Public Speaking Final

The Public Speaking Final this year was a fantastic celebration of the Elstree boys’ flair, confidence, eloquence and humour. There were eleven finalists : Fitz Andreae, Moby Andreae, Ed Horsfield, Oscar Brown, Gabriel Warley, Archie Morris-Marsham, Rupert Assheton, Alex Atkinson, Luca Hargreave, Edward Harvey and Jamie Mackinnon.

All made it very obvious in their opening salvos that the audience were in safe hands. Mr Lexton was our judge this year and he, quite rightly, had very positive and helpful comments for all the contestants at the end. It was, I know, an almost impossible decision for him to put the boys in order but that is the judge’s unenviable task; Mr Lexton went for Oscar Brown and Alex Atkinson in joint third, Edward Harvey in second place and our winner for 2016 was Luca Hargreave, who combined earnestly prepared research with an animated, charming and really rather grown-up delivery; he talked to us about the death and subsequent trial and execution of his ancestor, Oliver Cromwell, and it was superb. Well done, all the boys and a huge congratulations to Luca, who is young enough to defend his title next year.

ADL