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'A view from The Hill'

The following is an excerpt from Chapter 2 of the recently published book,
'In the Beginning, Richard Routh - January 1842 until December 1880'

"In the Spring of 1845, Samuel Beesley, a member of the Committee, was visiting the School and Routh accompanied him part of the way back to Banbury and during a pause in the conversation, Beesley suddenly said to Routh: 'Doesn't thou think it a good thing for thee to get married?' Routh answered: 'Well, I really haven't thought much about it. I don't know of anyone at all likely.' Beesley said: 'But why not ask *Rebecca Thompson?' Routh answered 'Oh, I'm sure Rebecca Thompson would not regard me with any favour.' And Beesley replied: 'Oh but thou doesn't know till thou tries - just think it over.' And so he did and they were married in July 1845. ..... They had been married for twenty three years when Rebecca died, comparitively young at the age of 59, in 1868. .....

"Routh was a kindly disciplinarian who ran the school for the first 38 years of its life. An old scholar from South Africa leaves us a last picture of Routh: 'Of vast bulk, suave manners and fatherly way, he was like a warm stove ina large room'."

* Note - Rebecca Thompson joined the school in 1842 as The Mistress (Senior Mistress) - a Quaker and a widow of 33.

click on the link below to download an order form.

A view from The Hill - A history of Sibford School 1842-2010 (order form)

Sibford's Olympic Connection

Ian Weatherhead

Well known Sibford old scholar, Ian Weatherhead,is pictured here holding aloft the 2012 Olympic torch and also the 1948 Olympic torch when the games were last held in the U.K.

Ian, who is employed by the London Chamber of Commerce is Head of defence and security and has been involved for the past 4 years by selecting security equipment from UK companies. The London Chamber of Commerce is one of the main sponsoring groups supporting the 2012 Olympic's.

Ian, who was at Sibford between 1960 and 1964 is also a former President and General Secretary of SOSA.