Despite the best efforts of the rail unions to conspire against us, nothing would prevent ODs, families and friends (and one Michaelhouse Old Boy) from attending this the second UK ODU 2023 Carol Service — The Ceremony of Nine Lessons and Carols — on Wednesday 6th December.
Eight of the nine lessons were read by ODs (the ninth lesson traditionally is read by the Vicar, The Rev'd Dr Peter Anthony (right)) who began the service by inviting us to say the Bishops School Prayer. Four of the carols sung were composed by ODs.
Once again, we were in the beautiful All Saints Margaret Street Church (below) in Central London and enjoyed very much the stunning singing of their choir who led the service (see the order of service at the end of this blog).
As always, the purpose of ODU events up here is to bring ODs together to foster relationships and build networks. So after the service which featured all the old favourite carols, there were mince pies and mulled wine for the congregation giving everyone a chance to meet and mingle before heading home. Or at least for most to head home, as a small crowd got waylaid at a pub called, improbably, Waxy O'Connor. There a mix of older and younger ODs prolonged the evening's festivities during which it was discovered that one of the younger ODs had been delivered by one of the older ODs (true story).
The Bishops Carol Service, started at Bishops in 1935 under Doc. Claude Brown, has always been a marker of the end of another year at School. For some, it marked the end of a Bishops school career, for the rest, the start of the summer holidays. This UK ODU Carol Service also heralds the end of the year and in the beautiful surrounds of ASMS, enveloped by the sublime sounds of the singing and organ, ODs were able to relax and reflect (if one can do that while singing lustily) on the year past and what the next might bring.
In all, a most enjoyable event.
Click on the photos to enlarge
Waiting for the service to start; some members of the congregation:
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| Nicky Bicket (F, 1973) talking to Anne Peden and Blaine Tomlinson (G, 1968) |
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| Caelim Parkes (O, 1990) with his wife Maida and two sons |
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| Charles McGregor (F, 1969) and Keith Richardson (O, 1968) with one of the Abe Bailey Scholars |
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| Heath and David Vanreenen (F, 1962) |
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| Gabriel de Graaf (G, 2020) and his partner |
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| Ben and Greg Baldwin (O, 1975) |
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| Peter (S, 1961) and Marie Syfret |
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| The Rev'd Peter Macan (F, 1954) with his granddaughter, Elena Macan |
The candles being lit for the start of the service ...
... and the carols begins ...
Our readers:
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| Charles McGregor, Jonathan Frost (S, 2016), Adrian Bottega (W, 2000) and Niall Carroll (O, 1981) |
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| Miles Maskell (O, 1953), Keith Richardson, Virgil Parenzee (O, 1996) and Nicky Bicket |
The service is over, the choir's job is done
And the mingling begins
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| David Jordan (W, 1962) and Nicky Bicket |
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| John Battersby (W, 196), Peter Robinson (S, 1966) and Keith Richardson |
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| Jonathan Frost and Mariami |
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| Jonathan Frost, Gabriela Grodzki and Stuart Bristow (K, 2014) |
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| Mark Charnock (O, 1962) and John Battersby |
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| Mark Charnock and Peter and Marie Syfret |
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| Faces showing: Adrian Kritzinger (F, 2006), Mike Cockburn (F, 2006) and Ian Haggie (F, 2005) |
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| Chloë Noland (Richard's wife), Amy Kennedy and Richard Tissiman (G, 2011) |
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| Brendan Raubenheimer (F, 2005) and Adrian Kritzinger |
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| Robbie Weich (B, 1992) and son Luca |
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| On the right, William Rosenberg (G, 2010) |
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| Peter Robinson, Mark Charnock, John Battersby and Charles McGregor |
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| Stuart Bristow and Gabriela Grodzki |
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| Keith Richardson and some Abe Bailey Scholars |
The Order of Service (click on each page to read):
