Blasts from the Past: Then and now

I recently had the pleasure of going to an early morning History enrichment club for Lower Fifth pupils, run by the Deputy Head of History and Politics. I had brought with me the Debating Society’s minute book from the 1950s and 1960s as well as some school magazines from the same period. The boys were inquisitive and enthusiastic as we chatted about changing attitudes, both in terms of politics and more everyday matters, over the last 60 years or so.

As the boys dipped into the magazines, they were also curious to learn more about life at King’s in general. There was some astonishment that there had once been sufficient interest for a Gramophone Society to exist. Should this – and possibly the Folk Society – be revived, we wondered (I suspect the answer is ‘no’).

Leafing through the school magazine from December 1952, one pupil was amazed to discover that, as late as that, the Boat Club had only just purchased its own set of oars (even then, the oars were second-hand). It is easy to understand his surprise. The gulf between the school Boat Club’s equipment now and in the 1950s is huge. Given the rows of boats now crammed into the King’s boathouse (not to mention all the fancy gadgets) it is hard to imagine that there was a time when pupils were reliant on loaned and repaired boats and oars. As described in the last KA Newsletter, rowing at King’s has grown slowly but determinedly since 1939. It wasn’t until the 1990s that the school acquired its own boathouse; many alumni, I am sure, will remember rowing out of Kingston Boat Club before this milestone was achieved.

Do you have memories of rowing that you would be happy to share? If so, please consider completing this online form. Or I would be delighted to hear from people via email at archive@kcs.org.uk, about rowing or any other aspect of life at King’s.

For anyone who missed the link to the interview between Tony Brook (Director of Rowing, 1989 to 2001) and Patrick Duggan (current Director of Rowing), it can be viewed here.

Lucy Inglis | School Archivist