9 minute read
Book Review
BEEF EVERY DAY BUT NO LATIN
As schools go back, we find out about Kevin Newman’s latest book, where readers can escape to the Sussex School started by a schoolboy
Advertisement
Ever thought you could run your school better than your teachers? In 1925, an 11-year-old schoolboy from Hove in Sussex, James Bernard Clifton did more than just think about it
Kevin Newman.
– he actually set up his own school. Complete with a onelegged swimming teacher, a book-throwing headmaster, a ball-stealing school dog, and WWII air raid, Beef Every Day but No Latin is the first novel by prolific Sussex author Kevin Newman. Kevin, who has turned his hand from factual to (historical) fiction for the moment, tells the tale of how ‘Clifton’ managed to do what no other British child has ever done before or since (and here in Sussex): open up his own school and keep it going.
Unlike any other school, Clifton was able to decide on the timetable, recruit his own staff, and teach other pupils. The end result? A warm, close and very unique school, which we’d all liked to have attended, where the pupils had ‘beef every day but no Latin’. The name of the book is based on the fact that Clifton had his say on all aspects of the school, except its school dinners. It all adds up to an equally sad, funny and heart-warming story, published by Sussex publishers The Real Press, based on the real-life story of this very amazing boy, the team he built and his school, Claremont Preparatory School in Hove, which still thrives today in Sussex.
“It’s a tale we definitely need in 2020,” explains author Kevin, who has written one previous novel, and the history of another Sussex school before. “I think every adult at some point would have loved to have snapped their fingers like Thanos and removed some teachers or lessons – Clifton was the only boy I’ve ever discovered though who got so fed up of his school (Holland House) he set up his own. Even more remarkably, it’s still going today.” Clifton’s idea to start a school up came about after his maths teacher threw a book at his head for ‘inattention’. Kevin explains that the achievements of Clifton (who died in 2000, aged 87) didn’t stop there: “He had a successful wartime naval career and as a skilled engineer, his power inverter helped send Nasa’s Gemini spacecraft into orbit in the early Sixties. James also created the Clifton Nanometer Osmometer, a high-tech scientific instrument which bears his name. He was both an incredible boy and man who deserves greater recognition.”
The book is suitable for older children too and Kevin believes it will fulfil a particular need this year: “Schools have become bigger and bigger over the last few decades, with increasing exam pressure heaped on students in many cases, so I hope that Beef provides some escapism by taking children back nearly a century to a few different age of small, family-run schools. Hopefully spending time with Clifton, Eileen, Mick and Bill O’Byrne, Herbert Marshall the Hollywood film star swimming teacher and Buelis, the school’s demented dog will help pupils escape the strange and slightly alien COVID-era schools they return to this September.”
The novel, which retails at £7.99 in paperback and £2.99 on Kindle from is now being converted by Kevin into a screenplay as feedback from bookshops, librarians and people at talks before lockdown have been incredibly positive with people saying what a great movie the story would make. Local history tour company, All-Inclusive History also provide a Beef Every
Claremont House.
Day but No Latin walking tour ending up at the Claremont Guest House in Hove’s Second Avenue, where the school was first founded by Clifton back in 1925. Rather than plates of Beef, a cream tea and glass of bubbly is more likely to be offered to those entering its doors.
The book’s launch event will be at the Fountain pub at Ashurst, as part of Steyning and District Food and Drink Festival 2020. Those who wish to get their hands on a signed copy of the book and hear Kevin’s talk on this amazing school and its creator, need to book a place at the event on Tuesday 29 September, which starts at 7pm. The evening at The Fountain will be themed around the book, with diners able to choose a local ‘Beef’ or ‘Vegetarian or Vegan’ option, (the latter as Clifton would have preferred). The pub and its outdoor facilities will be open as normal for those who wish to attend and at 7.30pm an illustrated talk will take place for a capped number of ticket holders, in line with current COVID guidelines. The talk will be an introduction to the book, how Kevin came to discover the tale of the boy who set up a school, why it is a tale we need right now in 2020 and the historical research behind the novel. Those not able to join the diners or those in the talk will still be able to enjoy the pub’s outdoor facilities for the event and Kevin will afterwards sign copies of the book at the event – outdoors if weather permitting.
School cricket team.
Those not able to attend, who may be shielding or quarantining can still access the talk on Saturday October 3rd at 7pm via zoom – when Kevin will be giving a similar presentation but with extracts from the book for the Festival. Please visit www.steyningdistrictfooddrinkfestival.co.uk and look under talks. Either way, an entertaining evening is promised, and (unlike James Bernard Clifton experienced), those attending will not receive books being thrown at their heads!
FOUR FANTASTIC OFFERS Offe r 1
For all NHS workers or people with children under the age of 18
we will write your Will for £29.99 (inc v.a.t) when you donate £5 to the NHS Charities Covid-19 Appeal.
ff Offe r 2 Are you over 600 and considering Power of Attorn ney?
If so, we will provide youu with A registered Lasting Pow wer of Attorney for Health and Welfare + A registered Lasting Pow wg g er of Attorney for Property and Finance + rective A Living Will/Advance dir All for just £495 .t and all OPG* fees when you donate inc v.a.t and all OPG* f £10 s Covid-19 Appeal. to the NHS Charities Co
Offe r 3 *OPG = Office of the Public Guardian
and Couples WillsSingle Person and Couples Wills
Single Will £139 en you donate when y £5 to the NHS ppeal. Charities Covid-19 Appe Couples Wills £259 when you donate when y £5 to the NHS ppeal. Charities Covid-19 Appe
Offe r 4 ongwre wrongding up in the wrPrevent your home enPrevent your home ending up in the wr y Trusthands with a Property T
t:guarantees to prevent:A correctly set up Property Trust guar
t :P QSPCBUFVS QSPQFSUZ IBWJOH UP HP UISPVHI Q t (FOFSBUJPOBM JOIFSJUBODF UBY t :P EJF BOE ZPVS VS DIJMESFO HFUUJOH OPUIJOH JG ZPV E spouse remarries t :P DBSF JO UIF GVUVSF VS IPNF CFJOH VTFE UP GVOE ZPVS D †
Just £1995 al fees and we will also pro including v.a.t. and all legal f dd bvide a brand ne Willw Will FFree of Chf Charge for each person. A trust insurance for £9.99 £9.99 per month will also need to be taken out to keep the trust up to date every year. † go into care soon or if your sole reason for implementing this package is simply to avoid payingRemember if you have reason to believe that you my g for any other reasons such as protecting your family against divorce, bankruptcy, marriage afterforeseeable care fees and you are not implementing it f EFBUI PS HFOFSBUJPOBM JOIFSJUBODF UBY UIFO ZPV DPVME CF BDDVTFE PG EFMJCFSBUF EFQSJWBUJPO PG BTTFUT nge your free telephone consultationCall now to arrang
Local firm Thy Will Be Done takes national stage with best Will Writer nomination in The British Wills and Probate Awards
To protect its most vulnerable older clients in the last few months, Worthing-based will writers and estate planners Thy Will Be Done have worked hard in arranging telephone consultations, setting up video witnessing and offering heavily discounted pro cducts and services in exchange for small donations to the NHS COVID-19 apppeal. The company has also provided a fully Covid c compliant e offic for their clients to drop their paperw work into while passing. As a result, the e been ry hav e ecognised in this year’s prestigious National British W Wills and Probate Awards in the category of National W Will Writer of the Year.
Thy Will Be Done Director, Paul Blackmo o ore has a priority to communicate with clients in a straightforward, jargon-free and friendly way - and t o provide upfront transparency on fees, which really h helps less confident clients to forget any nervousness they may otherwise have about visiting a slightly f o oreboding solicitor’s office in order to arrange what can in fact be a fairly simple piece of estate planning, co n nfident in the knowledge that they will always know in n advance the precise amount that their work will cost. It is a rare achievement indeed for a small f a amily-run firm from Goring to be in the final 3 of a prrestigious national will writing award along with h household names Farewill and Co-op legal services. Paul Blackmoore is very proud of the way the company he bought out of administration just over 3 y years ago has, with the help of its hardworking staff and loyal customers, turned its fortunes around t o o become LOPXO MPDBMMZ GPS FYDFQUJPOBM WBMVF BOE GSJFOEMZ service and now since lockdown, and the tra nsition to holding all consultations remotely, to be com p peting for business on the national stage also.
aul with BennP ed’’ Fryft and ‘’one ey on the le rar tnkie on the righ
Paul regularly appears in the local m media with his two rescue French Bulldogs Frankie and Benny by his side. Paul says, “Frankie and Ben ny are a big hit with our clients, many of whom have e reported that their presence in the shop helped th hem to quickly TFUUMF BOE SFMBY ognition as one Paul goes on to say that, ‘’wider recognition es in the British of the UK’s best will-writing companies in the British cial value to us Wills and Probate awards is of special v b because the awards are voted for b y our industry colleagues and peers.” be held online The finals of the awards will this year be held online O PO OE 0DUPCFS BOE XJMM PODF BHBJO CF IPTUFE CZ TV celebrity Jenny Bond. Will Be Done all We wish Paul and his team at Thy Will Be Done all the very best of luck this year.
www.thywill.co.uk
