OAA

Simon Price

February 2025

It has been another busy year for the Aysgarth community, which has seen the school successfully transition to co-education, an Aysgarth School Foundation Summer Ball and a number of OAA events, a summary of which follows. The school also said goodbye to the Class of 2024, and we are delighted to welcome them all to the OAA and look forward to seeing them at OA events in the years to come.

To celebrate the relaunch of Aysgarth as a coeducational school, we are delighted to share in this issue memories from the trailblazing OA girls who attended the school during the twentieth century, all of whom were daughters of the headmaster or other staff members. All these early OA Girls loved their time at the School and we hope the many girls that follow in their footsteps will equally enjoy their Aysgarth experience.

Continuing our initiative of connecting with OAs as early as possible on their post Aysgarth journey, we held two fantastic events for young OAs in 2024. In February we hosted our second Pub and Pizza night for OAs studying in Newcastle. There was a great turnout and the boys enjoyed catching up with Messrs Bullas and Irwin and for most of them it was also a first opportunity to meet with Jonathon Anderson. This year we are hosting a Pub & Pizza night at the Turf Tavern in Oxford for OAs studying in the city and nearby, including at Oxford University, Oxford Brookes University and Reading University. 

In July our annual cricket match for OAs at public school was played at Cliffe Cricket Club, kindly hosted by OAA President Richard Wilson (53-58). Two teams spanning Years 9-12 fought out a tight T20 match, watched by their families and friends. It was a great chance for everyone to reconnect and we look forward to holding the fixture again this year on Sunday 29th June at Cliffe CC. Details will be sent out in the Spring, however please get in contact if you would like to play or just come along and watch. 

The senior OA cricket team played just the one fixture this summer, a high scoring victory against the Harrow Wanderers. The OAs batted first and thanks to 101 from Harry Illingworth (97-02) and 86 runs from Tom Bourne-Arton (88-93), sent the Wanderers in requiring 268 from their 30 overs. The total could have been a lot higher, had it not been for a hat-trick from the Harrow Wanderers captain Harry Richardson. In reply, the visitors managed 222 for 9 from their 30 overs, with Orlando Compton (94-99) scoring 40. Many thanks to Sam Biker (99-02) for organising the fixture and if you would like to play for the OAA this summer, please do contact Sam or myself.

In December the School hosted our second OA Carol Service. OAs and Friends of Aysgarth filled the chapel for a wonderful service, officiated by John Walker (former teacher and Hon. OA). John delivered a fascinating and humorous running commentary in between the hymns and readings, sharing with the congregation stories of former staff members and anecdotes from his time teaching at the school. Another former teacher and Hon. OA, Sir Tom Oakshott lit up the service from the organ loft ably supported by Rufus Hornyold-Strickland’s (13-18) trumpet descants.

This year we are returning to London for the biennial OA Drinks Party, which will be held at the Cavalry & Guards Club on Thursday 9th October. If you haven’t been to the London Party before, please do come and join us and meet up with OAs of all ages as well as former and current headmasters and staff members. Invites will be emailed in the Summer and posted on social media. If you don’t receive your invite (or any of our Newsletters), please get in touch with us and make sure we have your current contact details.

I would like to wrap up by mentioning two worthy causes to which the OAA has made donations to this year. Firstly, Cystic Fibrosis Care, a charity set up by Christy (76-81) and Sasha York following the CF diagnosis of their son Charlie (12-17) who tragically died in January, having battled with CF all his life (see obituary later in this section). We are also delighted to support a GoFundMe campaign for Daniel Bramma, who is currently at the school and has been selected to play cricket in the Under 12s World Junior League in Spain later this year.

I do hope you enjoy reading the various OA updates and stories that follow and should you wish to contribute any news or write an article for a future edition, please do get in contact we would love to hear from you.

 

Simon Price (1982-87)

Keeping connected