The First Five
The story of a school.
by E J Brown

Published August 1987, this book describes the first 74 years of The Downs School.
Copies are available from school and cost £15 plus postage.

Donald C Boyd

Friends of The Downs School will be saddened to hear of the death of Donald C Boyd, Old Downian and servant of the school throughout his life

Chris Boyd writes, about Donald Craig Boyd,

“Dad died on, 13th May 2008, aged 85, after a lengthy battle against vascular dementia.

There is no way that I could manage to say anything about him at his funeral so, if I may, I will type a few words here.

He had been a resident at the Boynes Nursing Home near Upton-upon-Severn since just after Christmas 2006.

For reasons perhaps best known to brain specialists, he managed to cut all matters dearest to him after this time – The Downs (especially the Old Downians Society), the Falklands, Teaching, Stamps, Sport etc.

As if, he could no longer participate, he would rather forget (or maybe simply not remember or reminisce) – and yet he threw huge amounts of energy and time into all of these over the years.

He spoke very little to family or other visitors throughout the last 16 months or so and not at all in the last six weeks so his passing has been a relief to the whole family.

Fortunately we all have many memories of a wonderful father, grandfather, husband and friend of the Downs with which establishment he was connected for over 75 years.

With best wishes to all who read this”

Chris Boyd

Old Downians

The Old Downians Society, which was founded in the 1930’s, is open to anyone who has attended The Downs Preparatory School, by payment of a Life Membership subscription, which is usually added to the last term’s fees.  Honorary membership is also offered to members of staff when they leave.

The Society organises reunions at the school, usually in May each year, when it also holds its AGM.  The last such gathering was well attended by some thirty former Downians, some of whom had been at The Downs as far back as the 1920’s; we were as ever all richly entertained by a fund of fascinating stories about the school in that and subsequent eras.  The day also included sports matches, and a trip on the Downs Light Railway!  This last year also saw a number of the Society taking part in readings from some of W H Auden’s poems in celebration of his centenary and years at the school as a member of staff in the 1930’s.

The Society, which is run by Janet & Chris Pickard, publishes an annual newsletter or magazine, normally in January or February with news from Old Downians all over the world.  Janet is the daughter of E J Brown, who taught at the school from 1933 until his retirement in 1974, latterly as Headmaster.  Janet spent most of her formative years either at the school or closely associated with the school and knows many of the former pupils as well as its history and anecdotes.  The Society currently has 1350 members, details of whom are held on a secure database.

The school was established by Herbert and Ethel Jones, who laid the Quaker foundations that were absolutely fundamental in creating the ethos of the school.  Its history from its foundation in September 1900 until the end of E J B’s stewardship in 1974 is well documented in his book ‘The First Five’, which was published in August 1987.  Appropriately named as it is the history of the first five headmasters.  He writes in the concluding chapter of his book – “I can quite easily summarise my forty years here in the words of the psalmist.  My lot has fallen unto me in a fair ground.  But as I look around there seems little sign of my stewardship.  No dazzling buildings or other edifices greet the eye.  My sole hope is that, like Sir Christopher Wren, I can venture to say (pointing to the boys) For my memorial, look around you.”  The recent opening of the new Science and Technology Building on 6th October 2007 has recognised E J Brown’s 41 years service to the school and science in particular by calling it the ‘The Jim Brown Science Centre’.

The school also has an Archive Room (currently in mothballs due to the re-development work) which contains many historical records of life at The Downs - Badger Magazines, Newsletters, memories and some wonderful photographs, and we are always on the lookout for more.  These are available for viewing at any time (we hope in the not too distant future) by Old Downians visiting the area - you can be assured that a very warm welcome awaits you.

Any queries about the Old Downians Society should be addressed to Janet or Chris Pickard, via the school or by e-mail.  Address updates or news for the newsletter can also be emailed directly to Chris Pickard:  chris@abdata.co.uk

Headmasters

 


Herbert Jones
with Ethel

1900
  to
1920

Geoffrey Hoyland
with Dorothea
1920
  to
1940

Frazer Hoyland
with Phyllis
  
1940
  to
1952

Bill Berkley
with Ione
  
1952
  to
1969

Jim Brown
with Marjorie 
1969
  to
1974

Christopher Syers Gibson
with Anita
1974
  to
1981

Dougie Dalrymple
with Patricia 
1981
  to
1987

Andrew Auster
with Liz
1989
  to
1994

Jenny Griggs
with Terry
 		 1994
  to
1999

Chris Black 
with Sylvia 
1999
  to
2001
 
Alastair Ramsay
with Karen 
2001 
  to
date 




      
         
     

The Downs, Malvern College Prep, Brockhill Road, Colwall
MALVERN Worcestershire WR13 6EY
Tel: 01684 540277 Fax: 01684 540094
Created and maintained by WSI