News Compendium

OBA Committee Member Mark Sayer (1972-1978) has penned this personal reflection on the impact of Bryan Short on the School.

We have been informed of the death of  Alan Forster, on 4th April 2021 by his son. Alan attended the School 1945 -1951. 

We have received many tributes for, and recollections of, Bryan Short from Old Bordenians and ex-staff. We are pleased to be able to share these below and will also publish any further material we receive.

We have been informed of the death of David Cross who was a pupil at the School from 1940-1946.  His daughter has been in contact to tell us he died in February aged 91. She says he often spoke about the School and was 'very proud' of being an Old Bordenian. 

It is with great sadness we report the death of Peter Bedelle, who died on the 27th April 2021. His son Paul (himself an OB) informs us that Peter died just short of his 90th birthday.

As previously reported, Bryan Short Headmaster of Borden Grammar School from 1968 to 1998 died on 19th May, aged 87. We have compiled an Obituary which is featured below. We also invited Old Bordenians to provide their own reminisces and some of these are woven into this obituary. All submissions from Old Bordenians will be published in a separate article as well.

With great sadness we report news that Bryan Short, School Headmaster from 1968-1998, has passed away. Our thoughts are with his family at this time. 

It is no exaggeration to say Bryan was a towering figure in the history of the School and generations of Old Bordenians will have passed through the School under his leadership. He emobodied much of the School ethos - discipline, tradition and the power of education - and many of us will have strong personal memories of his time at the School and as President of this Association.

We will be publishing a more fuller obituary in coming days. Old Bordenians are welcome to send to this website any personal memories they wish to be published - please send to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The BGS class of ’68 have been meeting every month in a local hostelry for over 20 years. Would the global pandemic stop this?

School clubs were the staple of many a Borden pupil - Chess Club with Mr Sayer and Wargames with Alun Davies spring to this Editors mind. But delve further back and it seems the School had some interesting other clubs. 

It is with sadness we have been informed of the death of Michael (Mike) Symons on February 9th 2021.

Mike was at the School until 1969 and afterwards went to UMIST. Following University, Mike became a chemical engineer with ICI.