Nathan meets Anne

On 12 December 2013, the Princess Royal visited St Botolph's Church to see the damage done by the flood of 5 December. One of the people who showed her around was BGS old boy, Nathan Bryant.

Nathan, who is studying Technical Theatre at Lincoln College, is the son of Mick Bryant, another BGS old boy (1976-81).

See if you can spot Nathan in this video from the Boston Standard.

More flood photographs

Photographs of Boston Grammar School taken by Peter Sharman after the flood waters from the high tide of 5 December 2013 had subsided. They clearly show the height that the water reached across a large part of the school site.

High tide - the aftermath

A message from OBA President, Peter Sharman...

On Thursday night of last week, during the height of the tidal flooding in Boston the water poured over the sea wall opposite the school and flooded the playground to a depth of around two feet. The library, science block, OBA museum, staff room and other areas sustained considerable damage. The flood waters had gone by the time I visited this afternoon but if you look carefully at the photos you will clearly see the height the water reached. Thankfully many items were lifted clear before the flood arrived but nevertheless there is considerable water damage.

Insurance assessors are expected very soon but the school is putting out an appeal for funding to help get students back to normal as quickly as possible. If anyone feels able to help please send cheques payable to OBA and marked clearly on back, "Flood Appeal" to me:

Peter Sharman

6 The Boundary

Boston

PE21 7QN

All monies received will be passed on to the school to help repair flood damage. For up to date information please go to:  www.bostongrammarschool.co.uk

Thank you

Peter

Since Peter Sharman, the OBA President, announced the above appeal, he has clarified a few points which may not have been pinned down in the heat of the moment. This is a President's Appeal for funding to get the students of Boston Grammar School back to normal as quickly as possible. We have already raised over a thousand pounds (as of Friday 20 December). All money received will be passed on to Boston Grammar School to be spent on a lasting reminder of the Flood from the Old Bostonian Association. Peter's intention is to discuss with Paul Marsh, the BGS Principal, what the school would like us to provide and this will then be approved by the Old Bostonian Association.

This decision, once made, will of course be publicised on this blog and by all the other usual channels.

I am in the process of trying to make available an "electronic" way of donating, with the help of Mark Bruntlett, the OBA treasurer. I hope it will be available soon but in the meantime please don't delay supporting Peter's appeal by sending your cheques to him as suggested above.

High tide in Boston

No, it's not a Jean Ingelow poem but today's main news from Boston. Today's 19:30 tide coming as it did with the storms which hit Scotland and the north earlier in the day, has brought flooding to the centre of Boston.

Photograph by Ricky Lee

I know that many BGS "old boys" are bound to be affected. So far I have definitely heard of these people having flooding in their homes:

• Mick Bryant / Nathan Bryant
• Rowan Druce (BGS staff)
• Neil McCafferty
• Paul Sullivan

I came across this photograph of water streaming out of the Rowley Road gates of BGS.

I wish all our friends in Boston a safe evening, and morning when the next tide arrives, hoping that the damage is as minor as can be expected and that the clear-up operation isn't too painful.

Here is a more complete coverage from the Boston Standard.

Simon Meeds

I have now heard from Peter Sharman about Boston Grammar School:

I have just had a call from Paul Marsh to say BGS is flooded including the library, science block, staff room and corridor. Some items were cleared from museum but not sure what damage there is in there. They may need help with clearing up!

OBA Quiz 2013 - Results

The 2013 OBA Quiz took place on 27 November at the Boston & County Club. The quiz master was Richard Anderson. There was an excellent turn-out, with ten teams taking part, and the atmosphere was very competitive. The results were as follows.

Seeking Boston Grammar School memorabilia

We have recently received a request from a lady looking for information on a relative and Old Boy of Boston Grammar School who was killed in action during WWII. His name was Walter Henry Brunning.

Apparently a piece was written about him in an Old Bostonian magazine dated 14 August 1991.  We do not have a copy of this in the Museum but wondered if you have kept back copies and could supply us with a copy of the article which apparently appeared on page 19.

More generally, if you have any BGS memorabilia which they no longer want it would be great if you could let us have it for the Museum. Current history Master John McHenry has now taken responsibility for the Museum which will in future be of more interest to Old Boys revisiting the Boston.

Lone Survivor - new Barry Spikings film

Hollywood producer, Barry Spikings (BGS 1950-55) would like to ask all Old Boys to raise their glasses to his new film, Lone Survivor, which had its premiere in Los Angles on 12 November.

It is based on a true story of a navy SEAL operation in Afghanistan which went terribly wrong. The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Ben Foster, Emile Hirsch, Taylor Kitsch, and Eric Bana, who Barry describes as a "fine bunch of young actors - well, young to me". Written and directed by Pete Berg. The film opens in the UK in February.

Barry Spikings