Tag Archives: Bishop George Edward Lynch Cotton

Two videos of Bishop Cotton School Simla – produced by Sam Mathews.

Wonderful!
What else can one say.  Brings back huge amount of memories.
Gentleman has done a great job and yeoman service!
Cheers!
Indi [Gurrinder Khanna 1969 Batch]
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This was a great send. Love the school and proud to be a COTTONIAN.
Tejindar Randhawa, 
Roll no.864,
Curzon house
1977.
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So many shots in these videos took me down memory lane. Also made me realize how much history was associated with these places within the campus that we took for granted. Thank you so much for sharing!!
Mukul Sheopory [1990 Batch]
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Bishop Cotton Challenge Cup – Rugby School vs. Marlborough College 2009

Bishop Cotton Challenge Cup

Rugby School vs. Marlborough College Annual Cricket Match, 1 – 2 July 2009

This fixture has a long and illustrious history and was first played in1855. It was instigated by our founder, Bishop George Edward Lynch Cotton, who had been Housemaster at Rugby and became Master of Marlborough College in 1852. He established it through engagement with the MCC and it was played at Lord’s Cricket Ground, in London, until 1972. Thereafter it has been played at Marlborough or Rugby alternately each year.

It has been played 101 times at Lord’s, 3 times at the Oval and once at the Middlesex ground in Islington, in London. There were no matches in 1858, 1859 and 1861 because of the perceived ‘weakness of Marlborough’s Cricket’ and none during the Great War, 1915 – 1918, for fear of Zeppelin attacks. No match was played in 1940 either because of the impending invasion and fear of air attack and the match in 1947 was cancelled due to an outbreak of Polio at Rugby School.

Rugby had the better of the earlier encounters but the contest gradually became more even. The tendency of the last three decades has been for more drawn games; both the 100th and 150th anniversary matches ended in a draw. Rugby are slightly ahead in the total of number of wins, with a slender lead of 6.

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The Pavilion on the opening morning

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The Bishop Cotton Challenge Cup

The weather forecast for this years match was very promising and so it turned out with both days being clear, sunny and hot. The match began at about the same time as the Chapel Service, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of our founding, so most of us missed the morning session. Rugby won the toss, elected to bat, and were going well at lunch. They reached a score of 121 before losing their 2nd wicket and looked set for a big total. However the dismissal of their captain, J Moxham for 55, brought on a significant batting collapse and they were bowled out for a total score of 161.

 

Marlborough began very cautiously as they could see they had a great opportunity to win but Rugby kept the bowling tight. Marlborough lost only 1 wicket during the rest of the day, to a spectacular mid-air catch at point, but their run rate was rather slow and by stumps they had still not overhauled the Rugby total.

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 First Innings – Rugby Fielding

Bishop Cotton had set a tradition for dinner on the first evening to be hosted by either the Master of Marlborough or Headmaster of Rugby, in order to engender a feeling of kinship and a spirit of camaraderie between the players. It was held on the lawns of the Master’s house on perfectly balmy summer evening. The teams dined together and visiting parents and staff were invited, but only a handful of OC’s remained as the majority had left after the end of the first day’s play. It was a sublime occasion with excellent food and wonderful company; it was heart-warming to see the boys socialise so well after battling all day on the field. The evening ended, again traditionally, with a speech and vote of thanks from the visiting captain.

Marlborough began the second day’s play in the same manner as they had finished the first – carefully. Their captain, U Qureshi, duly scored a century but a draw looked increasingly likely as the day wore on. They lost only 2 more wickets till tea when they eventually declared at 281 for 3, a lead of 120 runs. This left Rugby to bat out the last session or collapse again and hand Marlborough the Cup. They batted with great confidence, however, and scored quite quickly; by the time 10 overs of play were left they had reached the safety of 119 for 1 with G Mackenzie 55 not out. A positive result was now clearly impossible and the game was called off.

There had been much discussion amongst OC’s, the day before, about what should be done in the event of a draw. There was a view that the Cup should go to Marlborough as they had been the winners when there last was a result. It was strongly felt, however, that the trophy should be won rather than just awarded; if the game was drawn then Marlborough should keep the Cup, but as it’s custodians, until it was properly won by one or other team. It had also been realised the night before that none of the other guests would be able to stay till the end of the match, except for me as a Rugby parent, so it was left to me to make the presentation.

crick-4The Captains: J Moxham, Rugby (right), U Qureshi, Marlborough (left)
The Master, Mr N A Sampson (extreme left).

It was particularly poignant for me personally to be at Marlborough, celebrating our sesquicentennial and with my son playing for Rugby in the match.  I felt extremely honoured, therefore, in the presence of the Master, parents, staff and coaches, to award the trophy to both captains. I exhorted them to compete fiercely for the Cup in future, but to play with honour, in the best traditions set by Bishop Cotton and in the true spirit of the game of cricket.

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[Click these small images for a full view]

 Dr J M S Aulakh

(Rivaz 1958-66)

Final programme of Sesquicentennial Celebrations October 2nd to 6th 2009

9/September/09:The programme has been revised.

Click here for the updated schedule.

 

BISHOP COTTON SCHOOL

SHIMLA

SESQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS

1859 – 2009

Finale

2009 FRIDAY OCTOBER 2nd – MONDAY OCTOBER 6th inclusive

Day 1

Friday 2nd
October 2009

 

 

Special OCs train Kalka – Kathlee Ghat

Depart Kalka 12:)) noon
Arrival 4.30 pm

 

Courtesy of OCA (Punjab/Chandigarh Chapter)

 

 

Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat School – 2nd Flat – Dress rehearsal

6.30 pm – 8.00 pm

 

Arrival Chief Guest to open celebrations

8.00 pm

 

HM’s Buffet Dinner (OCs & visitors) School – 1st Flat

8.30 pm – 10.30 pm

Day 2

Saturday 3rd October 2009

 

 

Reception & Registration 1st Flat (War Memorial)

From 9.00 am

 

Official Opening Ceremonies 1st Flat

9.30 am – 10.00 am

 

School Cricket Match T20 vs. Sanawar (2nd Flat) 1st XI

10.00 am – 1.30 pm

 

Chapel Service (OCs)

10.15 am – 10.45 am

 

Tea in Dining Hall OCs & Guests

11.00 am – 11.45 am

 

Campus Tour / Art Exhibitions

11.30 am – 1.00 pm

 

Renaming of Remove Dormitories

Noon – 12.30 pm

 

OC LUNCH (School premises) Courtesy of OCA (Punjab/Chandigarh Chapter)

1.30 pm – 2.30 pm

 

School Sporting activities

3.00 pm – 5.30 pm

 

Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat School – 2nd Flat

6.00 pm – 7.30 pm

 

OC Reunion Dinner : Peterhof Hotel

8.00 pm onwards

 

Courtesy of OCA (Himachal Pradesh Chapter)

 

Day 3

Sunday 4th October 2009

 

 

Registration 1st Flat

From 8.00 am

 

Special OC Breakfast in Dining Hall

8.30 am – 9.30 am

 

School Cricket Match T20 vs. Aitchison College, Lahore 1st XI

9.30 am – 1.00 pm

 

Fête

1.00 pm – 5.00 pm

 

School Sporting activities

2.30 pm – 5.30 pm

 

OCA Audio Visual Show (Sam Mathews)

6.00 pm – 6.30 pm

 

Musical Show by OCA (Band and vocals) – 2nd Flat

6.30 pm – 8.30 pm

 

OC Reunion Dinner : Eastbourne Hotel

9.00 pm onwards

 

Courtesy of OCA (Delhi Chapter)

 

Day 4

Monday 5th October 2009

 

 

OC Golf & Lunch at Naldera

 

Free day for non-golfing OCs who are, however, ore than welcome to enjoy and participate in the activities on the BCS campus

 

Parents’ Day

 

 

Reception & Registration 1st Flat Parents and OCs

From 9.00 am

 

Campus Tour / Art Exhibitions

9.30 am – Noon

 

School Soccer Match vs. Aitchison College, Lahore 1st XI

9.30 am – 1.00 pm

 

Lunch Dining Hall Parents & Students

1.00 pm – 2.00 pm

 

Reading Prizes etc : Irwin Hall

2.30 pm – 6.30 pm

 

School Sporting activities

2.30 pm – 5.00 pm

 

Curzon House Centenary Show 2nd Flat

5.30 pm – 7.30 pm

 

Curzon House Dinner (Invitees)

8.00 pm – 9.00 pm

 

Dinner in Dining Hall Non-Curzonian Parents and Students

8.00 pm – 9.00 pm

 

Curzon House ‘Jam’ Session

9.00 pm – 10.00 pm

Day 5

Tuesday 6th October 2009

 

Death of Bishop George Edward Lynch Cotton in 1863

 

Registration 1st Flat  

From 8.00 am

 

Commemorative Chapel Service – School

8.00 am – 8.45am

 

Commemorative Chapel Service – OCs

9.00 am – 9.45 am

 

BCS India Stamp : Official Launch 1st Flat

10.00 am – 10.15 am

 

Tea in Dining Hall for OCs and visitors

10.15 am – 10.45 am

 

NCC Parade : Unveiling War Memorial plaques Re-dedication War Memorial : Last Post

11.00 am – 11.30 am

 

School Sporting activities

Noon – 1.00 pm

 

Lunch Dining Hall – School, OCs & Visitors

1.30 pm – 2.30 pm

 

School Sporting activities : Athletics 2nd Flat

3.00 pm – 5.30 pm

 

History of BCS : Son et Lumière
LASER SHOW 2nd Flat

6.00 pm – 7.00 pm

 

GymnasticsTorchlight Massed PT Display (360 students) 2nd Flat
Closing Ceremonies
School Song
National Anthem

7.15 pm – 8.30 pm

 

Would all visitors to the school please note and strictly adhere to the following

Alcohol : ALL school premises are at all times strict no-alcohol zones.
Smoking : By law, ALL school premises are at all times strict no-smoking zones.

The school reserves the right to immediately eject from the school premises
anyone breaking the above rules.

Misdemeanor by any OC will automatically mean suspension from the OCA

Please intimate your attendence or otherwise to the OCA chapter you belong to by 31st of August without fail.

DOWNLOAD THE REGISTRATION FORM HERE.

From –
OCA India / Col. Wendy Dewan

 

BCS – 150 YEARS TODAY!

28th July 2009

Bishop Cotton School Shimla India celebrates its 150th year today, having been founded this day in 1859.

THREE CHEERS!

 

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Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service
 

Shimla, July 28
Celebrating its sesquicentennial jubilee, Asia’s oldest public school, Bishop Cotton, has earned yet another distinction as it became the first school to be associated by United Nations in its mission on “Seal the Deal” campaign for Copenhagen Climate Change conference.
The 150th celebrations of Bishop Cotton School (BCS) took off today with old students of the 1956 batch and later, joining the school fraternity to mark the milestone. “BCS is the only school in the world to have been associated by the UN in its mission on climate change to safeguard the planet for future generations by sealing a fair, balanced and effective climate agreement,” said Roy Christopher Robinson, Headmaster of the school. The message from Achim Steiner, UN Under Secretary General and Executive Director of the UN’s Environment Programme for use of the logo “Seal the Deal” and making it part of everyday communication was received only a few days back.
“I want to pass on the message to all the past and present students to put in their best to ensure a green world as environment protection needs to be taken up as a mission,” said G.P.S. Sahi, a former Chief Secretary of Punjab, who passed out from BCS in 1956. Capt Vivek Bhasin of the 1970 batch says the illustrious alumni of the school who have excelled in every field owe whatever they have achieved to BCS which gave them the confidence and strength to venture into the world to make a mark. “It would take two long days for me to travel to Shimla from Kolkata as a five-year-old but the school became like a family as everyone shared a close bond,” he says.
Then there are others like industrialist K.C. Anand of the 1956 batch who fondly remembers even the caning that the students received on erring. “The school taught us such discipline, courtesy and humility that even after receiving the punishment we had to express our gratitude with a ‘thank you’, ” he said in a lighter vein.
The bust of the founder of the school, Bishop George Edward Lynch Cotton who set up the school on July 28, 1859 was unveiled by P.K. Samantaroy, Bishop of Amritsar and Chairman of the Boatrd of Governors of BCS on the school campus.
[As seen in “The Thribune“]