Prompted by HM Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee year, OH Mike Halsey (BF 60) went through his own Haileybury archives where he found an article about the Queen’s visit to Haileybury back in 1962 – some sixty years ago!

The cutting, taken from the Daily Mail, currently a tabloid paper, features the Queen visiting the school and talking with staff and pupils alike.

Can you help name the OHs?

There is some uncertainty about some of the OHs present; perhaps you can help confirm Mike’s memories of that day?

As Mike says, “the Mail refers to boat building, but the photo is of a canoe; I think the chap in the background of the photo was David (?) Chuter (Th 61) who was in Thomason. A boat was also built at that time; it was an Enterprise dinghy built by a Bartle Frere guy called John Shallcross (BF 60).

In my mind’s eye Bob Scott (H 57) towered over the Queen to which the photo doesn’t do justice. Henry Marriott (M 58), I think was Head of Melville.

Tony Skinner (BF 58), head of Bartle Frere and second head of school, led the parade with the CCF as seen in the photo produced by Tony Harper (K 60) last year. Being in Bartle Frere, we used to see those characters pass our tables in the Dining Hall on their way up to Elysium.

Name the teachers!

I don’t really recognize the beaks being introduced to the Queen (right). The first, in glasses, I think was John “Jonnie O” Ozanne (Staff 1938-62). Was he housemaster of Batten still at the time? (if it is John Ozanne, he was indeed HM Batten – ed). Anyway, a terrific teacher of French, I consider, who taught me in my O Level year and conducted as much of his lessons in French as possible. He had an elaborately courtly manner in class – most entertaining – lessons to look forward to!

Is the second chap Frank Newbold (Staff 1935-78), then HM of Trev?

The third is possibly “Bertie” Bradbrook, if that name is correct (there is a Basil Bradstock (Staff 1942-73) in the Register – ed.)?

Can you help name those in the photos?

Now some sixty years on from that visit, the memories have faded and, while Mike can remember some of the faces in the photographs he would be glad of further assistance in helping fill the gaps.

If you are able to help in naming some of the others featured in this photograph, or in the general (if indistinct shot) below, please email us at the Society. We’d love to hear from you!

Update – Alan Vaughan (C 61), tells us that the details of the staff presented to the Queen can be found on page 242 of Imogen Thomas’s Haileybury 1808-1987. Thank you Alan!