Beevor’s is one of the six senior Houses and is home to around 65 boys of whom 35 are boarders. The House was opened in 1895, a second ‘new’ boarding House to accommodate the increasing numbers of boys. The first Housemaster was Mr. Beevor after whom the House is named. Many of the rooms in the House retain their original names (the Upper, the Lower, the Games Room and the House Library), but some have been re-christened, and named after previous Housemasters: (McAllister, Boothby, Barnard, and Wright).
The Housemaster, Mr Mainwaring, has taught PE at Aldenham for nearly four years. He was previously Assistant Housemaster in Beevor's. Mr and Mrs Mainwaring have two small children and Mrs Mainwaring is a PE teacher at Watford Grammar School for Girls.
THE BEEVOR’S SPIRIT
Everyone in Beevor’s wants the House to be the best house in the school. There is a tradition of great house spirit here. You should be proud to be a member of the House. There are two rules to keep in mind aboveall:
- Try your hardest at everything. Throw yourself into all areas of school and house life; be busy and involved. You only get out of life what you put in.
- Treat all the people (and all property) in the House with respect, as you would wish to be treated yourself
THE HOUSE MOTTO
The Beevor’s Motto is the Latin phrase ‘Qui Fortiter Persequitur’ which roughly translated means ‘who strives valiantly’. It is taken from a famous speech by US President Theodore Roosevelt, commonly known as the ‘Man in the Arena’ speech. In this speech Roosevelt’s main point was that it is better to try and fail than not to try at all. The credit belongs, he says, to the doer of deeds, who strives valiantly; not to the cynic who criticises. This is absolutely what we in Beevor’s believe in.
HOUSE STAFF
| Housemaster |
Mr SW Mainwaring |
| Housemaster’s wife |
Mrs X Mainwaring |
| Assistant Housemaster |
Mr MS Hughes |
| Tutors |
Miss S Nicholl (Yr 13) |
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Mr JP Stait (Yr 12) |
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Mr CD Bembridge (Yr 11) |
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Mrs FR Richards (Yr 10) |
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Miss L Benson (Yr 9) |
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Mr J Kerslake (Resident 1)
Miss S Nicholl (Resident 2) |
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Mr MS Hughes (Resident 3) |
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Mr D Ford (Resident Gap Student)
Mr A Harris (Resident Gap Student) |
Attached
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Mr JR Wyatt |
| Matron |
Mrs J Smithson |
HOUSE PRAES
These are senior boys in the House who are responsible for looking after you and helping the House staff with the day-to-day running of the House. You should do what they ask when organising you and you can take problems to them. They are the only pupils in the House who have the Housemaster’s permission to give you a punishment. This may be a written punishment or some community service.
HOUSE SUPPER
This is a formal Christmas Supper right at the end of the Christmas Term. It takes place in the Games Room – incredibly up to 80 people cram in there and have a great, festive night. All members of the House, and guests, drink a toast to Mr Beevor, who looks down on everyone from the painting above the pool table. It also includes a “House Rec” in which each year group will do a sketch or a joke-type performance to amuse the rest of the House and guests. This is an occasion to be looked forward to and it is a good idea to join in the planning and preparation of these Recs if you are asked. After the meal there are speeches by the House Captain, the Housemaster and a Visiting Speaker, followed by the Rec.
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| Induction weekend at the Activity Centre |
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| The Games Room |
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OTHER HOUSE EVENTS
In recent years there have been a number of other social events for the boys and their parents. There is an annual House concert in October in which boys (and sometimes their parents) perform. It is also a very useful occasion for the whole house to practise for the House Music competition. A ‘Fish and Chip Quiz’ for parents was a tradition as far back as the 1980s under Mr McAllister, and has been recently re-instated. We cram everyone into the Games Room and a good time is had by all. Indeed, each year the new Year 9 boys go and experience an induction weekend at an Activity centre. It is a great day out, and good team-building time for all. Raft building (see photo) is often the highlight – the better the raft, the less wet you get! In September ’06 the inaugural Beevor’s outward bound weekend saw around a dozen boys head off to Dorset during the exeat weekend for more canoeing, teambuilding activities and high ropes.
HOUSE TIES and SQUARES
House ties are awarded for contribution to the House. This is usually over a period of over a year and in several different areas of House life although they can, exceptionally, be awarded for one outstanding contribution. They are awarded at the discretion of the Housemaster although he will usually discuss any awards with his tutors and praes.
House squares (a kind of cravat) are only awarded to a maximum of three or four people each year and are for outstanding commitment to the House during a pupil’s time at Aldenham.
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| Boys relax in the Lower |
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| A typical Yr 9 bedroom |
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