A prize-winning documentary on Cricket at Tonbridge
Henry (WH2) has produced an 18-minute prize-winning documentary exploring cricket at Tonbridge.
The documentary is structured into seven chapters, in which Henry cleverly tells the story through a mix of archival material and interviews with Tonbridge boys, Old Tonbridgians and staff.
The chapters are: A Legacy on the Head, A Ground Like No Other, Reach: Beyond the Boundary, The Highest Level: Representing England, Follow On: Carrying the Tradition Forward, OT Cricket: Where the Game Plays On, and A Global Game: International Connections.
Henry narrates:
‘From Hutchings to Cowdrey to Crawley to the boys playing today, cricket at Tonbridge is more than a game. It is how the School remembers who it is. It is tradition, community and identity passed from one generation to the next — written on this ground, carried by those who play it, and kept alive by those who remember.’
During the documentary, Henry interviews the Headmaster, James Priory, who shares his reflections on the central role cricket plays for many boys at Tonbridge.
James notes:
‘When the School expanded in the 19th century, cricket became a massive part of the School’s identity, shaping character as much as it shaped sporting success.’
‘It’s a sport that does teach a lot, but it’s also a sport that, at Tonbridge, you get to play not necessarily solely at a School level but at a House level too. Therefore, there’s an opportunity for everybody to learn the lessons of life from cricket.’
The project was produced in response to a challenge set by the History Department, which asked students to create a film about an especially notable event.
Boys were invited to choose a subject for their Boar Documentary, researching and producing films on topics as diverse as D-Day (1944), Operation Desert Storm (1990), Pearl Harbor (1941) and the Moon landing (1969). The films were then shown as part of the School’s Third Year Seminar programme, with boys voting for the best historical documentary.
Henry has received book tokens as a prize for his work, and the History Department will also be arranging for a speaker of his choice to give a talk at the School.
To watch Henry’s documentary in full, please click here.
