The Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) today announces the official launch of the BSA Boarding School Book of Remembrance (BOBOR), the first global digital archive dedicated to recording the service and contributions of pupils, staff, governors and volunteers connected to boarding schools worldwide.
BOBOR is a gift to the world: open to members and non-members of the BSA, and designed for teachers, historians, students, and anyone interested in military and social history to explore, research and remember.
Developed with digital archive specialists SDS Group, and supported by the Royal British Legion, BOBOR already features archive material from 40 schools out of more than 120 schools across Australia, England, New Zealand, Scotland, the USA and Wales which has signed up to participate.
Each school on the BOBOR website has its own section to upload and curate content, ranging from a single photograph of a boarder in uniform to a fully digitised, searchable database. Three years in the making, the platform is a living memory and research tool built to grow for generations and already contains 8,000 names.
Robin Fletcher, Director of BOBOR, said:
“BOBOR is the world’s first digital archive recording the service of pupils, staff and volunteers from boarding schools. Neville Chamberlain, Franklin D Roosevelt and Winston Churchill all led their countries in war, and all went to boarding school. Across centuries, boarding schools have shaped those who served, sacrificed, and contributed in countless ways. That is what BOBOR is here to remember.”
Sir Anthony Seldon, BOBOR Military Advisor, added:
“One of the most powerful features of boarding schools is their continuity through generations. Remembering those former pupils who lived and breathed in the same rooms as today’s young people is a duty and an honour. We are all better people for remembering and celebrating the past, especially those who fell in the service of their country.”
The launch coincides with two historic milestones: the 60th anniversary of the BSA and the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
Who BOBOR is for
- Teachers: ready-to-use materials and primary sources for history, citizenship and remembrance education.
- Historians & researchers: a growing, searchable corpus spanning schools and countries.
- Military history enthusiasts & families: discover stories, photographs and records connecting individuals, units and communities.
Get involved (members and non-members)
Contribute, explore and learn – no BSA membership required. To find out more and access BOBOR, visit bobor.org.uk. To contribute records, email Robin Fletcher at robin.fletcher@bsagroup.org.uk.
Categories: Sector News
