On Saturday, 8 November, pupils and staff from Sutton Grammar joined the local community at All Saints Church, Carshalton, for a moving evening of music and poetry. The event raised funds for St Helier Hospital and paid tribute to the sacrifices made by residents of Carshalton and Wallington, particularly during the Second World War. This remembrance initiative forms part of a wider tribute that can be explored here.

The evening featured performances inspired by James Farrar, an exceptional former Sutton Grammar student and poet who tragically lost his life in 1944 at the age of 21. One of the highlights was an operatic interpretation of Farrar’s poems, performed by local mezzo-soprano Maggie Cooper, accompanied by pianist Laetitia Fédérici. The music was composed by Dr Andrew M. Wilson, whose dedication brought Farrar’s words to life in a truly memorable way.

As part of the programme, winners of the James Farrar Poetry Competition, organised by Ms Roberts, had the honour of presenting their work during the evening. Congratulations to:

• Samridh Kannan (poem performed by Oliver Karlsson)
• Mubashir Arshad
• Wensen Li
• Toby Atkinson (poem performed by Carlie Wong)

Mr Karlsson also wrote and recited poem to remember Sutton Grammar's greatest writer:  James Farrar.

The event was a poignant reminder of the power of words and music to honour those who came before us, and we are proud of our students and staff for representing the school so admirably.

You can watch the full recording of the evening here:

 https://share.icloud.com/photos/00497WS_4SSG2AFl_i3j3bjSg

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0d8cS1TgaDqf9disUCeAwoOEQ

The poems:

Stars that fell (Samridh)

You were stars that fell from the sky, 
Flowers that withered before their time, 
Birds that lost their sweetest song, 
A spring that faded into eternal winter— 
All taken by war. 

You had parents who waited at the door, 
Friends who dreamed of your triumphant return, 
Siblings longing for your warmth, 
Loved ones waiting for your laughter and light. 
A whole bloodline left in silence— 
For you never came back. 

You might have lived in a world of peace, 
Carried children of your own in your arms, 
Walked in quiet summer fields, 
Lived long lives of joy and achievement— 
But you could not. War took you too soon. 

Though the years move on without you, 
You are not forgotten. 
You are the courageous men who gave us freedom, 
Who let us walk happily in quiet summer fields, 
Who let us carry children of our own, 
And live the lives you never could. 

Thank you. 
You are the light of a million candles, 
The breath of freedom in our lungs, 
The heartbeat of peace in our tomorrow. 
You shaped our futures, 
While sacrificing your own. 

Mubashir:

Everything that you thought had meaning—
every hope, dream, or moment of happiness—
none of it matters as you lie bleeding out on the battlefield.
None of it changes what a speeding rock does to a body.
We all die.

But does that mean our lives are meaningless?
Does that mean there was no point in our being born?
Would you say that of our slain comrades?
What about their lives? Were they meaningless?

They were NOT!
Their memory serves as an example to us all!
The courageous fallen!
The anguished fallen!
Their lives have meaning because we, the living, refuse to forget them!

And as we ride to certain death,
we trust our successors to do the same for us!
Because my soldiers do not buckle or yield
when faced with the cruelty of this world!
My soldiers push forward!
My soldiers scream out!
My soldiers RAGE!

Wensen:

The 5th October 1923, London,

Born

 to Donald

  And Mabel, Lived

  In Carshalton,

 Attended Sutton

Grammar School,

Worked in London, Volunteered for the RAF, Called up in February 1942, Served in the army as a pilot officer, Became a Flight Navigator, Flew the de Havilland Mosquito with 68 squadron,         Intercepted a V-1 flying bomb over the Thames, Night, 25th July 1944, Lost contact with                                       Mosquito, Recovered

Not body, Honoured,

Heroic, Respectable,

Valiant, A Brother to

David, A Son to Donald

And Mabel, A Pilot, A

Poet, Who made the

Ultimate sacrifice,

James Donald Farrar,

At the going down of the sun and in 

the morning, We will remember him.

Toby:

‘Final Offensive’

The soft whistle of the wind silenced

Like a deathly skull, the moon gazed away

As the sky, streaked with violet, blackened.

The towering grass sealed

As soil softened and let sink

And the ground parted beneath the field.

The memories were lost

Their lives gone, as they fell

They had fought, but at what cost?