Summer 2013 - Merchant Taylors' School

ConcordiaMerchant Taylors’ School1561Summer 2013Film

Summer 20134 5Filmdays. But my father was grateful to beworking and by nature and throughouthis life never grumbled or complained.He showed amazing stamina andprofessionalism. I’m sure that is one ofthe reasons he felt so strongly about theimportance of his involvement with thefounding of The Screen Actors’ Guild. Hiscard number is #9. He, along with the otherfounding members, felt that it was theirobligation to give a voice to those actorswho did not yet have a way to speak up intheir own defence against the all-powerfulstudios and the working conditions; thelong arduous hours; the unfair and brokencontracts. Those founding members puttheir own career on the line with theirinvolvement with the start-up of SAG. Ithink this was some of the work of whichmy father was quietly the most proud.How did he view his success?My father was the consummateprofessional. He loved what he did andwas so grateful to be able to spend hislife doing something he truly adored. Hewas a very modest, self-effacing man, welleducated, articulate, a voracious reader, aquiet listener and a very funny man...theantithesis of the roles he played. He wasan avid gardener, loved animals and waspassionate about the game of cricket. Atone time he and my mother had 22 dogs.They had a pig named Violet and evensome turkeys....all in Beverly Hills!Which films was your father mostproud of?My father did over 170 films, a hugebody of radio work, 20 some children’srecordings, had three television seriesof his own, having embraced the newmedium of television early on when most“movie stars” were afraid of the “live”aspect of it. He guest starred on all thebig shows of the time and even sangand danced and spoofed his own bogeyman image. He loved it. He starred: onBroadway in Arsenic and Old Lace in apart written especially for him; in Peter Panopposite Jean Arthur; in The Lark oppositeJulie Harris who he adored working with,a role for which was nominated for a Tony.And of course he IS The Grinch...both theNarrator and the Voice of The Grinch inHow The Grinch Stole Christmas for whichhe won a Grammy.He returned to England for the finalyears of his life. Did he always viewEngland as home?English through and through, my father’sschooling, upbringing and work ethicHe loved what he did and was sograteful to be able to spend his lifedoing something he truly adored.always stayed with him both personallyand professionally. He returned to hisbeloved England in 1959 and spent the last10 years of his life commuting back to theStates for work, but he was Home. He had aflat in London and a cottage in Bramshottwhich he adored.Fans continue to be fascinated by yourfather’s work. Why do you think hiswork is of such enduring interest?No one would be more amazed that myfather at the enormity of his popularity andthe devotion and respect of his fans. He isone of the very few people in “the industry”about whom nothing negative was everwritten or said. When my Godmother andhis good friend, Cynthia Lindsay, wrote abiography about my father, she said thatalmost to a person when she interviewedpeople about him they would preface theirremarks with “Oh, dear Boris...” and so sheentitled her biography Dear Boris.How do you remember your father asa person?My father left the most remarkableand loving legacy, both personally andprofessionally. What more could be said ofa man, an actor or a father?

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolBoris Karloff:a brief biographyThe day before Frankensteinopened in November 1931 BorisKarloff was one of a myriad of characteractors in Hollywood. The night afterthe opening he was a star, and wouldremain one for the rest of his life.Yet being a star hadn’t been the be all andend all for Karloff. For his main ambition hadalways been the same – to be a professionalactor. Financial security was nice, of course,but he had endured over two decades as anactor without it. But this was the life he hadchosen – to the consternation of his family.Boris Karloff was born William HenryPratt on the 23rd November 1887 inCamberwell, South London. The youngestof the nine children of Edward and ElizaPratt Billy, as he was known, was expectedto follow his father and the majority of hissiblings into Government Service.Billy’s father, Edward Pratt, had had avolatile career in India, working in variousroles within the Customs department,collecting tax on salt and opium. In 1879,having been forced to retire, Edward broughthis family to England. He remained anembittered man and in December 1889,when Billy was just two years old, Edwardand Eliza legally separated.Of Billy’s 7 brothers 4 followed in thefather’s footsteps, as he later recalled:“Two were in the Indian Civil Service[Edward and Frederick], two were in theChancellor’s Service in China [John andRichard] and I was supposed to go to theChancellor’s Service in China with them…I didn’t want to.” Billy had other plans. “Iwas a lazy little devil at school because Iknew exactly what I wanted to do, go onthe stage,” he said. “I was not going to passany examinations if I could possibly helpit. I wanted to be an actor.”He would not be the first actor in thefamily. His favourite brother, George, hadalso trodden the boards, billed under thestage name of George Marlowe. “Despitethe fact that George was an extraordinarilyhandsome man, he never went very far onthe stage,” Karloff later explained, “whichwas the reason he gave it up for a city job.But I tried to emulate him.”Billy’s love of acting had begun at anearly age. After his mother and siblingsmoved to Enfield they attended St. MaryMagdalene’s church on Windmill Hill. HereBilly joined a drama group and at Christmas1896, at the age of nine, made his actingdebut appearing in one of the plays — aversion of Cinderella. “Instead of playingthe handsome prince, I donned black tightsand a skullcap and rallied the forces of evilas the Demon King,” he recalled. That roleproved to be the catalyst. “From then on,”he proclaimed, “I resolved to be an actor.”As Rob Dow in J.M. Barrie’sThe Little Minister (1912)Despite brotherly attempts to dissuadehim from an acting career Billy’s mind wasset. Even his schooling at such notableinstitutions as Enfield Grammar, MerchantTaylors’ and Uppingham could not diverthim from seeking a life on the stage.In 1909, aged 21, he used a £150 legacy toleave the country. He emigrated to Canadaand made his way to Vancouver, workingalong the way. When he arrived in thecity he had only five dollars in his pocket.Within days he was down to 15 cents. “Therewasn’t a hope of stage work,” he explained.“There was little doing in the theatre atthat time and, in any case, managers werenot interested in gangling youths with noexperience. The dire necessity of eating wassoon apparent.” He took what work he could.“Men were wanted to dig a race track and afair ground,” he said, “and the pay was oneand threepence an hour.”He later found work as a real estatebroker. He also found himself a wife. On 23February 1910 Billy married a fellow Englishémigré, Jessie Grace Harding. His newbearing in life, however, had little effect onhis ultimate ambitions and his search foran acting job continued. He eventually wasoffered a place with the theatrical troupe theJeanne Russell Players and left his wife inthe city while he made his way to join thecompany. “I had finally become an actor, butI mumbled, bumbled, missed cues, rammedinto furniture and sent the director’s bloodpressure soaring,” he admitted. “When thecurtain went up, I was getting 30 dollars aweek. When it descended, I was down to15 dollars.” Thus began almost a decade ofthe theatrical work with various companiesas Billy – now calling himself Boris Karloff(he later erroneously claimed the surnamecame from ancestors on his mother’s side)– learned his trade. Years later he arrived inLos Angeles and began to look for work. “Imade the rounds of the only possible outlet,the film studios,” he said. “I appeared beforethe camera for the first time in a crowdscene being directed by Frank Borzage atUniversal City.”For over a decade Karloff made a living,initially as an extra and then as a characteractor. Sometimes the work was so scarce hewould have to return to manual labouringto earn a crust. Two more wives came andwent (he had divorced Grace in 1913) and in1930 he married librarian Dorothy Stine. Thecouple would have one child – a daughternamed Sara Jane – who was born on 23November 1938 (her father’s 51st birthday).One day in June 1931 Karloff enteredthe commissary at Universal Studio wherehe was making the picture Graft. Thatday would change his life forever. “I washaving lunch,” Karloff explained, “andJames Whale sent either the first assistantor maybe it was his secretary over to me,

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolNigelLindsayNigel Lindsay spent three years as an analyst in the City beforestudying Drama at the Webber Douglas Academy. After earlyperformances in Tom Wilkinson’s King Lear at the Royal Courtand the original award winning production of Dealer’s Choice withRay Winstone at the National, he played Max in Tom Stoppard’sThe Real Thing, which transferred from the Donmar Warehouse tothe West End and then to Broadway in 2000, winning three TonyAwards. Nigel played Ariel in the 2004 Olivier winning NationalTheatre production of The Pillowman, Nathan Detroit in Guys andDolls at the Piccadilly Theatre in 2005, Lenny in The Homecomingand Moe Axelrod in Awake and Sing opposite Stockard Channingat the Almeida for which he was nominated for Best SupportingActor in the 2008 Whatsonstage Awards. He won that award in2011 for his performance as Dr Harry Hyman in Broken Glasswith Sir Antony Sher as Gellburg, and was last seen on stage in2012 playing the eponymous green ogre in the original Londonproduction of Shrek the Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane,for which he was nominated for Olivier and Whatsonstage Awards.Nigel has appeared regularly on television in series such asGeorge Gently, Spooks, Silent Witness, Waking the Dead, Romeand Midsomer Murders; in comedies such as Brass Eye, I’m AlanPartridge, The Amando Iannucci Shows and Jam and Jerusalemand in single dramas such as Best of Men and in the BAFTAwinning Relief of Belsen. In film, Nigel was in Woody Allen’s Scoopand was nominated for a British Comedy Award for playing Barrythe Muslim convert in Four Lions.He has just finished filming the, as yet untitled, Alan Partridgemovie and is currently working on a ten part adaptation for SkyAtlantic called The Tunnel, an adaptation of the Danish seriesThe Bridge

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolPhoto Geraint LewisWith David Tennant and Jim Broadbent in The Pillowman at the National Theatre in 2003“Hairy Hands”, and that mercurial pixie of anEnglish teacher, the wonderful “Jock” Steane,who used to sit on my desk and read RobertBrowning with ebullience enough to turn thehead of even the most bovine miscreant.I had that on a detention card once: “offence– bovine miscreance”. I also had “stunningrecalcitrance”; “recidivism” and “sheerimpulchritude”, which I think is a made upword but which I took to mean I was given adetention for being ugly, which in anyone’sbook is a bit harsh. Mind you, I don’t want tocome over all “Four Yorkshiremen” (look it upand enjoy if you’re under 40), but the currentintake doesn’t know it’s born. When I wasat Taylors’, the school swimming pool wasoutside and unheated, and if you forgot yourtrunks you had to go in without – if you seewhat I mean. I remember an unseasonablycold day when twenty eight boys, a third ofthem naked, broke a thin film of ice with theirracing dives at the start of the 50yd freeze todeath. Of course, all generations think theyhad it harder than the next. My sneering at the“Mickey Mouse schoolwork they get thesedays” came to an abrupt halt when my twelveyear old daughter presented me with tenquadratic equations to solve before dinner;and when I asked the current Taylors’ HeadMaster whether I would have been suspendedtoday as I was then for interrrupting themagnificently robed Bishop of Gloucester ashe raised his arms to bless the congregationduring an Ascension Day service by shoutingOn set of latest film (Alan Partridge) with Steve Coogan and Colm Meaneyout “Beam me up, Scotty!”, no amount ofgenial diplomacy could disguise the fact that Iwould have found myself similarly dispatched.And rightly so.However a school develops over the years– posh, new reception area where a scruffysnooker table used to live, glassed-in Cloisters(is that to stop boys throwing their cigarettebutts on the grass?), heated indoor pool,lecture theatre, no boarders and no Saturdaylessons – the key to doing your time seems tome as evident today as it was when “googling”somebody would have had you arrestedfor common assault: embrace the ethos ofthe place without selling your soul and befortunate with your fellow intake of prisoners.Although it was our common misfortunethat our secondary education coincidedwith the brief regime of a hapless martinet, Icount myself extremely lucky that the boysin my year and those above and below werealmost unanimously warm-hearted, decentand friendly. That’s not to say we were ahomogeneous bunch. We had the usualquota of aesthetes and oiks, wide-boys andmummy’s boys, but we all rubbed along prettywell, and my closest mates today are still thoseI made in the quad over thirty years ago.In those days I was desperate to be liked(wonder why I became an actor?!) and spread

Summer 2013 10 11FilmFour LionsFour Lions (outtake)On set of Best of Men, filmed for BBC last year, with George Mackay, Rob Brydon and Eddie MarsanTaylors’ almost invincible 1st XV rugby team of 1979-80my dubious charm thinly and broadly likeGentleman’s Relish on white bread toast,seeking out the company of the planet-sizedbrains for pseudo-intellectual chitchat beforehelping the less intellectually gifted throw theclass “Benny” headfirst through a waist-highwindow into the Head Master’s Garden, anevent he professed to enjoy. This eclectic mixof friends and the fact that I loved sport, andmanaged to sneak via the back door intoprobably the best rugby and athletics teamsthe school ever had, may have rose-tinted myview, but my abiding memory of Taylors’ inthe late seventies is walking along the LongDrive, or later picking up the Head Boy (soI could park in his private space) in “Derek”the Ford Anglia, and looking forward to theday ahead. Never mind league tables, that’sthe sort of memory I want my daughters toconjure up when they think back on theirschooldays.To any of the current crop of Taylors’ boysstill reading, three cheers for your staminaand let me end where I began, with “firsts”.Prepare yourselves, for they never go away.Just when you think you’re old enough not tocare, another one sneaks up and bites you onthe bum. For me, by far the most important arefamily firsts: getting married, having kids (orthe other way round in our case), and watchingas they in turn smile, speak and stumbletheir way into the world. But there are careerfirsts too that I’ll never forget: debuting at theNational Theatre and on Broadway; rehearsingfor the first time with a playwright I’d studiedat school (Tom Stoppard) in the actual bloodyroom; my first professional audition, the nervesraising my voice two octaves; first time in frontof a camera pretending I knew exactly whata “mark” was; sitting in a squat in Sheffield at5.30am having just shaved my head beforethe first take on Four Lions; and standing inan ogre-sized book on stage at Drury Lane,dressed in green fatsuit and prosthetic, waitingfor the orchestra to hit the note that wouldpropel me into song in front of Prince Charlesand an audience of three thousand on thePress Night of Shrek the Musical.All these firsts have two things in common:they scared the bejesus out of me and I wouldnever take them back. Your “firsts” will not bethe same as mine, nor would you want themto be, but whatever they are and wheneverthey approach, don’t be daunted: embrace andenjoy them. I hope to God it’s a long way off,but by the time you start thinking “this is thefirst time I’ve popped my clogs” all you willhave is your experiences. So now, especiallynow and for the next few years when it doesn’tmatter, stick your hand up and dare to declarewho you are and what turns you on. Soonerthan you think you’ll be paying the rent,mortgage, alimony and anything else thebastards can think of. Remember you’re notthe only one to feel daunted...I think it wasJack Lemmon who said that he chose partson the basis of how much they terrified him –the scarier the better.I leave you with a truism (as Jock Steaneshakes his head at me from the clouds): life isnot a rehearsal…although at times we all wishwe could have another go.

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolRizAhmedRiz Ahmed (1994-2001) read PPE at Christ Church, Oxford. An acquaintance sawhis stage performance in Jesus hopped the ‘A’ Train and recommended he applyfor the Central School of Speech and Drama at the University of London, where hewas spotted and cast in the award-winning Michael Winterbottom film, Road toGuantanamo. He has gone on to star in a series of films, including Chris Morris’sFour Lions. His latest film, Mira Nair’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist, premieredworldwide in May 2013. He is in conversation with Chris RosebladeWhen you came to MTS you were ona bursary. Was that ever an issue?I came on an assisted place but when theywere scrapped by the government, theschool swapped that for a bursary, which Ithought was really cool – though as a kidI was nervous, not sure for a time whatwas going to happen. It wasn’t ever anissue amongst any of the boys per se butthere was definitely a sense of “travelling”from home to school – I don’t just meangeographically – I grew up in Wembley - Iguess there was a culture gap betweenthe peers I grew up with in my home lifeand those I grew up with at school, butreally that was enriching as a teenager;I think it was at times confusing, whenyou are a teenager you’re always trying tofind out what the real version of you is, orif there is one, but looking back, towardsthe end of my school life, I realised howprivileged and lucky I was to have my lifeenriched in that way; I experienced thingsI wouldn’t have if I hadn’t come to MTS.You once said to me “I had no ideahow aggressive I came over as”.Do you think that was somethingto do with that social journey fromWembley to the more genteel, refinedworld of MTS?I guess that had something to do with it!I grew up in a large, boisterous, lovinghousehold, not particularly spacious, withsix people living there – a typical, noisyimmigrant household with lots of foodand loud conversation and sometimesyou had to fight your corner. That mighthave been part of it, the different culturalmilieu of growing up in Wembley, butto be honest, part of it I have to takeresponsibility for, and say that was justI played Prospero onmy 18th birthday.It was a Saturdayand most people fortheir 18th birthdaywere going outclubbing in LeicesterSquare – I was doingShakespeare at MTSme, it sometimes is still just me – I canbe overcome with enthusiasm for what Iwant to get across and it can come acrossas aggressive or overbearing – there arepros and cons to that. (Rueful smile).What Drama moment do youremember at school?I remember a lot. I played Prospero onmy 18th birthday. It was a Saturday andmost people for their 18th birthday weregoing out clubbing in Leicester Square– I was doing Shakespeare at MTS. Iremember my dad came to pick me upand on the long drive home from MoorPark to Wembley my little celebration wasputting on Jay-Z’s cassette Hard KnockLife. I don’t know why I remember thatmoment. For me that was my celebration,driving home with Jay-Z, as Prospero, infull costume and make-up.Which teachers do you remember?The teachers I remember are definitelyyou – you were an influence full stop. TonyBooth was my tutor and put up with meespecially when I got into trouble and triedto give me true pastoral care and sort it out.David Green, I remember big time! When Iwas in the Third Form he did that amazingthing of allowing me to be over-exuberantat times, if he saw there was somethingto be gained by that in terms of getting aspark out of me. John Coleman got me intoacting with South Pacific. David Brown,who directed me in The Threepenny Operaand The Tempest. I have recently startedtaking French lessons again and I thinkone of the reasons was the way Mr Rochertaught, which was kind of throwing awaythe syllabus and talking about Truffautmovies and La Nouvelle Vague, and French

Summer 2013 12 13Film

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolI always feel that work grows out of that kind of organicrelationship in some way – it’s got to be interesting to youculture. As an 18 year old I saw myself as arebel and found that iconoclastic approachvery attractive and that passion for thingsFrench has stayed with me.You went to Oxford to do PPE.What was the tipping point whenyou decided ‘I’m going to do theacting thing?’It was very late in my third year. AtOxford I’d done drama but never reallyfelt I was ‘part of the club’, as drama atOxford is quite institutionalised. All wedid was classic old school stuff which Ifound quite stuffy and there often wasn’ta part for me even though I loved it. Afemale acquaintance of mine had seenme in a play and she emailed me and saidnow that everyone’s applying for jobs, youshould apply for Drama School. That wasthe first time I really dared to think I coulddo it, so I applied on a whim to LondonDrama School and got in but I couldn’tafford it, so I applied for a Scholarship,which I got. I just hadn’t dared to think itwas possible. I’m so glad I did it.What was the break that got you Roadto Guantanamo?I was on the one year course at CentralSchool and when students leave theyshowcase your photos on the websiteso casting directors can check youout. By coincidence, a casting directorwas scouring the website, saw me, andhappened to think I resembled one ofthe Tipton Three. I met her and it turnedout I didn’t. But I met with MichaelWinterbottom anyway who thought Ilooked like one of the other guys in theTipton Three. (Road to Guantanamo isbased on the true story of Ruhal Ahmed,Asif Iqbal and Shafiq Rasul from Tiptonin the Black Country. They were capturedin Afghanistan in 2001 and detained atthe US base in Guantanamo as enemycombatants. The Three were repatriatedto the UK in March 2004 and releasedwithout charge the next day). So Iauditioned for it, got it, and left DramaSchool two months early to play thatRiz in The Reluctant Fundamentalistrole. I felt that it was what I had alwaysdreamed of – combining my interestin politics with some causes that areclose to my heart and it was a reallyrenegade acting experience, literallyin the front line of the war zone, allimprovised – it was a refreshing changefrom studying Shakespeare.I guess until The ReluctantFundamentalist, Four Lions was yourmost well-known film in the UK...I am really proud of Four Lions becauseit was a product of a long process ofconversation and collaboration with ChrisMorris and the other actors. When I putout the rap ‘Post 9/11 Blues’, Chris soughtme out and said he was doing someresearch about the war on terror and hewanted to speak to lots of different people,hear different voices on it. I thought thatwas interesting and we hit it off and I wasresearching for two years. I always feelthat work grows out of that kind of organicrelationship in some way – it’s got to beinteresting to you, if not to an audience,and luckily this was both. We worked on itfor three years and took it from there.What has happened to radical Britishcinema?I think that is something that has changedin radical British culture – even the use,the currency, of a word like radical. Theradical social movements have lostdirection and a certain currency becauseof certain battles they weren’t able to win.There’s also been a mainstreaming ofthings that were radical, you could say aco-opting – that those elements of cultureare now mainstream and change hasaccommodated and incorporated whatwas once radical, although sometimesit’s tokenistic – a black face in a RichardCurtis film. But sometimes it’s muchmore authentic and genuine, like whenwe’re talking about Idris Elba as the nextJames Bond and sometimes it gets inthrough the back door. Four Lions wasn’tbeing funded for a long time but now it’sone of the best loved British films in thepast ten years, so I think it’s changes inour wider culture, it’s a more absorbent,plural society – also some of it’s downto pure economics – there are directconsequences to slashing subsidies …cuts in the funding of institutions like the

Summer 2013 14 15FilmRiz opposite Liev Schreiber in The Reluctant FundamentalistFilm Council, the BFI. It comes down topublicly-subsidised bodies being underpressure to bring in a commercial profitand cater to mass audiences more. Thereare very few people that are able to tickthe boxes of reaching mass audiencesand still tell stories that once would havebeen called radical. Like what ShaneMeadows was able to do with This isEngland, but he was able to establishhimself on the tail end of a period in the90s when there were still public subsidiesfor film makers making alternative films.A lot of this simply comes down to theslashing of Arts funding, public subsidies,that is a lurch to the right socially, if notnecessarily politically.Does that worry you that you aretypecast as the intelligent radical guyin the intelligent radical movie?I think if I was, that would be pretty cool,but I don’t think I am typecast from thepoint of view of an actor, because whatyou worry about is playing the samerole again and again as it simply isn’tsatisfying. All the roles I’ve played havebeen very different characters, even if thethematics of the movies have overlapped.One thing I am proudest of is notYou see howmuch talent is outthere and howdiverse it isnecessarily doing films that are pushingto get a message through but just havingfun in a variety of roles. The kind of rolesin Trishna, or Shifty, or Black Gold, orRage, or Guantanamo – they are just verydifferent characters and that is satisfyingto me creatively.As we aren’t big enough to sustaina really commercial free market instorytelling like Hollywood, we are forcedto do something slightly alternative, butthat’s cool because that’s the stuff thatresonates, that’s the stuff that touchespeople’s hearts; even if the stories we tellmight not break a million in the box officeevery year, the stories we tell resonatebecause they come from an angle ofhumanism and social realism, so I thinkwe need to embrace that. Danny Boylehas shown us how we can reconnect withour history and move forward to a moreinclusive Britain in the opening ceremonyof the Olympics and we need to embracethat vision.The thing is the films I have beenlucky to do – and maybe the kind of filmsthat seek me out – are ones that maybeare not catering to a mass audience butoften may have something to say aboutpost-riots Britain, like Ill Manors or FourLions. I would like to have a career thathas a cumulative impact. I love it whenI hear that certain actors are really wellrespected though they may not have won50 Oscars or broken the box office andyou kind of step back and look at themand think that’s an amazing body of work,that’s solid.What was your star struck moment?When was the moment you when felt“Wow, I’m in the same room as …”?It was when I met Mos’ Def at the RoyalCourt Theatre and I was looking for himso much that I actually missed him. Hewas standing next to me at the time. Hewas wearing a flat cap which made me

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ Schoolexcited as I wear flat caps all the time! Soit was like a souvenir, a photo momentfor about 10 seconds, with Tom Burke(OMT), who’s in an amazing rock bandcalled ‘GoCitizens’ – that was prettyspecial. I am meeting the Queen in 10days. I met her once before and she justseems incredibly normal, if you can getpast the jewellery.Do you find it hard to fit yourmusic in now with all the filmcommitments?I still end up splitting my time 50/50. I’mnever going to be that person that doesa film or TV show because there’s onegoing, and they want you to do it, and thepay is good. If I don’t feel excited aboutsomething I won’t do it.In acting you inevitably there’s acertain plasticity, to get into role youhave to be malleable? Did you learnthat at school?Yes I think I learnt that growing up. Ilearnt that living between what wasinside my home and at school. It wasalso the different world I got to seethrough school, you know I would neverhave ended up randomly at lovelypool parties in Radlett if I hadn’t goneto Taylors’. Nor would I have seen anaspirational Asian middle class lifestylein Northwood. Going to MTS definitelybroadened my horizon socially, andI think as actor to experience thesedifferent things in life is important.Given that humanist sense, I wouldlike to talk to you about your charitywork. You told me you were involvedwith the Pakistani diaspora?I am trying to set up a leadership forcethat empowers the next generation ofPakistanis at home and abroad andthe way to do that is first and foremostis connecting them. I believe thatconnections between talented peer reapsunforeseen dividends that will be richdown the line. It’s called Rasta whichmeans pathway and one of the thingsthat inspired me was seeing lots of myJewish friends at MTS being membersof youth groups or organisations likeBBYO (B’nai B’rith Youth Organization)who connected with their Jewish peers inthe UK and peers from around the world.So the aim is to connect the Pakistanidiaspora who are in their 20s and 30s inRiz with The Observer’s film critic – and fellow OMT –Jason Solomons at the BAFTA new films screeningI think it doesgive you a senseof the importanceof giving peopleopportunities theymay not otherwisehave hadRiz opposite Kiefer SutherlandLondon, New York with Karachi in a bigkind of get together. But it is not a gettogether like a party, it’s about dealingwith social problems in Pakistani citiesand challenging them to come up withcreative solutions, to explore that problemby going out there and checking out thoseresponsible for the sewers and the peoplewhose houses are flooded by the sewageand the people whose job it is to clean thesewage and to meet the Minister who is incharge of the sewers that understands thecomplex dimensions of the problem andto challenge them to solve that problem.Their feedback may not be implementedby those in power or the stakeholders,but that is not the point: the point isthe key leadership and analytical skillsyoung people learn and to reconnectthem globally and bond them in a uniqueexperience.You are also closely involved withsome of the disaffected kids in theSouthwark area. Tell me about thatproject.There are two types of projects I aminvolved with now. One is called STEP, atheatre education programme that couldprovide learning and training courses foryoung people in the community givenby people who work in the professionaltheatre. You see how much talent is

Summer 2013 16 17Filmout there and how diverse it is and themassive disconnect between that talentpool and formal drama education. A lot ofthat is inequality of opportunity and I amcommitted to help equalise this somehow– currently we are trying to work on a newfunding strategy.The second project is trying to set upthe UK’s first gang rehabilitation clinic.There is a gang problem in London andin many inner cities in the UK, similarto the US, but we don’t want it to get asbad as there, and it’s getting worse. Inthe context of the lack of public provision– which most youths rely on, be it youthclubs, health services or educationservices – we need to try and find a wayto treat gangsterism as though it werean illness, as though it were an epidemicand not just criminalise it – get into gangrehabilitation – in a similar way to drugre-habilitation. So I’m interested in thisclinic run by an amazing guy called KarlLokko who is an ex-gang leader himself.Do you feel a pressure to be aspokesman? When somethinghappens that affects British Muslimsdo you get the BBC on the phone asif you’re Mr Rent-a-Quote? How doyou feel about that?I felt it a lot more 2005/07 when there wasthat ugly climate of xenophobia, and thespotlight was on the war, and the terrorthing was really intense. It is much lessnow, but I did feel pressure to do that. Ialso realise there are other people whosejob it is to work in this area and it is rightthey should be given that voice and thatplatform rather than someone who’s justbetter known but is not a specialist inthat area. You’ve got to have faith that theperson whose burning need is to talk willdo it, but I don’t feel you should step up todo something because you feel like, “Well,I guess I should” – you have to want to.You’ve got charisma. One of thethings that goes with that territoryis that you polarise people – likeat MTS people either loved you orhated you. But as an actor you haveto embody emotional experiences thatthe broadest spectrum of people canrelate to. How have you learned tomanage your Rizness – the charismathat polarises?Watching you do it so badly at Taylors’definitely helped! (Laughter) I think II think sometimesthe transition iswhat you kickagainst. I thinksometimes therecould be a senseof confusion anda sense of notfitting inRiz as Mack the Knife in theThreepenny Opera at MTS (1999)have changed. As I’ve got older I listenmore and talk a little less than maybe Idid before. Maybe I am not as polarisedas the person I was. I do think that I haveevolved and have mellowed a bit as I’vegot older, maybe I’m not as polarisingas I was, but then – I wouldn’t want to beboring! (smile)You’re Asian from a Muslimbackground, but at root aren’t yousimply this generation’s incarnationof a certain radical conscience thatBritain’s public schools have alwaysproduced? Do you think in someindefinable way there’s a Britishpublic school spirit that people likeyou embody?I think that being at a school like MTSand not being able to afford to be there,for example, yet being welcomed in andaccepted in and nourished – I think itdoes give you a sense of the importanceof giving people opportunities they maynot otherwise have had and I think that isan aspect of my schooling that I am veryproud of and glad to be associated with.Given that we withdrew severalyears ago the financial advantagesassociated with scholarships and putit all into Bursaries, we are now at thestage where more and more childrenare coming from less advantagedbackgrounds. More OMTs areprepared to give for bursaries than forbuilding projects. What would yourmessage be to those kids who arriveat the school today and tomorrow?I think sometimes the transition is whatyou kick against. I think sometimes therecould be a sense of confusion and a senseof not fitting in. But I would say this:if you don’t feel like you fit in you caneither say to yourself you are not wantedhere or you can say “hang on a minute, Iam unique and can bring a fresh energyto this place and help redefine andrejuvenate it. The future looks like me”.If you are different you are change, soembrace yourself and what you bring tothe table and don’t walk away.If you are interested in supportingany of the charities Riz is workingwith, please get in touch viaConcordia – editor@mtsn.org.uk

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolVaughnSteinVaughn Stein (1998-2003) studied Drama at BristolUniversity and intended to become an actor beforebreaking into the film industry. As an Assistant Director,he has worked on a variety of productions including thelatest Harry Potter film, Quantum of Solace and Pirates ofthe Caribbean 4‘Living the dream’: An ironic generatesphrase or greeting used widely inthe film industry while standing ina puddle in a freezing field at sillyo’clock in the morning on a Sundaywaiting to start an eighteen hour daywondering why you don’t work a 40hour week in an office. Also used in40 degree heat stuck up a mountain,in your fifth hour of overtime aftera twelve hour shooting day or whenyou fall over in front of the wholefilm crew trying to pull on waterprooftrousers over your shoes.First, let me give a brief outline of whatI do: the Assistant Director departmentin the film industry is charged withfacilitating the director’s vision in apractical capacity. We schedule thefilming period by breaking down thescript into component parts and workingout the most efficient way of shootingthe film. We organise all cast, stunt andcrowd requirements and run the set ona day to day basis, coordinating andknitting together the other departmentsand enabling the physical film-makingprocess by bringing everything togetherat the right time with the right elementsto roll the cameras. The AD departmentis comprised of a First Assistant director,who is responsible for all scheduling andHOD coordination and who runs ‘thefloor’ (the set), the office based SecondAssistant Director who handles alladministration and cast requirements andthe call sheet, the universal andhugely important document handed outon wrap every night that details the nextday’s work schedule and all departmentalrequirements, the Third AssistantDirector who works directly for the 1stAD on set and liaises with the 2nd AD atbase, channels all requirements to castand crew and ‘sets the crowd’ (directingthe background artists around the mainaction) as well as being charged withcoordinating the floor runners, the bloodsweat and tears of the film industry who,quite frankly, do all the work for a fractionof the money, none of the glory andtend to be the most over-worked, underappreciatedand generally loved membersof the film crew.I started in the film industry througha combination of the two ways that mostpeople who work within it do; througha bit of luck and an opportunity taken,and sheer blind nepotism! I read Dramaat Bristol University with the intentionof going to drama school afterwards topursue a career in theatre, but becamefascinated with the complexities andintricacies of film and film making in myfirst year (and in no small part thanksto Messrs Roseblade and Andrewswho taught outstanding screenwritingand film appreciation General Studiesclasses in the Upper Sixth). My cousinwas a production accountant for asmall production company and I askedhim to put my name in for any workexperiences or placements that cameabout. Matthew Vaughn was filming‘Stardust’ at Pinewood Studios and myCV made its way into a huge pile of CVsin their murky production office in theKubrick building. One of the productioncoordinators thought it funny that myname was spelt incorrectly, as is his, andI received a call on a Friday asking if Iwould like to come in and do a week’swork experience. Delighted beyond allreason, I accepted. The work consistedof turning air conditioning units on andoff on E stage at Pinewood in betweentakes... Hollywood indeed! However, whenit’s Michelle Pfeiffer and Clare Danesone is directing them at, it’s quite a buzz.I smiled at everyone and made a lot ofcups of tea when I wasn’t sweltering inthe rafters holding air conditioning tubes,landed a full time running job with theVFX department, and spent the nexteight weeks running around Pinewood inecstasy without a clue what was going onor what I was actually doing.I went back to university and spent thelast two thirds of my final year trainingwith The Bristol Old Vic Theatre Companyas part of my degree. I got a call, two daysafter handing in my final essay, from a

Summer 201318 19FilmVaughn Stein (left) as Creon in Antigone, 2002friend I’d made on Stardust asking if Iwanted to come and do a week ‘lockingoff’ (standing in a perimeter around the setshouting ‘rolling’ and ‘cut’) on a film shewas working on. It was ‘The Dark Knight’.After a week of staring open-mouthedat Batman and the Joker, I was hooked.I started working as a floor runner andnearly starved my first year, as most do.But I scraped by, and began to establishmyself as a good Runner, working on‘Quantum Of Solace’, ‘Adulthood’ ‘TheImaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus’, ‘WolfMan’ ‘The Boat That Rocked and ‘NeverLet Me Go’ in the first eighteen monthsof my career. I subsequently was offereda job as a stunt Third Assistant Directoron the last ‘Harry Potter’ film and throughthis began specialising as a Stunt AD,working on ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean 4’in the same capacity, and then onto thesoon to be released ‘World War Z’. I nowwork as either a Floor Second AssistantDirector, working directly for the directorand the 1st AD running the set, mostrecently on ‘Kick Ass 2’ and currently on‘The Fifth Estate’, or as a Crowd SecondAssistant Director; casting, budgeting andorganising the extras and stunt performerson a day to day basis in an administrativecapacity, most recently on ‘Gambit’ and‘Cuban Fury’. I have had the honour ofworking with some truly incredible actorsOn the set of World War Z with Brad Pittand directors; Jonny Depp, Brad Pitt,Michael Fassbender, Dame Judi Dench,Jim Broadbent, Philip Seymour Hoffman,Keira Knightley, Geoffrey Rush, CareyMulligan, Bill Condon, Dustin Hoffmanand Christopher Nolan to name but a few– and to have worked in such a passionate,charged, perfection driven industry suchas the British film industry is, has been adream come true thus far.It is also a cut-throat, brutal, competitiveand unfair workplace, as many freelanceprofessions are, and I cannot begin torecollect the number of four am starts,missed social engagements, missedmortgage payments and times spentstanding shivering in the pouring rainwaiting for an actor to get into their carbefore I could go home. Yet it can alsobe an incredible, diverse, vibrant andunique workplace and one I love. I wasdetermined to add practical ‘nuts andbolts’ know-how to my creative training,and being an Assistant Director hastaught me these practical skills morethoroughly and cogently than any degreeor drama school could possibly havedone. It was always my ambition to writeand direct, and through contacts madeworking on smaller independent projects,I have directed music videos, producedshort films and recently I have had atelevision series I wrote, inspired by playsand playwrights I have always admired,optioned by a production company: it’scurrently being transposed into a featurefilm scheduled to be shot later this year.Being an AD has given me a capacity fororganisation, practicality and work ethic Inever had before and has handed me toolsand opportunities I would never haveotherwise had. And it’s been a hell of a lotof fun.

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolPhilipSimonPhilip Simon (1992-1997)attended the Guildford Schoolof Acting before becoming anactor and comedian. He looksback at his career so farAfew years ago I revisited MTSand was chuffed to see a photo in thedrama studio of me in the school play‘The Roses of Eyam’ from about 1996.Man, I looked young!When I left MTS, I knew exactly what Iwanted to do with my life. I had been actingin youth theatres and school plays since I was12 and had even managed to fit in a coupleof professional TV & commercial jobs duringmy time at school. Having taken a gapyear I completed an Acting Degree at TheGuildford School of Acting, graduating fromthere in 2001.I had a fabulous time at GSA and leftafter three years with an all round trainingin acting, singing and dancing...yes, evenballet! Since then I’ve been fortunate enoughto have worked in most media, and thoughthere’s a lot of down-time between jobs, Ihave mostly managed to stay busy eitheracting, doing voiceovers, teaching, working inoffices, writing and anything else that affordsme the flexibility to do an acting audition orjob as it comes up.Acting-wise, I have done a number of highprofile commercials, which are always funto make. I have been the face of HeathrowAirport for a couple of years, and it’s alwayslovely to hear from people who havepassed through the terminals and seen myover-sized face towering over them. Otherhighlights would be my first theatre job ina production of The Winslow Boy starringEdward Fox and the late Simon Ward (hisson-in-law was former MTS pupil, comedianMichael McIntyre), small TV roles includingthe BBC’s ‘My Family’ and then in morerecent years I toured the UK and receivedmy West End debut playing Daddy Pig inchildren’s hit Peppa Pig’s Party. This was afantastic experience that took me all overthe UK and Ireland, playing almost 500performances in 80 venues. In other work Ihave played a character called ‘stunned nerd’receiving a lap dance from a stripper in avampire feature film (tough day at the office)and even embraced the concept of full-frontalnudity in Channel 4’s epic adaptation ofWilliam Boyd’s ‘Any Human Heart’.Around all this I have taken myexperiences as an actor and written regularfeatures for industry newspaper ‘The Stage’,as well as other publications in print andonline. I also created a theatre-related websitethat listed plays and playwrights, providingsupplementary information for actors,students, directors, theatregoers, etc. A fewyears ago this was bought out by anothertheatre website (www.StageWon.co.uk) and Inow also work for them consulting about allthings theatre-related.Then in 2011 my life took a bit of a turn asI entered the world of stand-up comedy. It’sodd starting afresh after such a long time, butafter years of resisting everyone’s insistencethat I try, I only wish I’d started earlier. Now,two years and well over 200 gigs in I havestarted building a really nice place for myselfon the comedy circuit. Last year I won theComedy Cafe’s New Act night for the 2ndtime and also placed well in a number of highprofile competitions. Acting is still my mainfocus, but stand-up comedy is a huge part ofmy professional life.I think back to my time at MTS and Irealise how lucky I was to attend a schoolso open to the idea that life wasn’t all aboutacademia and rugby. I excelled at neitherand having teachers (both at my previousschool Orley Farm and MTS) nurture mycreative streak made a huge difference inmy life. Having largely failed my CommonEntrance exams, it was the open-mindedgenerosity of then Headmaster Jon Gabitasswho granted me entrance to the school,accepting that MTS could be a placewhere creative endeavours could be justas celebrated, endorsed by inspirationalteachers like John Coleman.Sure, I don’t (yet) have a house in theHollywood Hills, and I can’t (yet) get intoThe Ivy without having to book threegenerations in advance, but I’ve followedmy dreams, crashed through some hurdlesalong the way, and can honestly say there’sno greater feeling than having control of yourown life, and making a room full of strangerslaugh with jokes that you’ve written.For more information:www.philipsimon.co.ukFollow Philip on Twitter: @PhilipSimon78

Summer 2013 20 21FilmLukeAikmanLuke Aikman (1995-2002)grew up surrounded byactors and starred in FeverPitch with Colin Firth whilestill in the Third Form. Nowan entrepreneur and filmproducer, he writes of hisacting experiences and thelessons it has taught himIgrew up surrounded by the filmindustry; my dad a stuntman, mumand sister actresses and uncle in SFX.By the time I was six I was doingTV commercials, followed by guestparts in shows like The Bill andthen had the opportunity to lead ineducational dramas (some of whichembarrassingly were shown by myscience teachers!).When I arrived at Taylors’ in the ThirdForm I was still working and fortunately,within a year or so of arriving, I landedthe 3rd lead in Fever Pitch, starring ColinFirth. It was a great experience andsomething I won’t forget in a hurry. Theshoot was roughly five weeks and I wasneeded probably three days per week onaverage. It was quite easy to balance thework with school as at that age there isnothing too demanding. The teachers wereunderstanding, in that as long as I was upto date with the learning, it was ok to leavesome pieces of work undone. It taught mehow to get up at 0530 to get into work,and, most importantly, how to eat a plateof fish and chips identically throughoutdialogue over a period of three hours.I left acting in my late teens. Actinghad been a consideration from a youngage, but I always thought I would pursuea professional career. It was not for me;it’s not a hard or full-on job and there isa lot of waiting around, which doesn’tsuit my character. It also isn’t as creativeas it looks; the industry is small and youget cast in the same roles with differentnames and dialogue over and over again.You need to look a certain way or get verylucky to be cast in a ‘character role’.Acting is merely a manipulation of one’scharacter in order to fit a circumstance.Humans are all inherently similar, butwith a different mix hormones, emotions,afflictions and interests. When acting, youare simply dialling bits and bobs up ordown. This is exactly the skill-set neededin ‘the real world’ to build and maintainrelationships both personally andprofessionally. The idea is not to be ‘fake’but to have a heightened understandingof the character in front of you allowingmore empathy and ultimately moreunderstanding and a better rapport.Rejection is the best lesson available.Auditioning is hearing “someone elsegot the part” repeatedly, until you finallyget lucky. You enjoy the job, then start allover again. Your skin gets hardened andyou learn that persistence is the criticalsuccess factor, nothing else. This, in myopinion, is reflective of personal andprofessional pursuits. Other things comeinto play, of course, but within the realmsof possibility, persistence is usually key.I have worked on a few films in the last10 years, but behind the camera. Thereare not a huge number of individuals thatunderstand the world of film, especially lowbudget film (it’s very strange, doesn’t makea lot of sense, but somehow works andsurvives) and also understand the worldof business. People seem to end up goingdown one route or the other and rarelycross. Having reached a decent level of bigpicture understanding, I’ve helped smallerfilms bridge that communication gap,ensuring that financial and business plansfor films return in palatable ways for nontraditionalfilm investors and vice-versa.Film is a magical world and the cinemais sacred; there are few things better thana great story portrayed on screen. Actingis a precarious career that suits few, but,acting as a child at school, professionallyand in local drama groups, I couldn’trecommend highly enough.

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolTomWalterTom Walter (1998-2003) isOperations Manager of TheMill, a state of the art VFXstudio. He writes about howhe entered the industry andoffers some advice to thoseconsidering a similar pathWorking in film andcommercials was never a plan of minewhile at MTS. I always had envisagedmyself working in the civil service,management consultancy or even asa building surveyor. However, film,TV and commercials always seemedto be in my life, with both my fatherand grandfather being film editors. Itwasn’t until I did a summer job, whileat University, as a runner in PinewoodStudios that I started thinking the VFXindustry would be something I couldwork in. I was working for the lateGerry Anderson on his CGI series ofCaptain Scarlet, as a runner fetchingteas and coffees. It was while workingon this project that I realised that thiswas what I wanted to do.So, having finished at NottinghamUniversity studying Politics, I got arunning job at The Mill. The Mill wasfounded in 1990 as the first end to enddigital VFX facility for advertising.Through its history it has diversified intofilm, most notably winning an Oscar forGladiator in 2001. Now The Mill is muchmore than an advertising VFX facility,working on design, animation, contentdirection and Film and TV projects.During my early months in the company Irealised that I would most likely steer awayfrom the creative side of VFX and be moreuseful as producer. After seven monthsof running (which was truly characterThrough The Mill’s history it hasdiversified into film, most notablywinning an Oscar for Gladiator in 2001building!) I got my first opportunity towork within The Mill’s production teamand was specifically focused on CG.From there I have been lucky enoughto advance to the role of OperationsManager, which involves working closelywith our scheduling team to manage andco-ordinate some 200+ VFX artists withinThe Mill.My work on a day to day basis involvesworking with artists and producers toensure the flow of commercial projectsthrough the building. We work with someof the country’s top directors to make themost iconic commercials on TV. Our workhas included multiple flagship campaignsfor brands which include Nike, Guinness,Adidas, Audi, Mercedes and many more.However my role as a member of theproduction side of VFX is only small partof the industry.Almost all VFX which people see onTV and in the cinema, are produced usingsome kind of computer software, be itusing 3d software like Maya or Houdini,or 2d packages like Nuke or Flame. Thesoftware package is only part of thestory – it also requires a huge number ofartists and variety of different skillsets. Itmay be that people expect to have to goto university and study a VFX-specificcourse. However, this is definitely notthe case. Some of the best artists I haveworked with studied a science, art oreven a Humanities subject at university.Working in visual effects combinesvarious disciplines: you’ll need to havea problem-solving mind; enjoytechnologies - computer and engineering;have a strong affinity with maths andscience, and finally, an artistic and creativeaptitude. There can be a tendency forpeople to feel they have to choose whichacademic route they must go down, beit at university or school. In VFX, artiststhat combine Maths, Science and artisticsubjects are often the strongest.My advice, for students who areconsidering getting into the industry orwould like to learn more about it, is to lookat online resources. The creative skillsetswebsite http://www.creativeskillset.org/is a fantastic source of information to getyou started.

Summer 201322 23FilmNimerRashedNimer Rashed (1991-1998) is an award-winning writer/director. HisFilm Council-funded short film Baghdad Express starring GeorginaLeonidas and Riz Ahmed premiered at the London Film Festival andhas gone on to screen at festivals worldwide. He was the Royal CourtTheatre’s filmmaker-in-residence in the summer of 2012. His playsinclude Wild Horses and Itchycoo Park (winner of Soho Theatre’sWestminster Prize) and his TV scripts include The Great McGinty(winner of the Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award)HOW TO BE CREATIVE AND GETPAID FOR IT AND BE HAPPY ANDLIVE FOREVERSo it’s a late Thursday afternoon in 1996and you’re walking down the Long Driveand talking with your friends about thelatest Tarantino flick, quoting lines andacting out scenes, and at the back of yourmind you’re thinking I wish life could bethis cool.On the train home you’re reading aDavid Mamet play and buzzing off itsstaccato electricity, then the next dayyou’re sitting through a Mr Rosebladeperoration about A Perfect Day ForBananafish trying to avoid the classmateflicking rubber bands at your face whenyou suddenly realise what it’s all for, thiscavalcade of words and learning and ideas,which for some reason no one’s bothered toexplain: you’re building your inner life. It’sthe wit of Wilde and the wisdom of Forster,the distillation of other people’s livesmainlined into your nervous system andit is more real and vibrant and interestingthan anything around you.Which is tricky, because the worldmakes its demands. There’s homework, anddeadlines, and rules, and exams. Moniesowed and people to be nice to: the cost ofdoing business.Time goes by. You ace your exams, tickall the right boxes, but realise that yourinner life means more to you than the outerworld of telegrams and anger. That thereare people out there – curious, dementedstrangers – who spend their days squeezingtheir dreams into images and ideas. Theycall themselves writers, and you’d like to beone of them.Your journey kicks off in Cannes,where you work for a famous New Yorkfilm company, and discover that thesemoustachioed tyrants in sleek suitsare businessmen, nothing more. Theymispronounce French words and summonand abandon plates of food between puffsof their cigars. Some call themselvesexecutives, others producers. Like you,they value the imagination, but unlike you,their language is power. You attend theirparties, sip champagne through straws,are surrounded by movie stars – and feelstrangely deflated. The glamour of thepageants is seductive, but when the lightshave dimmed, you realise your mistake:you’ve been looking for the source ofthe wellspring, but have ended up at thebottling plant, surrounded by plastic.Although everyone wants to be an“artist”, to transmit their ideas into themind of another, to paint their feelings incolours so thick and bold that others gapeat their intensity, the work doesn’t beginon a red carpet: it begins alone at home, ina dusty corner, when you dip your brushinto a colour called honesty. So far, you’vebeen honest about your love of storytelling,but you haven’t been able to sit in front ofa blank page and confront your flaws andyour fears. And this is where the real workbegins. And it turns out it is very hard.Eventually, you head away from thedistracting glare of the outer world, andretreat to your imagination, the world ofthe inner life. You start to write. And slowly,you get a little better. You write plays,and short stories. You make films andtelevision. And every day, you still feel likeyou’re just getting started.*Many years later, you’re asked to writean article for your old school magazine,and you use it as an opportunity to goback in time and teach your sixteen-yearoldself the wisdom of the saying: “be kind,for everyone you meet is fighting a hardbattle”. One day you’ll understand thisphrase, and quoting it will impress girls,but when you look back now, it makesthink about the people at school you mighthave once dismissed.Many collaborators are required to bringbooks, plays, and films to life. You’ll meetall these people along the way, and realiseyou’ve met them all before. They were theones on Young Enterprise schemes, thehockey stars, the jokers flicking rubberbands. They weren’t your friends backthen, but they knew things you didn’t. Likeyou, they were fighting their own battles,but you didn’t realise this until much later.Later, when you meet them again, you’llforgive them everything, for the truth isthat artists and businessmen are in aneternal dance, clinging to each other’slapels: the foolish think they are in the lead,while the smart ones know how much theyneed the other.Be kind, and keep on wishing that lifecould be cool.One day it will be.

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolTristanBernaysTristan Bernays(1998-2003) trained as aproducer before becominga writer and performer. Hewill soon be performinghis one-man show at theEdinburgh FringeWhen I was a kid, I wantedto be a marine biologist. I definitelydidn’t want to be an actor. Indeed, thefirst thing I did after leaving two yearsof drama school training was to say tomyself “Well, I definitely don’t want tobe an actor.”Think of the many clichés you can aboutdrama schools – group hugging, song anddance numbers that would make Gleewince, entire lessons spent on learning tobe a tree – and they’re probably all true.Don’t get me wrong – I don’t regret it. I hadenormous fun, made wonderful friends andlearnt more about myself and theatre than Icare to know. But being an actor in the RealWorld doesn’t involve film stars, fast carsand frappuccinos. It involves huge periodsof waiting about for work, scrabbling forjobs and (when you finally get them) beingpoked and prodded around the stage likechess board pieces by a director.I didn’t want that but I knew that Iwanted to work in theatre. I love theatres– the energy, the imagination, the physicalbuilding itself. It’s wonderful. So I trainedas a producer. For two years, I worked inthe offices of numerous theatre companieson loads of different shows – dramas,comedy, even a Bollywood stage musicalof Wuthering Heights. I learnt amazingpractical skills about how to make theatrehappen – spread sheets, contracts,organisation, how to put together theperfect first night party. I started workingin fundraising so I could learn how to getthe cash to make plays happen. I even“Well, I definitely don’t want to bea producer.” You see, I wasn’t madefor an office. I missed the creativestuff – the storytellingproduced two of my own shows in rep. Itwas very exciting.But then after those two years ofproducing I said to myself “Well, Idefinitely don’t want to be a producer.” Yousee, I wasn’t made for an office. I missed thecreative stuff – the storytelling, the playing,the relationship with audience. So oneday I gave up my full time job and startedwriting. It’s one of the scariest things I’veever done and I don’t regret it for a moment.Over the next two years, I wrote as oftenas I could – plays mostly. I spent a wholeyear working on how to write, how I write,what I wanted to write. It was excitingand experimental. And at the end of theyear my first play Coffin was put on atthe King’s Head Theatre in London. Thefollowing year I wrote three more playswhich have had readings at Soho Theatreand Roundhouse. People want to work withme and produce my work. This summer, I’mtaking a one-man show (the first I’ve writtenfor myself to perform) called The Bread &The Beer to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.And it’s coming up to the end of two years.By all accounts I should be saying “Well,I definitely don’t want to be a writer andperformer.” But the fact is, writing andperforming is the first thing I’ve ever donewhen I’ve said to myself “Yeah – I could dothis for the rest of my life.”Again, don’t get me wrong – it’s hardwork. Really hard. At this point in mycareer, I don’t get paid to write and I haveto work as tutor to make ends meet. But it’sworth it. I’m my own boss; I do the work Ilike and that I care about; I work with thepeople I want to work with; and every time Isit back having finished my first draft I lookat it, I swell with pride and say “Yeah – Imade that.”So for now I am happy and proud to bea writer and a performer. It’s tough butrewarding and seems to be getting goodresults. But if that falls through, I can alwaysbe a marine biologist.Tristan is taking his one-manshow The Bread & The Beer to theEdinburgh Fringe Festival in August2013. To find out more about the show,visit www.thebreadandthebeer.comFor more info about Tristan, visit hiswebsite: www.tristanbernays.co.uk

Summer 201324 25FilmTristamSummersTristam Summers (1997-2002) trained at the CentralSchool of Speech andDrama. Having performedin a variety of differentmedia, he writes on the manychallenges of being an actorActing. It’s a strange one. Oftenestablished actors will tell you if there’sANY other way for you to make aliving, take it. In fact the late, greatWalter Matthau famously said: “All youneed to succeed in this industry is fiftylucky breaks;” and it’s true: the life ofan actor is more up and down than thePirate Ship at Chessington - but it canalso be incredibly rewarding.Since leaving Taylors’ I’ve come a longway in the pursuit of what seemed at the startto be a pipe-dream. I’ve acted in a varietyof short films, gained qualifications in bothdance and stage combat, signed an agentin London, trained at the Central School ofSpeech and Drama, acted in plays off WestEnd, bolstered my showreel, recorded a voicereel,appeared in staple TV shows such as‘The Bill’ (may it rest in peace) and ‘MaterialGirl’. I’ve also worked on feature films (evenas a stunt-man in one), I’ve landed roleson internet soaps and animated sketches,acted in commercials for the likes of WalkersCrisps; I’ve obtained an entertainment visafor the USA and moved to Los Angeles,developed a coffee addiction, signed amanager, signed a theatrical agent, signeda commercial agent, signed a voiceoveragent (I know! Why so many agents?!); I’vehad sketches play out on shows in the U.S.such as ‘Jimmy Kimmel’s Late Night Live!’(which isn’t altogether ‘live’. Nor is it filmed‘late at night’ - welcome to Hollywood, folks).I’ve impersonated Ben Wishaw’s ‘Q’ in thelatest Bond film and was also the voice forall Apple adverts in the UK for almost threeyears, advertising everything from iPhonesto Apps. And given that these played outat prime time on all channels during showssuch as ‘Downton Abbey’ and the ‘X-Factor’it’s more than likely you’ve heard my dulcettones without even knowing it. So for this, Ihalf-heartedly apologise.It’s currently ‘Pilot Season’ in L.A. – whenactors from all over the world descend onHollywood hoping to land a role in, forinstance, the new Robin Williams TV pilot‘The Crazy Ones’, set in an ad agency inChicago (keep an eye out for this one; itlooks to be a good ‘un). The potential forsuccess here is mind-blowing, but so is thecompetition. While the UK has fewer peoplechasing the roles, there is also far less beingmade. I should also say that this career isn’tfor the pusillanimous either – you need theheart of a child and the hide of an elephant,to endure rejection on an often daily basis.Worse than the rejection though and by farthe norm, is hearing absolutely nothing atall back from the latest audition that youspent hours preparing. But such is the life ofan actor.That said, there’s never a dull moment –only last week I was negotiating the snowystreets of London in my ski gear and now I’msat at a coffee shop in West L.A with the sunon my face. I should offer another apologyat this point – this article was going to focuson advice for anyone hoping to break intothe world of acting but I have literally justreceived a call from my voiceover agent(at which a painfully fashionable baristapolitely indicated the ‘no mobile phones’ signon the wall of said supremely pretentiousestablishment and ushered me out). It wasfor an audition to play an animated robot,and now instead of extolling the virtuesof a career ‘treading the boards’, I feel Ihave no choice but to share with you, thedescription of my character ‘Copper’ from theaccompanying email, as a window into mylife as an actor:“Copper: A Retro-Futuristic robot...” (hangon a sec ... Retro...futuristic?) “... Can be a 12year old boy, or a young teenage voice oradult male ...” (so at least they’re clear onwhat they’re after!) “... MUST BE A GREATSINGER ...” (why they feel the need to shoutthis is beyond me) “Should sound a littleBritish or perhaps Jordanian ...”(!!!!!) I’mnot making this up) “ ...Think John Cleese,Billy Connelly or Russell Brand ...” (a moredisparate group of individuals one can barelyconceive). “...Appointment time/address...blah-blah-blah”. I wish I could say this isn’t aregular occurrence.And so there you have it - that gives you anidea of what we actors contend with on a dayto day basis. It also has the secondary benefitof solving what I shall do tonight: Why Iwill be dusting off my ‘Retro-Futuristic-Billy-Connelly-Robot’ impression of course. Thatold chestnut! So wish me luck. (As ever).And if you don’t believe me, I’m at Tristam_summers@hotmail.com and will be happy toforward the email.

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolOMT actors:The nextGeneration2131. Emilio Iannucci (2005-2012) 2. David Randall (2007-2012) 3. Peter Randall, pictured right, (2003-2008)

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Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolStephenWrightretires this summer after nineyears as Head Master. Herecounts here some of his mostentertaining memories of histime at Merchant Taylors’

Summer 201328 29Head Master‘Write something funny,’ they abjurationsaid! ‘We don’t want any well-troddenhomilies or a leaden reprise of howthe school has changed. We want tobe amused.’ Little did they know thatthe main reason for my retirementwas the fact that I had exhausted myfund of educational anecdotes and wasfearful that public appearances on highdays and holidays would not be thesame as they once might have been.In desperation I turned to my family.‘What about the time …?’, they said andall suddenly began to fall into place.When one takes on a position such asthe Head of Merchant Taylors’ it is quitea daunting experience and the badgeof that particular office, whatever one’sshortcomings, does bring a certain degreeof authority that is manifest in the wayone is treated by others. It could be quiteeasy to be beguiled by this and to assumean attitude that reflectsit; it is good, therefore,to have any potentialpomposity punctured fromtime to time – and pupilsare certainly good at this(albeit often unwittingly).I recall early in myterm here that, whilsttalking to a colleaguein the corridor, a youngboy approached who hadperformed particularly well in the JuniorPlay the previous evening. Wishing tocongratulate him but, not wanting to berude to my colleague, I held up my hand toindicate that he should stop so that I couldtalk to him when I was able. He lookedslightly bemused but then had a momentof epiphany, gave me a high five, andcontinued on his way. I would guess thatHugh Elder never had such an experience.Assemblies are always fraught withdanger and almost inevitably there arepotholes that can trip an unwary HM up,or, for the very unfortunate, be fallen into.I was generally on my guard having fondmemories of a Head under whom I servedin a former position who announced in thefinal assembly of the year that ‘Mr Maxwelland Mr MacPhee were getting married inthe summer’ – and got no further. For myfirst assembly at MTS I decided to focus onthe school motto – a fairly safe topic onewould have thought – but unfortunately Ialso chose to mention some mottos fromother local schools which included thatof Watford Girls’ Grammar School whoseto its pupils was ‘Be ready, andhave hope’. I am still not quite sure why thiscaused such mirth – it may be that I usedthe phrase ‘somewhat enigmatically’ whenI introduced it – but I do know that I wasseverely upbraided for my effrontery by thefirst member of that august institution thatI actually met.Apart from this I generally avoidedassembly mishaps though I narrowlymissed decapitating a member of the ThirdForm when presenting a fencing award inthe form of a fairly vicious sabre. I was alsoblindsided by an inappropriately namedQuad Soccer team and apparently to havea ‘beef’ with somebody means somethingcompletely different these days.Dignity is of course but skin deep and Irecall meeting with a group of three boysin the Head Master’s corridor and, turningto retrieve something for them from myoffice, I slipped on the (highly polished)steps and measured my length. As IIn lessons I have tended to teachonly the Fourth Form, and theyseem to find that the thought ofbeing in a lesson taught by theHM as being rather daunting –well, for a few weeks at least.struggled to my feet I could sense a silentbut pronounced tension behind me that Icould only put down to a genuine concernfor my welfare and a real urge to burst intohysterical laughter. It says much for thequality of the MTS pupil that it was theformer that triumphed – I have taught inschools where it certainly would not havedone – and all that was proffered (by theeldest of their number) was an enquiry asto my well-being.Interviews have always been fruitfulground for precocious words of wisdom.Very early in my headship I recallinterviewing a young man (now studyingat Oxford University) and entering intoa discussion on the political mores of thetime. After a short time, and getting outof my depth, I said to him, ‘I think youknow rather more about this than I do.’ Hisresponse was nothing if not honest. ‘Youknow sir,’ he said, ‘I rather think that I do.’There have been those who (hopefullyconfused) have asked whether I recall thefoundation of the school and there wasone young man who, when I offered theinformation that, when I was at school,there were no calculators, responded withthe observation, ‘Gosh, you must be reallyold!’ In the interview process I tend to askcandidates what their favourite film mightbe – and there have been some interestinganswers. An 11 year old who could talk withpassion about ‘Duck Soup’ certainly gotthe thumbs up but my favourite has to bethe slightly older boy who professed a lovefor ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s.’ When askedwhy he looked me in the eye and said. ‘Ithink Audrey Hepburn is simply gorgeous,don’t you?’In lessons I have tended to teach onlythe Fourth Form, and they seem to find thatthe thought of being in a lesson taught bythe HM as being rather daunting – well, fora few weeks at least. In one lesson we werelooking at the Siege of Leningrad in theSecond World War where temperatures fellto minus 40 degrees. One of my chargesasked what it was like to be in such lowtemperatures and I saidthat I had only ever beenin temperatures of minus26 when skiing, but thatI did remember beingable to break off bits ofmy moustache. He lookedat me innocently andasked, ‘Did the same thinghappen to your hair?’ Onecannot help but laugh.There are lots of eventsthat Heads have to attend and these intheir turn can give rise to embarrassment.For example, being forced, at the DramaSupport Group murder mystery eveningto accept the booby prize on behalf ofmy losing team; regularly showing myignorance at the Music Quiz Supperincluding, on one notable occasion, failingto recognise the school song (though, inmy defence, it had been expertly disguisedby Mrs Stubbs); and failing to back anywinning beast at all in the Scrummers’Ferret Racing evening.I will finish though with Phab, whichis, of course, a special part of the school. Ihave always fought shy of playing the roleof Father Christmas – some, inexplicably,feel that I am suited for the role – butwhen asked to do so for the Phab SouthEast Christmas Party I felt that I couldnot refuse. The Phab guests, of all ages,believed implicitly in Santa and theirsubsequent affection was quite physical.I was black and blue by the end but therewere a lot of happy guests. They never toldme about that at interview!

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ Schooltribute bySir GeoffreyHollandStephen Wright’s first Governors’meeting at Merchant Taylors was aquiet event: no opening statementby the School’s newly appointedHead Master, no great ‘vision’unveiled. Instead we embarked,through Stephen’s leadership, on theprogressive methodical approach todevelopment that has taken us to thevery top. By the end of the Gabitassyears the School’s performance hadnever been better nor had its reputationbeen higher. Stephen Wright’s legacyis to have instilled in the whole Schoola belief in the possibility and rewardsof continuous improvement.That process has taken all parts of theSchool to new highs. It has been based onconstant involvement and consultation.There has been a sharp focus on thequestion: what value is the individual boygetting from his time and effort and couldit be greater?” Answering that questionhonestly involves all staff and, of course,every boy individually. It is very noticeablehow active participation by boys has grownover these last years – through closer andmore frequent contact between teachers,tutors and boys, through the growing roleof the student councils and through the partboys play as ambassadors for the School.Hearing all this you might supposethat there has been endless change in theSchool. Herein lies a paradox: innovationhas indeed been progressive but it hasnot chased passing fashion for its ownsake. Proposals are evaluated and thetiming of changes carefully judged - forexample, changes to fortnightly timetablesand double lessons, which have resultedin greatly widened choices for olderboys in particular. The great nationaldebates about the future of A levels orthe sudden fashion in some circles for theInternational Baccalaureate were workedthrough. In both cases the School emergedwith well prepared developments, whichhave not lowered standards and are nowresulting in the creation of the School’sown diploma structure which is attractingso much interest from other schools.There has been progressive wideningof access to new opportunities andpossibilities. New subjects such aspsychology and sports science have beenadded to the academic choices on offer. Tosports have been added rowing and horseriding.The so-called minor sports of tennisand swimming are booming. All-pervasivein every classroom and used every day byevery boy and member of staff, the latesttechnologies have dramatically addedrich teaching and learning resources. Allthis has in no small way contributed tothe building of a real sense in the Schoolthat all boys and staff are members of onecommunity. Symbolic of this has beenthe Head Master’s concern that disabledpeople should have, as far as possible,full access to all parts of the School. Realimprovements have been made.For the School to be successful it mustmaintain and develop its relationshipswith parents, other linked educationalinstitutions, Old Boys and the MerchantTaylors’ Company. All have made realprogress. The Head Master is accessiblefrom the earliest moments of a boy’scandidature for entry to the School.Parents’ meetings with staff are morepurposeful and professional. Opportunitiesfor parents to participate in Schoolactivities have multiplied. Parents’views are regularly sought throughquestionnaires, the results carefullyscrutinised by staff, the Head Masterand Governors. Collective or individualmeetings with heads and staff of schoolsfrom which boys progress to MerchantTaylors’ have increased in frequency.The opening of the Old Merchant TaylorsSociety clubhouse and new sports facilitiesat Sandy Lodge was the culmination of aproject that required solid commitmentover the years from the School and theSociety. The Society’s administration is nowincreasingly integrated with the School’sdevelopment office. Less visible perhapsbut appreciated by Old Merchant Taylorsall over the country, has been the timeand effort devoted by the Head Master toattending each year many regional events,reunion lunches, dinners, receptions tomeet Old Boys and bring them the latestschool news.The 450th Anniversary of the foundingof the School was the occasion forannouncing one of the most significantpolicy decisions made by the HeadMaster and Governors in recent years.Scholarships will in future be primarilyhonorific. The money saved is to go tobursaries to open up the opportunity ofan education at Merchant Taylors’ Schoolto boys and their families who would notbe able to join without financial support.No recent new policy by the School hasreceived wider acclaim.This decision was a major milestone buttook its place quite naturally in that mostimportant legacy from Stephen Wright’syears - that of continuing improvementin everything at Sandy Lodge. It has beena process led by the Head Master andencouraged by his personal style.A few years ago, as Chairman ofGovernors at Speech Day in our Great Hall,I announced that the Governors had set astheir aim that Merchant Taylors’ should beamong the top ten schools in the country.As Head Master, Stephen had privatedoubts because the competition was sotough. However, reviewing the School’sresults for 2012 in the recent Winter editionof the OMT Society News Sheet, Stephenconcludes “Though it is difficult alwaysto assess, such results … would almostcertainly have placed us as one of the topten schools in the country”. They wouldindeed. Thank you, Head Master, for allyou have done for and with us. Your yearshave been a memorable, enjoyable and ahugely rewarding period in the School’slong history.

Summer 201330 31Head Mastertribute byTimStubbsTim Stubbs has been Second Masterthroughout Stephen Wright’s HeadMastership. He reflects on what it hasbeen like working with him over thepast nine yearsThe second half of the Summer Term1993 was an interesting time at MerchantTaylors’ School with speculation rife asto whom the Governors would choose tosucceed Jon Gabitass; the final shortlistwas down to three and although Stephendid not know it he was in pole position towin the race to be the next Head Master.The giveaway was an aside from GeoffreyHolland during the Company receptionthat year; “I like Wright” whispered SirGeoffrey and it seemed to those of uswho heard this that the die was all butcast. There was a rather neat symmetryto Stephen coming to Sandy Lodge asHead Master as he had been a pupil atThe King’s School, Macclesfield which isanother school in the Merchant Taylors’family of schools. After reading Historyat Queen’s College, Cambridge, Stephenbegan his teaching career at WoolverstoneHall in Suffolk, before moving on toFramlingham College as Head of Historyand subsequently a House Master. Onleaving Framlingham, he became DeputyHead of the Judd School in Tonbridgeand four years later the Head of BordenGrammar School in north Kent.Steve brought with him to Taylors’a wealth of experience and it rapidlybecame clear that he had an exceptionalunderstanding of the way in which aschool works. After a year of listening towhat staff, parents and pupils had to say, heput this knowledge to good use, buildingcarefully and sensitively on the work ofhis predecessor, strengthening the schooland taking it forward, always with the keyobjective in mind of improving the welfareand development of the pupils. The list ofchanges to the school over the last nineyears is a testament to Steve’s hard workand determination: the introduction ofhour-long lessons, the increase in tutorialtime, the introduction of new subjects tothe curriculum, the major improvementsto disabled access, the restructuring ofscholarships to enable more bursarysupport to be offered and the building ofthe perimeter road in preparation for thenew Design and Technology building haveall happened on Steve’s watch. All this hasbeen achieved whilst retaining the relaxed,friendly and purposeful atmosphere whichis the hallmark of Merchant Taylors’School.From a personal point of view, workingwith Steve has been a pleasure; he hasbeen unfailingly approachable, supportive,considerate and courteous, as well asbeing refreshingly self-effacing. It has beenextremely comforting to have someoneof his experience and ability at the helm– he has always been a source of soundadvice and reassurance during difficulttimes. Steve’s capacity for hard work hasmade it difficult for the rest of us to keepup – always keen to lead from the front heinsisted on teaching History to the FourthForm and, typical of the man, he made surethat his lesson would be observed duringthe last inspection (no surprise that the…building carefully and sensitivelyon the work of his predecessor,strengthening the school and taking itforward, always with the key objectivein mind of improving the welfare anddevelopment of the pupilslesson was rated as outstanding).As many governors, staff and parentswill confirm Steve and Penny arewelcoming and genial hosts and Steve’slong experience has enabled him to buildup a fund of entertaining anecdoteswhich have enlivened many a gathering.Steve will have completed fifteen yearsas a Head Master at the end of this termand he and Penny have certainly earneda long and happy retirement. It must bethe aim of all Head Masters to leave theirschool in a better state than they found it,but taking over a school at the top of itsgame as Steve did makes this an especiallydemanding task – that Steve has succeededin moving the school forward over thelast nine years is a tribute to his skill as aleader. We shall miss him.

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolSimon EversonIncoming Head Master Simon Everson joins Merchant Taylors’ from Skinners’School, Tunbridge. He outlines his thoughts on education and some of the challengesthat lie ahead, both for Merchant Taylors’ and independent schools in generalCan you tell us a little about thoseaspects of your own life, career andfamily life which you think willhelp you in your Head Mastership atTaylors?My parents were both senior HMIs, soeducation runs in the family. However, Idraw first upon the support of my wife;we have been married for eleven happyyears. As for my own resources, I thinkthat I will draw upon the diversity of myeducational experience. I have worked inthe independent sector, the state sectorand taught for a year in a school in Japan.I have experience of boys’ schools andmixed schools; schools with wide ethnicdiversity; schools that serve challengingcommunities and those that are highlyacademic. My own life experience hashelped me to formulate a clear educationalphilosophy. I firmly agree with the MTStradition that no boy learns well unlesshe is happy. Pupils need to develop theirintellectual capacities in an environmentof respectful and supportive relationships.I believe that pupils and staff alike shouldexpect from their school an equal measureof support and challenge. A culture of highexpectations is essential for the institutionand those within it to thrive. I am alsoclear that a school functions best in acollegiate fashion.What are your intellectual passions?I have a wide diversity of interests.I approach life with curiosity andenthusiasm to learn. My primaryintellectual interests are currentlyphilosophy, the study of pre-history, music,art and literature.Many incoming Headmasters startfrom the adage “If it’s not broke, youdon’t need to fix it.” Is this useful ordisguised complacency?The adage contains a hidden falseassumption that it is possible to avoidchange. I believe that change is inevitableand should be welcomed. However, beforeany change can be made, I would like tounderstand the school. It is importantto spend time with staff and pupils todiscover what works best in the school andwhat might usefully be improved.Of course, any change should be madein the context of a clearly articulatededucational philosophy, an understandingof what works best in practice and not justfor the sake of it.What do you think have been themajor educational changes of the lastdecade that are likely to impact onindependent schools?Independent schools are certainly notimmune to the changes that have beenimposed upon state education. There ishuge turmoil in education at present. Stateschools have had to absorb reductionsin income and changes to performancemanagement. All teachers have seenadverse changes to their pensions.Further, a hasty introduction of major

Summer 201332 33Head Masterchanges to assessment affects everyonein education. Although schools werepromised freedoms by the governmentthey are currently being judged bya narrow and limiting process. Mostrecently, A-level league tables werepublished in which certain subjects wereprivileged over others. This initiativemimics the assertion of the pre-eminenceof certain subjects over others in theGCSE English Baccalaureate.One is prompted to ask a widerquestion: what is education for? Shouldeducation serve only the economic needsof the nation or has it a wider duty? Ibelieve that it does and that there is valuein scholarship beyond the provision ofa practical means to generate nationalwealth. He who sets aside learning for thesake of material goals knows, in Wilde’scomment, the cost of everything but thevalue of nothing.You have significant leadershipexperience as a Head. What doyou feel that the independent andmaintained sectors can learn fromeach other? Is the setting up ofacademies by independent schools theonly way to go?I think that we always have something tolearn from others. Whether as a school,a department or an individual only thevery confident believe that there is nopossibility of learning something new anduseful from another.I do not think that the setting upof academies is the only route for theindependent sector, although it is onethat some may benefit from following.Skinners’ School has set up its ownacademy as lead sponsor. In the shorttime since we took over the school wehave helped to transform the educationalexperience of the pupils and the school’sresults have hugely improved. That isnot to say that such an approach is rightfor every school – each situation must beapproached on its own merits.What do you think are the mainchallenges facing independent schoolsin the next decade?We will have to ensure that the principlesof academic rigour and scholarship aresustained and enhanced. We will have todefine a role for the sector within the widercommunity. We will need to be responsiveto the challenges and pressures imposedupon the pupils by social networks and anincreasingly digital world. Finally, we mustequip our pupils to thrive in a world whereChina and other emerging markets cometo exert an influence equivalent to that ofthe USA today.Is there a long-term future for singlesex boys’ schools?Yes. I think there is a bright future inwhich single sex boys’ schools willthrive. There is much to be gained froman education alongside other youngmen. Friendships, sport and study thriveamongst peers. The popularity of schoolssuch as Skinners’ School and MerchantTaylors’ School show that plenty of youngmen want such an education.A-levels, Pre-U, IB – at times it seemslike an unholy mess. Is it time forindependent schools to embrace asinevitable range and diversity in post16 provision?The school will need to think long andhard about the way in which we assess thesuccess of our pupils. The governmentsees assessment as the most effectivemeans to make the changes they wantto see within the curriculum. Our focusshould be upon ensuring that the rangeand quality of the pupils’ experience ofthe school curriculum is sustained. Ratherthan allow assessment to define thelearning that takes place within the school,we should first decide what learning wevalue and then ensure that we choose thebest means to evaluate it.It is too early to say whether the newlook A-levels will meet our requirements. Isense no immediate necessity to make thesignificant shift to the IB. The CambridgePre-U is still a relatively new qualificationand will require continued study.Should British independent schoolsshadow maintained sector bestpractice and the National Curriculumor should we become more individualin the identities, teaching styles,curricula we offer?The principle that we first identify what webelieve is best in education, that we seekto understand fully the needs of the pupilswe serve and that we shape our practiceaccordingly has already been expressedin previous responses. Independenteducation is founded upon the principle ofautonomy – that is a hugely valuable assetand is not one that should be discarded orneglected lightly. We have the freedom tochoose the path we believe to be the best.We would be remiss if we did not take it.What are your thoughts on theimportance of a school’s relationshipwith its old boys?I think that the relationship with formermembers of the school is of crucialimportance. That link maintains theidentity and the continuity of experience ofeducation at MTS. It is a means by whichthe school can speak to itself and bothassert and preserve the best of what hasgone before. The old boys represent animmensely valuable resource to the currentpupils, offering their life experience, adviceon careers and work experience.The school will, of course, also seekto work with the old boys in supportingbursaries and the capital projects todevelop the school site. We will draw uponthe wisdom, the professional expertiseand the support of the old boys in doingso, always mindful of the fact that therelationship with the old boys extends verymuch further than development projects.Will the UK follow the path ofAmerican education where – in aworld of rising costs where onecan’t keep raising the fees – the onlyway to finance bursaries and capitalprojects is to prioritise the role of theDevelopment Office?The Development Office will be veryimportant to Merchant Taylors’ Schoolin allowing us to create the facilities weseek and the environment we desire.The Development Office will also playan increasingly significant role inallowing the school to broaden access.All independent schools are aware in thecurrent economic climate of pressuresupon parents and all must work to findways to mitigate those pressures. One ofthe ways that the school can achieve thisis through the work of the DevelopmentOffice. However, there are other importantpossibilities. We will need to be rigorousin our management of school budgets andensure that value for money is achieved.Taken as a given that we are a diverse,multi-faith, “rainbow” school thataims to educate “citizens of theworld”, what parts of what we usedto call “Englishness” remain ofpermanent value?I would question some assumptions thatseem to underpin the question. My first

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ Schoolthought is that the concept of “Englishness”is not outmoded. My second is that we arenot required to choose between the elementsthat make up Englishness and then discardsome parts.When I think of the English I think of anation of good humoured people, not proneto revolutionary outbursts. We are motivatedby a sense of fair play, tolerance of othersand respect for each other’s rights. We are amercantile and financial nation but are neverinclined to define a person by their materialwealth. We laugh at those who think toohighly of themselves and champion theunderdog. A sense of service and duty hasdefined us.We have given the world adisproportionately large number of itsinventions and scientific breakthroughs andalmost all of its games. We are prone to selfdeprecationbut when the moment comeswe stand up and are counted, as we saw lastsummer at the Olympics.I see no value in stepping back from anyof these admirable qualities and wouldextend them to all who inhabit our island –the English have always been a collection ofpeoples from a wide variety of backgrounds.We have been a nation of immigrants fromthe moment the hunters first followed theherds north after the retreating glaciers ofthe last Ice Age.Traditionally Taylors’ has been a“broad church” with many teachingstyles and personality types in theacademic faculty. Should we maintainthis approach or seek to follow morerigorously current best practices ineducation?We should seek to identify and celebrate thebest and most effective work in MerchantTaylors’. Typically that will be characterisedby high expectations and high standardsof scholarship. We should seek to sharethat best practice so that each learns fromthe others. I am unconvinced by imposed“cookie cutter” approaches to improvingteaching and learning. However, we canlearn from research and each other to helpus develop our practice and we should do so.Given the choice would you describeyourself primarily as a pragmatist or avisionary?I would resist the choice. I think it is perfectlypossible to pursue an ideal through apragmatic and practical process.Are you an elitist? Do schools like MTSneed to reclaim the word elite as anaspect of excellence about which thereis nothing to be ashamed?No-one criticises professional sports teamsfor being an elite. No-one felt it inappropriatefor the British Olympic team to select thoseathletes who were most gifted, who hadtrained hardest and who had the greatestambition to represent our country. If wewere to find ourselves facing an operationwe would wish the surgeon to have beenselected carefully for aptitude and thentrained to the best of his or her ability. I haveabsolutely no problem with the concept ofan elite group and would seek, through theprovision of an outstanding education, toenlarge the intellectual elite in this country.The concept of an elite group becomesproblematic only where the support andprovision for the gifted few prevents ordiminishes the support for those lessfortunate. As such, as we stretch our mostable we should also find ways to supportothers and inculcate a sense of service andwider responsibility in our brightest and best.The pace of change seems only toaccelerate. What can we do best in termsof preparing pupils for adult life withsuch rapidly changing patterns in theskills requirements, career paths, and jobopportunities across the economy?If we encourage such qualities as curiosity,resilience, integrity, academic rigour,determination, ambition, and good humourI think that our pupils will be able to findways to apply those talents in whatever waythey wish and will be able to find success inwhatever aspect of life they choose to seek it.MTS lays huge emphasis on thequirky and the value of beingindependent minded. Can we retainthat emphasis in this world of systemsand accountabilities and homogenizedexamination systems?Yes, I believe we can. We must have thecourage of our convictions.At the end of the day, schools like MTSoffer more than simply an excellenteducation – they open a window ontoa world of values. What values do youcherish most as a man and as a teacher?I agree that the purpose of a good schoolis to do more than provide an excellentacademic education. A good school shouldinspire its pupils and foster creativity. Agood school provides an environment wherethe pupils are confident and personable,with highly developed social skills and thecapacity to form lifelong friendships.The values of comradeship, good humour,service, loyalty and resilience will sustainour pupils and guide their decisions. I thinka school should try to develop a moralcompass within the pupils. A sense of rightand wrong, a desire to serve others andan adherence to the principles of fair playshould not be the preserve of the pupilsbut should be modelled, exemplified andembodied in the actions of their school.Values are best shown in practice ratherthan theory; I hope that my previous answerswill have given a better demonstration ofthe values that I espouse than any simpleassertion of them could do. I believe thatvalues lie at the heart of a good education; Iam delighted to join a school whose valuesI share.

Summer 201334 35From a Head MonitorJeremy Cox was HeadMonitor in 1978/79. He recalls his time atthe school and his career in medicineI am in Bali, having just arrived fromSumatra, Indonesia. I have been overthere with my wife on a trip looking fororangutans in the tropical rainforest. Wehad planned to go to Borneo but therehas been an outbreak of serious violencedue to an incursion from the Philippinesand so it wasn’t thought to be safe.Though I might not have thought that atrip into the forest was a good preparation forwriting an article such as this, it makes youreassess many things and is a good time tocontemplate what effect Merchant Taylors’had on you.A brief résumé of myself then; I left MTS in1979 and went to medical school in Londonat the Royal Free Hospital. I trained as a GPin North Hertfordshire working at the ListerHospital in Stevenage and then as a traineeGP in Letchworth. I applied for and got apartnership in Hitchin North Herts in 1988and have been there ever since. At present,I work 4 days per week as a normal GP,the other day I work as a Child ProtectionNamed GP and also as the Chairman ofHertfordshire Local Medical Committee (theorganisation that supports and represents allGPs in Hertfordshire).If I were to have any thoughts about whatMTS provided for me it wouldn’t be about theacademic results I achieved or the sportingtraining; my view would be that it was aboutthe all-round education, the sense, even if Ididn’t appreciate at the time, of what one’srelationship is with the rest of society.Watching the guide – whose annual salaryis £2500 per annum – taking us throughthe Sumatran jungle, and who would haveto spend all of that if they had any seriousmedical condition, made me appreciate“ Am I trying to say that my time at Taylors’prepared me for this sort of work? Not specificallyof course, but in general, absolutely.”how lucky I am to have had the start in lifeI had; and to be born where I was. The skillstaught at Taylors’ of understanding thatand understanding the differences betweencultures and people are crucial.The same knowledge and understandingof our place in, and debt to society is animportant part of my safeguarding work. Iteach and support other GPs regarding theissues and cases involved in the protection ofchildren who have been subject to some formof abuse in their lives. At present there areabout 400 children on the Child Protectionregister in Hertfordshire; in my day therewere 700 odd pupils at MTS to give you somefeeling for the numbers. The cases that I aminvolved with, could, if you were not careful,give you a rather jaundiced view of our fellowhuman beings; and certainly when we werediscussing animal cruelty in Sumatra I wasthinking that people are just as or more cruelto their fellow human beings!My LMC work also involves me in a lot ofnegotiating and discussions regarding mycolleagues’ conditions of work and speakingat meetings and conferences. Representingyour peer group is very satisfying but canbe quite stressful. Am I trying to say thatmy time at Taylors’ prepared me for this sortof work? Not specifically of course, but ingeneral, absolutely. The education clearlyprepared you to be confident and self-assured,or at least appear so; to argue without beingaggressive and to try to understand the otherperson’s point of view. The House systemmeant that you learnt what it meant to haveparticular people with whom you had aparticular relationship and responsibilities.I still have an OMT tie; indeed I have foundan internet retailer and bought myself andmy brothers a new tie each. I wear the tiefrequently and although I have only beenrecognised once by another OMT (in Londonand the other man had been abroad in SouthAfrica for 50 years) it still makes me feelpositive, even if it is rather garish.To sum up, I think I gained a lot frommy time at Taylors’; the present pupils Imet at the former Head Monitors’ dinnerlast year seemed clearly to be getting thesame sort of experiences and benefits;long may it continue.

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolDevelopment:Development Director’s UpdateDeadlines for Concordia articlesseem to come around extremely quickly.I can scarcely believe that six monthshave passed since the last. I am pleasedto report that a lot of exciting projects arenow underway, keeping the DevelopmentOffice extremely busy.New database and websiteThe move to the new database willchange significantly the way we operate.It is a far more powerful system that willenable us, as a community, to communicatefar more effectively. You will be able to loginto the school’s website and make use ofa number of services there. This will alsobe the site of the new Careers Directory.There will be a search function for you totrack down old friends and contemporaries.Registration and payment for events will bepossible through the website, with ticketsissued via email. Online giving will now bepossible; we are always overwhelmed by thegenerosity of OMTs and parents towardsthe school. In the past, this has involvedwriting cheques and filling in donationsforms – these options will remain, butthere will be now also be the option to givesecurely through the website.Update your detailsMany of you will have received an emailfrom me in March asking you to follow alink to complete an online form to updateyour details. Those who didn’t should havereceived a hard copy through the post. Aswell as improving the data that we holdabout you, we asked a number of questionsabout the types of events that you wouldlike to see us run and your preferences forthe way in which we communicate with you.Once we have gone through the process ofuploading that information to the database,we will respond accordingly. I have beendelighted by the level of response we havehad and am very grateful to those whocompleted the form.CareersOne of the questions on the update formwas whether you would be prepared tohelp Merchant Taylors’ boys and OMTs byoffering careers advice or work experience. Itwas heartening to see that so many of you arehappy to help. It is our hope that in future, ourcareers and mentoring scheme will mirror thesystem of tutor groups at MTS, where there isa system of guidance, help and support thattrickles down through the generations. I willbe in touch with everyone who respondedto offer careers guidance soon. You will beissued with login credentials to the websitementioned above, where you will be able tocheck, amend, or expand upon, the detailsthat will appear in the Careers Directorybefore its launch in September.Networking events and reunionsThe City Network event run in Februarywas a fantastic start to what I hope willbecome an annual fixture in the calendar.The aim is to offer something similar forother professions. We began with the City,but we certainly won’t end there. By gettingin touch with us to let us know aboutyour current role and what sort of eventsyou would like us to run, you will makethis possible. In addition to employmentrelatedevents, we will soon be launching aprogramme of rolling year group reunions,giving all OMTs an opportunity to return toSandy Lodge to catch up with old friends, toreminisce and to see the new developmentsto the school.FundraisingFundraising for our Campaign forBursaries continues apace. We have beendelighted by the number of donations andthe generosity that parents and OMTs haveshown. In December 2012 we held our firstBenefactors’ Day. Benefactors were invitedback for lunch with the Head Master and alsohad the option of a tour of the school frommembers of our current Upper Sixth, or towatch the a rugby match between this year’sand last year’s 1st XV. It was a wonderfuloccasion and one that will be repeatedannually for those that have supported inany given year. A separate annual eventwill also take place for members of our 1561Foundation – those who have left a legacy tothe school. Our campaign is taking place ata tough economic time and competes withmany extremely worthy charitable causes,so we are very grateful for your support. Weare making a very real difference to livesby supporting bursaries, breaking downbarriers to the wonderful opportunities thata Merchant Taylors’ School education offers.This summer the school will be running itsfirst telephone campaign: over a two weekperiod, current boys and young OMTs willbe telephoning OMTs and parents. Somewill be asked to support the campaign;others’ views will be sought on the range ofinitiatives we are running. We hope it willbe a great success and that those called willenjoy the experience.ContactPlease do stay in touch with us.Keep us updated on where you areand what you’re up to. Whether that is:just to ensure you continue to receiveConcordia; to include an update inClass Notes; to join our growing groupof careers advisors; or whether youwould just like to come to visit and havea tour of the school. It is always goodto hear from you. I can be reached atnlatham@mtsn.org.uk or 01923 845545. Ilook forward to hearing from you.

Summer 2013 36 37City Network EventOn February 28th, theDevelopment Office held itsinaugural City Network event at theKPMG offices in Salisbury Square.The event for Old Merchant Taylorsand parents of current boys workingin the City of London was hosted bySimon Collins, a current parent andUK Chairman and Senior Partnerat KPMG. It was a marvelous eventand incredibly heartening to seeover 180 people gathering togetherin one room to socialise, networkand catch up with old friends andteachers. Both the phenomenalpersonal success of the OMTs andtheir genuine affection for their almamater was remarkable.the importance of networking, careersadvice and work experience and madea plea for those present to offer theirsupport for the online Careers DirectoryDevelopment Office saying theywould like to help. This is a wonderfulstart as we build towards a launch ofthe directory in September. We are oncourse to have over 300 OMTs andparents listed and prepared to help.Head Master Stephen Wright spokeof the future vision for the schooland outlined the major developmentsto come. The first of these, thepedestrianisation of the campus, iswell underway. The new perimeterroad is now complete and in use. Thesensitive re-development of the GreatHall into an Art Deco classic withtwenty-first century facilities beginsin the summer, and the excitingnew Technology building that willMany of the OMTs spoke ofmemories well beyond the purviewof their current careers, reminiscingwith real affection on subjects asvaried as rugby fixtures, schoolassemblies, concerts, plays andindividual lessons they remembered.One KPMG high-flier even quotedverbatim an entire stanza of a SylviaPlath poem he had been taught at theage of 14!Simon Collins spoke about thechallenges facing school leaversand graduates when they enter thejob market. For KPMG, who receive25,000 applications from graduateseach year for just 600 jobs, this isparticularly pertinent. Simon stressedthat the school is to launch later this year.At the event, over 60 people registeredto be a part of the directory and, sincethen, a further 50 have contacted thebring together Art and Design withtraditional and new technologiesto transcend the traditional dividebetween the arts and the scienceswill follow.Our warmest thanks go to all atKPMG, but particularly to SimonCollins for so generously hostingthe event.If you missed the City Networkthis year and would like to attendin future, please do get in touch.Whether you work in the City ornot, if you let us know what yourcurrent role is, it will enable usto shape future sector-specificnetworking and social opportunities.

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolDevelopment:Benefactors’ LunchBenefactors to the school enjoying a champagne reception in theHead Master’s House before lunch in December.

Summer 2013 38 39Leaving a Lasting LegacyFour years ago, the schoolestablished the 1561 Foundation torecognise and thank those individualswho have committed to leave theschool money in their Will. Weare delighted that so many haveresponded and let us know that theyintend to do so. This summer we willbe holding a lunch to thank all our 1561Foundation members.Gifts like these help secure theschool’s future. Unless specifiedotherwise, all legacies contribute to theendowment of bursaries. This meansthe capital sum that is left to the schoolwill not be touched and the legacy willgo on supporting boys in perpetuity.There will, of course, be many reasonswhy someone may wish to help theschool. Allan Henchoz (OMT 1964)recently contacted the school to let usknow that he intended to leave a legacy.He writes:“Having spent the first half of myworking life in the Royal Air Force Ihave always had a Will. But normally itis only when one retires that a Will takeson a more poignant dimension.And it was about that time, two yearsago, that I received a mailing fromMerchant Taylors’ School about legacygiving. Writing a will is not like writinga cheque – it’s not something yourespond to immediately. However, theidea remained with me and so when I didcome to re-write my Will this year, I made aprovision to support the school.Why? I am the youngest of threebrothers and the father of the fourthHenchoz to go to Merchant Taylors’. Wespan four out of five decades beginningwith the 40s and ending with the 80s andthere is no doubt the school did a greatdeal for all of us. Each of us benefited“ It gave me a wonderfulstart to my adult life.I am anxious thatthe school shouldcontinue to do this inthe future and maintainthe standards it hasachieved over manygenerations.”from a first class education and the highstandards set by the school in selfdiscipline,team spirit, integrity and soon, had a lasting impact on how we allattempted to conduct our lives thereafter.By leaving a legacy to provide bursariesat the school, I feel that this is a way that Ican help provide the same opportunitiesfor others that otherwise would not beable to have such an experience. Thefact that my support will go towards theschool’s bursary endowment fund andwill provide this support in perpetuity,means that I will make a lasting legacy.The legacy doesn’t need to be a fixedsum. It can simply be a proportion orthe residue of a trust which ensuresthat any provisions for dependants areprotected. If you haven’t made a will orare thinking about updating it, pleasealso consider leaving a legacy towardsthe school’s bursary fund.”Bobby King, OMT (1947) and 1561Foundation member, said: “I benefitedenormously from the all-roundeducation the school gave me in verydifficult circumstances during and justafter the last war. It gave me a wonderfulstart to my adult life. I am anxious thatthe school should continue to do this inthe future and maintain the standards ithas achieved over many generations. Itneeds money so to do.”If you are someone who has made thiswonderful commitment to MerchantTaylors’ or would like informationabout how you can do so, please do getin touch with the Development Director,Nick Latham. We can then invite you tojoin our 1561 Foundation and, of course,thank you for leaving a lasting legacy tothe school.Sixth Form BursariesFor the last four years, we have run an appeal to theparents of boys in their Upper Sixth year. This Sixth FormBursary appeal has offered the chance to make a donationof what remains of the deposit parents put down for theirson before joining the School. This usually amounts toaround £200.The resulting Class Gift has established a bursary for aboy to come to Merchant Taylors’ School for the Sixth Formthe following year who otherwise would not be able to affordthe fees.We are extremely grateful to all those families who havesupported over the last four years who have in total raised£38,700. Thank you very much!A number of parents have already been in touch with us this yearto indicate that they intend to make this gift and we hope that manymore will follow, to establish the Class of 2013 Sixth Form Bursary.

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolBruce Ritchie: a tributeMr. Ritchie was my 3rd Form and Englishmaster when I entered MTS in 1990/91. Healways wanted us to do well, and taughtwith enthusiasm and passion. I rememberfondly a trip he arranged for us to see Talesof Hoffman in the West End.He loved his cricket and I recount hisfrustration, which I shared, with the Englandselectors when David Gower was left out ofthe England tour party to India in 1992. Hehad a long discussion with me about theissue lamenting Gower’s omission.I also appreciated the time when I brokemy collar bone in the Upper Thirds and hesent me a cricket book with a note “ enjoythe book while you recover, I’m glad theinjury was not on your bowling arm.”No-one ever had a bad word for him; hewas, above anything else, a gentleman. Wemiss him greatly.Rajiv Radhakrishnan (1990-1997)Bruce Ritchie taught English at Merchant Taylors’ from 1966to 1995. He died on 15th October 2012he was, above anything else, a gentleman…It is always sad when it takes someone todie for us truly to reminisce about specialtimes in our lives. With the news aboutBruce Ritchie’s passing coinciding withthe tragic news about the loss of one of myclassmates and 1st XV rugby team matePaul Shyvers, I felt compelled to write.Everyone has at least one teacher withwhom they really connect; for me it wasMr Ritchie. Whilst most of my time atTaylors’ seemed to be about me indulgingmy sporting passions, Mr Ritchie imbuedin me a similar passion for Englishliterature and, in particular, plays. Thereal gift he had was in persuading a groupof adolescent boys that “acting” a playin a classroom could be both fun andeducational (even for those reading thepart of the female characters!).The result was an eclectic mix of boystrying to mimic what they thought wouldbe the correct accent for Biff or WillyLoman from Death of a Salesman, orperhaps even more memorably, that ofBlanche DuBois from A Cat on a HotTin Roof. However, for me, I will alwaysremember attempting the Italian accentin the “starring” role of Rodolfo in a Viewfrom the Bridge, alongside my fellow lead

Summer 2013 40 41(and fellow rugby team mate) Antony Craft(also sadly no longer with us) playing thecharacter of Marco. I have no idea which ofus was worse (although Ant was accusedon more than one occasion of soundinglike The Count from Sesame Street!),but what was special is that Mr Ritchiewas able to get us to leave behind ourinhibitions and just have a go. This madethe lessons as fun as they were memorable.I am no actor (unlike Mr Ritchie), but I amforever grateful to him for opening my eyesas to the merit and enjoyment of going tothe theatre.Matt Packham (1984-1989)Many have a lotto thank MTS for,but for a specialgroup of us,Bruce Ritchie setus on our way.always delighted him. When we fell short,we could tell how disappointed he was –not for himself, but for us.Bruce knew a great deal about cricketand whilst he held traditional views for themost part, he was open to new ideas andways of thinking – though I think the (nowroutine) concept of warm-ups and stretchesbefore a game always slightly bemusedand amused him. I have very many happymemories of the school, and most of all oftime spent on the cricket field, and that isdue in no small part to Bruce.Allan Hawkey (1986-1991)I am no actor(unlike Mr Ritchie),but I am forevergrateful to him foropening my eyesas to the merit andenjoyment of goingto the theatre.I, along with many friends - and I wouldsuggest countless other OMTs – havevery fond memories of the 3rd Formand our first form master Bruce Ritchie.Those of us who began our MTS careersin the 3rd Form I feel are very fortunateto have gained two years’ invaluableexperience on those who joined us inthe 4th Forms, and Bruce Ritchie wasresponsible for helping all of us settle intolife at one of the country’s most famousand best schools, which for a lot of 10 and11 year olds might have been daunting.His manner, experience, understanding,ability, encouragement, humour, empathy,joviality and maybe, most significantly,belief in all of us, was probably somethingwe only appreciated years later. Wecame to MTS from a hugely diverserange of family backgrounds; academic/intellectual, artistic, sporting abilitiesand of course in the 3rd Form at an ageof quite varied physical and emotionaldevelopment. Many have a lot to thankMTS for, but for a special group of us,Bruce Ritchie set us on our way.Matthew Miller (1982-1989)Bruce was always very kind to me. Hewould guide rather than instruct, andinfluence rather than command. He was avery effective communicator – the sort ofperson you learn from without necessarilyrealising it.Bruce had been a family friend formany years before I got to know him, asmy father and he taught together at theschool long before I joined. It was in myfour years in the cricket 1st XI that I reallygot to know Bruce, and especially on theannual cricket festivals at the end of thesummer terms, our tour to Singapore andAustralia, and in my 6th Form seasonwhen I was Captain of the XI. I think it’sfair to say that our teams included theirfair share of characters over the years, andBruce’s calm and reassuring presence, witha good dose of humour, always seemedto manage any difficult situations. Oursuccesses, as a team and as individuals,He was avery effectivecommunicator –the sort of personyou learn fromwithout necessarilyrealising it.As I did not know of his death beforemy copy of Concordia arrived I readwith real sorrow David Andrews’ worthyappreciation of Bruce, for whom I had thehighest regard.Since reminiscences are invited may Ioffer this among the many possible. Onemorning just as he was leaving my studyBruce said, “Oh, by the way, Head Master,this man [A.N.] Wilson whom you havejust appointed showed us [Bruce and JohnSteane] some of his writing last night. Hehasn’t had anything published yet, but wethink he will. He is really good.”Francis DaveyHead Master (1974-1981)

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolClass notes:UpdatesWilliam Baker (1951-1955) is aChartered Surveyor and recently retiredas Director of Slough Estates (now Segro)plc. He is an Underwriting Member ofLloyds and Chairman of Fallings ParkIndustrial Estate Ltd and Nettledene Ltd.He enjoys squash, golf and hill walking aswell as travelling to see family and friendsin the US, Australia and New Zealand.Jonathan Baker (1978-1984),formally, The Rt Revd Jonathan Bakerwas ordained Bishop in June 2011. He isthe Bishop of Fulham and Guild Vicarof the Parish of St Dunstan-in-the-West,Fleet Street. He is living in London.Robin Bradbury (1937-1943) writes:“Some of the most memorable sessionsat MTS that I enjoyed were the “ThreeSixths” - the only time we sat together- on a Friday afternoon, with NormanBirley in the chair in the Physics LectureTheatre when we learned how to movean amendment to an amendment or referit back as the mood took you.In the subsequent seventy years Ihave served almost without a breakas an elected member on three ParishCouncils, one Rural District Council anda County Council and enjoyed practicallyevery minute of it. “Standing Orders”have a fascination all of their own....notenjoyed by many, but invaluable in adifficult and tense situation.My time at MTS was followed by aB.Sc. in Civil Engineering at Bristol andthen two years as a Staff Captain R.E.(Railways Operating) at BAOR GHQ.My main career followed in Public Workscontracting, mostly in the Bath /Bristolarea. I am now at pasture in Radstock,Somerset.”Andrew Binstock (1989-1994) is a professional auctioneer. He is a director ofAuction House London – specialist property auctioneers.Martin Cook (1971-1976) has designedThe Mindfulness Garden for the ChelseaFlower Show. The garden will be in theFresh Gardens section. In the photoMartin is etching the lettering into aCumbrian Slate Spiral Carving which isin the corner of the garden.Update your Contact Details

Summer 2013 42 43OMT NewsBusinessLex Deak (1993-2000) has launched a new venture inpartnership with the Quintessentially Group, the world’sleading concierge company with 60 offices worldwideand over 100,000 members. Q Ventures is an investmentplatform that connects entrepreneurs with investors throughschemes like the American Express (Black) CenturionCard and other Quintessentially managed services. Moreinformation is available at www.qventures.co Lex welcomescontact from MTS alumni involved in finance and venturecapital.BooksLord Faulkner of Worcester (1959-1964) has just co-authored this bookon the history of Britain’s railways andhow they have had to fight to survive.‘Holding the Line: How Britain’srailways were saved’ by RichardFaulkner and Chris Austin is publishedby Ian Allan (RRP £19.99) but availableat a special offer of £13.95 includingpostage to Concordia readers. Usevoucher code HTL13 on the websitewww.ianallanpublishing.com or write toOffer HTL13, Marketing Department,Ian Allan Publishing Ltd, RiverdeneBusiness Park, Hersham, Surrey, KT124RG. Cheques should be made payableto Ian Allan Publishing LimitedMatt Greene (1998-2003) has hadhis first novel published by Curtis Brown.Ostrich is a story of a young boy – Alex -adjusting to the pressures of growing upwhen strange things start to happen …Alex has a story to tell. He just doesn’tknow what kind it is yet.He’s got a lot of the same concernsmost of us have growing up but lately,ever since his brain surgery, everyonein his life is behaving somewhatmysteriously.Maybe it’s adjusting to life afterepilepsy or maybe it’s the pressure ofhis imminent scholarship application,but Alex is starting to see the worldthrough different eyes. He’s certain there’ssomething rotten at the heart of hisparents’ marriage, and when his belovedhamster Jaws 2 starts acting up as wellhe decides it’s time to investigate.So begins the journey that takes himto the limits of his understanding, theedge of his endurance, the threshold ofmanhood, and the country music aislein Virgin Megastore. And eventually,on the eve of his English Compositionexam, to the door of his mother’shome-made dark room. But will Alexhave the courage to expose the terriblesecret that lies beyond? Or would itbe better for everyone if he buried hishead in the sand?Richard Germain (1984-1991)having recently published Death byChilli Sauce: The Remarkable Truthand Surprising Science Behind 101Memorable Movie Moments, hasnow been given a movie reviewingslot on BBC Three Counties Radio(Herts, Beds and Bucks, 103.8, 95.5 &104.5FM).Rod O’Donoghue (1951-1956)writes: “After a working life in business,I turned to history, genealogy andwriting in retirement. I have publishedtwo books ‘O’Donoghue People andPlaces’ and ‘Heroic Landscapes: IrishMyth and Legend’. I founded and runThe O’Donoghue Society and The IrishFolklore Centre.”Contact: alumni@mtsn.org.uk

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolClass notes:Calling ThirdFormers of 1946Michael Hercher (1946-1951)writes: “In 2006 the members ofthe first Third Form at MTS helda reunion at the school. I don’thave a list of who was there butafterwards I had the thought ofputting together a small bookof our individual memories ofthat time, immediately afterthe war. Sadly, only a few of uscontributed their thoughts -not enough for the book I hadin mind. I would be delightedto hear from anyone else whomight wish to contribute.”Please contact Michael atMichaelHercher@gmail.comHonoursAir Chief Marshal Lord Stirrup(1961-1967) has been made a Knight ofthe Garter by the Queen. Lord Stirrupwas Chief of the Defence Staff whenBritish forces were committed in bothIraq and Afghanistan. Knights of theGarter, founded in 1348, are appointedby the Queen without her having toconsult the government and recognisesignificant contributions to public life.Lord Stirrup sits as a crossbench peerin the House of Lords where he hasargued the case for Afghan interpretersand their families to be allowed to settlein Britain.Christopher Hurran (1961-1967) hasbeen made an OBE for his work at theMinistry of Defence in London. He is nowa Senior Associate at the UCL Institutefor Security & Resilience Studies.BirthsMahmood Jessa (1991-1996)and family are celebrating thearrival of their second childAli-Hadi Jessa who was bornin Watford on 4th February.Mahmood is currently living inDubai where he is in the processof opening his own managementconsultancy. He is pictured witheldest daughter Nadia (aged 6yrs)and baby Ali-Hadi.Bandish Gudka (1993-1995) has been awarded Runner Up with SpecialMention in the Spears Wealth Manager of the Year Awards 2013. The awardnominations were compiled by Freddy Barker, and Mark Nayler, seniorresearcher at Spears, along with Guy Paterson at Stanhope Capital and YogiDewan at Hassium Asset Management. The award recognises the brightesttalent in the private client world and comes after Bandish was selected as“Rising Star of Wealth Management 2012” by Spears Magazine – the leadingWealth Management publication. Bandish is presently a senior investmentmanager at Vestra Wealth LLP, managing UK and International HNW andUHNW clients, corporates and charitable institutions. In October 2012, hewas offered and accepted an honorary position at the Chartered Institute ofSecurities and Investments UK (CISI) Professional Interest Forum Committee.Neil Flash (1987-1992) has just takenon a new role of Managing Director ofEuropean Integration at HuntsworthHealth.Allan Hawkey (1986-1991) isnow living in Winchester and runshis own business, ClubNet.org.uk,which provides websites and clubmanagement systems for sports clubsall around the UK. He previouslyworked for KPMG as a CharteredAccountant.Update your Contact Details

Summer 2013 44 45OMT NewsAir Vice-Marshal (ret’d) MichaelHarwood (1971-1976) writes: “My final daysat Merchant Taylors’ were in the glorioussummer of 1976 (yes, such a season existedin those days!). My final days as a servingofficer in the Royal Air Force were then inthe summer of 2012. This family photo wastaken in the inspirational surroundings ofWindsor Castle. Cheryl and I were flankedby daughters Sophie and Nina and we allcertainly felt “yet one more fascinating era isput to bed, now what?”Retirement is out of the question. Thechallenge is to find something as intenselystimulating as my 34 years in the armedforces. From flying fast-jet aircraft tocommanding operations in the Gulf tobeing involved in higher education andeven the crucial international diplomacyscene, it is thus far proving more interestingto be involved in short-term consultancycontracts rather than settling in a singlerole. A business trip to China, close to thehome of both Confucius and Sun Tzu, setmy pulse racing. Working with the firstrateHenley Business School and a variedselection of other companies has alsoprovided ample scope to translate manyrich and compelling experiences in themilitary sphere into something relevant forcommercial organizations and their people.Working from our home in the city of Bath,every week seems to be a new adventureand I relish the future.”Dick Taylor (1959-1964) writes: “I was at the school from 1959 to1964. I remained a friend of John Steane’s for many years afterwards. Iwent on to Oxford where I read PPE (1964-1967) and then as a first jobto the (then) new University of Lancaster 1967-1970, as the lowest formof administrative life. Then in 1970 I moved to Leeds University’s Dept.of Adult Education, where I stayed for 34 years, eventually becomingHead of Dept. and then Dean of a large Faculty. (If you stay somewherelong enough, you are almost bound to be promoted through inertia).In 2004 I moved to Cambridge to be Professor of ContinuingEducation and Lifelong Learning. I retired in 2009. Among otherthings, I have written 13 books, with the latest due to be publishedin late 2013 on the historian and political activist, E. P. Thompson(Manchester University Press).I now live in the Lake District. I would welcome contact with anyMTS contemporaries. My e-mail is richardtaylor321@btinternet.comTom Willcox (1948-1953) sent in this photo from aholiday in the Lake District. The road was blocked with 4 footof snow and he required a tow to get to a road that was open!Contact: alumni@mtsn.org.uk

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolClass notes:Joe Ray wins Grammy AwardCongratulations to Joe Ray (1997-2002) on his Grammy Award for “Promises (Skrillex & Nero Remix)” which won the BestRemixed Recording category at the 2013 ceremony in Los Angeles. Joe (pictured below left) read Philosophy and Modern Languagesat Exeter College, Oxford before becoming a professional musician. His band, Nero, have enjoyed massive success in the USA this year.Alay Vora (2007-2012) is currently in his first year atthe University of Warwick studying Economics. He writes:“At the university I have continued my interest in tablaplaying and was very fortunate to become the University’sworld music scholar in my first term for the rest of mydegree course. The scholarship requires me to be an activeparticipant in the Warwick World Music Group as wellas the Warwick Indian Music Ensemble and generally bean ambassador for world music and Indian music at theuniversity. Recently, I performed with these ensembles at‘Warwick Fused’, a fusion music concert that showcased allthe different styles of music around the world. At schoolI was a member of the senior orchestra from 2007-2012(playing violin) and participated in four Asian CulturalShows with my tabla playing, co-ordinating the whole musicact in my final year at MTS.”Update your Contact Details

Summer 2013 46 47OMT NewsAlex Roth (1996-2001) is currently crowdfunding a UK tourwith his jazztronica quintet Otriad. If you would like to supportAlex, please go to this link: http://www.sponsume.com/project/alex-roths-jazztronica-quintet-otriad-has-its-first-uk-tourYou can also get more information on Alex’s website: www.alexrothmusic.comSee Tristan Bernays atEdinburgh Festival FringeOlly Lambert (1987-1991),an award-winning documentarymaker, spent weeks living deepinside Syrian territory - with bothgovernment and oppositionsupporters - to explore howthe two-year-old conflict istearing communities apart. Hisunprecedented film witnesses firsthandhow the country is collapsinginto sectarian conflict and faces ableak, Balkan-style future. Syria:Across the Lines aired on Channel 4on 17th April.Contact: alumni@mtsn.org.uk

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolClass notes:OMT rugbystar J.E.RaphaelrememberedThe World Rugby Museum inTwickenham is working on a project inadvance of 2015. The project relates to the27 names commemorated on the RFU’smemorial board at Twickenham in respectof England internationals who perished inWW1. John Edward Raphael OMT was oneof these. He is remembered at the school onthe plaque commemorating fallen OMTsoutside the Great Hall. It also transpiresthat there is a memorial to him in St Judeon the Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb(pictured).Below is an extract the school was able tosend to Twickenham to aid their researchfrom the School Register 1561 – 1934.John Edward Raphael 1896-1901 b.30.4.1882 s. of Albert and Harriette, ofBrendon, Lewin Road, Streatham; capt.Sch XV and XI; Andrew Exhib, of St John’sColl. Oxf. 1901; BA 1905; capt. OMT FC;Rugby and cricket blue; English Rugbyinternational; barr at law, Linc. Inn 1908;(W.); H.A.C.; Lt K R Rif. C.; d. of wounds11.6.1917Sam Katz (2004-2009),currently a student atLoughborough University, andplaying for Rosslyn Park thisseason has been selected for theEngland Students Rugby squad.Update your Contact Details

Summer 2013 48 49OMT NewsOMT CC Bowlerselected forEngland over 70sAnthony MacDonald-Barker (1954-1961) writes: “I havebeen playing cricket for OMTCC since 1962 as a slow leftarmbowler (taking over 2300 wickets) and in recent yearshave also been playing for Hertfordshire CCC at 60+ and70+ levels. In August this year the Australian 70+ team willbe touring England, playing against several County sidesand England 70+ in three “Test Matches”. To my surprise Ihave been selected as a member of the England squad, so Iam hoping to become the first OMT cricketer to representEngland at a senior level.”Great Hall ChairsMany OMTs will recall assemblies in the Great Hallin which their attention may have wandered from theoratory being delivered from the stage. They may haveglanced down at the chair in front of them and noticed aname plaque. These plaques mark donations that weremade many years ago.The Development Office is now attempting to trackdown families of those benefactors to offer them theplaque, chair or both, to keep. A list of names can beobtained from the Development Office, so please do getin touch if you are interested.There are of course hundreds of chairs that were notnamed. Anyone who would like one of these chairs toremind them of the hours spent sitting in the Great Hallwhile they were at Merchant Taylors’ School is welcometo collect one from us. Please do get in touch if you wouldlike one. All we ask is that you make an appropriatedonation to our Campaign for Bursaries and collect yourchair before August 1st.Contact: alumni@mtsn.org.uk

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolClass notes:Tales from Sandy LodgeUNAUTHORISED WOODWORKDuring my early years at Merchant Taylors’ in themid-1950s, we were required to attend a weekly period of“Woodwork”, held in the Workshop and under the guidanceof Mr. Beech.Mr. Beech was insistent that no matter how long it took, weall had to master the art of forming mortice and tenon jointsfrom lengths of 2” X 1” timber. For those of us in Upper IVB, who were never going to excel in woodwork, the weeklyperformance of hacking pieces of wood became somewhattedious and thus, we decided to turn our hands to somethingmore interesting.During the lunch hour, we would occasionally play agame of darts, with the dartboard hung on the inside of theForm Room door and using a set of darts which had seenmuch better days. Our unauthorised Woodwork project wastherefore to produce a set of ‘superior’ darts for lunchtimeentertainment and a specification was duly drawn up.For a change, the following Woodwork period was muchanticipated and under the less than eagle eye of Mr. Beech, afine set of six U IV B darts was produced.Essentially, our new darts comprised 8” lengths of ½”dowel, cross-cut at one end, into which suitably shapedpieces of veneer were inserted and glued to form the flights.The business end involved hammering in a 4” nail, with thenail-head then milled off to form a very sharp point.The resulting, potentially lethal devices requiredimmediate testing. The dart board was speedily set up inthe usual place during the next lunch hour and testingcommenced. In a short while, the new darts were declared anunqualified success, if only for landing on their target with aloud and satisfying thud.Unfortunately for us, we became more focused on theaerodynamic and audible qualities of our new toys thanthe fact that it was time for the first afternoon period tocommence. As Dart No.5 left my hand – they were allnumbered so as to allow the best ones to be further refined– the Form Room door opened and in strode our good FormMaster, Mr. (Sooty) Blackburn. Dart No.5 missed his templeby about three inches, landing, again with a nice thud, in thedoor jamb.It took Sooty a few moments to compose himself, doubtlessthinking that he had either walked into a war zone and/orgiving silent thanks for his life having been narrowly spared.Slightly ashen-faced, he required to know the names of thoseinvolved in this life-threatening enterprise. We all ownedup of course and Sooty, one of the gentlest of men, wasreluctantly required to balance the books with ‘three each’and a severe dressing-down for all involved after school.None of us suffered more than a briefly tender backside, butcollectively decided that we might consider the Chemistryperiod for something more creative and dramatic, althoughpossibly with a little less deadly potential. However, that isanother, somewhat explosive story.Nigel Carter (1955 - 1959)Do you have a story from your school days?Please send it to editor@mtsn.org.ukUpdate your Contact DetailsContact: alumni@mtsn.org.uk

Summer 201350 51From the Archive142351 The emergency boarders 19422-3 Athletics 19494 Steeplechase 19495 CCF 1949

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolClass Notes:CanonKeith WestonCanon Keith Weston,who has died aged 86,was an unusually giftedpreacher, engagingblue-collar workers anduniversity dons alike asrector from 1964 to 1985of the medieval churchof St Ebbe’s in Oxford.a captain in the Royal Artillery in Italyand Palestine, and on his return wentup to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, to readFrench and German. He was activein the Cambridge Inter-CollegiateChristian Union (CICCU).Having trained for the ministry atRidley Hall, Cambridge, Weston wasordained in Bath Abbey in 1953, whenhe was 27. After curacies at Westonsuper-Mareand Cheltenham, he wasappointed vicar of Christ Church,Clevedon, in 1959. From there he movedto Oxford.Wherever he served, Weston offeredcareful and lively bible teaching, alwaysapplied to contemporary life. Overthe years he was deeply involved inthe work of the annual Keswick BibleThe parish bordered universitycolleges to the north and east, whilealso housing some of the neediestfamilies in the city, with a nightshelter for the homeless. Westonsaw his calling as pastor to all.Keith Aitken Astley Weston wasborn on July 30 1926, the third son ofSir Arthur Astley Weston, Chief LegalAdviser to the Ministry of Agricultureand Fisheries, and educated atMerchant Taylors’ School, Northwood.At the age of 12, at a “Varsity andPublic Schools” camp in Branscombe,Devon, Keith found the faith thatwould transform his life. Thesecamps promoted the Christian faithand leadership skills, and influencedmany who would become successfulin the Church, the armed forces andthe professions. Among them was theRev John Stott, the rector of All Souls,Langham Place, and one of the mostcelebrated evangelicals in the AnglicanChurch; and it was in this tradition thatWeston would find his voice.From 1944 to 1948 Weston served asConvention, which draws thousandsto its summer gatherings in the LakeDistrict; he was its chairman from1994 to 1997, travelling to expoundthe Scriptures at sister conventionsin Africa, the Middle East, Asia, LatinAmerica and Australia.While he loved the interdenominationalwork of Keswickand the Universities and Colleges

Summer 2013 52 53ObituariesChristian Fellowship (UCCF), Westonremained committed to the AnglicanChurch, drawn to its pattern of orderedworship, liturgical richness, and itscommitment to the public readingand teaching of Scripture. Althoughit was not commonplace in his day,he always welcomed people of anyChristian denomination to receiveHoly Communion, and appointedwomen to positions of leadership. Healso encouraged students to considermany forms of lay ministry, as well asvocations to the ordained ministry.Weston served as rural dean ofOxford from 1971 to 1976; as a canon ofChrist Church Cathedral from 1981 to1985; and, for 10 years in the Seventiesand Eighties, as a member of theGeneral Synod. He sat on the Synod’sDioceses Commission .He became one of the best-lovedspeakers in university Christian Unions,travelling hundreds of miles to speakat campus meetings regardless ofother pressures. He was a trustee ofthe UCCF, whose students elected himpresident in 1987-88.In 1985 Weston was invited to becomediocesan director of ordinands andpost-ordination training for Norwichdiocese, where he worked alongsidehis friends Maurice Wood, Bishop ofNorwich, and Timothy Dudley-Smith,Bishop of Thetford. During this periodhe also served as vicar of St Stephen’s,Norwich.After retiring to Thame in 1991,Weston continued to preach, in StMary’s, Thame, in its surroundingparishes, and also abroad. This passionnever abated, and after nearly 60 yearsof ministry he preached for the finaltime just four months before he died.He is survived by his wife Margaret,whom he married in 1954, and by histwo sons and two daughters.Canon Keith Weston, born July 301926, died February 5 2013This was first published in TheTelegraph on 17th February 2013Donald G. Bompas (1933-1940) died 18/01/2013 aged92. He was a Vice Presidentof the OMT Society.Charles F. Minifie (1955-1962)died 31/07/2012 following ashort illness. After leavingMerchant Taylors’ he becamea Chartered Accountant andenjoyed a successful career.Charles lived locally and oftentalked to his family about thehappy years he spent at theschool.Paul W. Graver (1951-1956)died 7/12/2012. He had beenchairman of OMTCC and theDurrants Club. Allan HawkeyOMT writes: “Paul and I werefrom different generations, butknew each other well throughour involvement with OMTcricket, where Paul was a playerand then prominent clubmember, supporter and hardworkingcommittee memberfor many years in manyroles. He was a tremendoussupport to me in my timeas Chairman of OMTCC – avery knowledgeable, wise andsupportive person to havearound, and he is sadly missed.”Barbara Lloyd, died 4/01/2013.Wife of the late DonaldLloyd, Manor of the RoseHousemaster 1958-1970 MrsLloyd was the last full time‘Housemaster’s Wife’ andin the early years did all thecatering for 60 boys who hadbreakfast and evening meals inthe dining room at the Manor.Philip H. Lynch (1953-1958)died 12/12/2012 after a shortspell in hospital aged 72. Helived in Clevedon, Avon.Reverend Father MalcolmD. Mullins (1953-1960) died13/02/2013 aged 71. Heworked overseas for manyyears as a missionary andfor the past few years wasHonorary Assistant Priestat the Parish Church of StGeorge’s Headstone, Harrow.Alan J. Reid (1957-1963)died 19/01/2013. He lived inAylesbury, Buckinghamshire.Geoff Shilling (1943-1947) died9/04/2012 after a short illness.Jeremy Warren (1995-2000)died 1/08 /2012 aged 30 of abrain tumour. A full obituarywill be published in theDecember edition of Concordia.Paul Greene (1966-1972) died22/02/2013 aged 59. Paul wasone of the founding members ofPhab. He had recently returnedto the school for the 40thanniversary of Phab in 2011.

Concordia Merchant Taylors’ SchoolLetters to the editorI was a Manor Boy from 1957 to1961 then known as Ken Davies.When I was commissioned I added thedouble barrel to my name which makeslooking me up in any records difficult!My father and his two brothers hadbeen at the school in CharterhouseSquare before the First World War.My father VKN Davies left the schoolin the summer of 1914 aged 17 tojoin The Artist Rifles. Subsequentlyhe made a career in the Indian Armyand died soon after the retreat fromBurma in 1944. I was at the time 14months old. My time at Sandy Lodgewas greatly facilitated by support fromThe War Memorial Fund about whichI know very little. I was however veryinterested to read what the Head Masterhad to say about bursaries. Withoutfinancial help I would not have beenable to attend the school.The letter on the penultimate page fromPeter Bowen caught my eye. We musthave been at school at the same time but Ido not recognise the name. He questionswhether room still exists at the school toeducate the less academically inclined. II very much enjoy getting Concordiaand once again the Taylorian. I haveheard from a couple of friends … theschool seems so high powered thesedays I seriously wonder if many of mycontemporaries would have got in if wewere trying to today.In about 1966 or so the OMT Societystarted to build a personal dossier on allthe OMTs they were in contact with ona year by year basis. There were, I recallabout two prints of the results, which didin some people’s eyes serve a useful andeven impressive purpose.I also know that many did notrespond because they did not thinktheir achievements were good enough.Some of course went overboard and laterfelt embarrassed. Some recorded withjustifiable pride that they had got a degreedo hope so. For various reasons I fell intothat category and was still in the V Format 17, struggling to pass 7 ‘O’ Levels. I wassupported and helped in my developmentby being made a House Prefect and aSergeant in the CCF. On leaving school Ijoined the Metropolitan Police where I hada very full and satisfying career reachingthe rank of Superintendent. I also manageda Short Service Commission in the Brigadeof Gurkhas.In my younger days I played rugbyfor the OMTs but for various reasons mymembership has lapsed. I do however meetmany OMTs at MT Company functions andhave kept up with developments.May I just put in a word of praise for theOMT Archivist, Jem Birch. I have beenresearching my father’s life at the schooland his subsequent enlistment. Jem hasdone some wonderful work for me trailingthrough old Taylorians which makesfascinating reading.I much appreciate the publications. Ishall pass on my copies to friends in thehope that they may send their sons andgrandsons to Sandy Lodge.Ken Neville-Davies (1957-1961)at Cambridge or Oxford or St Andrewsand had then done National Service, somebecoming officers – as you would probablyexpect OMTs to do.But one ‘rebel’ who was a year older thanme put in ‘Left School 1953. Went intothe Army for 2 years and became a LanceCorporal.’ It was a sort of protest vote. Ithink the index then withered on the vineI have lived in Australia for 50 years andam an Australian citizen as one should be.I am proud of having been to MTS for fiveyears and of having become a Freeman ofthe MTS Company some years ago.If you can just continue to send me theTaylorian and Concordia, and I will enjoyboth when they come with a good whiskyand a measure of nostalgia.Michael Hodgetts (1949-1954)I was drawn to Peter Bowen’s letterto the editor, as I followed a similarpath through school and not reachingany academic heights. We had knowneach other at school but we were notin the same year. In 1985 I was livingin Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia and mywife and I had been invited to playbridge with friends. We were pairedat a table with an English couple fromGuernsey. The gentleman said that hethought he knew me from somewherebut we couldn’t work it out. We talkedabout stints in the West Indies and EastAfrica and found we had some friendsin common in those territories, but couldnot recall ever meeting. We acceptedthat position over the next few weeks.A month or so later I was in Dubai andplayed tennis with a business friend. Wetalked about schools and when I mentionedMTS one of his playing partners said thathis brother Peter Bowen had gone there. Isaid I knew Peter but could not place him.His brother Jeremy then told me that Peterwas now living and working in Al Khobarand it suddenly dawned on me that wehad been playing bridge together in theprevious weeks. You can imagine Peter’ssurprise when I asked him the followingweek at bridge, which house he had been inat school and he said to me ‘you don’t evenknow where I went to school’. I suggestedMTS and Andrewes and a very funny andastonished expression spread across hisface as he suddenly realised how we kneweach other.We didn’t see an awful lot of each otherafter that as he moved to Dubai and I shortlywent off to Paris. It’s strange how paths crossfleetingly, but seeing his letter brought backthese memories. Funny to think that we bothhad undistinguished careers at school butwent on to have fulfilling lives.Yours sincerelyMike Patton (1956-1960)

MTSMerchantTaylors’ SchoolExcellence, integrity anddistinction since 15611561Open Morning September 21st 2013 10.00 - 12.30• 2014 Registration:13+ June 30 201311+ November 30 201316+ December 31 2013• Bursaries• Academic, Art, Drama,Music and Sport ScholarshipsGetting here• Car MTS is 15 minutes from the M1, the M25 and the A40• Coaches Beaconsfield, Ealing, Harpenden, Harrow, Highgate, Mill Hill, Radlett, Stanmore• Transit MTS is adjacent to Moor Park (Metropolitan Line)Chiltern line trains change at Rickmansworthwww.mtsn.org.ukGuided tours (last tour 11.30)The Head Master speaks at11.15 and 12.15Please contact Penny Wright, Admissions Secretaryadmissions@mtsn.org.uk +44(0)1923 845514Merchant Taylors’ School Northwood Middlesex HA6 2HT

Development OfficeMerchant Taylors’ SchoolSandy Lodge, NorthwoodMiddlesex HA6 2HT01923 845545alumni@mtsn.org.ukwww.mtsn.org.uk