" Pin Mill and Holbrook School " at EveryTrail

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We have had an invite to the end of term celebrations at our grandson's school for his last day as Head Boy, 

so we travel down to Suffolk to enjoy a weekend which started with a visit to the School

and ended for us, having seen most of our other children and grand children over the next five days.

Welcome to Loweswatercam - on location - in Pin Mill, Suffolk.

We are staying for a few days at our daughter Cathy and son-in-law Richard's house and are down here for a family get-together.

" House Boat to Let "

A recently renovated live-aboard boat on the banks of the Orwell . . .

. . . with a great view of the river.

A short walk for Jack and I took us up river towards the Wolverstone Marina.

Classic field of ripening wheat . . . with the occasional red poppy,

so different from the upland livestock farms of our part of the world.

It is time to be getting ready for the main event of the day . . . but we must leave the dogs behind in  the house this time.

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We're off to the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook

Richard serves as a Colonel in the Royal Army Medical Service

which qualifies his children to attend the Royal Hospital School, now based at Holbrook in Suffolk.

Its history dates back to the earliest Navy times when the children of the serving officers

were educated at the Royal Hospital School in Greenwich, London.

The second picture includes Jean, their grandmother on Richard's side of the family.

Due to limited number of places we were unable to enter the marquee for the speeches

and so we took our chairs and rug to sit on the grass alongside the parade ground.

Inside the marquee the School gathered for the speeches and presentations.

Head boy (Matthew) and Head Girl (Elizabeth Blackett) gave a short speech as part of the proceedings.

Presentation of awards and the RHSA Cup . . . by Sir Stuart Rose.

( photos by Richard ... with thanks)

Afterwards the pupils dispersed . . .

. . . making their way back to the school in readiness for the final "Divisions" parade.

In the meantime there was time for a photo of Matthew with his proud mum and dad.

The parade was delayed for a short time to allow the heavy rain to pass so we withdrew indoors, talking and generally entertaining ourselves.

Hold your cursor over the picture . . . to appreciate the adult way some dealt with this interruption to the schedule !

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The School re-assembles on a damp parade ground once the rain had stopped.

The School Band gave an excellent performance, both of their music and their marching.

Holbrook Corps of Rifles.

A dramatic display and most unexpected.

Holbrook Corps of Drums . . . also gave a perfect display.

The Head Boy and Girl take the salute at the dais prior to "Sundown"

Matthew is on the left . . . as you probably gathered.

The lowering of the flag symbolising the end of the School Year.

The School Leavers slow-march off the parade ground.

The final parade of the School Band . . .

. . . and the "Divisions" are complete.

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The parades are over and it is time for lunch.

The School has a large chapel more than capable of seating the entire school and most of the parents.

The plain decoration of the nave contrasted well with the highly decorated altar.

After the Service the banner was handed over to the incoming Head Boy and Girl

and Matthew's school responsibilities were at an end.

Outside the Leavers gathered and threw hats in the air

unfortunately long before most of the parents (and I) had chance to make our way round to watch the spectacle.

Time for a last goodbye to fellow pupils before the senior boys and girls left for the last time.

 

If you would like to see the parade, or a 5 minute summary of it, do click on the start button, sit back and enjoy.

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Roger, Very definitely impressive and so professionally done by the band. A credit to both them selves and the school.  The gun salute brought back the memory of the Parade in Singapore when they got Self Government. I was part of the 3 Services Ceremonial Salute of the 'Feu de Joie' on the Padang in front of the Parliamentary buildings.   Lloyd, Invercargill. NZ. Cheers Lloyd . . . Many thanks, Roger.

Hi Roger,   You must be very proud, the ceremony looked very impressive. Having picked up what I sense might be your quirky sense of humour I thought I might share a link to the Holbrook in NSW. It is a small town 45mins north of us and even though it must be about 5 hours from the sea the town’s pride and joy in the central park is a whacking great submarine. Bizarre.   Briefly the town was called Germantown pre WW1. Loads of German settlers in the area; not a great name for 1914 so it was changed. They named it after an English Lt Holbrook who won the VC as a submarine captain in a WW1 action against enemy ships in the Dardanelle. It a remarkable story to read. His widow visited the town following the honour being bestowed on her husband. Eventually the towns people were able to get their hands on what you see in the photograph; not a WW1 sub but non the less it looks impressive. Click here and see the photographs. Hope you are enjoying summer; wet and below 10deg C here in Albury today, horrible, it is as bad as it gets. Great shot of the field of grain with the poppies.        Mel Jackson. Cheers Mel . . . an interesting link . . . Many thanks, Roger.

 

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