Late last year, a historic artefact was donated back to Port Lincoln High School – Mr. Don Bosanquet kindly returned a trophy titled the Forbes Cup that was given to his mother for winning a PLHS running race in 1926.
The engraving on the cup itself states that it was presented to L. (Laurel) Hookings by Mrs. W. Forbes – the school welcomes further historical information about the trophy.
As well as becoming a treasured article amongst our school archives, Mr. Bosanquet’s family hoped Laurel’s Forbes Cup might become a perpetual trophy awarded annually to a deserving runner. We are delighted to report that one hundred years later, this new tradition has commenced at Port Lincoln High School.
At our Sports Day earlier this week, Year 8 student and star Grantham athlete Shadley Coffin was announced as our 2026 recipient of the PLHS Forbes Cup. Not only did Shadley run (and jump) exceptionally well throughout the day, but he consistently demonstrates our school values and displayed tremendous crew spirit for his victorious Grantham House.
We congratulate Shadley and his family on this wonderful achievement and sincerely thank Mr. Bosanquet and his family for their generous donation. We look forward to upholding this tradition in the coming years, which will include the dedication of a new Forbes Cup honour board.
Non Nobis Solum
In a letter that accompanied the Forbes Cup, Mr. Bosanquet also provided the following fascinating history about Laurel and her family…
“My mother Laurel Mary Hookings was born in 1911 and grew up on a farm at Big Swamp near Edillilie.
My grandfather supplemented his farm income by slaughtering and butchering sheep and cattle, bringing them into Port Lincoln in a dray and selling the meat door-to-door. The family eventually moved into Port Lincoln where he opened a butcher shop which we believe was the first such business the town.
Laurel would have started her secondary schooling at this time and could possibly been in the first school intake.
The family house was located high on a hill overlooking the town and would often be the first to see the large sailing ships heading for the harbour. Laurel and her younger brother Jack would be sent down to the pilot station to alert them; the pilot was then rowed out to the ship so it could be safely brought into the harbour.”
