J D Crichton, a well-known Edinburgh jeweller, councillor and magistrate instituted the trophy in 1911 as his son was a pupil at school.   It was initially just for athletic pursuits, but changed its basis several times over the years.

It was until the early 2000’s competed for by the same four Nations – Angles, Britons, Picts and Scots, but the Gaels joined them around 2005, and the Celts will soon become the sixth Nation.

How can you help your Nation win the trophy?

Points are accrued in a number of ways, as shown below. Please contact your Nation Captain who will be able to explain further. In general, the two key principles are:

• Positive Contributions to the Wider Life of the School 
• Attitudes that promote inclusion, community, and our shared sense of belonging

Individual components include (but are not exclusively restricted to) the following;

• Academic
• Volunteering
• Athletic and fitness pursuits
• Leadership
• Participation
• The Arts, Theatre and Music

Further assistance in advising pupils about the trophy will be provided on a regular basis throughout the school session with adhoc presentations by senior pupils utilising the popup screen shown above right, along with presentation boards and handouts.

The Announcement and Presentation

Points are accrued until the last moment before the announcement at the Prize Giving, when the winning Nation is announced, and the Vice Captains come forward to receive the trophy, the result evidently being a surprise to them, and also to the assembled throng.

Timeline

• 1911 – The Trophy is instituted – The International Race – won by The Angles
• 1914 – International Squadron Race (Open) – The Scots
• 1915-1918 – Trophy apparently suspended – presumably due to WW1
• 1919 – Champion Nation in Athletics – The Britons
• 1924 – Champion Nation in Scholarship and Athletics – The Picts
• 1930 – Champion Nation in Scholarship and Athletics – The Picts
• 1943 – Champion Nation in Scholarship and Athletics – The Picts
• 1960 – The Angles
• 1964 – The Angles
• 1967 – The Britons
• 1979 – Crichton Cup – ‘Overall Nation Champions’
• 1968 – 1989 changes from naming the winning nation, to ‘To be announced’ at the prize Giving.
• 1986 – no contest (indeed almost all sporting activities were curtailed due to ‘industrial Action’)
• 1990 -1995 – Winners once again named
• 1996 – ‘To be Announced’ resumes and continues to the present day
• 2024 – The Britons are the winning Nation

The gallery below shows a selection of images from the lifetime of the trophy – now well over one hundred years