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The 2017 FQE Quiz Supper brought together parents, governors and staff past and present for an evening of fun, fundraising…and quite a lot head-scratching, too.

As well as the quiz and a choice of fish and chips or vegetable curry for supper, the evening featured a raffle, which raised £300, and a Heads & Tails game. Since this year’s event fell on Armistice Day, the quiz included a round comprising World War II anagrams.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “This was a thoroughly convivial occasion and my thanks go to all the Friends of Queen Elizabeth’s supporters who did so much to ensure everything ran smoothly.”

The quiz tested not only general knowledge, but also included an observation round, a picture round, a ‘ditloid’ round of alpha-numerical puzzles and a round of cryptic clues to the names of tube s tations.

Quizmasters and foremost among the organisers were the Forrester family (former parents, Peter and Karen, who continue to serve on the FQE Executive Committee, together with their son William (OE 2009-2016), who is now in his second year reading Aerospace Engineering at Sheffield and made the journey from South Yorkshire for the event) and FQE Secretary Diane Mason, with her husband, George.

The catering team was headed by two FQE Executives who are also governors of the School: Caroline Martin, the mother of pupil George Raynor in Year 10, and Tricia Reid, mother of Christopher Reid in Year 10. They were supported by Priya Raykar (mum to Year 9 boy Manomay Lala-Raykar) and Shruthi Belavadi  (mother of Rahul in Year 8 and Rohan in Year 7), who together made the curry, and by Adrian Sandu (father of David in Year 12), who ran the bar.

Former staff members Margaret Gibson and Sara Harrison organised the sale of raffle tickets, while current teachers featured among the quiz teams. One strongly performing team was put forward by the Science department, featuring Gillian Deakin, Georgina Garfield, Melanie Haj Hussein, Jonathan Leigh and John Varndell.

Another leading team included teachers from the Languages department –  Corinna Illingworth, Gill Ross and Helen Shephard – together with the Chairman of Governors, Barrie Martin MBE, and his wife, Perin.

In the end, however, victory went to a table organised by Mr and Mrs Docherty (parents of Alex Docherty in Year 8), with Alex himself a member of the winning team.

Here are some sample questions from the quiz (answers below):

• • Can you name the only English pope?

• • What did French engineer Louis Réard introduce to the beach in 1946?

• • Who invented the concept the of the travel agency in 1841?

• • Which celebrated British scientist is commonly attributed with having invented the cat flap?

• • Which is the most recent National Park, founded in 2011?

• • Name the cryptic tube station: Up the wrong tree

• • Eugene Vidocq helped Sir Robert Peel set up which London police unit?

• • By what name is Richard Bingham better known?

• • Who said: “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated”?

• • 70 SL on a M (Example: 1440 M in a D = 1440 Minutes in a Day)

Answers:

Anagram in the headline: Naval Reactors = Avro Lancaster

• • Nicholas Breakspear (1100–1156) a.k.a. Pope Adrian IV

• • The bikini

• • Thomas Cook

• • Isaac Newton

• • South Downs

• • Barking

• • Scotland Yard

• • Lord ‘Lucky’ Lucan

• • Mark Twain

• • Speed limit on motorways

Twelve new pupil librarians have been selected to serve The Queen’s Library, following a rigorous application process against stiff opposition.

The 12 boys appointed have already had their induction session and will soon be trained in how to operate library circulations (loans, renewal and returns) and in how to shelve books. They will also face a programme of other tasks in the course of the year, including taking responsibility for running several of the library&rsq uo;s clubs.

Librarian Ciara Murray said: “I was bowled over by the strength and number of applications this year: those who were ultimately selected should feel very proud of their achievement, and I know they are looking forward to making their mark on the library.”

A total of 60 boys applied for the positions. The process involved writing a letter of application, an interview with Ms Murray and a sorting test to see whether they had a good eye for detail – “Very important for shelving books correctly!”

Among the interesting ideas and innovations proposed during the interviews were interactive, themed displays, quizzes to test obscure book knowledge and a book review club – with extra book-borrowing allowances for reviewers.

Those appointed were:

• • Year 8 boys Ardavan Hamisi, Abdur-Rahman Ismail, Abhi Koria, Yashaswar Kotakadi, Jashwanth Parimi and Benjamin Toze

• • Year 9’s Richard Bai, Swattik Das, Sultan Khokhar and Lev Shafran

• • Ivaan Nigam and Joell Rosil, of Year 10.

The library’s current clubs include a new film club masterminded by Siddhant Kansal, of Year 9, which has proved extremely popular. The group meet weekly to analyse scenes from books that have been adapted into movies and to discuss which they prefer. There is also a burgeoning board-gaming club, overseen by Hector Cooper and Ivin Jose, which gives boys from multiple year groups the chance to exercise their strategic and communication skills.

QE’s 11 existing pupil librarians, two of whom are now entering their fourth year of service (Hector Cooper & Rishi Shah, both of Year 11), will be closely involved in mentoring and training the new members of the team.

“The pupil librarian system has proven to be a really great way of fostering inter-year friendships and teamwork,” Ms Murray added.

Forty-six Old Elizabethans, parents and other representatives drawn from a broad range of professions gave QE boys and their parents expert help in planning their futures at the School’s 2017 Careers Convention.

A major Year 11 event, it seeks both to pr ovide detailed information about career paths that boys and their parents are already considering and to encourage them to consider fresh options as well.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “This was a thoroughly successful evening. We had a very large number of guests, and conversations with a number of boys since the convention suggest that they found it very useful, particularly enjoying meeting our many visiting OEs.

“A significant number of our boys will undoubtedly become lawyers or medics, and the stalls hosting representatives of these professions were certainly busy. However, our leavers, in fact, follow very diverse career options, so I was equally pleased to welcome visitors from the creative industries and the public sector, to name just two.

“My thanks go to all of the guests who gave up their time to assist the next generation and to my colleagues for organising such a large event.”

The Careers Convention was based in the Shearly Hall, where most of the representatives were based for the evening and were available for conversations with the Year 11 boys and their parents.

They were grouped into the following areas:

• • Banking and Finance
  • Built Environment
  • Creative Arts and Media
  • Engineering
  • Law
  • Medicine
  • Professional Services
  • Public Sector
  • Science
  • Miscellaneous

There were also eight 20-minute talks given in nearby classrooms on topics ranging from Dentistry and Life in the City to Study Abroad.

The evening had begun with an opportunity for the OEs and other guests to meet each other for wine and canapés in the School’s Café 1573 prior to the arrival of the boys and their parents.

Sixth-formers studying Politics enjoyed a rare opportunity to question former Congressmen during a conference on American politics held at the British Library.

The Year 13 boys had the chance to quiz two recently retired members of the House of Representatives, Dan Benishek, a Republican who represented Michigan, and Democrat Sam Farr, from California.

Head of Politics Liam Hargadon said: “This was a worthwhile and valuable conference, which gave our Politics students exposure both to the latest academic discourse on American politics and to the insights of those who have actually served as politicians.”

Reflecting afterwards on an “intriguing” occasion, pupil Eddy Burchett said: “It is difficult to study American politics if you are not able to put yourself in the shoes of those who are experiencing it. Seeing the ex-members of Congress helped to bring life to my studies – it helps you to appreciate the differences in culture between Britain and the United States.”

The day-long event featured talks by a number of leading academics, each of which was followed by opportunities to hear the opinions of the Congressmen and question them:

• • The Party-Political Balance in Washington – Professor Philip John Davies, Director of the British Library’s Eccles Centre for American Studies, covered: the political geography of recent presidential elections; current disputes within the Democratic party, and forthcoming mid-term elections in 2018

• • Whether the 115th [current] Congress is an effective legislature – Dr Ross English, of King’s College London, explored themes including: checks and balances performed by Congressmen; the current restrictions on the Trump administration (despite its having a Republican Congress), and the politics of filibuster

• • American foreign policy in an age of chaos? Dr Andrew Moran, of London Metropolitan University, spoke on: the American foreign policy of exceptionalism; America’s previous experience of being an ‘indispensable nation’, and an analysis of the ongoing America-North Korea dispute

• • President Trump and the Supreme Court – Professor Robert McKeever, of University College London’s Institute of the Americas, looking at: the shifting political balance of the Supreme Court, the influence of the moderate Justice Anthony Kennedy, and forthcoming Supreme Court cases of interest (Gill vs Whitford, Masterpiece Cake shop vs Colorado Civil rights)

• • The Trump Presidency: An interim assessment – In this concluding talk of the day, Professor Iwan Morgan, also of the Institute of the Americas, centred on: a severe lack of legislation, given the advantage of a unified Government; Trump’s approval rating being the lowest of any president ever in the first 100 days in office, and Trump’s ever-changing administration personnel.

After the formal event had finished, QE pupil Rehaan Bapoo had the chance to question ex-Congressman Benishek regarding the relevance of the Second Amendment to the US Constitution in a modern society. The Second Amendment protects the right of Americans to bear arms and was originally drawn up with a view to the importance of militia as a protection against overweening government authority.

The Congressman replied: “There could still be a militia today – that’s from 200 years ago: if we were to rebel today it would be against the army of the United States. If we were to rebel, we would need to form a militia, and one which is effective is one which has the right arms. Restricting that would leave us helpless to the Government.”

With good numbers in attendance, excellent food and memorable speeches, this year’s formal dinner for alumni was by common consent one of the best in recent memory, according to the Headmaster.

Guest of honour Robert Rinder (OE 1989–1994) brought both TV glamour and the sharp insights of an experienced international barrister to the 122nd annual dinner of The Old Elizabethans Association, while alumni spanning the generations enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with each other and make new friends.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “It was a terrific evening. The attendance represented an increase on previous years and Rob delivered an address that was not only characteristically entertaining but also rather profound.

“It was excellent to see so many of our ten-year leavers (those who started their final year in 2007) back with us. They helped make it a truly memorable occasion.”

Formed in 1886 as an informal dining club, the association took on its present form in the 1920s. Its current President is Ken Cooper (OE 1942-50).

In his speech, Rob Rinder reflected on what he has taken from the School, while thanking QE for the “gift” it had bequeathed to him. He especially thanked his Headmaster Eamonn Harris, who was in attendance, together with my immediate predecessor, John Marincowitz.

He praised QE’s burgeoning alumni network, urging that it should be nurtured and utilised: all old boys should get involved to help pay back the “debt” that each owed to the School, he said. QE had, after all, provided them with a “public school education” for free!

Some recalled that when Rob appeared on BBC TV’s Room 101, the pet hate he had consigned to the basement torture chamber as the worst thing in the world was “school reunions”.  The Headmaster remarked: “I trust that his experience at the dinner – his first-ever reunion event at our School – went some way to changing his mind about this!”

In his own speech, Mr Enright took considerable pleasure in highlighting the fact that the academic year thus far has been notable for the large number of alumni reconnecting with the School, many coming to visit for the first time since leaving. &l dquo;They have uniformly offered support to the boys by volunteering advice, interview practice, work experience placements or sponsorship.

“It has been wonderful to see the enthusiasm and engagement of our old boys; it is something we hope will only continue to grow as we pursue our aim of building a strong and active network of alumni, focused on supporting each other and, crucially, the boys currently at the School,” said Mr Enright.