In a story of changing fortunes, incredible highs and close shaves, our talented girls from three Houses, Sutton, Chetwynd and Fletcherites put on a fabulous performance. The aim was simple – to win the Plate for their House, but of course, this was only the beginning of a long journey... Chetwynd stars, Astrid and Viviana let the charge with consistent, high-quality games. With their determination to succeed and pride for their House, the two girls became an unstoppable force, achieving comprehensive victories against the might of Fletcherites and Sutton and winning 7 matches, the highest across all those played. Fletcherites pair Eva and Kandy played with incredible flair and confidence, but it took a lot of resilience to win their matches against the unyielding Susie & Tiwani (C) & dynamic Iryna & Akaesha (Su). Susie’s racquet could have easily been a brick wall, and her opponents struggled to see any way through. Tiwani was the perfect partner, always watching and always ready. Like a beautiful recipe, the two girls complemented each other, enhancing their strengths and adding real flavour to their game. The matches also saw some of players demonstrate a rare quality - great positivity in the face of adversity. Olivia and Harriet (F) had to dig deep and played with great teamwork against some very stiff opposition. Yet, they maintained a smile and a ‘can-do’ attitude throughout and never gave up. The Sutton girls knew that this was never going to be easy but they were up for the challenge. Tatiana and Harriet (Su) were put through their 14 3
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 143
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
paces as the matches wore on but they worked extremely hard for every point and never let the opposition take them for granted. They were some delightful moments of laughter and joy as the duo let their emotions loose and played with all their heart and soul. Sutton’s Iryna was often seen dancing gracefully across the court, staying light on her feet and playing effortlessly as a seasoned concert pianist. She was supported strongly by Akaesha, whose wit and humour were as sharp as some of her returns. In the final moments, the air was filled with excitement and tension and as the shuttlecock sailed high in the courts, time stopped momentarily and the players took their positions contemplating the importance of their next move. When the dust settled though, there was a clear winner. Chetwynd took the Interhouse Plate and rightfully so, for they consistently demonstrated skill, grit and a real determination to win. However, there would be no competition without the competitors and in this respect, Sutton and Fletcherites girls have won my true admiration. All of their girls played with great enthusiasm, great spirit and showed great sportsmanship. Above all, regardless of who won the matches, they showed that they were great friends, and that for me is the ultimate victory. Dr. Ganesh Balasubramanian
CLIMBING We had our first ever Interhouse Girls Climbing Competition. We had five climbers representing all three girls’ Houses: Sutton, Chetwynd, and Fletcherites. All climbers had to complete five different routes of various grades. It was a close-run contest as many were topping out on their first attempt and the pressure was on to maintain focus and not make any mistakes. As the routes became more technical, a few shone through and, ultimately, Sutton were victorious, closely pursued by Fletcherites with Chetwynd in third. Keeping us on the edge of our seats, both Sutton girls ended the day on equal points. Therefore, to decide who would be the first ever winner of the coveted Phoebe Nelson Trophy, the girls did an Olympic-style speed climb. Again, it was close, but massive congratulations to Tatiana Winderflood (Su) for winning the overall event, hotly pursued by Akaesha Negi-Tandon (Su). Ayla Abbasi (Ch), Elena De Rossi (F), and Laura Galbraith (F) also gave excellent performances. All girls climbed to a wonderfully high standard, and all should be proud of their efforts. I look forward to seeing them back on the wall in September.
Phoebe Nelson (D 2015, daughter of Mrs Nelson) is a very accomplished climber, who, during her time at Charterhouse, climbed a number of technically demanding routes on the School wall, pushing the envelope to such a degree that some of her routes have never been climbed since! Phoebe went on to climb nationally, winning many competitions while both at School and at Durham University.
GOLF
Tatiana Winterflood (Su), the overall winner, gave the following account of the competition: We had a climbing competition between Sutton, Chetwynd, and Fletcherites was very close towards the end. Only three of us climb weekly, whereas this was the others’ first time. Sutton won overall with maximum points, followed by Fletcherites and then Chetwynd. Five walls were used in the competition, which ended in a speed climb. After spending each week over the last Quarter climbing, both Akaesha and I felt proud to have represented Sutton. We are especially happy to have been part of the first ever Girls’ Interhouse Climbing Competition and hope that more girls will join climbing next Quarter.
DANCE Held remotely during lockdown, the theme of the inaugural House Dance Competition this year was ‘togetherness,’ even though many Carthusians were scattered all over the world. This theme was thus especially thoughtprovoking, since many of these pupils hadn’t seen each other for weeks due to Covid-19. The pupils were therefore encouraged to reflect upon how to find a sense of community whilst separated. Though there were lots of exciting and inventive entries, Sutton claimed the title this year. Harriet Baker (Su) gives the following report of the event: The theme of House Dance this year was ‘togetherness.’ Despite being in lockdown, the Sutton girls have kept in contact, and we wanted to show this through our video. We conveyed the theme of togetherness by passing a t-shirt from screen to screen from the countries that we live in while dancing. We harnessed the Charterhouse values of perseverance, open-mindedness, and responsibility when creating the video during a global pandemic. Ellis Britz, Akeasha Negi-Tandon, Elyse Wu, and I edited, coordinated, and choreographed the dance, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Dance, through working together, can achieve self-expression through creativity which, as Sutton girls, is really important to us. Using the blend of personalities, countries, and global connection through technology, we were able to deliver the key message of ‘togetherness’ while working to a deadline and, most importantly, having fun.
Junior Golf Charterhouse has managed to pack in a lot of competitive and recreational golf this CQ, with seven friendly fixtures followed by participation in the ISGA National Finals and the Gerald Micklem Cup, and every match went down to the wire! The season started with a close win by our juniors over Reigate Grammar on the School course, the Halford Hewitt. In our senior matches, our first pair, led by captain Jaash Parekh (g) was a match for Eton, Winchester, Bradfield, and Harrow. On 25 May, Jaash Parekh, Alex Wells (D), and Henry Wigg (L) claimed a memorable victory over Reed’s School at Worplesdon GC in the ISGA Singles match play area semi-final. The match was remarkable, not just because of the quality and closeness of the sporting contest, but also because of the sportsmanship on display from both sides during and after the match. Jaash holed some prodigious putts to win his singles, while each of the other two matches went to a play-off, with Henry sealing the tie and enabling Charterhouse to qualify for the ISGA national finals held at Worsley Park in Lancashire, in which our team came a commendable seventh. In this year’s Gerald Micklem Trophy, held at beautiful Sunningdale GC, the Charterhouse team won a very close first round match against Bradfield before losing 2-3 against eventual winners Harrow in the semi-final of the main draw. Our match also went to the 19th hole! Special mentions go to Jaash Parekh for his leadership of the team, to Alex Wells for winning both of his matches by playing some outstanding golf, and to Zach Kirton (H) for retaining his composure on his way to winning his first-round match. This was a Gerald Micklem to be proud of, with some excellent performances by all involved. We look forward to resuming our performancecoaching programme at Worplesdon GC, which continues to offer our team a superb opportunity to play senior fixtures on one of Surrey’s finest courses. The team has been very ably led by Jaash Parekh, who has completed his A-Level exams and looks forward to playing College Golf in America.
14 4
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 144
18/08/2021 17:54
Senior Golf
RACQUETS
SWIMMING
This has been a Racquets season like no other in living memory. First, we had to deal with stringent regulations on the sanitisation of equipment, social distancing on the court and in the gallery, a ban on mixing different age groups in the building, and a reduction in the times when pupils could access the courts. Then, when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, January saw the closure of all schools until early March, which then only allowed the briefest of periods back on court before the Easter holidays began.
During CQ, we were able to hold the Girls’ House Swimming Competition. We had all three girls’ Houses taking part and it was great to see them back in the pool to compete for the Lyle Cup. The overall winning House changed several times over the course of the eight events, so it all came down to the final relay. Although a huge swim from Chetwynd saw them take the win in the relay, it simply wasn’t enough to prevent Sutton from taking the overall win (though only by one point!). This year, we have also introduced a Best Senior Swimmer Trophy, The Maria Steyn Award for Girls’ House Swimming. Maria was a Captain of Swimming in 1991 and it was fitting to name this award after her. This is awarded to the top performing girl in an individual event. This year the trophy was lifted by Camilla Pearce (C) who won the 50m Freestyle, 50m Breaststroke, as well as the 100m Individual Medley.
Despite all this, the Racquets Courts continued to be a hive of activity, operating at maximum capacity on many afternoons as the returning players, as well as newcomers to the game, tried to eke out every chance to hit a ball.
Golf Squad It was a pleasure to award Jaash a prestigious red tie for his golfing commitment and achievements. The Charterhouse singles competition was won by Alex Wells (D) with a score of -1 (37 stableford points) at Worplesdon. House Golf was won first by Daviesites in 2020 and by Duckites in 2021. The Family Foursome’s Tournament welcomed 15 families on 20th June and was won jointly by the McIsaac and Gemmell families. The event also witnessed a remarkable hole-in-one by Oscar McCulloch (D). Our golf season will end with the Prep Schools’ Tournament on 29 June when we look forward to welcoming some up-and-coming young golfers. A huge well done to four of our 1YS Rory McIsaac (B), Alberto Giardino (B), Jarebb Gan (g), and Cathal Shine (g) who took on the ‘longest day golf challenge’ by playing 72 holes on the School course on 24 June. They raised over £1240 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Beginners and intermediate players have taken individual lessons with golf professional Dean Lintott. Golf continues to thrive as a recreational sport at Charterhouse with over 80 pupils of all levels holding a bag tag, which allows them to use the School course to practice their skills and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Many thanks to all our golfers for their contribution to Charterhouse Golf and to my colleagues Catherine McDonald, Tim Hingston, Martin Crosby, David McCombes, and Owen Chisholm for their help and support this year.
It has been a real delight to see so many of the Yearlings attending every week, and perhaps, in some perverse way, the absence of competitive Racquets (both internally and between schools) has given them more time on court to appreciate the game. We hope to see plenty more of them in the future. The real victims though have of course been the returning members, where the anticipation of regular fixtures against the best pairs that other schools have to offer gives real purpose and drive throughout the season, not to mention the highlight of each Quarter, the National Singles and Double Competitions at The Queen’s Club. It is the 2YS who will have felt the absence of competitive Racquets most keenly as this was to have been the culmination of their Racquets career at Charterhouse. It is with great sadness that none of us ever got to see James Taylor (D), as Captain, with his partner Marcus Rawlings (S) representing the School in the First Pair, both in the weekly matches but also in their final outings at Queen’s, though I know Matteo Capuano (D) and Ayush Patel (S) would have kept the spectators focussed on the action in the court with their own brand of entertaining play.
Kelly Gu (Su), a member of the winning House, gives the following report of the day: Interhouse Swimming was a competitive event where House spirit counted for everything. Since Sutton had more than ten members participating and were supported by the rest of the House from the spectators’ gallery, it was no surprise they won. However, Chetwynd was only one point behind, even though they had just four swimmers! Their squad was formidable – one of their number, Camilla Pearce, won The Maria Steyn Award for Best Senior Swimmer, a very impressive accomplishment! Everyone showed immense dedication and perseverance - all the swimmers strived to perform at their best for each event. A few swam a lofty total of five events throughout the competition and some even swam a few in a row. In sum, Interhouse Swimming gave us all an indomitable sense of pride in our House which allowed the event to be hugely successful. We look forward to next year! Mrs Claudia Clements
Despite all the challenges, I am delighted to report that Racquets continues to thrive under the guidance from MJC both on and off the court. If Racquets teaches you nothing else, it is how to cope in the face of adversity. Resilience and determination are key attributes for all players of the game which shine through especially in those situations when you are two games to love down and taking serve at 4-9, and you exchange one look with your partner, you hear the call from the partisan gallery of ‘one each!’, and you know you will prevail in the end. Mr Andrew Johnson
Mr Will Baugniet 145
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 145
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
WATER POLO
TENNIS
With some tight restrictions in place this year, we have been limited with our fixtures in the pool. However, it hasn’t been all bad for the water polo team as our students have had the opportunity to build up a solid fitness base after such a long period of being out of the pool.
After the hiatus of the 2020 tennis season, it came as a welcome relief to be back on the tennis court, not only for training, but also playing competitively against other schools. Even amongst the backdrop of teacherassessed grades, we were indebted to the valuable contributions of tennis beaks. With the School tennis season being comparatively short, there was a lot of tennis to pack in. The U14’s were very much a standout year group for the attitude and levels of application they exhibited in training and in matches – indeed, it was commonplace to see players on court playing for three hours every Tuesday and Thursday as competition for places in the teams was extremely tough. The Specialists too were also out in force – a number of our 2YS boys would need to make up for lost time, including the likes of Henry Wilkinson (W), James Dovell (L), Jamie Gell (W), Sebastian Smith (g), and Hugo Samuelson (g). Even more encouraging was the increasing strength in the 1YS; Emma Haynes (Su) and Annabel Lawson (Su) really established themselves as key players in the Girls 1st team, with Thomas De La Chaise (S), Jamie Richardson (B), and Bart Keijer-Palau (V) also staking strong claims for places in the Boys 1st team.
With a slight relaxation of the Covid restrictions, we were able to host both 1YS and 2YS House Water Polo tournaments during CQ. It was fantastic to see our Houses battling it out in the pool once again for the title of Interhouse Water Polo Champions. With a strong first two games in the 2YS tournament, we saw Bodeites and Duckites go through to the Grand Final. After an exciting start which saw a half-time score of 0-0, Nico Gage Llado (B) gave an excellent performance in the second half to score the only goal of the game and so securing the win for Bodeites. Congratulations also to Daviesites who beat Saunderites 4-1 in the third place playoff. In the 1YS House Water Polo Tournament, we saw yet more compelling action from many of our Houses. After comfortably winning their games in the first two rounds, both Bodeites and Verites went on to battle it out in the final. Bodeites looked strong from the start, scoring their first goal within the first minute of the game! Bodeites continued to dominate throughout, with top goal-scorer Giuseppe Aprile Borriello (B) scoring an eye watering six goals. Verites tried to fight back with a late goal from Kaleb Root, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to match Bodeites. The title went to Bodeites with a final score of 9-1. Congratulations also to Saunderites who finished third in the tournament.
With numbers of tennis teams and players only continuing to grow, the future looks increasingly bright for Charterhouse Tennis. A huge thank you to the beaks who put in a considerable amount of work to offer such a comprehensive tennis programme, as well as the students and parents for their continued support.
U14 Tennis We started with 70 U14 boys attending the tennis trials, so spaces for the team spots were tight. As well as having to showcase their skills in the first couple of weeks, the boys also caught on very quickly that any other colour than white sport socks was a big no! Our first game was against Tonbridge – a nervy start to a fantastic season. The boys were trying new positions, playing with different people from their year and channelling their inner Roger Federer, complete with the odd headband – Louis Ellwood (W) certainly maintained this look through the season! Serving practice became a main focus of training and our outside coach, Shane Hurst, put the boys through their paces, startling a few with his aces down the T or inside-out serves, and they soon saw their confidence grow. By the end of the season, the thrilling one-point match became a favourite alongside doubles champions. The boys would spend at least five hours a week on court with intensive training, but at least double that was spent in their own time playing and practising. They were extremely committed: Jonathan Lake-Coghlan (B) spent a whole afternoon improving his service game by himself to win a promotion to the B team. Opportunities to play against the staff were just as frequent as against other schools, but to no avail. Mr Silvester, Mr Hall, and Ms GordonMartin remained unbeaten, despite fantastic efforts from the boys. Harry von Haniel (W) and Stephan Vishnyak (H) may get their opportunity next year. Some members of the team made remarkable progress. Andile Thabethe (D) transitioned from the D team to a regular spot on the A team by the end of the season through sheer determination to succeed.
After winning both tournaments, Bodeites will remain reigning champions of the Senior House Water Polo Trophy for another year. Mrs Claudia Clements
We thoroughly enjoyed coaching the 60 U14 pupils this year. Their attitude, application, and ability only improved throughout the season, and we would like to thank them all very much for a fantastic coaching season which was filled with fun and, of course, wins – particularly the C team! Miss Georgia Gordon-Martin, Mr Richard Hall, and Mrs Charlotte Silvester
U14 Tennis
14 6
CH_Carthusian_Text_2021_AW.indd 146
18/08/2021 17:54
TH E C A RTH US I A N 202 1
1YS Tennis
CONTENTS 1st VIII
04
50 04 Interview with James Adair (B99) 08 Interview with Sir Jonathan Faull KCMG 12 Uniforms 16 OC Beaks Interviews 23 Valete
37
60 34 Salvete 37 Music 50 Drama 60 Art 79 Design & Technology
82 82 Sport 108 School Trips 122 Societies & Events 132 Prizes 134 Sport Reports
U15 Tennis It has been another enjoyable tennis season with the U15 teams this Quarter. It has been pleasing to see a very good run of fixtures against other schools, with comfortable wins over RGS Guildford and Winchester, a tightly contested defeat at the hands of Tonbridge, and two valiant efforts against Eton. There were some excellent performances from our top players, especially Ben Skinner (P), Kasra Mafi (g), Charlie Raeside (W), Vlad Dmitriev (V), and Roman Zolotov (B). Credit must also be given to some solid performances from other teams, especially the “dream team” Bodeites pairing of Jeremy West and Dominic Wilder, and to Yubin Zhang (R) and Jack Tenenbaum (D) for their excellent work as substitutes and dedication to training. Finally, it is worth commending Mac Grachangnetara (G) for making it to the last 16 in the Junior Singles Competition, despite his main sport having been cricket this Quarter! This was an impressive accolade and an excellent note on which to end a good Quarter’s tennis.
Internal Competitions There were several internal events that took place:
Mr William Tink
The Plate Draw winners were the Sacco family
1YS Tennis
School Singles In the school singles events: Ethan Kovalev won the Junior Boys Singles Emma Haynes the Senior Girls Singles Jamie Richardson won the Senior Boys Singles House Tennis In House Tennis: Saunderites won the Senior Boys House Tennis Chetwynd won the Senior Girls House Tennis Gownboys won the Junior Boys House Tennis Family Doubles Saturday 26 June saw the playing of the Family Doubles Competition. There was excellent play from students in the Fourth form all the way up to the 2YS, as well as all the family members that played.
2YS Tennis
The Main Draw winners were the Wilkinson family The Bowl Draw winners were the Richardson family The Shield Draw winners were the Capuano family
2YS Tennis
The Thomas Sutton Draw winners were the Waller family
147
The Carthusian_Cover_2021_AW.indd 2
17/08/2021 14:43
The
THE CARTHUSIAN 2021 VOLUME 45/2
CARTHUSIAN
20 21
VO
LU
M
E
45
/2
Charterhouse Godalming Surrey GU7 2DX
charterhouse.org.uk
The Carthusian_Cover_2021_AW.indd 1
17/08/2021 14:43