“The BSN is not just a school but a community…”
Heath Monk, CEO
As we look back at the long history of The British School in The Netherlands, we recognise, with gratitude, the positive impact that each member of our community has had. Each student, family, and staff member has played a part in making the BSN what we know it as today.
Mike Weston, the BSN archivist, has penned a letter to alumni, but it is equally relevant to all our current students, staff and families. We hope that you will read his letter and be inspired to share your experiences and reflections on the BSN with us.
The BSN’s 90th Birthday
Under normal circumstances, we at the BSN would be celebrating the 90th birthday of the school with at least a large-scale alumni reunion. But sadly, we can’t. So we have been trying to think of other ways in which we can commemorate this event.
We have already posted a video, 90 Years of The British School in The Netherlands, on YouTube, which we hope you have discovered and enjoyed. We have plans to stage some classroom lessons in 1931 style to show how differently things were done in those distant days.
The History of the BSN Told Through Your Stories
And here is another possibility: we would love you to tell us about your most precious, significant, amusing, sad, inspiring memories from your time at the school. They could be about events, people, buildings, sport, field trips, whatever. The choice is yours. And we would like you also to tell us what you thought of the BSN, how important it was to you.
We must, of course, remind you that, with the General Data Protection Regulations law of 2018, you need to be more careful what you post about other people without their permission. Please be discrete when appropriate.
Of course, we have no idea whether you will react to this invitation in your tens or hundreds. Or indeed at all!! We will have to play it by ear. Our most earnest hope, though, is that we receive enough reminiscences to put together some form of booklet or anthology that would be made available for all to see.
Most of you will not personally know the members of the Communications team who will be reading your messages, but many of you will know, and perhaps have been taught by me, the BSN archivist Mike Weston. I will also read every single message and will be in an excellent position to provide advice to my colleagues in Communications.
I very much want to hear from you. So, fingers crossed and over to you.
Mr Mike Weston
BSN school archivist, detective and storyteller
Mike came to the English School at The Hague (BSN) in 1972 as Head of German, intending to stay for two years. Mike has been at the BSN for nearly 50 years. Over the years, he has taught a range of subjects and has been involved in many school activities. Starting a school archive from scratch and tracing the school’s history is the activity that has given him the most pleasure. Once he reached retirement age, he asked if he could stay on as the school archivist in hopes to be of service for a while yet. In this capacity, he regularly dives into the archives and comes up with some great stories. His stories are all our stories; enjoy them.
Dear Mike,
I was a pupil in the school twice, both times for a brief period, in the Anglican church (Riouwstraat?). The first time must have been around 1953, the second around 1957/1958. Unfortunately I do not have many memories of the school, let alone clear ones. My mother told me that Miss McDona ran the school at the time. My younger brother Frans was also in the BSN, Tapijtweg I believe. Do you – if and when you have the time – happen to have the dates of my enrollment? I am currently a governor. Thank you very much.