Two years ago Fives was re-launched at Oakham School with the arrival of Alex Aldous as the new school Chaplain. As an experienced Rugby Fives player Alex was keen to get Oakham back on track with Fives and to ensure that their three Eton Fives courts were returned to full use. During those two years, an Oakham School Fives team was formed, kitted-out, and put into action against other schools. It has been a good start and has included a tour to Switzerland in July 2003.

The Centenary year of Fives at Oakham arrived in September 2004 with an active fives team already established within the school. Indeed the encouraging start that had been made already, had lead to the appointment of a full-time REFCA Fives assistant from the September. The new assistant, Dominique Redmond, was given the task of setting up the centenary celebration day on Saturday 18th September. Some fifty or so people assembled at the beautiful Oakham courts at 2pm, to be greeted by the Headmaster, Dr.Joe Spence, with numerous bottles of champagne and a box of centenary Fives polo shirts. The courts themselves had been thoroughly cleaned from the roof to the floor, all paintwork had been renewed, lightbulbs changed, and the court complex was looking immaculate.

There had been a staggering response from some forty Old Oakhamian fives players, who were all delighted to see the attention that the fives was now receiving - ten of these Old Boys made it to the celebrations, representing an age range of 27-72 years old. The oldest player, Chris Ennion with his wife, drove for six hours from Tenby, and then proceeded to play fives for the first time since leaving the school in 1950! The present Senior school fives team attended, together with parents, participating Oakham staff, and also players and staff representing Uppinghamian and Edwardian Fives (including James Woodcock and James Birch). Also taking part were John Reynolds, Anthony Theodossi, David Mew, Christopher Cooley, Ronald Pattison, Howard Wiseman, and Ed Wass, who now lives in Oakham.

The Headmaster gave a speech and introduced John Reynolds, who had been invited to unveil the Centenary plaque. John's presence really added to the occasion, and his clear enthusiasm for the Oakham courts (which he had just seen for the first time), shone through in his speech before unveiling the beautiful brass plaque to commemorate the occasion.

Over three hours of Fives then followed, with everyone mixing in to play as many different pairings as possible across the afternoon. The court complex was overflowing with people - it was full to capacity and certainly all of Dominique's efforts had paid off. This was an impressive turnout to have organised with only two weeks notice!

The evening buffet meal was also well attended by some thirty-five people, and was held in the ideal, intimate setting of the Cricket Pavilion. There was a large display of information that had appeared over the past 100 years about fives in the school magazines. Dominique had researched the history of fives at Oakham and had beautifully prepared the display so that the activity over the years could be easily appreciated. The response from the old Oakhamians did suggest that fives had played a more active role than they would otherwise have thought, given that Oakham had never appeared to play a very active part in the wider context of the sport. There had been many matches played over the years, and more importantly, many pupils playing who just loved the game.

Alex Aldous hosted the meal and gave a speech as the hosting Master-in-Charge at Oakham. Howard Wiseman spoke on behalf of the Eton Fives Association - it was a revelation to the Old Oakhamians just how well and wide-spread Fives is, and just how much potential activity there is for the Oakham Fives Team to join. Many new friends were made during the celebratory day, and everyone seemed lifted by the occasion and inspired to re-start their long lost fives careers!!

The first 100 years of Oakham Fives has clearly been a success - the game enjoyed a good following amongst boys of all ages, with only two periods of roughly ten years in which the game had become merely a "parochial" activity with no incentive to play competitive matches against other schools. Even then, many pupils were playing and enjoying the sport - indeed two Old Oakhamians who played in the Centenary celebrations, had only graduated from Oxford and Cambridge five years ago, where they did battle against each other in the Varsity Penguins Fives match. Both players has been a product of the most recent "parochial" period!!

So the past has been a success in terms of enjoyment and people playing, but what for the future? Well, the Centenary seems to mark the start of a new beginning for Oakham Fives. There is a real desire from those running Fives, strongly supported by the games department and senior staff, to elevate the sport in the school and to maximise the use of the valuable Fives courts that have stood the test of time so well. Fives is being reintroduced to The Inter-House match system, and numerous School matches are being set up. The Swiss tour will be repeated in the near future and the Fives Assistant role will enable all year groups to get involved with the sport, both at the senior and junior school and for talented individuals to benefit from individual coaching.

The Centenary event has focused the attention of the Old Boys into the possibility of taking part in a weekly Monday evening Club night at Oakham, or on Thursdays at Uppingham. This will a milestone in Old Oakhamian Fives - in fact the formation of a new Old Boys Club!

Particular thanks must go to Dominique Redmond for all the hard work she put into making this an extraordinarily fine event, and we look forward to gaining from her expertise to change the face of Fives playing in Oakham.

H.M.E.W./A.A.

Article by the Reverend Alex Aldous and Howard Wiseman
Created 14th January 2006 by Mike Fenn
efa@etonfives.co.uk

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