National Junior Challenge Quiz - Semi-Final

The Boston Grammar School Junior Quiz A Team have been beaten by Haberdashers' Aske's School, from Elstree in Hertfordshire, in the semi-finals of the National Junior Challenge Quiz held at the Perse School, Cambridge. I understand that the BGS team put up a good fight but Haberdashers' Aske's, who have won the competition for the last three years, came out on top with 900 points against BGS's 620 points. This is the furthest a BGS team has got in the competition in over a decade.

Mark Steel's in Town - Boston

This week BBC Radio 4 repeated Series 1 Episode 2 of Mark Steel's in Town which put the spotlight on Boston in a humourous if not entirely complimentary way.

At least one BGS old boy is featured in the programme - Roger Welberry (BGS 1956-60) talking about brussels sprouts.

The half-hour show will remain available on BBC iPlayer for a few more days: Mark Steel's in Town - Boston. You might even find the video of Mark picking brussels on Roger's Holme Farm.

If you've missed the official iPlayer version, you should find it in three parts on YouTube:

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3

Dave Fletcher performing at Faldingworth Live

Bill Whaley and Dave Fletcher

Former BGS student, Dave Fletcher, will be performing with his partner in song, Bill Whaley at Faldingworth Live on Saturday 25 May 2013. Also performing on that that night is another Lincolnshire folk singer, John Conolly, well known as the writer of such well-known folk songs as Fiddler's Green and Punch and Judy Man.

Faldingworth Live is held at Faldingworth Memorial Hall, Faldingworth, Lincolnshire LN8 3SE. It seems that tickets are going fast, so if you are a follower of folk music and in that area you might want to order some quickly.

David Wright - Obituary

David Wright (BGS 1958-60)

David Wright died, aged 65, on 1 May 2013 after a short battle with lung cancer.

David was a student at Boston Grammar School for about two years between 1958 and 1960 before moving with his family to Hull.

His brother-in-law, Robin Smith (BGS 1949-54) wants to pass on this message:

He smoked heavily until a heart attack 18 years ago when he stopped - it still got him. Please, if you smoke - stop now.

I will post more details about David if I get any but I understand that the family has decided there will be no newspaper notices.

Mark Wearden steps down as Chair of Governors

Mark Wearden has stepped down as Chair of Governors at Boston Grammar School. A new Chair will be appointed at a meeting on 20 May 2013.

more details will be posted here when available.

Len Medlock - Obituary

Len Medlock (BGS 1935-40)

Len Medlock, who was brought up in the Fenside area of Boston, passed away on Thursday 25 April 2013 aged 89, after a long illness. Len was a regular feature in The Boston Standard in the 1980s and ‘90s through the generous work of the charitable trust he set up. In total the charitable trust, which Len ran with his son David, has donated £26 million.

Travisty

Travisty is a band consisting of and Carl Thornton on vocals, Mark Sargeant on bass guitar, Jonathan Sargeant on guitar and Steve Garnham on drums (most or all are ex-BGS). The embedded video is of the first set of a gig on 26 April 2013 at The Little Peacock, Boston.

Cyril Herbert George Bland - One of us after all

Sussex county cricket team of 1897

Some time ago I blogged about Cyril Bland and said "he could be the only first class cricketer to come out of Boston Grammar School (contact me if you know different)".

Cyril played for Sussex in the 1890s and early years of the 20th century, and ended his own life in an obviously carefully planned suicide near Boston in 1950. You can read more about his life and death in the OBA wiki.