OB Day
Old Blundellian Day Saturday 22nd June 2024
We are thrilled that Olivia Pinkney nee Richards (GH 1986-88), until recently, Chief Constable of Hampshire Constabulary and currently Deputy Lieutenant of West Sussex, has agreed to be President for the day.
OB Day President, Olivia Pinkney (née Richards, GH 1986-88)
Olivia has served in various national police roles and chair of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Resilience Forum. She has been a part of His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, led the College of Policing as Director of the Senior Command Course from September to December 2023 and was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in the 2016 New Year Honours list and awarded CBE in June 2023. Olivia currently tutors with the Cambridge University Institute of Criminology, chairs the Cumberland Lodge Police committee with The Police Foundation, and is taking some time post-policing to reflect on wider future opportunities. She is also Chair of a homeless charity, Stonepillow, preventing homelessness and helping those who are.
We welcome as our Preacher the greatly respected Andrew Berrow (Staff 1997-present, Head of RS 1998-present, Housemaster of Petergate 1999-2012, Head of Boarding 2006-12 and Senior Master 2012-present). Reading the lesson at the Chapel Service will be Peter Price (W 1958-63).
OB Day will follow its traditional pattern. Following the Club AGM and our traditional service, lunch will be held in Big School, preceded by a drink’s reception. Places for groups at our tables of up to 10 for this excellent value reunion are now available and we are hoping to welcome a significant group of Olivia's peers. Please contact Janet before purchasing your ticket if you have a group of peers you would like to create a table with and let her know the name you would like your table to be given (this table selection can then be made at the point of purchasing tickets).*
Tickets for the day have been frozen at 2019 prices and are priced at £25 per person if booked before the 18th May (and £30 from 19th May), with the deadline of 8th June 2024. The all-inclusive price includes pre-lunch drinks, lunch with wine and tea at the Beale Centre.
Book early to benefit from the lower price and secure your group’s places.
* Purchase your tickets here: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/CVWI
OB Day 2023 Programme
| Time | Event |
| 9:30am - 6:00pm | OB Memorabilia Exhibition "Strength and Sanctuary: 140 years of Blundell's Chapel", Beale Centre |
| 10:00am | AGM of the OBC, Beale Centre and on-line if required (please visit the OB meeting page for more information) |
| 11:00am | Chapel Service |
| 12:15pm | Drinks Reception with staff: Quad outside Masters’ Dining Room (School Gym if wet.) |
| 1:15pm | Lunch in Big School |
| 2:00pm | Sporting fixtures |
| 5:15pm | Tea in Beale Centre |
Old Blundellian Day 2022
It was a delight to see the return of our much-anticipated OB Day, with its reassuringly traditional format. The OB Club welcomed 90 members of the Blundell’s community, some of whom had not returned to Blundell’s since they left, one 64 years ago and others only 2!
The whole day was wonderful, from the Chapel Service with its spectacular music; the address given by The Rt Revd Nick McKinnel (Governor); Treasures of the Archive Exhibition; 
the superb lunch; to President Leigh Menheneott’s speech, where he fondly and amusingly said farewell to Blundell’s. To cap it off, the OB Magpies v pupils, got the highest score in shooting that morning and won the coveted cup, which has not been in their possession for over 20 years! All in all, it was a fitting celebration and reconnection since the last OB Day in 2019.
Please look out for next year’s date, so you can also enjoy this splendid day, catching up with friends or meeting new.
For more photos, please log into the Blundell’s community database and select Past Events/Gallery.
OB Day 2019 and Paddy Armstrong Commemoration Service – reflections of the day
Jessica Mannix addresses assembled guests on OB Day 2019
OB Day was a resounding success, testified by the many comments and feedback received.
The day started with shooting by the Magpies, including two new female recruits, and the Old Blundellian Committee AGM, both being swift in their deliverance to accommodate the remaining days’ proceedings. The emotionally charged and uplifting Chapel Service followed, where there was not only volume in numbers paying respect to Paddy but also in the singing and music. Gambling with the weather ensured the Drinks Reception took place in the very pleasant Quad location, where there was much reminiscing by not only Old Blundellians but guests, parents, staff and the two current Heads of School. The excellent lunch then followed where the catering department excelled not only in the quality of the food but also in the standard of their service. Speeches were informative, reverent and thought provoking. Jessica Mannix gave clarity to that tangible thread Blundell’s has on us as a community and the magnetism, which draws us back. Excellent exhibitions were viewed and the culmination of tea served in the Beale Centre by the ever present Sue Beale finalised the eventful and pleasant day.
The masterful eulogy for Paddy Armstrong given by Jonathan Leigh is available to view, as are the details of Paddy’s plaque. Attenders on the day can be seen here. Please also read the speech by President of the Day, Jessica Mannix, see the Preacher's sermon given by The Very Revd Nicholas Coulton, and see a flyer of photos from the day.
Thank you to all those who attended or contributed in whatever manner to making the day successful in every respect.
OB Club Secretary
OB Day 2018 Report
A record number of Old Blundellians returned on June 9th to celebrate Old Blundellian Day beginning, as usual, with the AGM. Committee members said goodbye, with thanks, to Richard Giles after many years of service and appointed Lauren Mitchell to the OB Committee.
Chapel was well supported with an excellent sermon from Andrew Hutchinson and a lesson read by President for the Day Nick Swarbrick's daughter, Ellie Freeman. Drinks in the Beale Centre followed with wine again generously provided by the Grose family.
Lunch in the marquee served by the school catering team was of a high quality and enjoyed by 107 diners. Nicola Huggett and Amber Oliver were presented with bouquets in recognition of service and wished bon voyage for their onward journeys away from Blundell's. Nick Swarbrick spoke eloquently about the many spheres of Blundell's life he and Joyce have been involved in. He took as his theme the value of continuity and the vitality of change in the vibrant life of the whole Blundell's constituency.
It was marvellous to see two tables of golfers and two tables of 1980s leavers plus many others returning after long absences. Information about next year's OB Day will be sent out in October and we look forward to working with Blundell's new Head, Bart Wielenga.
OB Day 2017 Report
OB Day 2017 was blessed with wonderful weather, and an excellent turn out of 90 for lunch enjoyed some delicious food, fine wine, courtesy of the Thurlestone Hotel, and thoughtful speeches. David Fursdon, Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenent for Devon, took us through his long and positive relationship with Blundell's. Tables included Governors, Magpies, Battlefields, Twaddlers and 1970s/80s.
Chapel was a celebration of Blundell's music as well as being Alistair Deighton Gibson's debut as a preacher and was greatly enjoyed by all.
Thanks to everybody who attended and to those who made the day possible. We look forward to seeing you all again next year.
OB Day 2016 Report
OB Day 2016 went off well. The AGM voted in Paul Waterworth to replace Martyn Grose as President and Richard Swarbrick to replace Paul Waterworth as Chairman.
Chapel was a pleasure and Kate Wheatley, on debut in the pulpit, delivered an excellent sermon. About 120 staff, OBs, guests and partners enjoyed drinks in the Beale Centre which were kindly supplied by Thurlestone Hotel.
The School catering staff produced an outstanding buffet lunch for 91 attenders - an increase from 78 in 2015.
Nicky Klinkenberg delivered an inspirational address as President for the Day and speeches finished at 4pm to be followed by tea at 4.30.
OB v School shooting preceded Chapel and it was good to see a couple of tables of comparatively young OBs enjoying reunions within OB Day.
In addition to the programme you can also see a flyer of photos from the day.
OB Day 2016 Magpie Small Bore Shooting Competition
You can see a short report and some photos from the OB Day Shooting event on the Shooting page.
OB Day 2015 Report Saturday 20th June 2015
Following the AGM at which Chairman Judge Paul Waterworth, agreed to retain the Chairmanship for one more year, Chapel offered an enhanced service. The Blundell’s choir sang beautifully and the added music was enjoyed by all. Thanks to Revd Tim Hunt for preaching and Bella Barlow for reading the lesson.
Staff joined Old Blundellians and partners for drinks in the recently extended Colin Beale Centre and 85 OBs sat down to an excellent lunch, provided by the School Catering Department, in the marquee on Big Field. Andrew Barlow, as President for the Day, spoke eloquently about his path to Director of Music at Blundell’s and his 30 years of tenure. Andrew’s address was interspersed with lively performances from recent OB musicians Bella Barlow, Jess Atkins and Hatty Goody.
Tea was taken at 4.30pm in the Colin Beale Centre and all agreed that the day had been most enjoyable. We hope to see even more attending next year with girl’s sport being the theme!
(See some additional photos from OB Day here. Also see the Shooting page for some photos of the Magpies vs Blundellians event on OB Day.)
OB Day 2014 ReportSaturday 14th June 2014
Old Blundellian Day 2014 took place on June 14th 2014 to commemorate the centenary of the Great War. Over 135 Old Blundellians, Partners, Former Staff Members and a selection of pupils enjoyed a full day including a Chapel Service incorporating a presentation to the School of a Roll of Honour to remember those Blundellians who fell in the War. A brass band played music of the period of the Great War during the drinks reception. German and English students read Great War poetry in the marquee before lunch and Professor Jeremy Black spoke about the cause and effects of the Great War after lunch. In the Afternoon OBs planted a tree to commemorate those who gave their lives in the Great War.
You can see a few more photos of the event in this flyer.
You can also see a short report and some photos from the OB Day Shooting event on the Shooting page.
OB Day and Gaudy A special day in the life of a Twaddler
In many ways Twaddlers had been preparing themselves for OB Day and Gaudy since their 1962 cricket side reunion last September. We must have been psychic because on that occasion we toasted ‘Floreat Schola Blundellina’ with
Vivat academia!
Vivant professores!
Vivat membrum quodlibet;
Vivant membra quaelibet;
Semper sint in flore.
from the Gaudy Hymn ‘Gaudeamus Igitur’
The only very slight disappointment for Twaddlers on this OB and Gaudy Day was that there was no rendition of this song, traditionally given at a Gaudy. But we were not in the least bothered that Headmaster A.L. Francis’s stirring Commemoration Hymn had been brought forward from its traditional position at bow in the OB Service; we just got our ‘flush of morn divine’ a bit earlier. In any event we had already been inspired as usual by the OB Day lesson, Ecclesiastes XII, quite beautifully read on this occasion by Colin Beale’s younger son Bob Beale (M 59-64), one of our most avid Twaddlers.
We used OB Day to make the annual Twaddler presentations. These were meticulously orchestrated to be practically invisible, so that the formal arrangements of the Gaudy and OB Day were in no way upset.
On New Year’s Eve last year we lost a very, very dear friend Christopher Palmer (TH 1959, W 59-64). We took the opportunity of presenting to Jennifer an Epiphany Scene in memoriam to Christopher, painted by Grem McIntyre (M 58-62) and signed on the back by all Christopher’s mates. Grem had been propped by Christopher in many a Blundell’s front row of those halcyon days together ‘And all remember well the fun we had, the everlasting wish to never stop, and go forever on.’
Grem himself for the second year running won the Twaddlers ‘Charlie 2 Dads Award’, given in memory of Charlie Alderson-Smith (TH 1958, P 59-63). Charlie is the only member of the 1962 cricket side no longer with us. Grem was further involved in another presentation when he gave the brilliant cartoon he had painted of that team’s reunion last September to the OB Cricket Club.
Tom Jennings had coached the XIs at Blundell’s for 38 consecutive seasons and the Twaddlers of the 1962 XI had been his last. Tom’s granddaughters, Anne and Pauline Rooks, were present on OB weekend, so Twaddlers held a dinner in their honour on the Friday evening at The Tiverton Hotel. For OB Day, Pauline had been persuaded to bring along the bat with which she had played for England. If only Tom had been alive to see his granddaughter play against New Zealand in Auckland, how proud he would have been! By the time Pauline and Anne departed after tea, the bat they took home was still wet with the ink from the autographs of over 50 OB cricketers present, all coached by their grandfather.
In the evening, the 2013 C.T.Reichwald ‘Win Toss! Bat first! Bowl Out! Drink Bass!’ awards were made to overseas Twaddlers who had made the magnificent effort to be with us on the day: Rick Ackroyd (TH 1958, FH 59-63) and his wife Caryll who had come all the way from South Africa; David Clements (W 55-59) from France; Roger Davis (FH 59-64) had made the trip again from Wales; Doug Emmett (P 59-63) from Guernsey and William Taylor (W 60-65) cum laude, from New Zealand.
We were able to mark our thanks to Mike Sampson, the School Archivist (2005 - present) and author of that 2011 prize winning book A History of Blundell’s School, for all the help he had been to Twaddlers during the year by presenting him with the 2013 BAFTA, following Simon Benito’s (FH 59-63) success in winning it in 2012.
Our greatest joy of OB Day was that our most celebrated Twaddler, Terry Silk (Master 1952-1971) had been with us. Terry is a hugely enthusiastic Twaddler, continuing to allow us all to prosper from his wisdom, from his wit and from his sense of fun. But through the ages, these are what Blundell’s brilliant schoolmasters and brilliant schoolmistresses have ever possessed ‘Vivant professores Blundelleni! Semper sint in flore’.
OB Day 2013 Report
Old Blundellian Day took place on June 15th 2013 with over 140 Old Blundellians & wives attending! It was the best turn out in years for OB Day. The theme for the day was the 1950’s to 1970’s and many OBs came back to see their old friends, many of whom they had not seen since School. 
The day started with a chapel service led by David Hamer (Former Chaplain 1973-01) who delivered an inspiring sermon perfect for OB Day. Robert Beale (M 1959-64) was also one of the readers during the service reading from Ecclesiastes.
We were then treated to a drinks reception in the Beale Centre before enjoying a splendid three course meal produced by our wonderful catering team. We cannot thank our guest speaker, Robert Fox (OH 1959-63), enough for being such an entertaining guest speaker. There were roars of laughter throughout the speech and it evoked some fond memories of times here at Blundell’s School for all of us.
After lunch, our School Monitors hosted tours of the boarding houses and many past OB monitors were also pleased to see their name up on the boards in the House Common Areas. Mike Sampson, School Archivist, presented an impressive exhibition of memorabilia from 1950 to 1970.
The day concluded with Tennis in the afternoon against the pupils for those that were interested along with supper in the evening and a chance to relax and catch up with old friends.
Old Blundellian Day 2014 is scheduled for June 14th 2014. Please mark your calendars.
Gallery 1950-70
In keeping with this year's theme, we are displaying a selection of photographs of the 1950s and 1960s from the School Archive.
Just click on an image below and it will become enlarged, then move the cursor to the left or right of the image to see the previous or next photograph in the series. (The slideshows are divided into groups of 1950's, 1960's and 1970 photos.) You can see an even larger version of each photo by clicking the "large" link below each photo.
It is hoped in the future to expand the number of archive photos on the Old Blundellian website.
Archivist
| Photo Gallery 1950-70 | |||||
| Topic | 1950s | 1960s | 1970 | ||
| House Photos |  NC 1951 large |
 NC 1953 large |
 W 1960 large |
 SH 1961 large |
 OH 1970 large |
 W 1953 large |
 OH 1955 large |
 M 1964 large |
 P 1964 large |
||
 W 1956 large |
 SH 1957 large |
 SH 1966 large |
 M 1968 large |
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 M 1959 large |
 NC 1959 large |
 P 1968 large |
 TH 1968 large |
||
| House Sports |  W cricket 1954 large |
 W jr rugby 1959 large |
 M rugby 1961 large |
 W rugby 1967 large |
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| Sports |  Cricket 1st XI 1952 large |
 Rugby Newtes XV 1952 large |
 Shooting, Stanniforth 1961 large |
 Athletics Cadre 1963 large |
 Rugby 1st XV 1970 large |
 Rugby 1st XV 1953 large |
 Cricket 1st XI 1956 large |
 Rugby 1st XV 1963 large |
 Rugby 1st XV 1966 large |
||
 Rugby 1st XV 1956 large |
 Fives 1959 large |
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 Rugby 1st XV 1959 large |
|||||
| Drama |  She Stoops To Conquer, 1959 large |
 Henry IV Part 2, 1963 large |
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| Other |  Library 1954 large |
 OB Day 1954 large |
 Common Room 1960 large |
 Queen Mother 1967 large |
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 CCF 1955 large |
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OB Day 2013
The theme for this year’s OB day will be the 1950s to 1970s era and the day will include an exhibition of memorabilia from these years. Members of the teaching staff from these years will also be invited and partners are more than welcome.
- President: Robert Fox OBE (OH 1959-63);
- Preacher: Revd David Hamer (School Chaplain 1973-2001, Housemaster NC 1994-2001);
- Lesson to be read by: Robert Beale (M 1959-64).
Provisional Programme for OB Day and 1950-70 Gaudy
| Time | Event |
| 10.00 am | AGM of OB Club in the Beale Centre |
| 11.00 am | Chapel Service |
| 12.00 noon | Drinks with staff in the Beale Centre |
| 1.00 pm | Buffet lunch in the marquee on Big Field |
| 2.00 pm | Cricket. Blundell’s v Taunton on Big Field |
| 3.00 pm | Tours of the School |
| 4.00 pm | OB Tennis v The School followed by refreshments in the Beale Centre |
| 4.30 pm | Tea in the Beale Centre |
| 6.00 pm | Evening Reception in the Beale Centre |
Tickets will be available to purchase (£20 each) by contacting Janet at obclub@obclub.co.uk / Tel 01884 232010 or from Emily at devoffice@blundells.org / Tel 01884 243262.
OB Day 2012
This year we will be celebrating
the 10th Anniversary of the opening of the Colin Beale Centre.
Richard Swarbrick (M 1977-82) has kindly agreed to be President for the Day. Nearly all of you will know the Swarbrick family, Richard's father Nick taught at Blundell's for over 30 years during which he was Westlake Housemaster, Second Master and then Governor. Richard had a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, now works and lives in the Tiverton area and has just seen his daughter successfully complete her time at Blundell's.
| Provisional Programme for OB Day 2012 | |
| 10.00 am | AGM of the OB Club in the Colin Beale Centre |
| 11.00 am | Chapel Service |
| 12.00 noon | Drinks with staff, Beale Centre |
| 12.30 pm | Unveiling of plaque by Sue Beale |
| 1.00 pm | Buffet lunch in the marquee on Big Field |
| 2.00 pm | Cricket v Taunton on Big Field |
| 4.00 pm | Tennis: School v OBs - followed by refreshments at the Beale Centre |
| 4.30 pm | Tea in the Beale Centre |
| Tickets for the Day, including pre-lunch drinks, lunch and tea are £20 per head. To facilitate catering, bookings must be made before Wednesday 6th June. Tickets are available from Paddy or Janet Wooff at the Colin Beale Centre (obclub@obclub.co.uk or 01884 232010). |
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The Preacher is the Reverend Hilary Dawson, School Governor, and the lesson will be read by Sue Beale who needs no introduction.
We hope to see OBs with connections to the Swarbrick family and those who were Richard's contemporaries in Milestones. We would also like to extend a warm welcome to any OBs who were at School during the Queen's coronation. Tickets for the Day include pre lunch drinks, lunch and tea and are available at £20 per head from the OB Club, Beale Centre, 01884 232010 or email: obclub@obclub.co.uk.
Contact Details
| Contact | Type | Details |
| Colin Beale Centre | obclub@obclub.co.uk | |
| Phone | 01884 232010 | |
| Address | The Colin Beale Centre, Blundell’s School, Tiverton EX16 4DT |