On 1 May 1997, while the entire country was being exhorted to turn out and vote, Shiplake College held its own election, open to all boys of all ages, not just those few of official voting age.
According to the report in The Court, ‘Canvassing had been fierce (well, fierce-ish) for the preceding days and six boys had bravely put themselves forward to represent the different parties who would probably be the most surprised to hear of their young candidates – and probably even more surprised to hear their electioneering speeches and general tactics! Shiplake’s own returning officer, Peter Hose, read out the results which bore little similarity to those being published in all the national papers the next day!’
The results were as follows:
Oliver Haines, Conservative - 99
Robert Common, Green Party – 30
Emmanuel Paroissien, Labour – 2
Jack Chong, Liberal Democrat – 31
Matthew Steege, Monster Raving Loony Party – 29
Adam Roguski, Natural Law – 0
James Burridge, Referendum Party – 22
Adam Roguski, Natural Law candidate (Left), Emmanuel Paroissien, Labour Party (top centre) and James Burridge, for the Referendum Party (right)
We enjoyed reading this extract from The Court about the School's continued IT progression:
The College won the Oxfordshire Rugby U15 County Cup! The final match was against Wallingford School with the ultimate score being 52-0. The match was reported in the Henley Standard:
“Three tries from Chris Grabowski, two from William Padison and tries from Tom Michell, Kit Murray and Alex Macdonald clinched the Oxfordshire U15 Cup for Shiplake on a cold evening under the Banbury floodlights last Wednesday. Alex Macdonald kicked six out of seven conversions. "It was a much closer match than it sounds. Wallingford played extremely well and could have scored several times. Tactically, I think we played a game better suited to the bitterly cold conditions," said Shiplake coach Paul Johnson. "Although he didn't cross the try line, James Bailey was outstanding." The coach has his eyes fixed on the U14s coming through for next year, "You never know, we might do it again next year."”
A selection of the College’s junior historians were presented with a prestigious Glanvill Bowl Essay award. The award was presented by Mr Michael Wilson, a national official of the Royal British Legion and recognised a set of essays which the boys wrote to outline the significance of Remembrance Day. Pupil Nick Vinogradov wrote a particularly impressionable essay which was deemed the finest written by any junior in the country. The whole entry came second in the nationwide competition!
Also in 1997:
- The 1st VIII Rowers attended an Easter Training camp in Cincinnati, USA.
- The 1st XI Cricket team had an amazing season – it was only an ‘unfortunate blip’ in the second half of the term, against Reading School that at three players down denied them an unbeaten record.
- Headmaster Nick Bevan was appointed as Chairman of the Society of Headmasters and Headmistresses of Independent Schools (SHMIS, now known as The Society of Heads).
- The Cricket Club embarked on a seven day tour in Barbados and was paid a visit by Sir Garfield Sobers, former Barbados and West Indies Captain who met the team at their hotel to sign bats, gloves and pads.
