OB Day 2025

Glorious sunshine welcomed Old Breconians back to Brecon for OB Day 2025. A chance to visit the school again for those who were in school prior to 1975, the day began with a morning Chapel service warmly led by Old Breconian Chaplain, Peter Godsell (SHR 1966-72), and voices uplited by the full school choir. In her thoughtful sermon, Revd Canon Dr Gill Todd (Brecon and Epynt Ministry Area Leader) noted the range of age and experience in Chapel, from Old Breconians seated to the pupils in the Choir who are the Old Breconians of the future.

As if to illustrate the point further, the pitches were already vibrant with school activity by the time the congregation made their way to the impressive new nets for their official opening by Anne Kleiser in front of a crowd of current pupils and staff, parents, Old Breconians and former staff. 

Welcome refreshments in Henry's followed, and a delicious lunch in the dining hall offered a chance to greet old friends, share stories and hear the Head bring OBs up-to-date with the School's current achievements and challenges.

For those seeking sport and sun, school cricket was soon underway, including the XI against Abergavenny CC. For those seeking cooler climes, the Clive Richards Room was packed with archive material, including team photo albums, new portfolios of House photos and a collection of photographs of the team boards that line the Pavilion.

Also on display were items that prompted moments of cricket with CWK - COBS tours, 'the' match played in 1991 when a West Indian touring side played on his beloved square, as well as Tours to Australia (1996) and Barbados (1999), and the CWK Collection of XI photographs. 

Christ College Archive holds a unique collection of informal photographs taken by pupils at the turn of the century. Following on from last year's photo display, a selection of photos from the 1900s was on display with a chance to pick a favourite or two. This year's winner was a photo of two boys on the platform at Brecon Station in 1900. It will take its place in the Archive's Epitome Collecton.

Evocatively illustrating a means of travel to and from school that finally came to an end in 1962, journeys that began and ended at Brecon Station were still remembered clearly by OBs who were there and their stories added even more richness to a photo that had been taken more than a hundred years ago. 

Also remembered was the Clive Richards Room itself. On the ground floor of the Library (Big School) building, it is still known as General House to many OBs and more recently as SHB changing rooms. With the help of the original plans (1881), a group of helpful OBs took the chance for a walkaroud of the space as it is now with the aim of pinning down when it first became a dormitory.

If you have any memories of the way the room was used when you were in school - whether in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, or 90s, let Felicity or Huw know. We'd really like to build a tmeline and anything you can remember would really help.  

The star of the show this year was undoubtedly the Colin Kleiser Nets. In lanes already busy with players preparing for the afternoon's matches, Geoff Davies (Orchard 1953-59) gamely joined in some bowling practice before retiring for lunch, 

By the end of the day, the match against Abergavenny CC saw a win for the Brecon side by 107 runs including a 151-run partnership for A J (101 not out) and Captain Toby P (56) - both of whom are sons of former players who were coached by CWK. What could be a more fitting end to a day that celebrated his legacy?