Gaytonian Centenary Celebrations
The School’s centenary in 2011 is less than two years away, with the Association’s centenary following in 2012. The School and the Association are working closely together to plan a series of commemorative events over the period January 2011 to June 2012. We anticipate that there will be something to interest everyone, younger, older, sporting, cultural, historian and diner.
The plans currently include:
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21 January 2011 Foundation Day Centenary event – organised by the School |
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April 2011 Association Annual Dinner (99th Anniversary) |
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May 2011 School v OGA Twenty20 Cricket Match |
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Autumn 2011 Present and Past Pupils Concert |
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October 2011 Centenary Celebration Weekend |
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including |
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Grand Centenary Dinner co-hosted by School and OGA |
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Exhibition at the School |
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Tours of the School |
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11 November 2011 Remembrance Day Service |
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late November 2011 OGA Autumn Social Lunch |
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April 2012 Association Centenary Annual Dinner |
As these dates become exact they will be published to members via OGA mailings and on the Harrow County website.
During the 18-month period we also expect to hold a series of interactive Gayton Centenary Lectures, given by distinguished Old Gaytonians, on subjects chosen by them. These will be relaxed social events with an opportunity to question the speakers on their chosen subject.
We will be publishing a history of the School from 1975 to 2011, which will complement the History of Harrow County School for Boys 1911 to 1975 written by Trevor May. The 1961 film set, Makers of Men, directed by Hugh Skillen will be released as a DVD set together with additional film material which has been recently found in or kindly donated to the Archive. We hope also to produce a Centenary DVD covering the 100 years of schools on the Gayton Road site.
You may be wondering what you can do and when will you be able to make bookings. You can help us by volunteering to help organise and deliver one or more of the events. We have a lead person for each activity, and if you wish to volunteer your help please contact me - details below – and I will put you in touch with the right person.
We will also be looking for people who can act as hosts to visitors who will be looking for overnight accommodation on the Saturday evening of the Centenary Celebration Weekend. Until we have website booking, again please let me know if you can help in this regard.
Please keep alert to mailings and website announcements of booking for the various events. For most of these there will be limitations on numbers. We anticipate that there will be considerable demand for tickets from both Old Gayts and current School members, and early booking, when offered, will be advisable.
Finally, if you want to arrange an additional event – perhaps for some special interest group – and are confident that you can really make it happen, please get in touch so that we can fit it into the calendar of events.
Keith Baker
baker at behamlet dot demon dot co dot uk
April 2009