I hope you are well. Spring is literally on our doorstep now so we will all be feeling brighter soon.
I’m very excited as it is only TWO weeks until our 130th Anniversary Celebration event, on the 28th March! It's not too late to buy a ticket - we'd love you to join us. Our oldest attendee is 96 years young - can you beat that? Thank you to everyone who has already bought tickets - you really are coming from near and far, including Jersey, Northern Ireland, Switzerland, Germany and Stonehouse 🙂. I'm looking forward to meeting you all. Open to all former students and staff. Partners welcome too. Please share!
Link to more details and tickets here:
Tickets and details here
A big thank you to our Alumni Association subscribers, as you subsidised a trip to London for three students. Oliver Elford, Lewis Dickens and Luke Madgett, were invited to attend the Western Front Association's Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph on the 11th November to lay a wreath.
Oliver, Year 10 (fourth year in old money 🙂) was awarded joint second prize in The Malcolm Doolin Memorial Award for Local History Research which led to this invitation. He completed a research project on 'DHSB Old Boys who died during WW1.' The students laid their wreath marking the arrival of the Unknown Warrior in 1920, at 8.32pm on Victoria Station, on the 10th November, and then on Tuesday, the 11th, at 11.02am, it was laid on the Cenotaph.
The judges were particularly impressed by the way Oliver’s project set the Devonport casualties within an excellent overview of the war and then delved deeper into some of the stories behind the names.
If you would like to read Oliver's fantastic entry, follow this link:
Oliver's winning entry
I’m pleased to report that my DHSB radar is working very well! Whilst chatting to a stranger in Bath a few months ago I established that his father, David Cockram, attended DHSB from 1969-74 (and his aunty went to my school!) - what are the chances of that? I was glad to hear that David enjoyed his days at DHSB. He said the school 'was quite heavy on discipline, lots of clubs etc, lots of tolerance to
being individual and a good confidence builder.'
Additionally, whilst shopping, in West Berkshire and Sussex, my eagle eyes spotted musical theatre programmes of which alumnus Mike Dixon was the Musical Director, and two books (separately): a Scouting Handbook 'Surveying and Mapping Simplified’ written in 1938 by former DHSB master (1934-47) Kenneth C Sparrow BSc, and 'Birds in Your Garden' by alumnus and TV wildlife presenter, the late Tony Soper. We were very proud to see Mike leading the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall VE Day 80 concert last year too.
Every Christmas I look forward to going to the panto at the Theatre Royal - 2025 was doubly exciting as, for the second year in a row, two of our alumni were involved. It was fantastic from start to finish - Samuel Holmes shone as ‘The Spirit of Bow Bells’ and talented Duncan Waugh was the Musical Director. It was a pleasure to meet them both after the show - oh yes it was 🙂. My ears also pricked up last year when none other than Sir Tim Rice mentioned Duncan on national TV!
Happy 100th Birthday Charlie! Charlie Trevethan attended DHSB, after passing the scholarship, in its original location at the top of Albert Road. I had the pleasure of meeting Charlie for the first time in 2023. If I had to describe him in one word, it would be ‘POSITIVE!’ A few minutes in Charlie’s company truly is a tonic!
Charlie recalls having lessons in the church (because the school needed more space) and having lessons on Saturday mornings. He told me that maths was his best subject and that he can still count in French and German, which he demonstrated, as well as giving me a rendition of ‘Frère Jacques!’
Charlie enjoyed his time at DHSB. At 18, he was drafted into the army, serving with the Devonshire Regiment during the war - his first stop was Scotland, finishing in India fighting the Japanese. He only had leave once during his three and a half years in service!
In 1947, he returned to the UK on the HMT Empire Windrush. Charlie told me that as soon as he reached Devon the air felt and smelt different! He went on to work at Farley’s (rusks) for 35 years, taking early retirement at the age of 60.
After family, the love of Charlie’s life is Plymouth Argyle! He has been an avid supporter since the 1931/32 season - when, along with several friends, they would nip through the turnstiles to get in. Charlie sends the team a card and gift every Christmas so I think he has redeemed himself! He thinks he is possibly the only person alive who saw Jack Leslie play for Argyle. He had a special invitation to the unveiling of the Jack Leslie statue at Home Park, where he was delighted to meet Jack’s granddaughters and some of the team. Charlie didn’t hold back when chatting with Argyle’s then manager, Steven Schumacher - he told him that he didn’t think they should be playing out from the back! Home Park was the perfect choice of venue for Charlie's 100th birthday party. He enjoyed it so much that he has already booked his 101st birthday party there for December!
Charlie can be seen here being interviewed by ITV News (West Country) at his 100th birthday party:
ITV News West Country
Charlie says, ‘if you can spread a little joy as you go along then it’s a life worth living.’ I don’t think we can argue with that. Let’s all ‘BE MORE CHARLIE!’
Delving into our archives from 1925, I can see that, the Debating Society discussed ‘Art rather than Science has civilised the World (Art won by a narrow margin of one vote!), the London branch of the Old Boys’ Association endeavoured to raise funds for 200 children ‘in one of the poorer parts of London’, it was the 10th anniversary of the Cadet Corps (affiliated to the 5th (Prince of Wales’s) Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment), we were encouraged to ‘lend wholehearted support to any effort to establish a degree-conferring University in the South-West’ and Mr W Curtain qualified to manage a coal mine!
At the 1925 Speech Day event, guest of honour, Brigadier-General The Lord St. Levan, CB., CVO., distributed the prizes and gave the advice ‘to work hard, play hard and play fair, and stick to it always.’ He felt that if this was kept to it would keep up the character and reputation ’that has been so well earned by the Devonport High School.’
Headmaster Mr Treseder MA reported ‘the boys are, generally speaking, keen and happy in work and play. The Prefects carry out their duties with zeal and devotion, and the staff are efficient, hard-working and loyal.’ I am proud to say these values are still at the core of DHSB, over 100 years later.
Some memories for you now! Andrew McTavish, Deputy Head 1976 to 1983 sent us his interesting recollections of the Falklands Conflict in 1982 and how it affected DHSB. Click below to read:
DHSB and The Falklands Conflict April – June 1982
Photo attached shows Andrew McTavish assisting a student to abseil. As part of the RAF Cadet Section, 197 Squadron ATC (Devonport High School) run on Fridays, they erected rope crossings down the bank with scaffold poles and ropes. He taught the boys to abseil off the top of D Block too.
If you have any memories to share or would like to visit the school just get in touch, by mail, email (alumni@dhsb.org), or leave a message with DHSB Reception on 01752 208787 and I will get back to you. Please note that I only work part time so it is not always possible to respond the same day.
Take care.
Best wishes,
Beverley Kinsella
Alumni Engagement & Archives
