How Monkton helped to inspire a film director, art teacher, script writer, product designer, actor, landscape architect and textile designer
Editors: Caroline Bone & Emma Garry
Design: Nick Moyle, Inkcap Design
Contributors: Jacqueline Burrows, Tim Hardisty, Richard Mainwaring
Cover image: Charles Gardner (OM 1972) sketch of Monkton from 10th December 1972 www.monktoncombeschool.com
Welcome from the Principal
Whether it’s taking centre stage in a production, being an integral part of the backstage crew, playing in a 50-piece orchestra, or pouring out emotions on a canvas, the creative arts are at the heart of the Monkton experience for so many of our pupils, past and present.
In this year’s magazine you will read about a plethora of creative delights that have taken place throughout the school year, along with hearing the stories of OMs who have gone on to pursue the arts beyond Monkton with great success. We hope that all our pupils will be inspired by the arts in some way during their time at school, whether that is taking part or watching, and the articles in this edition go some way to show that is indeed the case, and many leave Monkton with a lifelong passion.
I hope you enjoy this edition of the OM and Community News, and all that it celebrates, and as always, do keep in touch and continue to share your stories with the alumni office. It is always inspiring both to our current pupils and indeed us as staff to hear what our alumni go on to achieve. As another school year rolls around in our beautiful valley, and we prepare to celebrate the centenary of the Senior School Chapel, I hope you will join us in reflecting back and looking ahead with joy, pride, and anticipation for our community.
Chris Wheeler Principal
"The creative arts are at the heart of the Monkton experience for so many of our pupils, past and present."
President’s message
Art and creativity have always been integral to the Monkton experience, fostering not only artistic skills but also critical thinking, empathy, and innovation. This year, we have chosen to highlight and showcase some of the incredible talents of our alumni who have ventured into various creative industries.
Within these pages, you will find inspiring stories of Monktonians who have pursued careers in filmmaking, scriptwriting, product design, and more. Their journeys are a testament to the enduring spirit of creativity that Monkton instils in its students.
I hope you find this edition as inspiring and engaging as I have. It is a reminder of the incredible talent within our community and the endless possibilities that lie ahead for all Monktonians. Thank you for your continued support and connection to our school.
Keisuke OM Club President
"Their journeys are a testament to the enduring spirit of creativity that Monkton instils in its students."
Katy Nosowska
Creative Foundations
Over the next few pages, you will read the stories of seven incredible OMs and OCs who are producing fantastic work in their chosen creative fields. From script-writing to textile design, film production to landscape architecture, and more in between, each gives a fascinating insight into their world. They document the highs and the lows, the paths they have taken to get to where they are, and exciting glimpses of what is to come.
These seven are just a few of the many alumni we have working across the creative industries. Our focus on creativity in this year’s magazine is part of a wider aim to shine a spotlight on the amazing work that so many are doing. We are in the process of creating a dedicated area on the alumni section of the website which showcases the work and stories of our creative OMs and OCs, to serve as inspiration to fellow alumni and current and future generations of Monktonians. If you would like to be featured in this online section, please do get in touch with Caroline and Emma at OMs@monkton.org.uk.
Jackie Piper
Charles Gardner
F ILM DIRECTOR
Beej Harris
OM 2010
I am a filmmaker and director. I live in Brixton, South London with my wife, Arabella, and our two children, Monty (3) and Flora (1).
Long story short/medium, when I left Monkton in 2010, owing to the fact that drama had been an absolute blast, I was laser-focused on being an actor. It was for that reason I went to UEA, Norwich, as it had a great Drama department which majored in acting and performance. However, by the end of the course my burning desire to tread the boards had subsided a little and been replaced by an interest in filmmaking and directing. The little DSLR I bought in third year allowed me to play around making theatre trailers and production diaries, which botched together a working knowledge of editing, camera work and how to tell simple stories. It wasn’t Kubrick, but it was a start.
That was about 8 years ago. Since then, via a winding route through the freelance production industry - which I won’t bore you with here! - I now straddle two camps in the film world. Firstly, and for the majority of the time, I am a director. What have we seen that you’ve made? Well, have you seen Avengers? Yeah, I didn’t make that. Truth is, probably not much yet.
"It’s a fascinating, eclectic industry to be a part of and scratches many of the itches I developed at Monkton - creativity, collaboration, nice lunch ."
I spend most of my time directing commercials/adverts (so there’s a slim chance you might have seen one or two of those). I am brought in by larger production companies to write and direct for clients, which one week might be high-end fashion and the next week might be strawberry farming - both real life examples from the past year. This paves the way, however, towards making more long-form narrative pieces with an eye on directing features when the opportunity allows.
The other half of me is “Clay Film”, which is my production company that serves as a vehicle for when clients get in touch directly. In these instances, I will work as a producer/ executive producer as well as director, pulling together a crew and running end-to-end production for the client.
Whichever way, it’s a fascinating, eclectic industry to be a part of and scratches many of the itches I developed at Monkton - creativity, collaboration, nice lunch. You spend a lot of time on your feet, meeting people, directing people, trying to convince people you’re right (!) and traveling all over the place. It forces you to make bold choices whilst learning to listen to who you’re working with in deciphering exactly what it is they want. In the same breath, many of the challenges lie in the creative process and working out compromises with clients and crew. The reality is, almost everyone has a different opinion. Fortunately, going to Monkton taught me that mine is the right one... I jest, of course.
I was back in the valley recently seeing family. It was that iconic part of May when everything was in bloom and a rich, luscious green. Longmead was looking jubilant (despite a sodden wicket that certainly favoured bowlers). It nudged me to remember quite how special that part of the world is, and how much I owe to the school, and the place. Maybe I’ll make a film there one day.
For more information about Beej and his work visit beejharris.co.uk or clayfilm.co.uk
ARTTEACHER
Katy Nosowska
(née Backhouse) OM 1993
My time at Monkton helped me realise that my life was about ART. I spent most of my time in the ‘old’ Art block, often painting, propped on a wooden stool, half gazing through the windows, half observing my subject in detail, paintbrush and artist’s rag in hand.
And now…
It is my passion to teach Art - I love working beyond the expected, not only to teach but to nurture others. I’ve found the greatest meaning has come from seeing young people enabled, empowered, and achieving their goals.
Working in different educational settings; independent, therapeutic and state maintained has required resilience and sensitivity. My current teaching post, at Breakthrough Transformation Trust, has broadened my experience through working with people who navigate the world with barriers of neurodiversity, selective mutism, speech and language impairments, ASD, trauma, various medical diagnoses and mental health issues. I came into secondary teaching having worked in a therapeutic community and special school where I had firsthand experience of using Art more holistically. At that point, my plan was to become an Art Therapist, but after my PGCE I loved the classroom and found it so rewarding that I stayed.
People don’t learn at the same pace and to the same level, nor do they need to. Students often say to me “I can’t draw.” Perhaps they have learnt somewhere that there is a ‘right’ way to draw, which is simply not true. Yes, there are core and observational skills which are central to the artistic experience. But there is also strength in finding your own
style, which comes from seeing the work of others and from practice, a bit like learning a musical instrument.
My motto is to encourage creative enquiry, to enhance an ability to develop student’s personal ideas, and to build a visual language. I am always reflecting on ways to help students synthesise the research they have gathered – a challenging aspect of studying Art and Design. I help them to work from what inspires them, sharing the ways I do this personally as a guide. I have a life-long love of Arts research, of creating and opening lines of enquiry on a visual level. Every scheme of work or design brief draws on Art from historical, cultural and contemporary practice.
Studying for a BA (Hons) in Decorative Arts gave me the opportunity to explore ceramics, textiles, metal and wood amongst other materials for contemporary design crafts. I chose to specialise in ceramics (though I like to call it
pottery!) and print, where the clay became my canvas - rich velvety underglazes representing my expression of anything nautical. I now focus on surface pattern design and mixed media painting in my own work.
I must add that as an Art teacher I come with a cabinet of curiosities; the rat’s skull is no longer but the tribal skirt, Turkish coffee pot and collection of perfume bottles come with me wherever I teach!
I thank my Art Masters; Mr Gorry and Mr Pell for their input and great teaching, and the part they played in my creative endeavours. Back in the Art department at Monkton in 1991, little did I know I would end up spending days knitting with discarded climbing rope, crocheting with discarded electrical wire (unplugged of course!), and teaching and managing the creative explosion of the art classroom – exciting, challenging and a real privilege.
S CRIPTWRITER
James Cary OM 1993
I write scripts for BBC TV and Radio, having recently worked on Death in Paradise and Shakespeare and Hathaway for BBC One and Thanks A Lot, Milton Jones for BBC Radio 4. In the past, I worked on Miranda, My Family and My Hero and co-created Bluestone 42 for BBC Three. I also recently published a book called The Gospel According to a Sitcom Writer (SPCK) and am working on a new book about the English Civil War. I just love comedy. I always have. I grew up watching cricket and comedy on the TV, and once it was clear that I was never going to open the batting for England, I pursued comedy. That was how I ended up being a writer, since most comedy needs to be planned, written and rewritten, and it turns out that I have a knack for that.
When I started out in the late 1990s, it wasn’t quite as competitive as it is today and it felt like there were different routes into the industry, so I feel fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time.
Also, after university, I applied for a number of jobs and I didn’t get any of them! But I think they sensed that my heart wasn’t in it. I’ve just always wanted to be involved in writing comedy.
An awful lot of creative art is experimental and ends in failure. I spend most of my time rewriting what I’ve written because my first or second draft didn’t quite work. In fact, even when you film and edit it, you still might not be happy with it. And even if you are, when it is broadcast, it just might not resonate with the audience. I wrote a sitcom for BBC Radio 4 called The Pits. I was happy with it, Radio 4 were not, so that was the end of that. You need to get used to that. Success is the outlier.
This is where Monkton comes in. You need a place to start, to try – and fail. Monkton is such a special place, being so supportive. The Christian ethos actually makes it a brilliant place to get going as any kind of artist. Looking back, I
cringe at sketches I wrote for the Christian Union or School Chapel services (I vividly remember some of the moments!), but that’s where my career began and I’m extremely thankful for that.
It’s great to make people laugh for a living. I also enjoy the autonomy and not having to go to the same place of work 48 weeks a year. So my work is varied, but that’s the downside. My work comes in fits and starts. There are times when it’s not clear where the next bit of work or contract is coming from. In those seasons, I pray “Give us this day our daily bread” a little harder. But then I always come back to the moments when I feel like Eric Liddell in the movie Chariots of Fire when he says “When I run, I feel God’s pleasure”. It’s a joy to do the thing I feel I was made for.
For more on James and his work visit jamescary.co.uk
PROD U CT DESIGNER
Jackie Piper
(née Wilkinson) OC 1985
I am a co-founder of British Colour Standard, and we design and make colourful, contemporary home accessories, along with a luxury paint collection, all with an eco or Fair Trade provenance. We are a small company (just 5 of us) based in London, although we have a global reach, selling in the UK, Europe and USA as well as Japan.
There have been many highlights, including some of my designs winning national awards (Gift of the Year…!), but I’m most proud of a collaboration research project I was involved in whilst I was a Product Design Tutor at Central Saint Martins. It was an exhibition I created with two colleagues as part of a ‘Design Against Crime’ initiative that was purchased by the Museum of Modern Art in New York for their permanent collection.
There have also been a fair share of challenges, from managing small suppliers based all over the world to meeting the exacting standards and expectations of today’s customers. Brexit (sorry!) certainly did not help our European business and is still an admin struggle, even today – but whatever the challenge, you have to create a way around it, regardless!
At school I was always ‘arty’, usually code for ‘not academic’, and of course studied GCSE and A-Level Art at Clarendon. After Clarendon, my family relocated to the USA where I did an Art Foundation at university in Philadelphia. This opened my eyes to a whole range of possible creative career paths, and product design was the one that stuck out and really made sense to me – designing everyday items for practical use rather than following a more fine art
pathway.
Following my Bachelors, I did a stint at the Royal College of Art, London, to do a Masters in Industrial Design. This helped me find work in Milan and Japan after graduation – although at the time I was more interested in technology than housewares, which is my happy place.
I have always enjoyed the creative process and making things, even when I was at school – so I suppose I still have the same feeling now, even if it is a part of a more complex business model - designing, making and selling.
I will always love it and I’m not sure I can do anything else!
For more information visit the British Colour Standard website at britishcolourstandard.co.uk
ACTOR
Charlie Field
OM 2012
Working in the film and television industry felt like an audacious idea when I left Monkton. I was fully aware it was going to be a brutal, highly competitive and, at times, soul crushing industry. But - on the flip side - I also knew it was going to be very, very fun. I suppose I had just the right amount of naivety and tenacity at the time to give it a shot.
On reflection, I think it was the stability I felt whilst at Monkton which helped me to take some huge risks at the start of my career. The creative industries really do thrive on a ‘risk it all’ mentality. There is no set path, and no particular rules for breaking in. It is often up to the gods who works and who doesn’t, so you have to decide early on whether you can handle the instability, both financially and personally.
As a wise mentor once told me, “You are joining the circus now. It’s a bit crazy in here.”
I studied English and Drama at UEA which was renowned for its creative writing department. I had hoped to follow in the footsteps of previous alumni such as Matt Smith and pursue acting as a career. UEA, whilst not strictly a drama school, was exceptional at encouraging us to create our own work. It fostered a creative process which has meant, 10 years on, many of my peers are on posters across the West End for shows they have created. That experience has been hugely influential for my later work
developing shows.
After graduation I hit a crossroads. I applied for an internship at the BBC to work in TV production and a large acting agency that repped actors such as Daniel Radcliffe and Liam Neeson. I made a decision that whichever door opened, I would pursue that path. Ultimately, the BBC door closed, and the acting agency door opened - I made my decision.
I am so grateful to have had so many incredible, eye-opening opportunities as an actor. My first ever audition I landed the job - a J.B. Priestley play at Park Theatre in London. This later transferred for a four month run in New York. That production acted a bit like a drama school for me and also introduced me to some amazing people - two of whom remain my best friends to this day.
Following this, I played supporting roles in BBC’s Poldark, Amazon’s Jack Ryan, Nat Geo’s Genius, and even played Prince Harry in a cheesy rom-com that filmed for two months in Canada. I’ve adored traveling with work and have so far been lucky enough to film in Prague, Morocco, Budapest, France and Serbia to name a few. Of course there has been a load of rejection along the way - but that is par for the course when you work in entertainment.
Alongside acting, I have also started working behind the camera. After creating a number of short films throughout my 20s, I set up a
production company with my friend, Luke Cutforth, a young up-andcoming film director. We now have several projects on our slate, all at various stages in the development process - including one film with a major A-lister attached. I cannot wait to get these scripts onto the screen - though I must admit it is still incredibly daunting.
As I enter my 30s I would love for producing to become a major part of my working life. I’m not completely sure how acting will fit into that but I am excited for the challenge. The most important thing for me is I’m still working within an industry I love.
I’m having too much fun to exit the circus just yet.
"The creative industries really do thrive on a ‘risk it all’ mentality as there is no set path, and no particular rules for breaking in."
LANDSCA PE ARCHITECT
Charles Gardner
OM 1972
One question that was put to me when asked to contribute a piece to this issue on the theme of creativity was, ‘What part did Monkton play in the path you have taken?’
In answer to the question, I think that to embark upon a creative career (and other interests), it is important to be open to a wide range of positive ideas and influences, especially during one’s teenage years. Such influences were a key element of my time at Monkton; the staff took a real interest in our development, at least in my experience, and we had some wonderful teachers who often took extra time and effort with activities outside the normal school routine, which did so much to broaden our education and awareness.
Having said that, two of the most valued benefits that had direct bearing on creativity, were free time and freedom of movement.
Substantial free time, especially at weekends, provided me with an opportunity to develop my skills in drawing, painting and other activities. The development of such skills needs time (and teaching of course), and for
me, Monkton provided this.
The other great benefit that I, and others, enjoyed was the freedom of movement that we were then permitted. Friends and I would walk and cycle for miles in a landscape of great beauty and interest crowded with so many natural, historic and aesthetic qualities and features that encouraged exploration and interest in them. I mention this because a sense of enquiry and exploration is an essential foundation in the development of any creative career or personal interest. I can only lament the restrictions that I understand exist today, no doubt for very commendable reasons, but I would not have wanted to miss the degree of free time and freedom of movement that Monkton provided at that time.
extraordinary opportunity to design a whole ‘garden city’ on the coast, including masterplan, architecture and landscape, as well as some other substantial developments in Nairobi. (A new career at the age of 70 – life certainly takes some strange turns!) The facility to draw has been invaluable to my career. Despite huge advances in computer technology, I find that competent drawing holds its place for speed, versatility and ‘warmth’, however you want to interpret that.
My subsequent choice of landscape architecture as a career was no doubt inspired in part by the local Midford valley landscape, and it has largely been one of great variety and interest. Based now in Dorset, this has included periods in London, Paris, Tanzania and South Africa, and now in Kenya where I have the
Among other interests, I also paint when I can and have exhibited at the Royal Society of Marine Artists annual exhibition in London; I even paint the occasional railway picture as I used to do at Monkton.
Two other things I would like to mention. Accounts like this can so easily read as if life has been a wonderful shooting star of success, but I have found it not to be so. There have certainly been some difficult times, including some apparent dead-end jobs, and a career is not necessarily a path of steady progression. Risk taking has been important, but that is a whole subject in itself.
But be they the best of times or the worst of times, I have found the Christian faith, towards which both my home life and Monkton have pointed me, to be by far the greatest and most valuable asset, both in life and career, creative or otherwise.
To see more of Charles’ work visit www.matrixpartnership.co.uk
TEX TILE
Chalita (Bam) Jaewtrakul
OM 2018
I recently graduated from the University of the Arts London, Central Saint Martins with a BA in Textile Design. I had a fantastic time there and really enjoyed designing and weaving! The highlight was getting to do something I’m passionate about, and although I do struggle with ideas sometimes (or many times!), I’m happy and willing to work extra hours on it. I always try to choose a project or theme that I am genuinely interested in. Personally, I think the motivation comes from genuine passion for the work itself. When I’m excited about a design, it becomes a driving force; I want to get it done so I can see the final result.
Transitioning into the professional industry, however, has been a real challenge. The field is highly competitive with limited job opportunities, and I don’t think I
really prepared myself for life after university. I was very focused on my final collection, and that’s a good thing, but looking back now, I wish I had thought more about finding jobs post-university and building my portfolio towards the direction I want to work in.
That being said, opportunities have and do come from time to time. Earlier this year, I was honoured to have my work exhibited at the London Surface Design Show 2024 as part of the New Talent Showcase. I am also currently working on a colour consultancy project for an automotive company. This is something really exciting, and is definitely a career path I want to explore more.
Monkton played an important part in helping me make this career choice. I don’t think I would have even
considered taking a creative path without help and support from the Art and Design teachers. A big thank you to Mrs. Hildreth, Mrs. Sidders, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Gent, and Mr. Hardisty (yes, those are all the art teachers when I was there but without any one of them, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now!). I am grateful and truly appreciate the support and guidance I received during my time there. Since I was young, coming from a family where both parents work in their own business and seeing how hard they worked to send me to study in the UK, I always thought I would do business or some kind of management course. So it is quite new in my family for someone to go into the creative industry, but overall, I am happy with the path I have taken. I am still at the early stages of my career and trying to figure out what is next. Right now, I’m very open to any opportunity that may come along and am excited to see where this journey leads.
"When I’m excited about a design, it becomes a driving force; I want to get it done so I can see the final result."
From the Archives
A History of Creatives
Monkton’s evangelical foundation, and its development by the Revd Bryan as a firmly Rugbeian school during the most solidly Victorian years of the late 19th century, doesn’t appear at first glance particularly encouraging to pupils with an interest in the creative arts. One of “the Governor’s” firm rules in the 1800s was that boys must not read works of fiction, although musical concerts with large numbers of invited guests were a regular highlight of each school year, and poetry played an important part in school life. A look back through the archives, however, reveals a different story!
Our earliest Old Monktonian professional actor is probably Joseph John Fisher White (1865-1945). The eldest son of a clergyman, he arrived at Monkton in 1877 as part of a year group that included pupils from Sierra Leone, China and Ireland. He did well at school, particularly in Greek, Latin and Scripture, and entered Oriel College, Oxford in 1883. After achieving his BA he became a solicitor, but the smell of the greasepaint proved too strong and he turned to the stage, taking his new vocation seriously and studying elocution, voice production and fencing with the best coaches of the day. He adopted J Fisher White as his stage name and became a principal actor in various companies. His first stage appearance was in 1892. He toured America and began to appear in British films in the 1920s, eventually becoming Chairman of the Actors’ Association. He made his last film in 1940.
Fisher White was the uncle of the famous comedy actor, Wilfred Hyde White, who once said “I learned two things at RADA: I can’t act and it doesn’t matter”.
Arthur Samuel Radcliff (1881-1937) was the son of a gentleman farmer from County Meath in Ireland, who was also a Justice of the Peace and a respectable member of his local community. Arthur arrived at Monkton in 1894, becoming one of at least eight other Irish boys at the school. He spent five years in the valley and left in 1898. By 1908 he had become an itinerant actor, and was appearing in light-hearted musical comedies such as The Earl and the Girl, The Dandy Fifth and Florodora up and down the country. He received good notices for his “capital performances”
and his “fine singing voice”. When war broke out in 1914 he joined the 3rd Hampshire Regiment and was promoted to Major in the Royal Army Service Corps. Little more is known of A S Radcliff: He died in a hotel in Norway in 1937 leaving a considerable sum of money in his estate, but was registered as being of “no fixed abode”.
John Russell Brown (1923-2015) followed his older brother David to Monkton in 1937. The family lived above their father’s pork butchers shop in Gloucester Road in Bristol. John left school aged 15 and joined the family business, but after serving in the Fleet Air Arm in World War 2 he went up to Keble College, Oxford, where he read English under the tutelage of J R R Tolkein. He became Professor and Head of Drama and Theatre Arts at the University of Birmingham in 1964 and Professor of English at the University of Sussex in 1971, as well as being a close associate of the Director Peter Hall, Director at the National Theatre for 15 years. A pioneering Shakespeare scholar, he edited the seminal Oxford Illustrated History of the Theatre (2001). He died in 2015 aged 91, and his obituary in the Guardian said: “Russell Brown represented the best of the scholar/practitioner/teacher tradition he helped establish in British theatre”.
Stage actor J Fisher White
Oxford Illustrated History of the Theatre by John Russell Brown
Expressive Arts at Monkton
Opportunities for possibilities…
is the phrase central to what we hope to achieve in Monkton’s Faculty of Expressive Arts as we continue to grow and develop. Whether in dance, drama, music, film-making, studio recording, lighting, live streaming, etc, we want Monkton students to feel that buzz of creativity, the joy of participation, and a sense of pride and achievement which accompanies all of our work. From self-penned scripts recorded in Monkton’s radio studio to out-of-this-world Space-themed concerts featuring our 50-strong orchestra performing Mars from ‘The Planets’, or Wild Shakespeare to multi-camera live broadcasts, Monkton students are given an envious range of exciting opportunities to develop skills, broaden their experience, and explore possibilities!
Excellence is undoubted, with four of this year’s students being offered unconditional places at leading music and drama institutions, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music. But we are as passionate about the achievements of our Year 9 students as we are about our leavers, as invested in the pupil who is learning the lighting rigs for the first time as we are in the one going for their Grade 8 Piano. We recognise and celebrate that standing on stage with a single line in a play can be as big an accomplishment as playing a solo at the Music Department’s end-of-year Longmead concert in front of a thousand people.
All of our events are streamed, often by a student camera team. We run regular niche activities as well as the broad range of ‘usual’ Music and Drama rehearsals, including Monkton Audio Drama (script-writing with audio recording), songwriting and beat-making, Stage Crew and Film Team.
Fundamentally, we hope that every student can find their own Abbey Road, National Theatre, Albert Hall or BBC within the walls of Monkton!
LONGMEADMUSICFESTIVAL
MONKTON
MUSICSCHOLARS
DANCEWORKSHOP
PARTYINTHECITY BURNSNIGHT
A year of Expressive Arts
To give you a flavour of what we do in the Faculty of Expressive Arts, here’s a quick run-down of our programme of gigs, shows, trips and more from the past year!
l Studio 1@1 Year-round informal lunchtime concert series
l LAMDA Live! Informal drama performance showcase series
l House Music At The Forum, Bath, every pupil performing for their house
l Theatre Trips Multiple trips to Bristol Old Vic & Bath Theatre Royal
l Year 9 Dance Workshop Led by West End dancer, Sam Haughton
l Alice in Blunderland A live radio drama with the audience listening on 200 pairs of bluetooth headphones!
l Scholars Workshops Drama (Jonathan Willis, Director), Music (Bruno Ellingham, Producer; Kevin Price RWCMD), Dance (Dylan Mason, Professional Dancer), Script-Writing (Tom Mallerburn), Shakespeare (Edward Bennett)
l Salisbury Cathedral Choral Evensong Monkton Chapel Choir
l Films@59 Trip A Level Media Studies
l Ripple Charity Concert At Bath Abbey, featuring Monkton’s Gospel Choir
l Rode Over 60s Club Christmas Concert
l A Level Drama Showcase
l Monkton Community Carol Service
l Christmas Lollipop Concert Featuring all of Monkton’s large ensembles
l Monkton Carol Service Whole school service at Bath Abbey, led by Monkton’s Chapel and Chamber Choirs
l Year 11 GCSE Drama Showcase
l Burns Night Ceilidh Pupil and staff band, The Scottish Boarders
l Expressive Arts Scholars Trip Royal Opera House & Askonas Holt
l St Paul’s Cathedral Evensong Monkton Chapel Choir
l Monkton Band Night Featuring a variety of ensembles and bands, multi-camera live broadcast
l Pride and Prejudice Whole school production
l Mid-Somerset Festival Competitors in both Music and Drama classes
l The Final Frontier Easter Concert Space-themed concert featuring our large ensembles
l The EMART Awards A faculty-wide Oscars-style celebration evening for students
l Corner Cafe Series A new series of informal performances in the school cafe
l Year 12 Theatre Workshop Performance
l Year 10 Devised Theatre Show
l The Scott and Lynn Rhythm Thing An innovative multi-performance evening featuring all of Monkton’s drummers and guitarists
l Soiree of Song An evening of choral and vocal music
l Party in the City Jazz@Monkton join other schools in the opening night of the Bath Festival
l Scholars’ Workshop And the Beat Goes On Samba masterclass
l Wild Shakespeare Outdoor performances of ‘The Tempest’ by our Year 12 cast
l Pieces of Nine Two evenings of scripted extracts from all Year 9 classes
l The Open A theatrical evening of song, monologues and ensemble pieces
l Longmead Music Festival An outdoor festival featuring many of Monkton’s leading musical ensembles including Orchestra, Jazz@Monkton, Wall of Sound, Gospel Choir, and joint items with Monkton Prep
l Prize Giving A chance to slot in a few final musical performances of the year!
ALICE IN BLUNDERLAND
Art and Design in the Valley
Our Art and Design department has thrived this year. With 42 students taking their A Levels in Year 13 across Fine Art, Photography, 3D Design, Textiles and Graphic Communication, our students have continued to explore the possibilities of the curriculum and produce work to be very proud of. The multidisciplinary approach to subjects has led to a healthy uptake of placements in the creative visual arts this year, with 12 students hopefully going on to the following courses postMonkton:
l Cardiff - Architecture
l Central St Martins - Ceramics
l Coventry - Automotive Design
l Edinburgh - Fine Art
l Falmouth - Graphic Design
l Instituto Marangoni - Fashion Design
l London College of Communication - Visual Media
l London College of Fashion - Fashion Marketing & Branding
l Loughborough - Product Design - 2 students
l Nottingham - Foundation
l Oxford Brookes - Foundation
We’ve also had 72 students in Year 11 taking GCSEs in the department in Fine Art, Photography and 3D Design, seeing first-hand that the feeling of creativity and the ability to pursue individual projects leads to exciting work.
There have been events and trips throughout the year both for our Art & Design scholars and the wider student body. These have included photography trips to Bristol, the whole A Level group visiting London museums and galleries, and talks from world famous illustrator Simon Spilsbury, National Geographic photographer Chris Roche and renowned designer, inventor and maker, Peter Marigold. The culmination of the year was our Art & Design Exhibition on the Prize-Giving weekend - a fantastic opportunity to showcase work from all year groups, celebrating their dedication and passion for creativity shown throughout the year.
Key to images:
Monkton Gives
Supporter updates
We are incredibly grateful for our Monkton community that continues to give generously in time, financially, and by other means. As always, our alumni community plays an integral role in this. Our particular thanks goes to those who give regularly, those who have left us a legacy, and those who give anonymously - whilst we cannot always express our gratitude personally, we hope you know the incredible difference you make to our school now and for the future. We look forward to continuing to partner with you in whatever way we can - thank you so much!
Spotlight: Volunteers
Many of our alumni community choose to give their time, both to the school and our current pupils, and to the work of the alumni office. To all who have given any time over the past year - thank you!
Individual gifts in 2023/4 602
Number of gifts: 602
Number of donors: 240
Donors in 2023/4
Spotlight: Giving Day 2023
Our second Giving Day in October 2023 was a resounding success, bringing together our whole Monkton community, including pupils, staff, alumni, current and former parents. In total we raised just over £100,000 for our three projects: Transformational Bursaries, Expressive Arts and our Area of Greatest Need Our Transformational Bursary fund continues to enable pupils from challenging circumstances who would otherwise be unable to attend the school to come and thrive at Monkton. We have been working with our Expressive Arts Department to work out the best technology to invest in to aid their teaching and performances. And our Area of Greatest Need fund benefits pupils directly either through supporting our bursary programme or going towards our capital projects. To all who gave on Giving Day, thank you once again for your generosity! x240
Looking Ahead:
This year we have seen an increasing number of OMs engaging with our careers programme, offering advice and mentoring to current pupils, giving talks and attending careers fairs at the school. In June alone we saw 6 OMs return for a careers fair for Year 12 pupils, and 4 recent leavers take part in Year 13’s ‘Preparing for Life Beyond Monkton’ day. We are always looking to increase our careers offering for current pupils, so if you would like to volunteer your expertise, do get in touch!
We also have a number of alumni, former staff and parents who assist us with our events throughout the year and help us keep in touch with our wider community, to whom we are hugely grateful. Keisuke Suzuki is our OM Club President, Bitania Mulugeta is our International Volunteer, and Hannah Howitt is our Young OM Volunteer. Special mention to our Volunteer Archivist Jacqueline Burrows, who has worked and continues to work tirelessly on the Monkton archive, sorting, organising and making fascinating discoveries.
Excitingly, the coming year marks the centenary of the Senior School Chapel in the summer! We will be marking this with events throughout the year, and taking the opportunity to reflect on the importance of our bursary support for clergy and missionary families. Additionally, as a school we are committed to investing in sustainability, becoming more eco-friendly and looking at ways to become energy efficient. This will be an ongoing project over the next few years as we move to ‘greener’ energy solutions and increasing sustainability at both school sites. Stay tuned for updates!
Events Round-up
This year it has been fantastic both to welcome so many of you back to the valley, whilst also travelling further afield than normal with reunions over the other side of the world!
We front-loaded the year somewhat with 4 events in the first 2 months of the academic year. First up was our Ten Years On Reunion Dinner, for which our 2013 leavers enjoyed a fabulous 3 course dinner in the Old Hall, with former members of staff also in attendance. We then set off to Australia for the first of our international ‘Monkton Where You Are’ events in Sydney. OMs from 1959 through to 2016 gathered at the University, valuing the opportunity to connect with fellow Monktonians and reminisce about their time in the valley.
It was then back to Bath for our Five Years On Reunion, hosted by the Garrods at a pub in the city. The second of our international events followed, this time in Hong Kong, with OMs coming together with former and current parents, and even a current pupil. We finished the Michaelmas term with our Alumni
and Community Carols, featuring beautiful music by our Senior Chapel Choir and an address by Rev Hutch, preceded and followed by mince pies and mulled wine!
The Lent term saw the return of one of our favourite events of the annual calendar - OM Hockey. This year was as competitive as ever with some great matches between the OM and School teams, and some brilliant family head to heads across the teams.
Sadly the weather scuppered our plans for OM Cricket after the Easter break, but we hope to be back better and sunnier next year! Our final event of the year saw leavers from 1990-94 return to Monkton for their Thirty Years On Reunion Dinner, the first time many had been back to the valley. It was fantastic to see old friends reunited and many memories shared - a fitting way to end a great year of OM events.
Events calendar 2024 / 2025
There are lots more events to look forward to over the coming year! Some events are still being planned or awaiting confirmation of dates; more information will be shared about each event nearer the time.
MICHAELMAS
• Twenty Years On Reunion (2003-05 Leavers) - Saturday 21st September
• Diva Opera at MonktonSaturday 28th September
• Ten Years On Reunion (2014 Leavers) - Saturday 19th October
• Five Years On Reunion (2019 Leavers) - Saturday 26th October
• Alumni & Community Carol Service - Sunday 8th December
LENT
• OM Hockey - Sunday 23rd March
• Forty Years On Reunion (1980-85 Leavers) - Date TBC
SUMMER
• OM Cricket - Sunday 27th April
• OM President’s Lunch - Date TBC
• Monkton Chapel Centenary
All events are posted on the OM Club section of the website
HONG KONG
CAROLS
OM & OC News
Find out what some of our Alumni have been up to over the last year
Jay McGillan (OM 2023) had his GCSE artwork chosen for the front cover of the Royal Academy of Arts’ 2024 mini wall calendar.
Martin Trowell (OM 1957) received a medal in recognition of his time on Christmas Island in the late 50s as part of a group of veterans exposed to nuclear tests.
Alex Bowerman (OM 1975) and Neil Clifford (OM 1976) first met at age 7 as boarders at Monkton Junior in 1966 and have remained good friends to this day, helped by a mutual love of sailing and competing together in races such as the Round the Island (Isle of Wight) international yacht race.
Chris Anderson (OM 1973) published his book Infectious Generosity: The Ultimate Idea Worth Spreading in January. Through inspiring stories, Chris explores how acts of generosity, whether small or life-changing, can impact the lives of millions as they’re seen and shared online. The book features a generosity experiment Chris carried out with 10 Monkton students following a Knight Lecture he gave a few years ago.
Emma Thomas (OC), film producer, together with her husband, Christopher Nolan, received a number of BAFTA and Golden Globe awards and nominations, along with top honours of Best Picture at the Oscars for their film Oppenheimer
Alex’s sneaker journey
Alex Witty (OM 2016), having graduated from the University of Brighton in Sustainable Product Design, launched ground-breaking Compound Footwear Sneakers in October, with the aim of creating a unique, recyclable solution to the environmental pollution generated by both fastfashion and tyre waste. He says of the initiative:
“Our objective is to avoid the use of virgin fossil fuels, reduce the number of different materials that make most sneakers un-recyclable, and incorporate sustainable, recycled materials that not only reduce environmental impact, but are also an attractive step towards a cleaner, greener future.
My sneaker journey has so far taken me to Bahrain, Italy, Spain, Germany and Portugal for shoe making courses, meetings and collaboration talks with world-leading industry experts. I’ve also investigated polyester recycling techniques to create new yarns from waste motorsport clothing to create knitted sneaker uppers, a process that’s still in development.”
The launch of Compound Footwear has received substantial support from the world of motorsport, as well as funding from Innovate UK, Santander and Verizon amongst others.
Find out more about Compound Footwear at compoundfootwear.com
David Lloyd-Edwards (OM 1965) and Bob Rees (OM 1966), captains of the 1st XV Rugby teams at Monkton in successive years, met up for the first time in over 20 years in Cape Town over New Year - it is over 60 years since they first played Foals Rugby together at Monkton!
Murray Watts (OM 1970), playwright and screenwriter, has written and directed a new one-man-show The Beloved Son, inspired by the life of Dutch Catholic Priest, Henri Nouwen. The show premiered in London in January, and is now touring the UK.
Ruth Jackson (OM 2003) interviewed Hannah Martin (OM 2001) on Premier UnBelievable?’s Unapologetic podcast about compassion and navigating grief in the run up to Mother’s Day.
Ed Walker (OM 2021), who was captain of the 1st XI Cricket team at Monkton, made his debut for Oxford UCC in a three day match against Northamptonshire CCC - he took a wicket in his first spell.
Oli Fussell (OM 2022) was selected to play for the US Colleges Rugby Union tour of France this summer. Having earned a Rugby Scholarship to Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina, he was invited to play for the South East Bears, a regional team, before being called up to the national collegiate team.
A group of OMs from the 1950s reunited in the Monkton valley in April. Ken Gibson, Gerald Blake, Nicholas Richter, John Bristow, and Timothy Reynolds organised a long weekend in the valley, visited both the Prep and Senior school and enjoyed much reminiscing!
Sophie Goodman (OM 2022) played for Oxford University Women’s 1st XI against Cabridge University at Lord’s Cricket Ground in May.
Sam Ford (OM 2020) rows for Washington University and was part of their Men’s VIII who won the Intercollegiate Rowing National Championships in June.
James Arney (OM 2013), former captain of the 1st XI cricket team at Monkton, returned to Longmead this summer, this time to play for Marylebone Cricket Club against the School 1st XI.
Chloe Dalton (OM 1996) has written her first book Raising Hare, which chronicles her experience of raising a hare during lockdown when she left the city for the countryside of her youth.
Mike Keighley (OM 1962) was one of the recipients of The Times Sternberg Active Life Awards 2024. He received the award in a presentation at 11 Downing Street in April. The awards are for people over the age of 70 who have made a significant contribution to society in older age. Mike, Emeritus Professor University of Birmingham, received his award for founding the MASIC Foundation in 2016, in order to support and raise awareness of the plight of women who have sustained severe perineal trauma during childbirth.
The award committee noted that Mike helped raise £100k from four Diva Opera performances before and after COVID to help fund the charity’s activities. The last of these was at Monkton, also supporting our bursaries. They also recognised the particular contribution of the MASIC Foundation in the present year, which has been pivotal in advising the National Maternal Trauma enquiry.
Honouring our D-Day Heroes
As the world marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day this year, Monkton stands in solemn remembrance of those who were part of this pivotal moment in history. On June 6th 1944, Old Monktonians were part of one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history; among these courageous individuals were:
Lt Col Robert George “Desmond” Cracroft (OM 1922)
Lt Dennis Elgar (OM 1934)
Lt Col Richard “Dick” Whitfield James (OM 1923)
Flying Officer Robert Fussell Wilden (OM 1931)
Colonel David Wood MBE (OM 1940)
Rt Revd Maurice A P Wood (OM 1935)
Monkton is committed to ensuring that the stories of our alumni who served on D-Day are never forgotten. Their courage, dedication, and sacrifice are woven into the fabric of our school’s history and values. We strive to instil in our current students the same sense of duty and service that these heroes exemplified.
Matt Paynter (OM 2010) led the Household Division during the Trooping the Colour parade on Saturday 15th June, which officially commemorated the King’s birthday.
James Simons (OM 2013) was selected for the England Men’s Open team at the Touch Rugby World Cup in Nottingham in July. Fellow OM Callum Sanders (OM 2014) worked with England Touch to provide photography for the event.
OMs from the 1974 & 1975 1st VIII boat crews reunited for a nostalgic outing on the water at Saltford in July. They fared remarkably well given that for most it was only their 3rd outing in 50 years! It was a fabulous, sunny afternoon with a picnic by the river following their row.
Announcements
More detailed announcements and full obituaries can be found on the Alumni page of the School website.
Marriages
- Camilla Snell, OM 2012 married Ed Robinson in April 2024
- Becky Sharp, OM 2010 married Ben Medlund in March 2024
- Michael Du Boulay, OM 2003 married Charlotte Waite on 10th October 2023
Births
- Hannah Foster (née Cheater), OM 2008 and Sam Foster welcomed baby Angus on 15th January 2024
- Jemima Sohn (née Green), OM 2005 and Mike Sohn welcomed baby Daniel on 28th November 2023
In Memoriam
- Frances Downer, Former Clarendon Staff on 14th June 2024
- Rev Andrew Salmon, Hon OM on 15th May 2024
- John Bush CVO, OBE, KStJ, OM 1955 on 11th May 2024
- John Gurney-Champion, OM 1939 on 15th April 2024
- Pauline Cicely Roe, OC on 4th April 2024
- David Prichard MBE, Hon OM on 2nd April 2024
- John Butterworth, OM 1964 on 12th March 2024
- Paul Voke, OM 1952 on 19th February 2024
- Rodney Alan Cross, OM 1957 on 31st December 2023
- Stuart Cashman, OM 1990 on 28th November 2023
- Dr Napier Malcolm, OM 1951 on 28th October 2023
- David Morgan, OM 1962 on 19th October 2023
- Peter Bainbridge, OM 1965 on 15th October 2023
- Brian Smallcombe, Hon OM on 8th October 2023
- Giles Cooper, OM 1965 in September 2023
- Capt Nigel Thimbleby, OM 1953 on 12th August 2023
- John Ewan, OM 1953 in August 2023
- Lawrence Sawers, OM 1944 on 30th March 2023
- Pauline Hallows (née Gowers), OC on 9th March 2023
