Old Hazlegrovians
The Hazlegrove Association is an informal and supportive network of Old Hazlegrovians and their parents as well as former and current staff and anyone else with an association with Hazlegrove. We are really keen to hear from all Old Hazlegrovians. Please write to us at [email protected] with your stories (photographs are most welcome too).
The Association
The Hazlegrove Association provides a forum for Ex-Hazlegrovians whether pupils, parents or staff or simply friends of the school to:
- Keep in touch
- Share news
- Meet together
There is no annual subscription and the association relies heavily on members keeping in contact with the school.
Maddie Hinch MBE is an international field hockey player and currently plays for England and Great Britain as a goalkeeper.
In 2016, Hinch played in her first Olympic games, surpassing 100 international appearances during the Rio 2016 Olympics. She won an Olympic gold medal in Rio in 2016, saving all four penalties in the final shoot-out against The Netherlands. Her outstanding performance was widely credited in the media as the deciding factor in the game's outcome.
Maddie Hinch currently plays club hockey for Dutch club SCHC.
Alex Soskin is a Director of London Residential Land Development.
In 2020, Soskin, along with three teammates rowed the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge (TWAC), dubbed ‘the world’s toughest row’. The TWAC is an endurance race that takes competitors more than 3,000 miles west from San Sebastian in La Gomera, Canary Islands, to Nelson’s Dockyard English Harbour in Antigua & Barbuda.
'Team Oardacity' raised over £90,000 for MIND and the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation.
Marta Fontanals-Simmons is an award-winning British-Spanish mezzo-soprano.
She recently made critically acclaimed house and role debuts at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden as Siébel in David McVicar's production of Faust and as Hel in the world premiere of Gavin Higgins The Monstrous Child at the Linbury Theatre.
Fontanals-Simmons graduated with distinction from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London, where she won the prestigious Gold Medal. She was a Jerwood Artist at Glyndebourne Festival for the 2015/16 season.
Harry Cobden is a professional jump jockey with currently nine Grade 1 wins and over 40 Grade race victories.
Cobden has won prestigious races including the King George VI Chase at Kempton in 2018 on board Clan Des Obeaux as well as the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2019 with Topofthegame.
He is currently the Great British Racing ambassador for the 2020/2021 season.
Ellen Barber is a current Heptathlete representing Great Britain.
The heptathlon is a track and field combined events contest made up of seven events: 100 metre hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 metres, long jump, javelin throw and 800 metres.
"As a youngster, Ellen was incredibly active and competing in horse riding and hockey to a national level. She believes it was the fitness that she gained from doing different sports at a young age which has allowed her to be so successful in the heptathlon."
Dr. Matt Crowcombe is the founder of SOS Africa Children's Charity - a UK based grass roots child sponsorship organisation which funds the education and care of underprivileged African children.
The charity was founded in January 2003 by 18-year-old Matt Crowcombe, and South African school teacher Henry Matthews. They were dismayed by the poor standard of free schooling available to South African township children and so developed a plan to establish a holistic education programme to empower South Africa’s future generations through education.
In the charity's 19th year, a record number of SOS children are in school as the new academic year begins.
Megan Nicholls is a flat racing jockey with currently 93 race wins.
She was the 2017, 2018 and 2019 Silk Series winner and is an ambassador for York Racecourse.
She has recently signed a TV broadcasting deal with Racing TV.
Tobias Jones is a British author and journalist.
His first book, The Dark Heart of Italy, is non-fiction and was a bestseller in Britain, Italy and the U.S. Following his publication, he was short-listed for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award. his other books include Utopian Dreams, Blood on the Altar, The Salati Case, White Death and Death of a Showgirl.
Jones has written various documentaries for BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4 and occasionally plays for the England Writers Football team.
Sophie Hamilton is an international field hockey player who plays as a midfielder for England and Great Britain.
She plays club hockey in the Women's England Hockey League Premier Division for Clifton Robinsons. Hamilton is currently playing for UConn Huskies, in USA.
Peter Wilson MBE is an Olympic gold medalist in double trap shooting.
Wilson represented Great Britain in the 2011 European Championships earning a silver medal in the team double trap and the 2012 Summer Olympics earning a gold medal in the double trap. In the Olympics, he scored 188 out of a 200 possible hits.
Now retired from the sport, Wilson is focussing on coaching.
Felix Drinkall is on the Oxford University Rowing Team and is a previous President of the Oxford University Boat Club.
He won the U23 World Championships in 2019 and has raced in the famous Oxford vs Cambridge boat race.
Mr Stephen Flemington Returns to Hazlegrove
It was a delight to welcome back one of Hazlegrove's longest serving teachers in September 2020.
Mr Stephen Flemington first came to Hazlegrove as a Student Master (what we now know as a GAP student) before embarking to Cambridge University to read Classics. A published author, Stephen returned to Hazlegrove and taught here for an incredible 35 years.
Visiting with his cousin, Stephen recalled his renowned tree climbing skills and how, if any boy was stuck in a tree, he would be the one to rescue them! He also ran the School Scout Group and was a great kite flyer. Mr Flemington, as he was known to the pupils, was famous for his codes and Old Hazlegrovians still talk about these today.
The most poignant moment of Stephen's tour was visiting the mosaic of Arion which is situated on Dolphin Hall. The mosaic and surrounding garden was dedicated to Stephen in 1999 to commemorate his 35 years of teaching. The accompanying plaque explains this to our Hazlegrovians of today.
We were honoured to host Stephen and his family and were humbled to listen to his memories of life at Hazlegrove.
Colour Footage of 1960s Hazlegrove
We are delighted to receive cine film footage from Old Hazlegrovian, Mr Simon Tyler, of life at Hazlegrove in the 1960s.
Mr Tyler attended Hazlegrove from 1962-1967 and King’s Bruton from 1967-1972 and provided us with the below colour footage of Hazlegrove Parents’ Weekends in 1963 and 1964, a presentation to headmaster Robin Lankester on his retirement and even an outdoor performance of Alice in Wonderland. It is remarkable to see how some things change and some things stay exactly as they are.
Remembrance Sunday 2019 - King's Bruton
Hazlegrove pupils joined King's School Bruton for a Service of Remembrance on Sunday 10 November.
Children from Hazlegrove joined with ex-military Old Brutonians, Old Brutonians, Old Hazlegrovians, King's and Hazlegrove parents currently serving in the Armed Forces. Headmaster, Ian Wilmshurst, led the service in the Memorial Hall before the Military Band led the school community through Bruton, joined by other Bruton schools, The Royal British Legion and members of the town to the Service of Remembrance at the town's war memorial.
Michael Illingworth's Retirement Lunch
After 40 years of teaching at Hazlegrove, Michael Illingworth retired at the end of the Summer Term, 2016 and a special lunch was held on Saturday 10 July to mark this occasion. Read a full report on the occasion on the news and see photos from the day below...
The Heazell Era lunch
The sun shone on the old Hazlegrovians’ lunch on Saturday 21 June 2014, when pupils and staff who had been at the school between1964 and 1975 met to remember Paddy Heazell, headmaster during those years, and his wife, Julyan, who both died so tragically.
Many fond tributes were paid to the husband and wife team who played such an important role in the development of Hazlegrove. To take one example, Paddy realized that there was a desperate need for a sports hall and it was he who was responsible for having it built - and making sure it was larger than any other local prep school’s at the time.
It seemed an obvious and fitting decision to change the name of The Dolphin Hall to ‘The Heazell Hall’ and following a speech by his son Simon, a plaque was unveiled by Paddy's daughters. Brilliant music was provided by The Swing Band, led by Mrs Fawbert, and the visitors enjoyed turning back the years as they toured their old school.
John Cann – Headmaster (January 1976 – July 1994)
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the death of John Cann who died peacefully at home, aged 84, following a long illness on Friday 16 November surrounded by his family.
John wrote a contribution about Hazlegrove for the book ‘King’s School Bruton Remembered…..’ edited by Basil Wright (former Second Master at King’s Bruton) and below is his note that was included at the end of chapter:
‘In this self-effacing contribution John Cann gives no indication of the total commitment that both he and his wife Janet give to the School. Apart from the visionary and unruffled leadership, his particular ability to understand and communicate with young boys is a very special gift. Paint brush, lawn mower, nursing equipment and tea pot are often in the hands of headmaster and wife. Often, too, their family – despite their own commitments – are present with support and help’.
Kristian Ward
It is with great sadness that I inform you of the death of Old Brutonian and Hazlegrovian Kristian Ward. Kristian left King’s in 1992 and went on to join the Royal Navy completing four tours of Afghanistan as a harrier pilot, following in the footsteps of his father Commander Sharkey Ward, ace pilot of the Falklands War. Kristian came out of the forces and became a domestic pilot with Jet2 and ended up being Base Captain up in Newcastle. Kristian passed away on 14th November 2018.
David Hickley
All Old Hazlegrovians and Brutonians as well as many friends of the School in Bruton and beyond will be very sad to hear that David Hickley OB died on Thursday evening, 2nd August, in Yeovil Hospital following a stroke. He was 92 years old. David was Head of School in his final year as a pupil at King’s and then, after a short time away, he returned to help in the running of the Junior School in Plox House. In 1947 he went with the Plox boys to Hazlegrove House where, with his practical knowledge and varied skills, he was instrumental in the establishment and survival of the Junior School there. He subsequently returned to King’s to act as Steward in support of the Bursar and, in 1958, he took over as Bursar, a post he held until his retirement in 1984. He also played an active part in local politics, serving as District Councillor for many years. Despite gradually losing his sight David never lost his interest in King’s and in the town of Bruton, and in his final years he took particular delight in welcoming OBs to South Cary House in Castle Cary. He retained a most remarkable memory to the very end and so we have lost both a loyal and good friend as well as a source of information about the School and its pupils stretching back many decades. He will be greatly missed.
Missing Finger Ties - designed and produced to celebrate John Carnegie’s massive contribution to Hazlegrove, the ‘Killer Collection’ has two options. Both ties include the School Crest and Carnegie’s three-fingered salute to the world!
- Old Hazlegrovian Tie (Left): Available in silk or polyester. Traditional design of School Crest and Hazlegrove Dogs on navy background. Polyester £10 each, Silk £20 each
- The Killer Cool: A summer version in warm pastel shades. Silk only £20 each.
- The Killer Club: A more formal tie – gold and blue. Polyester £10 each
Book – 101 Ways to Lose a Finger
Celebrating John ‘Killer’ Carnegie’s 30 years at Hazlegrove, this is an intriguing collection of stories written by pupils of all ages, staff and ex pupils each revealing another version of the famous story. Perhaps amongst them is hidden the final truth of one of Hazlegrove’s greatest mysteries – how did he really lose that finger?
With a forward written by ex-pupil Tobias Jones and the opening chapter Halcyon Days written by John, this book will be an amusing distraction to anyone with fond memories of Hazlegrove over the last 30 years.
£10 each
To order any of the above items please contact Ms Beth Holdgate by one of the following methods:
- Phone 01963 440314
- Post at Hazlegrove, Sparkford, Somerset BA22 7JA
