History boys produce a winning documentary on rebirth of School Chapel
Three History students have made a prize-winning documentary about the fire of 1988 which destroyed the School Chapel.
Nathaniel Chan (HS4), Alexander Bigaliy (FH2) and Alida Chan (JH2) produced a 13-minute piece, Tongues of Fire, which told the story of the fateful event using a variety of archive news footage, interviews with Tonbridge boys in the immediate aftermath of the fire, and recollections from staff members.
The boys also carried out their own filming in order to compare and contrast the former Chapel with the current one (pictured above), which was rebuilt and restored over a period of more than six years, consecrated in October 1995 by the Rt Revd Michael Nazir-Ali, the Bishop of Rochester.
The project came about in response to a challenge set by the History Department, which asked students to create a film about an especially notable day.
Boys could choose the subject for their ‘Boar Documentary’, with groups researching and creating films on topics as diverse as D-Day (1944), Operation Desert Storm (1990), Pearl Harbour (1941) and the Moon landing (1969). The work was then shown as part of the School’s Third Year Seminar programme, with boys voting for the best historical documentary.
In their winning piece, Nathaniel, Alexander and Alida not only give a comprehensive and moving account of the dramatic events of September 1988, but also explore the pivotal role of the rebuilt Chapel in the modern life of the School.
“Two thirds of the walls were still here, but it was a shell, and you still have to do something with a shell,” David Williams, Music Teacher, recalls in the documentary. Mr Williams also describes the process of researching, and finally purchasing, the renowned Marcussen organ, widely regarded as one of the finest instruments in the country, for the new Chapel.
After plenty of debate about its location, it was decided that the restored Chapel should occupy the original site, at the very heart of the School.
Mr Hillyard and Mr Eades, from the History Department, oversaw the project. Mr Hillyard, Head of History, said: “Nathaniel, Alexander and Alida’s documentary impressed us with its technical proficiency, depth of research and presentation. The Chapel fire and its subsequent rebirth were momentous chapters in the School’s history and it has been brilliant to see such a detailed exploration of the events.”
The boys will be receiving book tokens as a prize for their efforts, and the History Department will be arranging for a speaker of their choice to give a talk at the School.
In October 2021, boys and staff at Tonbridge gathered for a service of dedication (as pictured below), marking the 25th anniversary of the Consecration of the Chapel of St Augustine. Today it seats more than 800 people, compared with 450 in the former building: features include the stone High Altar, pulpits on both the north and south sides and the School War Memorial.
