11 minute read
Chalkies’ Corner
In what has become a popular feature in the magazine, we are pleased to catch up with some more long-serving former teachers (once known as Chalkies), who were happy to share their memories of Uppingham and update us on where they are now.
If you would like to contact any of the members of staff featured, please email ou@uppingham.co.uk or send a letter, addressed to them, c/o OU team, Uppingham School, Uppingham, LE15 9QE and we will be pleased to forward your message on.
Nigel Richardson
Member of Staff 1971 to 1989
What brought me to Uppingham? Partly that I’d been a pupil at Highgate under Headmaster, Alfred Doulton (staff 1934 to 1954, and later trustee). I arrived straight from university as the junior historian, expecting to stay for three years. Eighteen years later, I finally departed, as Second Master.
It was a more carefree and less performance-driven world than nowadays: no senior management teams; few compliance demands; photocopying a rarity, and no intrusive emails. Not many prospective parents would have thought to ask about exam results. The work was intensive, yet richly varied.
So, what were my best term-time memories? ‘Macbeth’ to open the new theatre; staff plays; spectacular concerts; the Quatercentenary. In the holidays? Drama tours to the USA, and the annual summer school in Sweden. Worst times? Refereeing on The Middle, followed by postgames teaching in the East Block, on a wet day in January. Sunday evening chapel services coinciding with a James Bond film on TV: cue for pupil outrage. Best decision made by the School in my time? The first two girls’ houses (Fairfield in 1975 and Johnson’s in 1986).
Since Uppingham? I became Head of the Dragon School, Oxford – a legendary prep school, but one undergoing a period of change. I spent two fascinating years in Cheshire, helping to open a girls’ division in a proudly traditional boys’ school. I was Head of the Perse School, Cambridge (1994-2008), succeeding Martin Stephen (Hf 62, staff 1971 to 1972), working in a rapidly expanding school and city. I was Chairman of HMC (the Heads’ Conference) in 2007, representing independent schools nationally. Since then I’ve been involved in strategic consultancy, multiple governing, and appraising.
I still live near Cambridge, but Uppingham has been a far greater part of my life than I ever envisaged: father of Matthew (Fgh 96) and Tom (C 98); husband of Joy (Trustee 2000 to 2013), and – courtesy of Borth and Thring – PhD student and then biographer.
My experiences at Uppingham have afforded me repeated, generous hospitality from those running houses and genial, receptive pupils (mostly). Superb mentors: early on, Basil Morgan in the history department and Peter Attenborough and Malcolm Tozer in The Lodge; later, Nick Bomford, who taught me what a Head ought to do and be; most recently Jerry Rudman, an ever-patient archivist. I have also forged lifelong friendships –notably with Peter de Voil and Roy Collard.
What impact did I have? It’s a long time ago and for others to say, but my biggest ‘get real’ moment came at a London Dinner. An OU kindly told me that my very brief General Studies course had steered him towards a career in the Law. Puffed up with self-importance, I then ran into another OU, to whom I’d taught history over his full five years. “What do you remember about it?” I asked, confidently. A hideously long silence, then: “The lesson you taught with your fly zip undone. Pathetic, how you failed to understand any of our coded messages.” In our line of work, you never know what impact you have (or don’t have)!
Peter de Voil
Member of Staff 1970 to 1992, Housemaster of School House 1987 to 1992
I arrived at Uppingham in 1970 to teach English after three years at Wrekin College. I became involved in screen printing in the Thring Centre, helping to attract outside performances at the Theatre and, briefly, was Master in Charge of pop concerts. It was a privilege to work with Christopher Richardson and help organise drama tours to schools in the USA and to join Basil Morgan on school trips to Russia, the Czech Republic, Romania and Greece.
Not being keen on herd sports, I taught life-saving and took charge of the junior cross-country team, working with Michael Tolkien, who managed the senior team. I remember on one occasion cycling with the team along the Leicester Road as the runners gradually overtook me and finished their race before I was back at the pavilion, but they recorded the results on a blackboard and all was well!
Not attracted by the CCF, it was a privilege to join the alternative, Pioneering, run by Basil Morgan. This involved digging trenches and laying drainage pipes for an all-weather hockey pitch on The Middle. During the summer holidays the trenches tended to fill up and local intruders smashed most of the pipes, so each September the process started again. Basil soon moved on to higher things leaving me to transform Pioneering into Public Service, thence to Community Service, which developed in scope and popularity, taking pupils as far afield as Corby and Leicester.
Soon the Action Group was formed, raising enough money from the sale of school sweatshirts, films in the Hall and the recycling of old newspapers, for example, to finance trips such as a week’s summer camp near Scarborough for 20 primary school children from Leicester, accompanied by 10 Upper Sixth formers during the first week of the summer holiday. These camps ran for several years, and I was ably assisted by David Shipton and Tony Jordan.
I became Housemaster of School House in 1987, which coincided with my marriage to Anne. I continued to place students wanting a volunteer GAP year with Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong, the Salvation Army in Singapore and Zimbabwe and Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, and I am still a trustee for HMC Projects in Central and Eastern Europe, inaugurated at Uppingham in 1992 and founded by Vivian Anthony and Robin Schlich, among others.
In 1993 I became Headmaster of Frensham Heights School in Surrey until 2004, then Headmaster of The English College in Prague until 2009. Anne and I are now living in King’s Cliffe, just 20 minutes from Uppingham by car.
John Clinton
Member of Staff 1974 to 1994
I worked at Uppingham for 20 years, from September 1974 until my retirement in 1994, and though my primary role was that of a full-time Maths teacher, my other activities ranged from running the Sailing Club and the RAF Section of the CCF (including the Glider Club) to the 2nd Colts Hockey team, internal school exams and, of course, being a tutor in WB House: fortunately I had a lot of energy in those days and enjoyed it all. During my time in charge of sailing, the club had six N12 dinghies; a popular boat with the team but not easy to handle for those with less experience, and the time and expertise required to maintain them meant they had to be replaced in due course. My philosophy was to make sailing available to all abilities, so I went for Wayfarers which could be used at all levels, from beginners to racers, and we completed the fleet with some Toppers, a Laser and a Firefly.
Running the club was hard work but great fun and very rewarding; getting the sailors and their equipment to and from Rutland Water for an afternoon’s sailing, and returning to School in time for supper, made for a busy afternoon and this happened two or three times a week. The racing team produced some very good sailors who were successful in inter-school matches both home and away and we also ran a sailing tour of the USA; most of our sailors were very keen, though no doubt some simply wanted to get out of Uppingham and away from exam pressures on Rutland Water!
In those days the RAF Section had a primitive flying machine called the Primary Glider, provided by the RAF as a training and teamwork device for the majority and for initial flying experience for the few. This contraption was housed in a shed on The Middle playing field and had to be carried to an open space and assembled before being anchored prior to launch. This process was carried out by means of a bungee catapult, hooked onto the front of the A-frame and powered by two teams of cadets in a V-shape. The pilot would give the order for those cadets to march forward, pulling the bungee, until sufficient tension was created; the cadets would then stop and retain their hold on the bungee, the pilot would release the anchor cable, and the glider would launch – often just sliding along the ground for 50 or so yards. It was called the ‘Flying Brick’ for a reason!
On one occasion, after several unsuccessful and frustrating attempts to get airborne, it was time to return the glider the 100 yards or so to the shed for dismantling, so I requested a running launch whereby instead of stopping and holding the bungee, the cadets would run on to create more tension and obtain a longer flight. This resulted in a much less predictable launch, but flight was achieved! Not having the height or speed to turn, I had to fly straight and level but quickly became aware that I was going to overshoot the field; with the fence rapidly approaching, I managed to touch down on the car park before sliding into the raised bank, demolishing the fence and stopping abruptly. The A-frame was designed to collapse under such circumstances and did so, leaving the wings and pilot undamaged: it was in fact a perfect flight and landing, but I had run out of airfield.
Following my retirement, I went on a world tour with my wife. We have travelled widely on cruising and motorhome holidays. Locally, I enjoy golf, bridge, socialising and walking. I am very grateful to Uppingham for giving me and my family so much.
Former ‘Chalkie’ Ian Smith returns to Uppingham
OUs who remember Ian from their School rugby days will be delighted with the news of his return this September as Senior Rugby Coach. Ian enjoyed a decorated career playing for Leicester Tigers, with 331 appearances from 1977 to 1991, where he won three John Player Cup Finals, was their Captain between 1983 and 1985 and also won the inaugural League Championship with the Club in 1987.
Since his playing days, he’s become a well-established rugby coach and educator, and is held in the highest regard in his fields of expertise.
Peter Lloyd
Member of Staff 1953 to 1988, Housemaster of Highfield 1962 to 1977
The OU team often receive enquiries about Peter Lloyd and would like to share that he is residing in a care home, near his daughter Minnie McBride (Fd 83) , after becoming too frail to continue living independently in Uppingham. If anyone wishes to write to Peter, please email ou@uppingham.co.uk or send a letter, addressed to him, c/o the OU team, at the school address provided above.
Tributes to Nancy Villette
Matron of Lorne House from 1987 to 1996
We were very sorry to hear that Nancy passed away on 30th May 2023. Many OUs under her care will remember her fondly and we are pleased to share tributes received after circulating the news.
Edward Timpson (LH 87):
“Nancy always had time for a chat and a moment to share with an abundance of real kindness and a generosity of spirit. She was a great source of comfort for many of us under her wing at school and she will be both fondly remembered and much missed.”
David Amos, Algy Batten, Matthew Buzzacott, Charlie Lewis, James Gardiner, Richard Staveley, Tony Todd, Ben Ward and Paul Woodd-Walker (all LH 88):
“Nancy played an important part in our lives in the five years we were at Lorne House – a calm, funny and caring presence that we all (consciously or not) appreciated enormously. We have fond memories of going to see her almost daily, the doses of Arnica cream for bruises from the games fields, or a friendly chat with someone we instinctively knew was on our side. She had our complete trust. Five years of school would not have been the same without her. Thank you, Nancy! She’s missed by us all, and our thoughts are with her family.”
If you’d like to find out what became of one of your teachers, do contact the office and we’ll do our best to track them down.
