The 2019 Vintage Vikings Morning Tea & Lunch was held in Morris Hall on Friday 24 May. With a total of 129 in attendance it was a truly memorable occasion. Churchie’s premiere jazz ensemble Big Band 1 performed splendidly. In a surprise guest appearance, accompanying Big Band 1 for their final piece, so too did Mr Jeffrey Black (1979) and current Year 11 student Harry Shaw who combined for a stirring vocal performance. Jeffrey, an internationally acclaimed opera singer, is Churchie’s Director of Music. The band is looking forward to once again performing at this year’s Jazz Under the Stars with special guest Rai Thistlethwaite from Thirsty Merc on Friday 9th August 2019. James Mason OAM (Past Staff) presented as Guest Speaker on the topic Fallen Old Boys of the Second World War, which certainly evoked some interest and emotion among our guests. We also enjoyed a record attendance of new Vintage Viking inductees with 16 Old Boys being presented with their ties by the Headmaster.

Without doubt, each year one of the highlights of the Vintage Vikings Morning Tea & Lunch is the crowning of the Oldest Old Boy in Attendance. This year, at 95 years of age, Tony Osborn (1942) proudly received this acknowledgement. Special mention should also go to Stuart Inverarity (1941) who travelled from Sydney to join us. Stuart is also 95 years of age, only 3 months younger than Tony. In acknowledgement of this tradition, the OBA Committee recently commissioned sculptor Dr Rhyl Hinwood AM to design a leather helmet, modelled on the St Magnus of Orkney statue in Magnus Quadrangle. Rhyl is a Past Parent of Churchie and was the sculptor of the St Magnus statue, as well as the Canon Morris statue. The helmet was made to Rhyl’s design and brief by leather artist Len Bytheway.

The 2019 OBA Annual Dinner will be held on Friday 16 August in Rivershed East at Howard Smith Wharves. In the coming weeks, special invitations to the dinner will also be extended to our cohorts celebrating their 5 year (2014), 15 year (2004), 25 year (1994), 35 year (1984) and 45 year (1974) reunions. Interest in the event is already gaining momentum, so please ensure you book early to secure your seat. Tickets can either be purchased individually for $95 or as a table booking for $800 (i.e $80 per person). The following day, Saturday 17 August, is our annual Old Boys’ Day. This is the afternoon the school plays Gregory Terrace in both rugby and basketball. For more details, please refer to the Reunions and Events calendar later in this newsletter.

OBA Annual Dinner | Individual Booking
OBA Annual Dinner | Table Booking [10]

For those who will be in Sydney on Friday 21 June, please be sure to click here to purchase your ticket for the 2019 Old Boys Sydney Reunion. Hosted by Morgans Financial and with tickets at a cost of only $20 per person, it is an evening not to be missed. This is a mixed event, so everyone is welcome.