Rector’s eNews 35: 12 November 2025

Over the weekend, our boys played their penultimate game of the summer season (in several sports) against Hilton. We were at home to them and Saturday was a beautiful day; the trees were adorned with the PinkDrive wrappings in support of breast cancer and there were a number of visitors to the school on campus as the gardens were also on display to the general public. Adding to the general excitement was the fact that two First Team matches, in water polo and cricket, went down to the wire and resulted, much to the delight of our boys, in victories for us. The basketball boys fought valiantly and had good support from the side of the court but went down. What was, for many parents, particularly memorable was the keen and friendly rivalry on the day with matches played in beautiful surroundings and in a great spirit.

What was really special was the warmth and hospitality of some of our parents who welcomed elderly visitors from the “the Ambers” in Howick; their grandchildren have long since left Michaelhouse, but they so appreciated the care taken to make them feel welcome. They wrote asking that their thanks should be passed on to the parents concerned as follows:

“Your Michaelhouse parents were so helpful, when we needed to move out of the sun and more than that they were so hospitable, friendly and generous towards the four of us…. the atmosphere was one of fun, warmth and laughter and they insisted on us partaking of their superb fillet steak, chicken and salads…. Initially we felt somewhat embarrassed, especially as we had already eaten our picnic sandwiches but they were all so persuasive and persistent that eventually, we plucked up the courage to sample some of the delicious fare on offer…..
We were overcome with the way in which we were made to feel valued and welcomed by all and it most certainly made our day very special indeed !

Unfortunately, we did not get the chance to thank everyone properly, as we left before the end of the game, we would be so grateful if you could pass this letter on to those concerned…….”

On Sunday we held our Remembrance Day Service. As is our tradition, the names of every Michaelhouse boy who lost his life in any war was read out with the boys standing in their honour. Long ago, Michaelhouse boys had pledged never to forget those who selflessly gave their lives and, in my address to them, I focussed on the physical courage that was needed to go into battle as well as the moral courage that is required to stand up to a situation in which you don’t believe. The duality of physical and moral courage was evidenced in the life of one of the most famous World War I poets, Siegfried Sassoon, who was awarded the Military Cross (MC) for bravery, but who then made the famous “Soldier’s Declaration” in which he opposed the continuation of the First World War and risked being court-marshalled, sentenced and shot for cowardice. This is what he said: “I am a soldier, convinced that I am acting on behalf of soldiers. I believe that this war upon which I entered as a war of defence and liberation, has now become a war of aggression and conquest.” The British government did not know how to deal with this situation because one who had just pronounced a war hero was now, apparently, opposing the war effort. Sassoon was therefore sent to a war hospital, Craiglockhart in Scotland, and the government pronounced him to have shell-shock, the equivalent of post-traumatic stress.

After the mud bath of the First World War, particularly around the area of the Somme, the only sign of life to emerge from the devastated landscape was the poppy. Poppies were the only flower which, in some parts of Flanders, were able to withstand the devastation of the battlefield, which is why they were a sign of hope after the horrors of battle and why we wear poppies today, on or around 11 November, which is Armistice Day – the day when peace was pronounced and people were able to get on with their lives. It is an act of remembrance of those who have died in war or more recently and Michaelhouse boys place poppies in the main quad, one for each of their 175 brothers who lost his life in wars.

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