The Alma Mater
I do not harbour strong feelings for my old school which I attended between 1967-71.
I had my first year in a red brick Waterhouse-designed school in West Kensington and then it moved to Barnes, one of those 60s buildings which resembled a biscuit factory.
There were a few teachers I liked, one who passed some 12 years ago, and another who was my tutor who comes to Brighton for lunch.
I still have a handful of close school friends but probably have not visited the school more than 6 times since I left. It was and is a school with high scholastic standards that was proud of its Oxbridge entry success. If you went to a redbrick, or one of the new universities like Sussex, York or Warwick, you did not get a mention in the official school magazine.
Yesterday I received the old boy magazine called Atrium. Normally, after the the most cursory of reads, it is consigned to the dustbin. Such are the times, I read it more thoroughly.
On the cover was a picture of Sir Jonathan Miller (1934-2019). On the back was a short recollection of his time at the school.
He launched a magazine called The Prickly Pear and a literary society. Both were summarily banned by the headmaster. He was summoned to the headmaster’s office to receive this news and wrote afterwards
“The memory of that occasion revives a resentment which has remained unextinguished for more than thirty years.”
Below this were extracts from his report. One teacher – “Buster “ Reid – the type that was around in the 60s with no academic qualifications but who supervised swimming, wrote:
“He has done nothing at all for his Club (house).”
Yet he went on to achieve a scholarship to University College Oxford, became a Doctor and made his name at the 1960 Edinburgh Fringe.
Another old boy who achieved fame and fortune was Nicholas Parsons (1937-39).
I knew neither, but I did know Vanni Treves who became a distingushed solicitor at Macfarlanes.
His child hood was a turbulent one. After Italy capitulated in September 1943 the Allies, who had landed at Salerno, were confident that the country would be speedily overcome.
This was not so as the Nazis invaded the north of Italy and occupied under Marshal Kesslering and fought a stout rearguard action.
Florence was occupied and a round up of Jews implemented. Young Vanni jumped out of the window of his flat and made his way south to Rome aided by sympathisers in the villages.
In Rome he met up with his mother, now remarried to an Englishman, and was sent to my old school and later Oxford University.
He showed his undying gratitude by forming a charity which traced the grandchildren of his saviours and brought them to Oxford for an English course.
Another who passed whom I did remember was Robert Silver. He was something of an orator who spoke regularly at the Chesterton Debating Society (GK Chesterton was another famous alumnus).
I was shocked to learn he suffered from schizophrenia which prevented a no doubt illustrious career at the Bar.
I was impressed that his mental condition, that would hitherto be brushed under the carpet in an obit, was freely mentioned.
