What does the OEA do?

The Association was founded in the 1892 and has a President, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer and a Committee.

Its aims are:

  • To further the interests of Elizabeth College

  • To promote mutual fellowship amongst Old Elizabethans and good feeling between past and present members of the College
  • To improve the amenities of the playing fields
  • To administer the Manchester Fund

In 1978 the former Vice Principal F G Manchester left his entire estate to the OEA to be administered for the benefit of the school. This sum was very wisely invested and has been managed by OEs, and has enabled major grants to be made in support of the school - examples being target rifles and shooting jackets; school mini-buses; a grand piano; library equipment for Acorn House; wi-fi microphone system for Beechwood and recently it provided funds towards the purchase of a high-tech mower for the two playing fields.

A proportion of the Fund has been set aside for the Manchester Awards. Awards are made to deserving College pupils, usually for off-island courses and expeditions. These have included RYA Advanced Sailing Courses; Outward Bound Courses; expeditions to Andorra; Zimbabwe; Malawi; Belize; Kyrgyzstan; Greenland; Queensland; Alaska; Britsh Colombia; Svalbard; Andorra; Equador; Mississippi; cricket courses to Sussex; football courses to Morecambe and Gothenburg; hockey courses in the West of England; athletic courses; fencing championships at Crystal Palace; shooting in Canada; Scout Patrol leaders courses at Lake Windermere and a Jamboree in Holland; music courses in Hungary and England; drama courses with the National Youth Theatre in London and stage lighting courses at Chichester.

In order to keep alive the link between the College and Whitehall in Derbyshire, the OEA funds a pupil each year to join one of the courses held at the Derbyshire Outdoor Pursuits Centre which is now located there.

The OEA has also undertaken major fund raising on occasions - in 1969 it raised funds externally for the building of the swimming pool and subsequently for the provision of solar panels. More recently, in 1989 it raised a large amount of money to fund the construction of the all-weather pitch at Foote's Lane.

The Association is custodian of a substantial archive of material and memorabilia relating to the College's history. Elements are displayed from time to time and access to the archive is available for research by arrangement.

The Association organises an Annual Dinner in Guernsey in the Summer and a London Dinner in the autumn along with several other social events many of which are open to wives and partners. Details can be found elsewhere on this site.

Click here to see the Rules of the Association.


Submitted by Webmaster on Sat, 2006-01-14 23:19.