B G Catterns
(1887 - 1968)

Basil Gage (‘BG’) Catterns was a pupil at Trent from 1896 to 1900. He worked at the Bank of England throughout his working life, rising to Chief Cashier (1929 - 1935), and Deputy Governor. As Chief Cashier, prior to his promotion, Catterns had his signature on all bank notes.

Although he had not returned to Trent since his schooldays, on being approached by Headmaster, Ford Ikin, when the School was in dire need, ‘BG’ intervened and successfully convinced the School’s bank to allow more time for Trent and the Evangelical Church Schools Company Ltd. - the Trustees - to sort out their finances. This halted the closure of Trent College.

Catterns became a Governor of Trent in 1939; he was also President of the Old Tridents’ Society from 1942 to 1955 and sadly died just before the centenary celebrations in 1968.

When a new Headmaster’s Residence - ‘School House’ - was purchased for Tony Maltby, the old Residence, which was a memorial to those who died in the Great War, became a Junior boarding house and was named Catterns to honour the man who had given Trent a stay of execution during the depression of the 1930s.

The School has reiterated its tribute to Catterns by naming the new state-of-the-art synthetic sports surface after him.

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