We are delighted to announce that ten more editions of The Brightonian from the 1950s have been uploaded to the Brighton College Digital Archive. The following issues are now fully readable and searchable:
- February 1953
- May 1953
- January 1954
- May 1954
- January 1955
- May 1955
- January 1956
- May 1956
- January 1957
- May 1957
With these additions, we can proudly announce that every issue from 1953 to 2024 is now available online, along with every Michaelmas issue from 1940 to 1952, and even the very first Brightonian magazine from May 1939 following its renaming from the Brighton College Magazine.
And yes - they are fully searchable. Whether you are hunting down your Valete entry, checking how many runs you conceded in a Fourth Form fixture, or rediscovering a glowing review of a school production, it is all just a few clicks away.
What really brings these editions to life of course are the stories inside however...
Perfect Weather and Broken Records (May 1953)
In the May 1953 issue, the athletics season reads almost like fiction: uninterrupted sunshine, no cancellations, and rising standards across the board.
Participation was the strongest since the war. Three school records fell - in the 220 yards, 440 yards and hurdles - and Aldrich claimed the Standards Trophy. A team photograph captures young faces brimming with promise.
Yet even in this golden season, there was heartbreak. At White City in London, injuries and misfortune disrupted high hopes at the Schools Competition. It is a reminder that school sport has always been about resilience as much as victory.
Bold Theatre and Standing Ovations (January 1955)
Fast forward to January 1955 and the stage lights rise on an ambitious double bill: adaptations of Seneca’s Hercules and Plautus’s The Pot of Money.
Providing our lead image for this article, the production of Hercules Madness was praised for its masks, imaginative staging and atmospheric design — proof that even ancient Roman drama could feel vivid and immediate in a school hall. The Pot of Money brought energy and humour, with particular praise for the performance of Euclio.
A review reprinted from The Times Educational Supplement applauded the originality and teamwork involved. Over seventy years later, that same spirit of theatrical boldness continues to define Brighton College productions.
Three Weeks That Changed Everything (January 1956)
One of the most vivid accounts in this new batch is a January 1956 piece written by a Brighton College cadet who joined a three-week R.A.F. exchange visit to the United States.
Travelling via the Azores and Bermuda, the group landed at Andrews Air Force Base and explored Washington, D.C. They attended a press conference, lunched with international cadets, toured the Capitol - even catching sight of Senator Joseph McCarthy.
Two weeks in Michigan followed, complete with factory tours, air bases and a flight over Niagara Falls. The journey ended in New York City, with visits to the United Nations and the Statue of Liberty.
The cadet’s tone is one of awe: exhausted, exhilarated, and deeply impressed by American generosity and modernity. It is a snapshot of a post-war world opening up - and a teenager seeing it for the first time.
The Winter Everyone Remembered (May 1956)
Not every memory can be sunlit of course. The May 1956 edition documents what is described as a “succession of cold classrooms, burst pipes, and sport interrupted by the ravages of weather.”
Fixtures were cancelled. House competitions disrupted. Even Old Brightonian sport was affected. Page after page carries the quiet stoicism of a community simply getting on with it. And then - the relief! In March the sunshine finally arrived, and with it a return to normal life.
It is perhaps these small, shared inconveniences that feel most relatable across the decades.
Your story is waiting...
What makes our Digital Archive so compelling is not simply the history - it is the people. The names in team sheets. The pupils nervously taking to the stage. The cadet writing home from abroad. And yes, even the Housemaster noting some frozen pipes.
We cannot wait to see what you discover tucked away at home. Do share your findings and tag your contemporaries on Brighton College Connect, or contact the College Archivist using the link below.
We hope to digitise the remaining Brightonian magazines between 1939 and 1952 over the coming years, alongside even more historic photographs - and all will be available to browse online from the comfort of your home.
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Whether it is a photo, uniform, diary, or program from a school play, every piece of history speaks to our shared journey. The Brighton College Archive contains hundreds of fascinating primary sources and we actively encourage interested OBs to get in touch and arrange a tour.
If you have any historic artefacts, documents, or memories from your College days that you would be willing to share with us, please contact our College Archivist, Mr James Harrison.