History of the OCC

The Club was effectively founded at a meeting on Monday, 1^st April 1901 at the Crypt School with the purpose of forming an Old Boys’ Club.  The proposer at the meeting was Second Master, Mr D.E. Griffiths and the seconder was Falconer Moffatt Birks.  The club was to be composed of former pupils of the Crypt School, Gloucester and past and present teaching staff of the School.

The club was originally known as “The Old Cryptonians’ Club”  but in 1907 the name was changed to “The Old Cryptians’ Club”.  It is often shortened these days to the OCC.

In order to regulate the business of the Club a committee was formed consisting of a President, various officials and ordinary members.  The Reverend Christopher Naylor, Headmaster of the Crypt School, was elected as the first president of the club.  The annual subscription was fixed at One Shilling (5 new pence).

The first dinner was held on Thursday, 8^th May 1901 at the New Inn, Gloucester.  With some gaps dinners have been held annually since this date, at various locations in the City of Gloucester and, more recently at the school itself in Podsmead.  The Annual Dinner has now been expanded into a Reunion Weekend with the Old Cryptians’ Rugby Football Match (against the School 1^st XV) on Friday evening followed by the AGM of the OCC on Saturday afternoon.  Old Cryptians take the opportunity to organise other informal gatherings during this weekend in March.

Links have been maintained between the Crypt School and Oxford and Cambridge colleges.  Dinners were held at St. Catherine’s College and Emmanuel College from 1974 until 1990, then at Pembroke College, Oxford from 1992 until 2012.  It is hoped that the tradition of Pembroke dinners can be revived at some time in the future.

A highlight of the school year is Founders’ Day, held in Gloucester Cathedral towards the end of the Summer Term . Old Cryptians and their families are honoured guests at the very moving service. The day concludes with a supper at which the incoming President is installed.

A Bursary Fund was re-established in 2001 with the following main aim:  “The objective of the Fund is to improve and widen the educational and life skills of students at the Crypt School, Gloucester.
This objective is achieved by awarding bursaries to talented or gifted pupils of the school, providing them with funds not normally available to them, to pursue their talents, and improve their performance in their specialist area.”  The Trustees of the Fund are members of the OCC with representation on the OCC Committee.

The London branch of the OCC was founded in 1947 and affiliated to the main club with Dr L.J.  Murdoch as secretary.  The club holds an annual dinner, usually in November at West End or City venues.

A web site was established in the year 2000 on the initiative of Brian Jones (1945-53) in his presidential year.  In March 2013 it was upgraded in appearance and with the addition of many new features.  The Club encourages members worldwide to maintain contact with one another through this web site and through social media.  There is a password protected members’ register which contains contact details maintained by members themselves.