I happened to notice that somewhere it claims that the Founder's Day service has been held in Prescot Parish Church since time immemorial. Regret, INCORRECT.   Until the unfortunate Briggs had been on the scene for a year or so, the day had been celebrated thus:

1. Special Assembly in the Hall (gym)

2. Football Match, Alphas+Kappas  v  Lambdas+Omegas with the following rules: Four goals at each end of a double-size pitch, two goalies in each goal and eight balls in play. Two masters behind each goal to keep count of the score. Typical score: Alphas and Kappas 270 and Lambdas and Omegas 350!

3. Having played 30 mins each way with no interval, we were free to go home for the rest of the day. The Founder's Day Match, firmly in the memory of everyone who took part, was reputedly also a commemoration of the famous (infamous ?) occurrence after Agincourt when the victorious English kicked the heads of the defeated French "about ye field." Briggs was a very different Head from Charlie Richardson. I remember them both as does Geoff Dixon. Charlie knew everything about boys and loved them whereas Briggs knew everything about law and order and nothing about boys. Like myself, John Webster, who later became Brigade Major of an infantry brigade, had experience of both Heads. He affirms that Charlie would have made the more successful staff officer. Geoff Dixon records that he would not have missed his time under the eccentric Charlie at any price. You will appreciate that Briggs had little time for the zany humour of the crazy match but would rather march through the town to church wearing cap and gown at the head of The School. My time at school ended when Briggs had been there one year. I believe that, having once witnessed us enjoying ourselves,Briggs scrapped the fun and instituted the formal religious service in 1939. Personally, I have always felt there was room for both!