Hymers College
Encyclopedia
Hymers College is a co-educational independent school
located on the site of the old Botanic Gardens
of Hull
, East Riding of Yorkshire
, England
. It was established in 1893 as a boys' school, but expanded to include girls from the 1970s onwards.
left some of his property to the mayor and corporation of Hull, to provide for the foundation of a grammar school, "for the training of intelligence in whatever social rank of life it may be found among the vast and varied population of the Town." An obscurity in the wording of the will rendered the bequest invalid, but his heir, his brother Robert Hymers, voluntarily granted the sum of £50,000 for the establishment of Hymers College, Hull.
(opened by and named after Dame Judi Dench
), science laboratories, an all-weather sports pitch, and other sports facilities have been constructed. A new junior school
has also been built. A swimming pool
was added in 2005.
The school library was closed in 2001, with the majority of books being redistributed to decentralised 'resource rooms', much to the chagrin of a number of pupils. This was upon the advice of government inspectors, who argued that the library in its previous form was underused.
Hymers College is the best performing school in Kingston-upon-Hull in terms of examination results and league-table position, consistently producing an A2 Level pass rate of 92% (updated 2006 figure). The school often claims to be the 'best value for money' independent school in the country with school bills at about £8,000 p/a. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
(HMC).
In addition to academic success, Hymers students are known for achieving excellence in other extracurricular areas. Mainstream sports are rugby and cricket, hockey and netball and as a measure of these teams it is worth noting that the 2004/2005 1st rugby team only lost to one school on their tough fixture list, St Peter's School, York
, including victories over Stonyhurst
, Ampleforth
and Bradford Grammar School
. In Summer of 2005 and 2009 a 1st/2nd rugby team toured Canada, visiting Calgary
, Edmonton
and Banff
amongst other places. All four matches played in both tours were won, including a fixture against the Alberta U18 representative side. In June 2007, the U16 cricket squad visited St Lucia for a two week tour, competing against local clubs and schools with the final match being played at St Lucia's Test match
ground the Beausejour Stadium
.
A regular series of concerts showcase the musical talent in the school; highlights in the music department include a tour of the Rhineland area of Germany in Summer 2005 and regular visits by professional musicians and groups to perform with Hymers players and conduct masterclasses.
The masonic lodge
Old Hymerian Lodge is linked to the school.
) unit, Hymers has its own Army Cadet Force
(ACF) detachment currently containing around 40 cadets ranging from recruits to senior NCOs.
Hymers College RLC Detachment
is affiliated to 150th Transport Regiment
of the Royal Logistic Corps
. The detachment is in B Company of Humberside and South Yorkshire ACF.
In the early 1990s, a pupil (who was also a cadet at another detachment in Hull) approached a teacher who had previously served in the army and suggested that the college should form its own cadet unit. Much time and thought was put into the scheme and the arrangements were made. The detachment's regimental affiliation was uncertain, many old Hymerians had fought during the wars in various units but one above all others featured in the records: The Parachute Regiment. No sponsor Parachute Regiment unit was available. The local (TA) unit was the only option, that was Royal Corps of Transport
(TA) in Hull at the time the detachment formed. The detachment had the Royal Corps of Transport cap badge for only a few months before the amalgamation of the Royal Corps of Transport into the Royal Logistic Corps
. For many years the detachment made use of the college's biology
labs and then the school gymnasium. The gymnasium had space for drill
indoors, air rifle shooting as well as a small armoury, this was a great improvement on science labs. The detachment commander became the company commander of E company (South Humberside) while the detachment remained in B company. When the detachment commander became the commander of A company instead of E company the detachment became part of A company (east Hull and eastern part of East Yorkshire), this only lasted about a year and the detachment and its commander returned to B company. The detachment moved out of the gymnasium building into a new pre-fabricated building as couple of years ago. A concrete .22 shooting range
has recently been added next to the main building.
The detachment commander was until recently the same teacher who started the detachment in the early 1990s, but in 2007 he was replaced by an external officer i.e. not a teacher from the school. Other adult instructors have also assisted with APC training, some of these have been Old Hymerians. The cadets are taught the same APC subjects at the detachment as all other Army Cadet Force
(ACF) Detachments in the UK
these include: Skill at Arms, Fieldcraft, Map and Compass, etc.
This detachment is the only one in the country to have 12 above standard certificates for its annual inspections.
The land on which the detachment is built is on a 99 year lease to the Ministry of Defence
and receives no funding from the College.
Independent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
located on the site of the old Botanic Gardens
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
of Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was established in 1893 as a boys' school, but expanded to include girls from the 1970s onwards.
History
By his will of 24 August 1885, the mathematician John HymersJohn Hymers
John Hymers , mathematician, was born at Ormesby, near Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, the son of Thomas Hymers, a tenant farmer under Sir James Pennymon, and his wife, the daughter of John Parrington, rector of Skelton-in-Cleveland, England.- Education :After attending schools at Witton-le-Wear and...
left some of his property to the mayor and corporation of Hull, to provide for the foundation of a grammar school, "for the training of intelligence in whatever social rank of life it may be found among the vast and varied population of the Town." An obscurity in the wording of the will rendered the bequest invalid, but his heir, his brother Robert Hymers, voluntarily granted the sum of £50,000 for the establishment of Hymers College, Hull.
Hymers today
There has been a steady development of buildings and facilities. In recent years additional land has been purchased, a theatreTheatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
(opened by and named after Dame Judi Dench
Judi Dench
Dame Judith Olivia "Judi" Dench, CH, DBE, FRSA is an English film, stage and television actress.Dench made her professional debut in 1957 with the Old Vic Company. Over the following few years she played in several of William Shakespeare's plays in such roles as Ophelia in Hamlet, Juliet in Romeo...
), science laboratories, an all-weather sports pitch, and other sports facilities have been constructed. A new junior school
Junior school
A junior school is a type of school which caters for children, often between the ages of 7 and 11.-Australia:In Australia, a junior school is usually a part of a private school that educates children between the ages of 5 and 12....
has also been built. A swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
was added in 2005.
The school library was closed in 2001, with the majority of books being redistributed to decentralised 'resource rooms', much to the chagrin of a number of pupils. This was upon the advice of government inspectors, who argued that the library in its previous form was underused.
Hymers College is the best performing school in Kingston-upon-Hull in terms of examination results and league-table position, consistently producing an A2 Level pass rate of 92% (updated 2006 figure). The school often claims to be the 'best value for money' independent school in the country with school bills at about £8,000 p/a. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference is an association of the headmasters or headmistressess of 243 leading day and boarding independent schools in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and the Republic of Ireland...
(HMC).
In addition to academic success, Hymers students are known for achieving excellence in other extracurricular areas. Mainstream sports are rugby and cricket, hockey and netball and as a measure of these teams it is worth noting that the 2004/2005 1st rugby team only lost to one school on their tough fixture list, St Peter's School, York
St Peter's School, York
St Peter's School is a co-educational independent boarding and day school located in the English City of York, with extensive grounds on the banks of the River Ouse...
, including victories over Stonyhurst
Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College is a Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition. It is located on the Stonyhurst Estate near the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, England, and occupies a Grade I listed building...
, Ampleforth
Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire, England, is the largest Roman Catholic co-educational boarding independent school in the United Kingdom. It opened in 1802, as a boys' school, and is run by the Benedictine monks and lay staff of Ampleforth Abbey...
and Bradford Grammar School
Bradford Grammar School
Bradford Grammar School is a co-educational, independent school in Frizinghall, Bradford, West Yorkshire. Headmaster, Stephen Davidson is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference . The school was founded in 1548 and granted its Charter by King Charles II in 1662...
. In Summer of 2005 and 2009 a 1st/2nd rugby team toured Canada, visiting Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
and Banff
Banff, Alberta
Banff is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located in Alberta's Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately west of Calgary and east of Lake Louise....
amongst other places. All four matches played in both tours were won, including a fixture against the Alberta U18 representative side. In June 2007, the U16 cricket squad visited St Lucia for a two week tour, competing against local clubs and schools with the final match being played at St Lucia's Test match
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
ground the Beausejour Stadium
Beausejour Stadium
Beausejour Stadium is a cricket ground located near Gros Islet, Saint Lucia. It was completed in 2002 and currently accommodates 13,000 spectators...
.
A regular series of concerts showcase the musical talent in the school; highlights in the music department include a tour of the Rhineland area of Germany in Summer 2005 and regular visits by professional musicians and groups to perform with Hymers players and conduct masterclasses.
The masonic lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
Old Hymerian Lodge is linked to the school.
Army Cadet Force detachment
Unlike most independent schools who have a CCF (Combined Cadet ForceCombined Cadet Force
The Combined Cadet Force is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. Its aim is to "provide a disciplined organisation in a school so that pupils may develop powers of leadership by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance,...
) unit, Hymers has its own Army Cadet Force
Army Cadet Force
The Army Cadet Force is a British youth organisation that offers progressive training in a multitude of the subjects from military training to adventurous training and first aid, at the same time as promoting achievement, discipline, and good citizenship, to boys and girls aged 12 to 18 and 9...
(ACF) detachment currently containing around 40 cadets ranging from recruits to senior NCOs.
Hymers College RLC Detachment
Royal Logistic Corps
The Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army, comprising around 17% of its strength...
is affiliated to 150th Transport Regiment
150th (Yorkshire) Transport Regiment
150th Transport Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport and Royal Logistics Corps, is a regiment of the Territorial Army in the United Kingdom....
of the Royal Logistic Corps
Royal Logistic Corps
The Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army, comprising around 17% of its strength...
. The detachment is in B Company of Humberside and South Yorkshire ACF.
Royal Corps of Transport
The Royal Corps of Transport was a British Army Corps formed in 1965 from the transport elements of the Royal Army Service Corps and the movement control element of the Royal Engineers . The depot was Buller Barracks in Aldershot...
(TA) in Hull at the time the detachment formed. The detachment had the Royal Corps of Transport cap badge for only a few months before the amalgamation of the Royal Corps of Transport into the Royal Logistic Corps
Royal Logistic Corps
The Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army, comprising around 17% of its strength...
. For many years the detachment made use of the college's biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
labs and then the school gymnasium. The gymnasium had space for drill
Exhibition drill
Exhibition drill is a modified routine that involves complex marching sequences that usually deviate from standard drill.Teams performing exhibition drill are often affiliated with military units, but the scope of exhibition drill is not limited to the Military Drill Teams...
indoors, air rifle shooting as well as a small armoury, this was a great improvement on science labs. The detachment commander became the company commander of E company (South Humberside) while the detachment remained in B company. When the detachment commander became the commander of A company instead of E company the detachment became part of A company (east Hull and eastern part of East Yorkshire), this only lasted about a year and the detachment and its commander returned to B company. The detachment moved out of the gymnasium building into a new pre-fabricated building as couple of years ago. A concrete .22 shooting range
Shooting range
A shooting range or firing range is a specialized facility designed for firearms practice. Each facility is typically overseen by one or more supervisory personnel, called variously a range master or "RSO – Range Safety Officer" in the United States or a range conducting officer or "RCO" in the UK...
has recently been added next to the main building.
The detachment commander was until recently the same teacher who started the detachment in the early 1990s, but in 2007 he was replaced by an external officer i.e. not a teacher from the school. Other adult instructors have also assisted with APC training, some of these have been Old Hymerians. The cadets are taught the same APC subjects at the detachment as all other Army Cadet Force
Army Cadet Force
The Army Cadet Force is a British youth organisation that offers progressive training in a multitude of the subjects from military training to adventurous training and first aid, at the same time as promoting achievement, discipline, and good citizenship, to boys and girls aged 12 to 18 and 9...
(ACF) Detachments in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
these include: Skill at Arms, Fieldcraft, Map and Compass, etc.
This detachment is the only one in the country to have 12 above standard certificates for its annual inspections.
The land on which the detachment is built is on a 99 year lease to the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
and receives no funding from the College.
Old Hymerians
Former pupils are known as Old Hymerians and the Old Hymerians Association exists for their benefit. Some notable old Hymerians are:- Major GeneralMajor-General (United Kingdom)Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
Graham BinnsGraham BinnsMajor General Graham John Binns CBE DSO MC is a retired British Army officer. Binns served as General Officer Commanding 1st Armoured Division and then Commandant Joint Services Command and Staff College. He had previously commanded the 7th Armoured Brigade during Operation Telic 1 when they took...
CBECBECBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
DSODistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
MCMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, the former General Officer CommandingGeneral Officer CommandingGeneral Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
the 1st Armoured Division (United Kingdom) and prior to this was the brigadierBrigadierBrigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
who commanded the 7th Armoured Brigade (the "Desert Rats") during Operation Telic 1Operation TelicOperation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
(the 2003 invasion of Iraq) when they took BasraBasraBasra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
. - John FancyJohn FancyJohn Fancy was a British former airman whose tunnelling escapes from various German prisoner of war camps during World War II earned him the nickname The Mole, and inspired the book and film The Great Escape....
, nicknamed The Mole for his many escapes from PoW camps during World War II - Kevin BoydKevin BoydKevin Thomas Boyd is a former freestyle swimmer who represented Great Britain.Boyd attended Hymers College in Hull and, along with elder brother Stephen, joined the local club Hull Olympic in 1972. He soon became a proficient swimmer at local and county level in backstroke events, before switching...
, Olympic swimmer - David Gosling, Physicist
- Simon HoggartSimon HoggartSimon David Hoggart is an English journalist and broadcaster. He writes on politics for The Guardian, and on wine for The Spectator. Until 2006 he presented The News Quiz on Radio 4...
, journalist - Damian JohnsonDamian Johnson (broadcaster)Damian Johnson is a broadcaster with BBC Sport who was born in Hull.He currently works as a reporter on the football programmes Match of the Day and Football Focus, as well as presenting and reporting on various other sporting programs, notably including the Super League Show on BBC1 in regions in...
, BBC Sport Presenter - Edward Arthur Milne, Physicist
- Katie O'BrienKatie O'BrienKatie Jill O'Brien is an English former professional tennis player from Beverley, Yorkshire. She was briefly the British No. 1 tennis player...
, Professional tennis player - David PruttonDavid PruttonDavid Thomas Michael Prutton is an English footballer, currently playing for Sheffield Wednesday after leaving Swindon Town, having previously played for Nottingham Forest, Southampton and Leeds United, as well as representing England at Under 21 level 25 times.- Nottingham Forest :Prutton was...
, Professional footballer - John TownendJohn TownendJohn Ernest Townend is a United Kingdom politician. Educated at Hymers College in Hull, he served in the Royal Air Force as a Pilot Officer from 1957–59 and then worked as an accountant. He was managing director of House of Townend wine merchants in Hull, and was active in local government...
, politician