The Halliday Cup for music was presented to Sherborne School by Ronald James Rivers Halliday (1902-1963) in memory of his brother, Second Lieutenant Charles Graham Rivers Halliday (1897-1917) who was killed in action at Ypres on 13 June 1917.
Charles Graham Rivers Halliday was born on 28 June 1897 at Shawford, Hampshire. His parents were Charles George Halliday, a Professor of Music, and Francis Amy Halliday (née Rivers).
Charles attended Highfield School at Liphook, Hampshire, and in September 1911 followed his brothers, Gerard Rivers Halliday (1894-1952) and Ronald James Rivers Halliday (1902-1963), to Sherborne School where he was awarded a Scholarship. Charles remained at Sherborne School until December 1914, during which time he boarded at Lyon House and was a member of the 1st XV rugby football team (1914). He was also a Company Sergeant-Major in the Officer Training Corps (1914) and a member of The Sophists (a debating society).
After leaving Sherborne, Charles went straight Woolwich, transferring in July 1915 to Chatham. In February 1916, 2nd Lieutenant Halliday was sent to France with the 1st Field Squadron, Royal Engineers, attached to the 1st Cavalry Division. On 1 June 1917, he was transferred to 225th Field Company, Royal Engineers, and was killed in action just twelve days later at Ypres on 13 June 1917, fifteen days before his twentieth birthday.
Charles’s death was announced at Sherborne School by his former housemaster, Alec Trelawny-Ross, in the Lyon House Letter:
‘C.G. Halliday (R.E.) was killed in action “in front of the very front line” on June 13th. He was one of the “builders” of the House, a tower of strength when it was in the making and a great friend. He died as he would have wished, for he was every inch a soldier and a man. No.2 Dormitory will be called after him, that members of the House may learn and remember the qualities that helped him to help the House so much.’
2nd Lieutenant Charles Halliday was buried at Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery in Belgium (III. A. 17). The inscription on his headstone reads: ‘Upright in all his ways. Honoured by all. Till the day break. The shadows flee away.’ He is also remembered on a memorial plaque at All Saints church at Farringdon, Hampshire.
At Sherborne School, 2nd Lieutenant Halliday is remembered in the Book of Remembrance and on the School war memorial. He is also commemorated on no. 31 memorial pew in the School Chapel and on the Lyon House war memorial.
The Halliday Cup was first awarded at Sherborne School in 1925. It was won that year by George Weldon, who would go on to become Chief Conductor with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (1944-1951) and Associate Conductor with the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester (1952-1963).
For many years the cup became a House Cup, awarded to the House which produced the best combination of senior and junior pianists, before reverting in 2008 to its original purpose.
Previous winners of the Halliday Cup:
| 1925 | George Anthony Thomas Weldon (piano) |
| 1926 | Kenneth Desmond Findeisen (piano) |
| 1927 | Kenneth Desmond Findeisen (piano) |
| 1928 | Ronald Ernest Woodham (piano) |
| 1929 | Maurice Pettitt (piano) |
| 1930 | Ronald Ernest Woodham (piano & general musicianship) |
| 1931 | Maurice Pettitt (piano & general musicianship) |
| 1932 | John Percy Hotchkis (piano & general musicianship) |
| 1933 | Geoffrey Albert Collings (piano & general musicianship) |
| 1934 | (no competition) |
| 1935 | Geoffrey Albert Collings (piano & general musicianship) John Rodie Peters (piano & general musicianship) Adjudicator: A.E. Brent Smith |
| 2008 | Edward Hughes (organ) Adjudicator: Philip Fowke |
| 2009 | (no competition) |
| 2010 | Benjamin Craw (baritone) Adjudicator: David Bednall (OS) |
| 2011 | Benjamin Craw (baritone) Adjudicator: Robert Aldwinckle |
| 2012 | Theodore Irvine (piano) Adjudicator: Roderick Swanston |
| 2013 | Yuk Chun (Calvin) Tsang (piano) Adjudicator: Dr Stephen Darlington |
| 2014 | Robert Folkes (baritone) Sau Tak (Douglas) Mak (piano) Adjudicator: Paul Drayton |
| 2015 | Finnbar Blakey (piano, baritone) Adjudicator: Martin Walker |
| 2016 | Josh Cook (piano, organ) Adjudicator: Philip Fowke |
| 2017 | Finnbar Blakey (baritone) Adjudicator: Susie Allan |
Posted 23 January 2018 by Sherborne School Archives.
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