At the Unveiling of the Centenary Embroidery ceremony at the School on Saturday 14th November (See EVENTS), the Old Ashburnian Society presented the Headmaster, Dr. R Wilkes, with a cheque for £2,000. This was the Society's contribution in support of the events and celebrations during the year. After the presentation the school was open for a "Family Fun Day" which drew hundreds of people to the school. Activities and demonstrations took place all over the school and it a wonderful way to celebrate the first pupils entering the school exactly one hundred years ago.

Pictured below is the cheque presentation.

Left to Right. Dr. R Wilkes. Tony Coates. Dinah Archer. Phyllis Sallis. Mary Dear (Vice President). Muriel Topping. Doreen Wheatcroft. Peter Sallis.

(Photogragh reproduced by kind permission of the Ashbourne News Telegraph)

To celebrate the Centenary of the School opening on The Green Road in 1909, the school has launched an EBook which contains articles and photographs covering the past 100 years. Rob Tuck, the school's ICT expert, has brilliantly designed and created the book. It is dynamic as pages and photographs can be added continually. It can be viewed from the Queen Elizabeth's web site - there is a link on the Home page on this web site.

Alternatively the EBook can be viewed by clicking on the link below. Enjoy turning the pages with your computer mouse or dowload the PDF version to read at leisure.

View EBook

After an absence of many years the school now has a new flagpole thanks to a donation from the Old Ashburnian Society. With todays H&S requirements to consider it was not practical to replace the pole on top of the tower as many former pupils will remember, but instead it has been erected close to the main entrance as shown in the photograph below.

The Union Jack flying from the new flagpole during a recent Centenary Stone dedication ceremony. In the foreground is the Headmaster Dr. R Wilkes.

The Society have been contacted via our website by a Mr. John Ashmore who has recently moved into a house in West Sussex. He noticed in a pile of rubbish destined for the skip, a rather splendid red blazer with black and white stripes, which had belonged to the previous owner who had passed away. He translated the latin inscription on the badge and found the link to the Old Ashburnian Society and contacted the web site. He has kindly sent us the blazer which is in remarkably good condition.

The blazer belonged to Major Aubrey Alwyn Edgar Trofimov, born of Russian parents, who was a Boarder at Queen Elizabeth's in the late 1930s.After leaving school in 1939 he had a very distinguished career in the Special Operations Executive (SOE) "Jedburgh"teams, which dropped into enemy occupied territory to assist local resistance groups. He died, aged 84, at a reunion of his comrades in the SOE.

Dr Roy Bennett recalls "When I joined QEGS in 1938, Trofimov was a prefect, tall, handsome, ginger haired and a good cricketer and rugby player. He looked every inch the Russian aristocrat. He must have left at the end of the summer term in 1939. I believe it was Major Ball's practice to put the Old Ashburnian subscription and blazer on the final bill to boarders. This would make the blazer 70 years old."

To celebrate the centenary of Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School opening on The Green Road, the Old Ashburnian Society have commissioned a loving cup, designed by Country Work Studios of Mackworth Village, Derby.

Country Work Studios have been established at Mackworth for over 10 years. The two partners were both artists at Crown Derby and are now creating bespoke pieces for a world wide market. Examples of their work can be seen by clicking here

The Society Cup depicts the school building and on the reverse side shows the school badge. It is embossed with 24 carat gold and each one is uniquely numbered in a limited edition of 200.

It is anticipated there will be a high demand for this very collectable item, which should be available by the end of the year. The Cups are priced at £55 each. (plus £4.50 post/packaging if required). Inquiries should be made to the secretary or any committee member. Please make cheques payable to "Old Ashburnian Society Centenary Cup"

The Society have been contacted by Lloyd Lee (remember his "sputnik" exploits in the late 1950's). He tells us he has now turned to acting. He is appearing in his own show:- "Educating Charlie" a one man performance about Charles Dicken's early life. Lloyd says he hated Dickens at school after reading Great Expectations in Miss Calloway's class! The show is presented at Derby's Guildhall Theatre on 22nd October.

More information click here about Lloyd on his Website.

The Headmaster was delighted to receive 2 photographs of the whole school population taken over 70 years ago. The donor, Mr. Roger Brandon, whose mother Dorothy and her sister Edith attended QEGS in the 1920s and 1930s, says that they have been rolled up for over 70 years. They will be flattened out, mounted and framed by Head of Art Mr Tkacz and then displayed in the school.

Mr Brandon also sent by email photographs of school activities from the same era and these are shown below.

In 2009 the school, now 423 years old, celebrates 100 years on the Green Road. As part of the celebration Dr Wilkes hopes to publish a photographic history of the century's events and is anxious to receive other memorabilia.

Hockey Team c.1930

Headmaster Major Ball, Dorothy Gaunt, Jacqueline (?) and Phillys Birch (1931)

School Play 'The Rose & Ring' 1930-31

AGS Camp - Sea Front Rhyl 1931

If anyone can identify any of the pupils on the photographs or has any similar memorabilia please contact the Headmaster at the school or contact the Society via the enquiry form on this website.

Hockey Team 1927-8

George Edwards(1953-58) has recently had a book published. It is titled "RIGHT PLACE RIGHT TIME," and tells the inside story of Brian Clough's Derby County days.

George joined the Derby Evening Telegraph as a Junior Reporter 3 days after leaving Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in 1958. He moved into the Sports Department in 1960 when he was just 18.

By the age of 23 he was covering Derby County and 3 years later became Sports Editor. He eventually moved to Wales and became Deputy Editor and later Editor of the South Wales Post, from which he retired in 2002.

"RIGHT PLACE RIGHT TIME" contains references to George's school days and mentions teachers Peter Jennings and "Jock" Coates. The book is available from Waterstones, Amazon and all good book shops. George will sign copies of his book at the Reunion on March 29th.

Mrs Ann Young (Ann Daker) is taking on the role of Membership Secretary for the OAS with the aim of increasing the membership of the society, especially school leavers post 1970.

Ann already has a substantial database of names and addresses. In due course she will be contacting more recent school leavers as well as existing members whose details may have changed. She can be contacted on 01332 673632 or by e-mail;- anndakeryoung@yahoo.co.uk. Details of how to become a member of the Society can also be found on the Membership page

The Vice President for 2009-10, who will then serve as President 2010-11. is Mary Dear.

Details will appear shortly for the 2010 re-union which will be held on April 24th 2010, and will befound on the Calendar page.

The year 2009 will be very significant in the history of the school. It marks 100 years on the Green Road Site. On July 15th 1909 the school was granted it’s Charter and on August 23rd it was officially opened. It was not until November 12th 1909 that the first pupils entered the school.

The Headmaster intends to celebrate the 100 years in some way and members of the OAS committee are involved in deciding what form it should take. Meanwhile If anyone has any material such as newspaper articles, photographs etc. relating to the site opening and those early years, please contact the committee as some form of historical exhibition will form part of the celebration.