DHSB Alumni Newsletter
10 September 2021
Dear Alumni,
I hope you are all well and have been enjoying the summer – along with a bit more freedom. I can't believe nearly two months have passed since my last newsletter and we are only one month away from our 125th Anniversary Celebratory Event. In fact this time next month it will all be over! I'm getting a little bit nervous now! Tickets will only be available to buy for approximately 3 weeks as we need to manage the catering side of it, or until we sell out. The day will consist of a buffet lunch, talks, an exhibition, a curry in the evening, the lighting of the blocks and the colonnade and a commemorative brochure. If you are interested and would like to buy a ticket to our all day celebration then please look on our website for details:
Whilst you are there, take a look at all that is on it: photographs, School Magazines (fully searchable with optical character recognition so you can input keywords), Speech Day programmes, DHSB merchandise and more!
Obviously there's not much to report from a school during the summer holidays. However we were very proud to see one of our alumni, David King, reach the semi-finals of the hurdles in the recent Tokyo Olympics. A big well done David!
The empty school also gave a local metal detector the opportunity to visit the school. It was a very quick visit and no exciting find to report at the moment! He will be back though and I'll keep you posted! I am sure there must be some old hospital and military artefacts buried here somewhere. If anyone lost 1/2p or some nails please contact me and if you can identify them they're yours!
Today, as you are aware, is the 10th September. The same date in 1945 saw all our students arrive at the former military hospital for the first time. Some had been evacuated to Penzance, some opted for the Emergency High School housed at Sutton High School in Regent Street and some were just starting their Devonport High School journey! I can picture the apprehension and excitement that there must have been!
I had a lovely phone call with Allan Turnbull earlier this year who spent one term at the Emergency High School before they moved to the military hospital. He remembers that he felt aggrieved that he never had the opportunity to join the school in Penzance and that he never felt at home in the Sutton building. Allan recalled how excited they all were for the ‘new’ building – he called it ‘the great unknown!’ He said they were particularly impressed by the colonnade. I am in awe of it myself every time I see it, and never tire of it!
My thanks to all of you who have already bought tickets to the event. I am delighted by the fantastic response and support. You will receive more information about the day soon. For those that have asked there will be parking available at the school. We have tried to make the event as accessible as possible but our hands are tied a little bit due to the nature of the old premises.
That's all for now! Please keep sending me your memories, I love to hear them. I can be contacted by emailing alumni@dhsb.org
Looking forward to meeting many of you on the 9th October.
Best wishes,
Beverley Kinsella
Alumni Engagement & Archives