We are delighted to announce that Bristol Grammar School’s state-of-the-art sports pavilion at Failand has been named in honour of its primary benefactor, Don Pople, a former student of the School.

The naming ceremony took place on Thursday 3 May at 3pm in the presence of Mr Pople and members of his family. Students, staff, Old Bristolians’ and Governors of the school also attended.

Mr Pople, who attended BGS between 1937-1946, was a keen sportsman and a successful academic student throughout his time at the school and went on to have a successful business career, running his family’s sportswear retail firm: the Pople’s store on Park Street was an iconic presence in Bristol for many years and equipped generations of Bristol school children with PE kits, bats and balls.

Don’s brother, the late Professor Sir John Pople, also attended BGS but his career took a different path. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1988 after a distinguished career in academia and the recently refurbished science wing at the main school is already named in his honour.

In addition to the support for capital building projects, the Pople Charitable Trust has also funded a total of 57 student scholarships aimed at pupils in every year of the Senior School.

Bristol Grammar School Headmaster, Roderick Mackinnon, said:

“We are privileged that Don Pople has agreed to put his name to our new facilities at Failand. It is a delight for us to be able to recognise his longstanding and generous commitment to BGS and his love for sport in this way. I am sure that his name above the door will inspire the many future generations of BGS sportsmen and women who will play and train here.

“The Pople brothers epitomise something that is central to our ethos at BGS – namely, that we value each individual student for their particular gifts and passions and try to help them develop those gifts to their full potential. Both Don, whom we honour today, and his late brother excelled in their own individual areas of expertise and the support they have offered the current generation of BGS students reflects those different but equally valid interests.”