Origins: Floreat Totnesia (Charles Rea)

Subject: Origins: Vivat Floreat Totnesia. anybody know it
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 11:42 AM

Anybody recognise the song?
Best wishes.

Subject: RE: Origins: Vivat Floreat Totnesia. anybody know
From: Dead Horse
Date: 08 Nov 04 - 04:04 AM

Is it the Devonian National Anthem?

Subject: RE: Origins: Vivat Floreat Totnesia. anybody know it
From: GUEST,Ex TGS
Date: 08 Nov 04 - 04:29 AM

In Totnes town in days of old
there lived a Norman Baron bold
A doughty knight yet good with all
Who built our priorys' hallowed hall
And so it was
by monks good deed
the Totnes boys learnt how to read.
VIVAT FLOREAT TOTNESIA
Crescat floreat Totnesia
In secula
permulta
Floreat Totnesia.

There is more-----

Totnes Grammar School school song.
The school closed as a grammar school in the late 1960s.
Hope this helps.

Subject: RE: Origins: Vivat Floreat Totnesia. anybody know
From: GUEST,Chris Randall
Date: 19 Sep 06 - 12:20 AM

When bluff King Hal had reigned awhile,
The monks were forced to quit our isle,
His son, King Edward, on the throne,
The prioy hall became our own.
And 'neath the mayor and council's sway,
Our school was kept for many-a-day.

Vivat &c

................
Someone else can enter the last verse.

Subject: RE: Origins: Vivat Floreat Totnesia. anybody know it
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 19 Sep 06 - 12:45 AM

positively catchy, compared to Floreat Bostona!

with such samples of creativity to aspire to, its a wonder we didn't all end up as Homepride flour graders.

Subject: Lyr Add: FLOREAT TOTNESIA (Charles Rea)
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Oct 08 - 12:40 PM

The School song of King Edward VI Grammar School in Totnes, Devon, UK.
Now the KEVI Community College.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Charles Rea wrote the school song, first sung at Speech Day 1896

Floreat Totnesia
(Charles Rea)

In Totnes town in days of old
There lived a Norman baron bold,
A doughty knight, yet good withal,
Who built our Priory's hallow'd hall,
And here it was by monks' good deed,
The Totnes boys learnt how to read.

When Bluff King Hal had reigned awhile,
The monks were forced to quit our isle,
His son, King Edward, on the throne,
The Priory Hall became our own:
Here 'neath the Mayor and Council's sway
Our School was kept for many a day.

Then let us sing a verse to-day,
In praise of those who've passed away,
The mayors, the masters, and the boys,
Who've known our sorrows and our joys,
Let's think of each whose worthy name
Is graven on the roll of fame.

*As man was questing into space
A merger of three schools took place;
Thus Totnes High and Redworth too
Help raise King Edward's banner blue;
Now boys and girls from far and wide
Pursue their learning side by side.

And whereso'er this song is sung,
By past or present, old or young,
In Totnes town or far away,
Where snow or sunshine holds its sway,
Be this our boast where'er we meet,
We'll greet as brothers brothers greet.

Vivat floreat Totnesia!
Crescat, floreat Totnesia!
In saecula - permulta
Floreat Totnesia!

*Verse by Clifford Stimpson added following creation of the King Edward VI College

Subject: RE: Origins: Floreat Totnesia (Charles Rea)
From: GUEST,Eric Hayman
Date: 21 Dec 20 - 10:40 AM

When I attended 'Totnes Grammar' in the 1950s, I recall we sang a slightly shortened and altered first verse and two line chorus:

In Totnes town in days of old
There lived a Norman baron bold,
And by his work and by his deed,
Totnes boys learnt how to read.

In saecula - permulta
Floreat Totnesia!

I had the pleasure (?) of having Claud Digby Thornton Owen as my headmaster, Gaffer Smee (also a reverend) as my physics master, a woodwork master who always smoked a pipe (ah - the smell of the glue pot!), B B Knight as my English master - and others; a Mr Phelps comes to mind, perhaps biology or geog.   

Another memory was when there was no third of a pint 'school milk' for some reason - a foot and mouth outbreak, perhaps - and we were issued with Horlicks tablets. Yuck!

In the song, "Totnes High" was Totnes High School for Girls. And Redworth the local Secondary Modern. In those days it was realised, and accepted, that different children had different educational abilities.

Subject: RE: Origins: Floreat Totnesia (Charles Rea)
From: GUEST,Dudley Davenport
Date: 28 Jan 21 - 05:07 AM

I too had the above masters......there was also the History teacher Harry Hawke...great affinity with the boys. Not forgetting the music teacher who DIED.

I have a good scroll photo of the whole school ( grammar school) taken in 1956 if anyone is interested. Shows all masters and pupils.

Why did we ‘ agree’ to abandon Grammar Schools....another argument for another day!

Ah the glue pot....remember it well.....with the ‘order marks flying around in squadrons ‘ quote.....Happy days......

Subject: RE: Origins: Floreat Totnesia (Charles Rea)
From: Ged Fox
Date: 28 Jan 21 - 09:39 AM

This thread is far too cosy, so -

Schola Kirtonensis
Flos Devoniensis
Nunc et semper floreat
Schola Kirtonensis!

Subject: RE: Origins: Floreat Totnesia (Charles Rea)
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 28 Jan 21 - 02:34 PM

I attended King Edward v1 Grammar between 1959 and 1964.... I believe GUESTChris Randall was in my form.

Subject: RE: Origins: Floreat Totnesia (Charles Rea)
From: DaveRo
Date: 28 Jan 21 - 04:06 PM

Crescat floreat...

Nunc et semper floreat...

In saecula permulta...

Mine went 'floret atque floreat' and 'per infinia saecla'. I think there must be an proto-latin school song on which all others are based.

Mind you, it's a bit infra dig to only have the chorus in Latin.

Subject: RE: Origins: Floreat Totnesia (Charles Rea)
From: GUEST,John Coulter
Date: 08 Jul 22 - 12:18 PM

Can remember the school song well Mr Phelps on the piano Happy days
There 1950 to 1957 How many of us are still around? No magazine now to provide updates Any of my years reading this?

Subject: RE: Origins: Floreat Totnesia (Charles Rea)
From: GUEST,Adrian Bowden
Date: 31 Jul 22 - 10:12 AM

Ah yes I remember it well ! I was a boarder in Kennicott House . Stanley Caldwell was the House Master…….. I can still picture his round rim glasses and that Dormobile Camper. He taught French. “Spud” was the RE Master and ran the model aircraft club. He was a “Caterpillar” holder and could easily be diverted from the theme of the lesson with his war stories. I left and did my flying training with BOAC at Hamble but remember Floreat Totnesia days very well ……

Subject: RE: Origins: Floreat Totnesia (Charles Rea)
From: GUEST,George Beable
Date: 27 Mar 23 - 11:30 AM

I well recall the school song when I attended between 1954 and 195?. Have recently caught up with a contemporary on Face Book and we often finish any contact with vivat floreat

Subject: RE: Origins: Floreat Totnesia (Charles Rea)
From: GUEST,Denis Jonas
Date: 08 May 23 - 08:43 AM

I was there from 1946-1950 – we had to memorize the school song - Vivat floreat Totnesia and often sung it, but this is the first time that I have seen the English translation. I can still vividly picture the staff Messrs: C D T OWEN (Claud) Headmaster- PHELPS (Phelper) English, HOWARD (Epo) Latin , RAY (Ghandi) Geography. HAWKE (Harry) History, Rev SMEE (Gaffer) Physics ROLANDS (Pop) Divinity. BOOKER (Bill) Woodwork, CALDWELL (Stan) French, GUY (Basil) PE & Sports, FOSTER (Shell) Maths, FRAYNE (Freddie) Chemistry, FARRELL – Art

Discipline was strict then - how times have changed!!

Subject: RE: Origins: Floreat Totnesia (Charles Rea)
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Nov 25 - 11:20 AM

Hi
Vic Balsdon here. I was at Totnes Grammar from 1953 until 1959 and also boarded at Kennicott House.
I don't recall Stan Caldwell ever being the house master, though. "Gandhi" Ray was house master when I first went there and when Clive Owen retired as headmaster due to ill health, "Spike" Thorning took over.
Stan Caldwell lived in the cottage at the end of Kennicott drive and ride a bike to school.
The master that wore the caterpillar was V V Cooper and he taught Divinity. E S Smee was the curate that taught Physics. E S Phillips taught biology and B B Knight was the games master. Pinky Farrell was the art master.
I recall having to dry wet rugby kit in the boiler room at Kennicott.
I managed to scrounge a year in the lower sixth and subsequently joined the Royal Marines.

Subject: RE: Origins: Floreat Totnesia (Charles Rea)
From: GUEST,Vic Balsdon
Date: 29 Nov 25 - 11:29 AM

Vic Balsdon
I should remember to spell check my contributions! ??

Subject: RE: Origins: Floreat Totnesia (Charles Rea)
From: GUEST,Vic Balsdon
Date: 29 Nov 25 - 12:43 PM

Who could forget Harry Hawke's brown plimsoll! He was assistant house master at Kennicott and both he, and the landing outside his room, stank of tobacco smoke.
My contemporaries at Kennicott were: C D "Charlie" Wrote, Mike Poll, Mike Savva, Tony Vickers.
Tony "Moley" Cole, a day boy from Paignton, was my pal, and his family invited me to stay at their home at weekends.
Ron Lemmy, from Brixham, played second row with me in the school rugby team.
It was always church on Sunday morning, followed by a walk around Darlington Hall in the afternoon.

Subject: RE: Origins: Floreat Totnesia (Charles Rea)
From: GUEST,KEVICS
Date: 30 Dec 25 - 08:06 AM

I attended KEVICS the year all the schools joined to become one - in September 1966. Peter Snape was the Headmaster of the school. Stan Cauldwell was my French teacher in the first year, Voss for English, Bigwood and Pete Riches for Art, Toop for Chemistry, Ray Parker for Geography, Jock Greishan for Biology and Physics - Mrs’ Strutt and Pickup for sports.
We started off at the old girls High School for the first two years then moved up to the old Redworth for the third year. If you were expected to do O and A levels you were then sent down to the Masion, the old Grammar School in the Fore Street. I hated it there, we had some lessons back at the main school and you had to leg it during break time, not an easy track on a good day but when it was cold and wet, it made life a misery. I couldn’t wait to leave!
I remember the first time that they tried to revive the school song in my fourth year. It was a bit of a lost cause except for the chorus, which was a bit of a joke as so few of the pupils chose Latin over German!