Did you know there is an official Sutton Grammar School song? If you did, it’s unlikely you’ve ever heard it played. Here, we delve into the archives to find out a little bit more about a tradition that never quite caught on.

The Sutton School Song was composed in 1935 by the chairman of the governors, Canon Courtenay Gale, and the words were written by a Mr Horn, the first deputy headmaster and a teacher of Classics. It was produced in association with the Old Suttonians Association (OSA) as part of a broader effort to ensure a continued connection between the school and its former pupils. Between 1929 and 1938, membership of the OSA fell and its clubs and societies began to struggle for numbers. The football club, which is still the association’s biggest club, thrived but the swimming, chess and amateur dramatic and operatic societies all began to dwindle in numbers and activity. What better way to reinvigorate this link than with a song! Or so they thought…

The Sutton School Song was centred around the refrain ‘Floreat Suttona’, (May Sutton Flourish), which was the school’s motto until 1954 when it was replaced by ‘Keep Faith’.

The song sadly never hit the musical heights envisaged. Part of the reason for this, was it was overshadowed by patriotic songs as the country prepared for the Second World War in 1939.

Musically capable Suttonians may wish to revive the song in their spare time. Better still, why not give a 90 year old song a more modern sound – we’d love to hear it.

Floreat Suttona!