OP News Autumn/Winter 2022

IN THIS ISSUE

FEATURE CELEBRATING WOMEN AT THE PERSE YOUR IMPACT DONOR REPORT 2021–22 PERSPECTIVES LIVING IN QATAR CAREERS PROFESSIONAL INTERPRETING

Perse students sing campfire songs at sunset on the Summit 12 outdoor pursuits trip to Sweden.

06 CELEBRATING WOMEN AT THE PERSE

The Perse is proud to be a co-educational school. We talked to six female OPs about their time here

11 YOUR IMPACT

How your support made a difference this year

14 PERSPECTIVES

Hear two OPs tell you about their experiences in Holocaust education research and in the banking industry of Qatar

18

CAREERS

OP Marcus Broadbent (1975) talks about his experiences as a professional interpreter

From the Head

We live in turbulent times. Climate change, global pandemic, war in Europe, an energy crisis and a cost of living crunch have shaken established political and social economic orders. The world can seem a scary and uncertain place.

But a difficult and challenging backdrop sharpens the focus on what really matters. As the world grapples with its many problems, the critical importance of providing future generations with an excellent education shines through.

An excellent education is about far more than the acquisition of knowledge as set out in exam board syllabi, it is about the development of intra-personal and inter-personal skills such as perseverance, character, resilience, creativity, team working, leadership and emotional intelligence. An excellent education is also about values and giving people a moral compass to find their way through life’s challenges so that they both help themselves and others. Values are more important than skills and knowledge, as it is values that determine how skills and knowledge are used.

Today’s Perse pupils know the School values: Endeavour Intellectual curiosity and scholarship Breadth and balance and Valuing one another and our environment

The last value in the list is the most important. Humans are fallible. They make mistakes and get things wrong. But if we can work on our relationships, and truly value one another then we are on the path to a better future. The darker the times, the greater the need for the light and warmth of kindness and care. As poverty increases so does the need for generosity.

Schools exist to make the future better, and the children of today make me optimistic about tomorrow. They are acquiring the knowledge, skills and values needed to solve our current problems and build a better future. I’m pleased that The Perse continues to play its part in human progress.

With best wishes, Ed Elliott

SENIOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS PERFORM THE BLOOD ON THE BANNISTERS, A NEW STUDENT WRITTEN PLAY BY ELIF CEKTIR (YEAR 12)

School News

SCULPTING SUCCESS for Perse student

War Child, a ceramic work by Nicholas Malasiotis (Upper Sixth) was selected from over 21,000 submissions to be included in the Royal Academy of Arts’ Young Artists’ Summer Show. His touching piece was inspired by photographs of children whose lives had been torn apart by war.

War Child depicts a boy that stares directly at the viewer with a blank expression, poignantly expressing the feelings of emptiness and hope that children feel in such dire situations.

Nicholas counts Magdalene Odundo and Henry Moore among his inspirations for the piece.

EXAM results

Perse Upper Sixth students achieved exceptional A level and Pre U results this year, despite the disruption of the pandemic. 84% of grades achieved were A*/A (or Pre U equivalent), a truly impressive set of results.

Head Ed Elliott commented that “the students and their teachers have shown great resilience and determination to keep learning, teaching and succeeding in difficult circumstances.” Congratulations to our most recent OPs, 48 of which achieved offers from Oxbridge.

Our Year 11 pupils put in a similarly impressive performance, with 93% of results being 9–7 (the equivalent of A*/A on the old system). 14 pupils achieved a grade 9 in all of their subjects and 54 achieved an 8 or a 9 in every exam.

Programme

Four bright young Perseans were chosen for a brand-new programme which brought together the cleverest minds of the younger generation to work on solutions to global issues. Emma Harris, Eduard Baroyan, Daniel Chen (all Upper Sixth) and Natalie Ronco (Lower Sixth) were given the chance to attend a 10-day Atlas Fellowship course in Silicon Valley, after a rigorous recruitment process. This included a written application filled with scientific and philosophical questions, followed by an online interview where students were asked to expand on their answers given in the written exam and tackle brand new, on-the-spot questions.

PERSE SECURES PERMISSION for new swimming pool

The Perse has been granted planning permission for a new swimming pool, sports hall, and climbing wall. These will benefit Perse pupils and the local community. The new facilities are set to feature a six-lane, 25-metre pool, and will hopefully open in 2024. It is hoped the facility will secure a BREEAM “excellent” accreditation for energy efficiency.

2022 ROUSE AWARD winners

Three students have won the Rouse Award school competition carried out in Lower Sixth for their independent research. Evelyn Marshall conducted a project examining how Charles V of France used visual culture to construct royal authority in Medieval Paris, Sophie Chiang carried out research on machine learning for table tennis match prediction, and Jemima Fung asked how biomimicry can be used in architecture to improve sustainability. The competition was judged by a panel of renowned academics, including OPs Dr Matthew Kenzie (2005) and Dr Alex Loktionov (2011).

PERSE RUNNER ranked top in the country

Isaac Rothwell (Upper Sixth) was ranked first nationally in his year group for the men’s 1,500m after achieving a personal best of 3min 47.85sec. Isaac was happy with this result and said it has given him confidence going into 2023, but he hopes to keep improving. Isaac also ranked eighth overall in the U20 category for the men’s 1,500m.

Celebrating at The Perse WOMEN

We invited six OPs from across the years to reflect on their experience at The Perse. They share anecdotes about their time at the School, their current plans, and what has changed since their time here.

I JOINED THE Perse Sixth Form in 1997 when the School was at the start of transitioning to being co-educational. Being only the third year of girls, we were definitely in the minority. As there were so few of us, I was mostly either the only or one of just two girls in all my lessons. For all intents and purposes, at this early stage, The Perse was a boys’ school with a few girls added in.

Even though girls were in the minority, I never felt like I was at a “boys’” school. The pastoral support for the girls was exceptional. The boys at the School were also very inclusive and looked to integrate me. They always accepted and included me.

I absolutely loved my time at The Perse. It helped shape me academically and socially. I felt encouraged to strive to do the best I could and work with groups of people with lots of different interests. The drama section and Combined Cadet Force (CCF) both developed my confidence, put me outside my comfort zone, and taught me about resilience.

After The Perse, I studied Economics at Durham University before taking on a role at a law firm. However, I did not enjoy the office setting. Chatting to a friend who was raving about her teacher training, I volunteered at a local school one afternoon a week. I have never looked back. A PGCE and six years teaching in a Cambridge state school later, the opportunity to return to The Perse to teach economics and maths came up in 2010. I remember visiting the School before I decided to apply and thinking it was so different in so many ways.

The most noticeable difference was that girls made up approximately half of the Sixth Form, and the facilities, opportunities, sports teams and so on for the girls were on par with the boys. I taught classes where girls are in the majority, girls sport fields up to seven or eight teams at a fixture, and the old informal name of The Perse “Boys” has long since gone. The same feelings of warmth, professionalism, kindness, and excellence were still there.

I very much hope that the original intake of girls helped the School to develop into the wonderful place it is today. I loved my time here as a pupil, and as a teacher, and to witness the change from a boys’ school in the mid-90s to the fully co-ed school it is today has been truly fantastic.

Longworth (2002)

I WAS LUCKY enough to attend The Perse from 2000 to 2002, with a small cohort of women – 11, I believe. The reality of being in this minority was entirely inconsequential, due to the mature and progressive attitudes of the teachers and pupils alike. I went on to complete an MSci in Chemistry at Imperial College, London before commissioning into the Army Air Corps and serving as a helicopter pilot, most recently with the UK Special Forces. The Perse gave me the opportunity to partake in the CCF on Monday afternoons, which undoubtedly shaped my aspirations for a military career. It was not just a great way to have spent a weekday afternoon, but importantly a very formative experience to have worked with my male friends as part of a team, whether on exercise in the field or practising drill in the Perse staff car park!

Tara Watts (1999)

Sigrid

...TO WITNESS THE CHANGE FROM A BOYS’ SCHOOL IN THE MID-90S TO THE FULLY CO-ED SCHOOL IT IS TODAY HAS BEEN TRULY FANTASTIC.

Harriet Holme (1999)

IN 1999, I left The Perse School for Girls and moved across to the Sixth Form at The Perse School, in only the second year to accept girls. Although we were quite a novelty, I remember the boys and staff being very welcoming, with lessons being much more fun than I was used to! I have particularly fond memories of Gail Hague teaching me chemistry.

After leaving school, I read Medicine at Trinity Hall, Cambridge and then moved to University College London for clinical medicine. I was a NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow, and specialised in paediatric oncology. After my PhD, I had some time out of training for my family. During this time, I became a registered nutritionist with the Association for Nutrition and set up an educational platform with website and podcast.

At the beginning of 2022, I founded a charity called PCD Research. Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare inherited lung condition that affects one in 7,500 people in the UK. At present PCD is managed by chest physiotherapy to try to prevent and slow lung function decline. There are no dedicated treatments for PCD. Instead, current management is borrowed from experience with people who have Cystic Fibrosis (CF). With my clinical and laboratory experience, I understand the funding challenges in the UK, particularly for research into rare diseases. I founded PCDReseach.org to raise the funds needed to support medical and scientific research aiming to cure PCD. We have established an independent, international scientific advisory board of experts to robustly ensure that the charity only funds the most scientifically promising research. Our aim is to make a significant difference to the lives of people who have PCD. We have already raised over £30,000 and have 16 people running in the London Landmarks Half Marathon next year, including five Old Perseans. We would always welcome any support if you fancy getting involved.

Going to The Perse gave me excellent preparation to get into Cambridge University, which was fundamental to my career options. The School had such an empowering attitude, which has stayed with me. I never felt inferior as a female, or that I couldn’t compete with the boys. Instead, it has been a foundation for my agility when faced with personal challenges.

THE SCHOOL HAD SUCH AN EMPOWERING ATTITUDE, WHICH HAS STAYED WITH ME.

Sophie Broadfield (2005)

I ATTENDED THE Perse from 2003 to 2005, joining the Sixth Form from a local all-girls school. It was a scary choice at the time, but I was ready for a change. Ostensibly, my reason for moving was so that I could study A level politics, but in hindsight I also wanted to leave the claustrophobic environment of an all-girls school.

The School definitely delivered. It was refreshing to study a narrower A level curriculum in more depth, and I enjoyed my subjects, but I also enjoyed joining a mixed school. Being one of 20 girls in a year group of 120 certainly overcame any previous shyness I’d had around boys! I have to say that I enjoyed the attention and thrived on “beating” the boys in my classes! Monday and Wednesday afternoons for CCF and sport gave us a break from study. The two years saw me grow in confidence a lot.

I have reflected following the “me too” movement on my experience at an historically boys’ school. It could have been a disaster, but the environment was very respectful and supportive of us new joiners. I realised that the boys were just as scared of me as I was of them and quickly made friends. I certainly benefited from building normal healthy relationships with the opposite sex before university. This was possibly more important to my personal growth than the academic progress I made.

I left The Perse to study History and Politics at Oxford and graduated in 2008 during the financial crash to join the graduate Civil Service Fast Stream. It was definitely the right decision for me and I have enjoyed roles in the Department for Education (bringing in free nursery education for disadvantaged two-year olds), the Treasury (negotiating devolution

to city mayors) and the Department for Environment (regulating water companies). Moreover, flexible working and a good maternity leave package supported me to reach the senior Civil Service at the same time as having Tom and Emily.

I am now Director of Sustainable Communities at Bath and North East Somerset Council which is a great opportunity for me to cut my teeth on genuine frontline service delivery, as well as to develop my leadership skills. My time at The Perse gave me the confidence to go for opportunities when they arise and the ability to work well with other people. I have had to operate in maledominated environments a reasonable amount as I have become more senior, but I do not necessarily find them intimidating. Or, when I do, I draw on my competitive streak to hold my own!

MY TIME AT THE PERSE GAVE ME THE CONFIDENCE TO GO FOR OPPORTUNITIES WHEN THEY ARISE, AND THE ABILITY TO WORK WELL WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

My first impression of The Perse was that my classmates were extremely bright and everyone was very friendly. I never felt uneasy or like I was being left behind. The boys struck me as smart and well-rounded, with many of them being multi-talented. Not only did they excel academically, but also pursued sports, music, and so on. Since I did all science subjects, I was one of only a few girls in my classes, providing me even more opportunity to make friends with the Perse boys. Despite their competitiveness amongst themselves, they were very kind and helpful to me.

I STUDIED at The Perse School between 2002 and 2004. While I was there, everyone called me Vicky and ever since that has been my “official” name. It has now been almost 20 years since I left school. When I joined the School was still boys-only before the Sixth Form and the number of male students in our year was significantly higher than female. Since I had only attended co-educational schools before then it was an interesting and exciting opportunity joining such a special community.

Overall I learnt a lot and had a fantastic time at the School. Due to the great support from my teachers and friends, I got offers from two medical schools, and went on to complete my undergraduate studies at the University of Sheffield. I worked in many different cities across the UK as part of my medical training before moving back to Hong Kong in 2015. I am currently an internal medicine physician in one of the public hospitals in Hong Kong. It has been a difficult time over the last few years during the Covid-19 pandemic. But one of the core tenets of The Perse “valuing one another and our environment”, keeps reminding me how I can do better in this challenging time.

Xinqian (Vicky) Huang (2004)

GROWING UP IN Cambridge in the 1990s and early 2000s, I was lucky enough to attend the two “Perse” schools: The Perse School for Girls and The Perse School. I was at the former between 1996 and 2003, before joining the latter for Sixth Form in 2003, leaving in 2005.

The School did not then have a large intake of girls in its Sixth Form. In my year, we had about 20 girls and 90 boys in total. The main reason why I decided to move to the “other” Perse was that I was keen to study A level politics, which was not offered by the girls’ school. I was also attracted by the excellent reputation of the history department.

I absolutely loved my years at The Perse, and I look back at them as some of my happiest school years. I was taught A level politics by Mr Elliott, and fondly remember his lessons, which usually involved some

heated political discussions! I also hugely enjoyed my A level history lessons with Mr Roberts, who was so enthusiastic about his subject and gave an excellent grounding for studying history at university.

In terms of how it felt to be one of a small number of girls in a boys’ school, overall it was a hugely positive experience. I think credit should be given to the boys for being so welcoming in circumstances where some of the new girls usurped their positions as top academic performers. There was a great deal of support for the girls which meant there was a smooth transition. There was absolutely no question that the girls would be treated in any way differently from the boys. In fact, the experience was so good that it came as a bit of a shock to be confronted by overt sexism after leaving school.

After Sixth Form, I went on to study Modern History at Oriel College, Oxford. After Oxford, I was keen to pursue a career as a barrister. I moved to London and completed the law conversion course before going to bar school. Following that, I practised for eight years as a barrister, specialising in matrimonial finance and divorce law, dealing with a wide range of cases and clients that kept me extremely busy! My first child, Cara, was born in 2019. Keen to balance work and family, after Cara was born I made a career move and started working for the Ministry of Justice, advising the government on divorce law policy. This has included working on recent significant statutory changes to the law on divorce. Having spent the earlier part of my career practising this area of the law, it has been a real privilege to be able to advise the Government on shaping the law of the future, which affects so many people during really difficult times in their lives. I now also have a son, Ralph, who was born in 2021. I remain living in London with my husband and two young children.

I think my experiences at The Perse have been absolutely instrumental both in my career and in other aspects of life. The School was enormously supportive of my application to Oxford, giving me help and encouragement when I needed it. The School was optimistic about what I could achieve, and gave me the confidence to pursue ambitious goals after I left. However, I think the key to what made The Perse so brilliant was that it was not one-dimensional. I remember Mr Elliott saying at an assembly that “you get out of life what you put into it”, which has always rung true to me because it applies across the board. Some of my closest friends are still those I met at school, and The Perse provided an amazing environment that fostered the importance not only of academic success, but also friendship and general happiness.

Rosa Abulafia (2005)

SOME OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS ARE STILL THOSE I MET AT SCHOOL, AND THE PERSE PROVIDED AN AMAZING ENVIRONMENT THAT FOSTERED THE IMPORTANCE NOT ONLY OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS, BUT ALSO FRIENDSHIP AND GENERAL HAPPINESS.

YOUR IMPACT 2021–22

THANK YOU to all of our generous donors and volunteers who have supported The Perse this year.

During the 2021–22 academic year, over 70 of you gave your time, knowledge and expertise to The Perse, volunteering to deliver lunchtime talks, help with careers events, and assist with school governance. Thanks to your generosity, there are 73 pupils here on a bursary who would have otherwise not been able to attend The Perse. As those of you who attended the School during the Direct Grant era and under the Assisted Places scheme know, these bursaries change lives:

Because I received a bursary, I was given the opportunity to play rugby, hockey, cricket and basketball, to learn classical guitar to a high level, and to flourish academically in my favourite subjects… My bursary opened up numerous doors for me and allowed me to develop into the individual of my choosing.

TOM, BURSARY RECIPIENT

We were also able to work with over 100 state schools this year as part of our outreach programme. From launching the inaugural Aristotelian Award for research, to reading groups, mock university interviews and science mentoring projects, your generosity has benefited pupils across Cambridge and further afield.

One on one supervision and mentoring is so valuable – there just isn’t the scope to do that in any other setting... For pupils to be able to explore and love science and to love learning is such a wonderful thing.

FEN DITTON PRIMARY SCHOOL (Science Mentoring)

THANK YOU for believing in and preserving the vision of Dr Perse. Together, we are giving fantastic opportunities to future generations who will make our world a better place.

WHAT WE’VE ACHIEVED TOGETHER

Bursaries: 48%

Buildings: 1% Outreach: 2%

Unrestricted: 45% Other: 4%

OPs: 55%

Current parents: 27% Past parents & Friends of The Perse: 11% Current/former staff 2% Other 5%

THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us this year. If you would like to get involved, please contact PerseADO@perse.co.uk.

DONOR LIST 2021–22

The generosity of all those who have made a donation to The Perse during the past academic year, both those listed in this report and those who prefer to remain anonyomous, is sincerely and deeply appreciated.

Donations are listed in alphabetical order by decade at the School.

Donors who have given to the School for 10+ consecutive years* Donors who are members of the 1615 Society1615

Class of 1940s

Mr M A J Anderson

Mr P T Armitstead*

Mr I G M Dalgleish*

Mr R T Few

Mr H R B Hills*

Major E G Lachlan

Mr P L Rothholz1615

Class of 1950s

Mr J W Ashman

Mr J C Boocock

Wing Commander E B Bywater*

Mr J W Charles*

Dr D C Cheng1615

Mr A S Crawford Mr S C Foster

Mr R G Gee1615

The late Mr C A Greenhill

Mr J D Greenhill1615

Mr J M Hammond*

Mr J W Henderson*

Mr M C Herring

Dr P G Jackson*

Mr M D Johnson*1615

Mr J M Kidd*1615

Mr R L Kidd

Mr R A Lanham*1615

Mr T C Laurie*

Mr I G Lyon

Mr R R Mansfield*1615

Mr P E Mills

The late Mr R A Neaves

The late Mr R C Norris*1615

The late Reverend Canon D W Owen*

Mr T S Palmer*

Sir Mark Potter1615

Mr & Mrs M J Powell*1615

Mr P J Scarlett*1615

Mr R L Shadbolt1615

Mr D E Sibson*1615

Mr R B Simmonds*

Mr T G Sweeney

Mr R J Wheatley*1615

The late Professor J A Zetter*1615

Class of 1960s

Mr D J Alexander*1615

Professor M R Andrew

Mr J S Andrews

The Reverend G A Barber*

Mr M J Beloe*1615

Mr G C J Bird

Mr J A Bishopp*1615

Dr J E Bradshaw*1615

Mr J J Brinsden*1615

Mr C M Byrom

Mr R A Camping

Professor R C Cheng*1615

Mr C D Chitty*

Professor J Clarke*1615 Dr A E Cook1615

Mr W O Cook1615

Mr R A Covill*

Mr D G Crawford*1615

Dr H M Davies1615

Mr G R Ditcham*

Mr R D Eastcott

Mr A J Eden

Mr D I Field*

Mr E E Gibbs* Mr R S Gould*1615

Mr J M Green*1615

Dr N Hamson Mr K J Hardingham* Mr M E Harper

The late Mr C P Harrison Mr W S Harrison Mr W G Hodges Mr J R Holy*1615

Mr M R Howarth

The late Dr P J Islip* Dr R W Jeffery Mr M J Lott* Mr R K Loukes1615

The late Mr P J Mahaffey

Dr P G Main* Dr R J Marsh Dr J T Marshall Dr M G Mason*1615

Professor J L Miller1615 Dr R F Mitchell* Mr J E Moss

Dr R Murphey Mr G Palmer*1615

Mr G A Palmer Mr A P Peel Mr R F Perkins Mr S J Perrin

Mr R J Pinney Mr M C Robinson Mr J H Sacks*1615

Mr G L Sanderson* Mr A Shaw Dr J Sills* Mr G A Sims Mr I W Slater

The Honorable R S Smith

Mr P J Smith* Dr M A Spencer*1615

Mr R F Squibbs

Mr S J Stanley1615

Mr R D Stearn*1615

Dr S M Stearn

Sir Quentin Thomas* Mr P E Thompson Mr R J Thomson1615

Mr R W Unwin* Mr G Waller* Mr C V Walne*

Professor A K Wensley

Professor Dr J K Wheatley Mr H J Wiseman Mr A C Wright1615

Class of 1970s

Mr C S Bell* Dr A P Bentley

Mr A J Brookes1615

Professor S E Buttrey

Mr R H Clarke1615

Mr S P Clemmow1615

Mr A C Cook*1615

Mr & Mrs A Cuthbert

Mr S V De Boo*1615

Mr A P Donoghue1615

Mr T R Empson

Captain Jeremy English1615

Mr D A Farndale

The late Mr R E FitzGerald

Dr A J France1615

Mr T C Freane

Mr B C Gill

Mr D R Greene

Mr J D Gunningham

Mr C P Hancock*1615

Dr W G Handley*1615

Mr P A Harlow1615

Mr D E Hart*1615

Mr M T Hawkins

The late Dr R C Hindmarsh

Mr A R Homer

Mr R W Hutt1615

Mr P J Johnson*1615

Mr B D Lanaghan1615

Mr G R A King*

Mr M H Massy1615

Mr K A McFarlane

Mr J N Meredith

Mr R I Morgan*1615

Professor D F Nixon Mr S W Pain*1615

Mr R D Partridge1615 Mr W M Pattison Dr H J Pearson1615

Mr C F Rushton*1615

Mr R D Russell*

The Reverend R C Smail In memory of Commander & Mrs K G Sumnall OBE 1615

Mr D J Thompson*1615

Mr W D Thompson

Mr J P Tunnicliffe*1615

Dr G D Wattles*1615

The Reverend Canon J Westwood* Mr J H Wilkinson Mr K C Yau

Class of 1980s

Mr A W Bligh

Mr N Brownlie Mr Y Chew* Mr J A Collins*1615

Dr L Drake Mr C Edwards* Mr A J Finch*1615

Dr A R Gande

Mr S M Groom1615

Mr I M Handley Schachler1615

Captain Philip Haslam1615 Dr M D Latimer

Mr M J Leake*1615

Mr J Lello*

Mr S A H Lello*

Mr A J Liddle

Professor S J Martin1615 Mr T R Matthews*

Mr M A Melford*

Dr F Moscuzza*

Mr J L Newman*1615

Mr M P Newman*

Mr O O Ojehomon1615

Mr J R Pedley1615

Mr P Peglar

Mr R B Peters

Mr K M Rees*

Dr D Richards

Mr S C Riley1615

Mr N A Tait

Mr M A Wilkinson1615 Dr S D Wright1615

Class of 1990s

Mr N K Amery*1615

Mr P D V Ashcroft

Mr S J Bright

Dr M W R Brittain

Mr P J Brotton*

Mr P J Butler*

Mr P C Cave-Gibbs*1615

Mr R E Challis* Mr S D L Clark

Professor G Csányi Dr R J Dunn1615 Mr G C Dymott1615 Mr T G Edgar1615

Mr M A Edwards Mr N J Elvidge Dr G A Evans

Mr A Farboud

Mr A Farboud

Mr D M Goodridge*1615

Mr L Green1615

Dr W K Hage* Mr M A Hawkes

Dr W B Henry* Mr A M Herriot1615

Dr A Kumar1615 Mr B P Lam Dr V I Lesk

Mr M R Lynn Mr V Mahindran1615 Dr J T Mawby Dr H K Miller

Mr A G Moir*1615

Mr T Morfett

Mr R N Oakeshott

Mr M J Oakman

Mr J R Odell*

Mr N D Owers

Mr A T Patman

Mr M R Peachey*1615

Mr A C Rabarts

Mr W F Reeve1615

Mr S J Sharp

Dr N G Shenker

Dr T Sivayokan*

Mr J Stobbs & Ms E Pettipher

Mr V Sujendran1615

Mrs A Sutherland

Mr J A Trevelyan Dr M J Whitaker*1615

Mr D L Young

Class of 2000s

Miss R A Abulafia Mr S D Andrews

Mr E J Aston

Mr A J Bagley

Mr J A Bell*

Mr S R Beresford

Miss G Brunt

Mr C O Carter

Mr N J Chilvers

Mr L D Clayton

Mr Q P Croft

Mr G E Dean

Mr & Mrs T Doble

Mr P J Dunn

Mr T R Eccles

Mr E H Fray

Mr B P Freedman*

Mr H A Grigg

Mr J W Hale

Mr A D Harris1615

Mr J M D Holden

Mr P R James Mr R P Jones1615

Mr S J Keen Dr M Kibalchenko Mr T J Latimer Mr J A Lester

Mr Y Li Mr Y Liu1615

Mr M C Loach Mr C J Lyon Mr D S Meese Grove

Mr A J Milne

Mr J E Nichols1615

Miss S E Nolasco

Mr P J Norton1615

Miss M Patel

Mr N D Paulson

Mr J Pearson

Miss C H Pettit

Mr O Pindar

Mr A Porter

Mr S X S Sio Dr S D Smart

Mr S F Smith

Mr M J Swan Dr R Tharakan Miss M L Wadham

Class of 2010s

Mr L M M Blackman

Mr B J Brown

Mr F M Brown

Mr K Chahwala

Mr D Chapman

Mr M H Du

Mr A Fanourakis

Mr O H Goldberg

Mr D B Graves

Miss R V Hague

Miss V J Holdom

Mr D J Jennings

Mr & Mrs C Kingstone1615

Miss H Knowles

Mr A J Miller

Mr P Miozzo

Dr A J North

Mr E Racher

Miss C I Richardson

Miss C E Taylor

Mr M J Thompson Miss I S Wadham

Class of 2020s

Mr J E Black

Miss C M Duncan

Miss H A Shakespeare

Parents and Friends of the School

Professor D & Professor A Abulafia*

Mr P & Dr C Alexander

Mrs K Alexander-Tatossian

Mr & Mrs C Alliott

Dr M Amatt

Miss C Atkins

Mr J Baek & Mrs Y Sonn

Mr & Mrs P Bagla

Mr X Bai & Mrs L Wang

Mr P D Baker

Mr & Mrs A Balfour

Mr G Ballhache & Ms R Xuereb

Mr S M Ball

Dr & Mrs T Bapiro

Mr J Barker & Dr C Hubbard1615

Professor R Beale & Ms E Hudson

Mr M Bedford

Dr H Bettinson

Mr X Bian & Mrs H Yee

Mrs S Black

Mr P & Professor R Blakesley

Miss E M Brain

Mr & Mrs N Brent1615

Mr & Mrs D Brigstocke

Mr & Mrs C Bristow

Mr W Brogan

Dr & Mrs D Brooks

Mr & Mrs M Brown

Mr A Burns

Mr & Mrs S Burson

Dr K Buse & Dr S Hawkes1615

Mr & Mrs J Butler

Dr W Cai & Mrs R Dong

Mr & Mrs P Carey

Dr R & Dr B Carr

Mr S Carnachan & Ms P Chan

Dr M Catley & Ms T Tshalibe

Mr & Mrs P Chakraborty

Mr & Mrs J E Chambers

Mr & Mrs R Chandraker

Ms E Charles

Mr & Mrs J Chatterjee

Dr G Chavali & Dr G Swaminathan

Mr C Chen & Mrs Y Ma

Mr X Cheng & Mrs Y Chen

Mr & Mrs S Chintala

Mr A & Dr L Clarke

Mr & Mrs P M Clarke*

Dr W M Connolley

Dr N Crockett & Dr J Greenwood

Dr S & Dr L Crosby

Mr & Mrs A Cross

Dr N Cumming & Mrs B Herdman

Dr & Mrs T J R Cutts

Professor J Danesh & Mrs Jacoby-Danesh

Dr & Mrs S Davies

Mr & Mrs S De Young

Mr & Mrs I Devereux

Mr E Dickens

Mr & Mrs S Dickinson

Mr & Mrs S Dixon

Mr & Mrs E M Downey

Mr N Dunphy & Ms J Latch

Mr & Mrs S Ede

Mr & Mrs H N Edmundson*1615

Mr & Mrs C Edwards

Mr E & Dr S Elliott*1615

Mrs J Ellis*

Mr S Endacott & Mrs S Bombe-Endacott

Mr & Mrs C Evans

Dr & Mrs O Fawehinmi

Mr & Mrs J Fisher

Dr & Mrs G Follows

Mr & Mrs T C Fryers1615

Mr A Furlano & Dr M Mazza

Mr & Mrs E Gibbes

Mr J Gibson

Mr & Mrs A Glinsman

Mr & Mrs S Goddard

Dr M Gilchrist & Dr K Schmitt

Mr M Gohel & Dr T Smith

Mr & Mrs A Gordon

Mrs S E Gordon Dr & Mrs A Grace*1615

Mr & Mrs J Graham

Mr & Mrs R W Greensitt*

Dr J & Dr E Griggs

Dr & Mrs M Guida

Mr & Mrs D Gwilt

Mr & Mrs T W Hague

Mr D Hall & Ms C Curley

Mr T Han & Mrs H Hua

Mr & Mrs E Hardy

Mr A & Dr J Hartree1615

Mr & Mrs P Haselden

Dr & Mrs T Hesketh*1615

Mr P & Dr S Hill Mr & Mrs S Hirtzel1615

Mr & Mrs D Hopes1615

Mrs R Howard

Mr & Mrs B Howarth Dr N Huang & Dr J Wang Dr C Hunt & Dr V Stephenson*1615

Mr C & Dr C Hunter

Mr & Mrs M Hutchinson

Mr I Ilieva & Dr T Milenkova

Mr C Ingram

Mr & Mrs D Ison1615

Mr & Mrs T Jackson

Mr & Mrs S Jeffreys

Dr N Jerram

Dr C Jon & Ms S Liu

Ms M Jones

Mr & Mrs T Joyce Dr and Mrs S Kanumilli

Dr P Ke & Dr L Liang

Professor R Kemp & Mrs R Rhodes-Kemp

Mr & Mrs R Kent

Mr S J Kern

Mr M & Dr K Kingstone1615

Mr T Kislov & Mrs T Larina

Dr T Kondel-Laws

Mr & Mrs O Kreiter

Mr W Lamb & Ms S Cheung

Mr & Mrs N Lancaster

Mr M Last & Ms J Kershaw1615

Mr & Mrs J Lawrence

Mr & Mrs A Lay

Mr & Mrs R Lewis

Mr & Mrs N Ley*

Mr N Lin & Ms W Shi

Dr & Mrs J Lindemann

Ms S Liu

Mr R & Dr A Lyon1615

Mr & Mrs D Macfarlane

Mr & Mrs I MacLeod

Mr S Manavski & Dr P Cecchini

Professor H Markus & Mrs P Hird1615

Mr & Mrs C Marinas

Mr & Mrs R Marshall

Mr & Mrs T Mawby

Mr & Mrs S McKechnie

Mr & Mrs A Meadows

Mr & Mrs S Monteith

Mr & Mrs B Moran

Mr J Newitt & Ms V Forwood

Mr R Nolasco & Ms L Arthur*1615

Dr P & Dr S North

Dr S Nowozin & Mrs J Gao

Mr D Ogutu

Mr & Mrs G Owen-Jones

Dr & Mrs C Palmer

Dr A & Dr S Papadopoulou

Dr J Park & Mrs J Choi

Dr N Peabody & Ms B Hare

Dr B Peng & Dr H Lu

Mr & Mrs P Perkins

Mr & Mrs G Picton-Turbervill

Mr & Mrs J Piper Mr S Podesta & Dr E Faraglia

Mr & Mrs G Pomeroy

Dr C Powell

Mr & Mrs A J Price Mr & Mrs P Prichard-Jones

Mr & Mrs G Proudfoot1615

Mr J Racher & Ms K Church

Mr & Mrs P Rainey*1615

Mr & Mrs K Ramsden

Mr & Mrs E Rayner

Dr & Mrs P Rayner1615

Mr S Reed & Mrs R Vasconcelos Reed

Miss R Reilly

Dr & Mrs N Richardson1615

Mr J Rickett & Ms E Traugott

Dr K & Dr A Rix

Mr A Robinson & Dr J Lockie

Dr J Robinson & Dr A George

Mr & Mrs J Robson

Mr & Mrs K Roeloffs

Dr P Rogerson

Mr & Mrs D Rosenwold1615

Mr A Rouse

Dr D Rowitch & Ms R Sorkin

Mrs K Sawtell

Dr & Mrs D Scally

Mr & Mrs J Scott

Dr K Seamon & Dr J Biddle1615

Mr & Mrs J Sepanski

Dr R & Dr S Sewell

Mrs A Shakespeare Dr D & Dr M Shrimpton

Mr S Siddharth & Mrs S Porob

Mr D & Dr S Sinclair

Mr D & Dr N Singh

Dr Y Singh & Dr R Gahlaut

Mr A Smith Mr M Smith

Mr R E Smith

Dr J Somner & Dr K Scott

Mr J Spence & Mrs M Cano Lantero1615

Mr & Mrs J Stalker

Dr S Stewart1615

Dr A Syed Rahimudeen & Mr S Sivasubramaniam

Dr & Mrs D Symes

Professor J & Dr M Taipale

Mr R Teng & Mrs Y Xu

Mr & Mrs J Thorpe Mrs L Tibbs*1615

Mr & Mrs N Tiley

Dr N Toff & Dr L Allen1615

Dr & Mrs I Tomlinson

Mr F Tong & Mrs R An

Mr J Travers & Ms J Zhou

Dr & Mrs J Tysome

Mr & Mrs B Van Spaendonck

Dr & Mrs A Velioti

Mr K Vijayakumar & Mrs R Rathinaswami

Mr & Mrs K Wang

Mr X Wang & Dr M Lin

Dr Y Wang & Mrs N Gong

Mr & Mrs O Westcott

Mr R White & Mrs F O’Brien

Mrs H Whiting1615

Mr & Mrs D Wilkinson1615

Mr R Williams

Mr Y Wong & Ms Z Dai

Mr & Mrs I Wright

Mrs K Wright*

Mr & Mrs R Yeoman1615

Mr & Mrs M Zeitlyn1615

Dr H Zhang & Dr J Wang

Dr Y Zhang & Mrs S Bian

Dr S & Dr A Zia Mrs C Ziwa

Organisations

Amazon Smile

Easy Fundraising

Fawcett Charity

Perse Prep Parents’ Association

Sixth Form Charities Committee TTP Group

and 28 anonymous donors

Dr Perse Society Members

The Dr Perse Society recognises those who have made provision for The Perse in their will.

Society

Mr W F Reeve

Mr J W Roberts

Professor J E Salzman

Mr R L Shadbolt Dr J A Sills

Mr J L Smart

Mr & Mrs A J Smith

Dr M A Spencer

Mrs S H Stobbs

Mr R G Thomson

Dr J C Thurman

Mr C V T Walne

Mr D T Ward

Dr A G Weeds

Mr R J Wheatley

Commander D G M Wilkie

Dr P M Williamson Mrs K Wright

and one anonymous member

Mr R D Partridge

Professor D M Potts

PERSPECTIVES

Negotiating the past: teaching and learning about the Holocaust

DANIEL ADAMSON (2014)

Daniel has recently completed his PhD at Durham University. Here, he tells us about his research, and how it led him to reflect on his time at The Perse.

What is Holocaust education for? Are current provisions enough?

These are the key questions at the heart of my PhD research. My research focuses on the different ways in which the complex British response to the Holocaust has been portrayed in educational settings. The crux of my thesis is that the relationship between Britain and the Holocaust has rarely been portrayed with adequate nuance, and that pressures on teaching time do not allow the topic the necessary space to be examined in meaningful depth.

As a Sixth Former, I became fascinated with the wider history of antisemitism. Encouraged by my Perse teachers, I pursued independent research on the Dreyfus affair (the 19th Century miscarriage of justice of a Jewish captain in the French Army, who was accused of treason). I studied History at the University of Cambridge where my undergraduate dissertation examined the relationship between Winston Churchill and the Holocaust: a connection which was marked by both action and apathy.

Following graduation in 2017, a year spent working as a history teacher in a secondary school sharpened my awareness of the debates surrounding Holocaust education. As I constructed schemes of work for pupils, it

became apparent that there were myriad opinions of how best to teach about the Holocaust, and genocide in general. Subsequently, a Master’s in History Education at University College London provided an ideal opportunity to unite these twin subject interests. I was able to conduct captivating fieldwork relating to genocide education, which included a survey of Perse teachers’ experiences. Transitioning to a PhD was an unmissable chance to feed my intellectual curiosity.

I cannot recall a specific incident of being taught about the Holocaust whilst a Perse student myself. However, I realise that my schooling took place in an environment with rich links to Jewish history. In 1904, Hillel House (now the Pelican building) was established as one of only four Jewish boarding houses ever to have existed at independent schools in Britain. It housed boys directly affected by the horrors of the Holocaust – none more so than Josef Behrmann (1939). Between 1941 and 1945, Behrmann passed through some 14 camps in mainland Europe, and later testified at the Nuremburg Trials of Nazi war criminals. Behrmann’s legacy lives on at The Perse in a collection of Holocaust books donated to the School library, and the annual Behrmann Lecture around Holocaust Memorial Day continues to gather momentum. Holocaust education is a delicate practice. I hope that my work will promote at least some debate about how best the task of teaching and learning about the Holocaust might be approached. My thesis suggests that reconciling any “detachment” between the history of Britain and that of the Holocaust is a poignant reminder that Nazi persecution did not affect mainland Europe alone. Tackling complex topics also guards against the entrenchment of simplistic interpretations of the past.

Shifting social sands, such as growths in contemporary antisemitism, alter the lens through which we look back on the Holocaust. It is my belief that educators – including those at The Perse – must seek ways of retaining the centrality of the Holocaust in the classroom, whilst also adapting their pedagogy to best address changing modern circumstances. A duty perhaps easier said than done…

Living and Working in Qatar

JAMES CAFFALL (2000)

James left The Perse in 2000, and studied at the University of Oxford. He now works for the Commercial Bank of Qatar. In this piece, he reflects on the move to such a different country, and on the impact of the 2022 FIFA World Cup preparation on Qatar.

Ijoined the Prep in 1989 and went all the way through to Sixth Form in 2000. After reading Geography at Oxford University (with help to get there from Ed Elliott), I ended up working in London. I moved to Qatar in September 2010 and three months later it was announced the country would host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. 12 years on, it has been remarkable to see the country transform itself in preparation.

I soon noticed after relocating that most people back home know little about the country. Common questions include: “Can women drive?”, “Can you drink alcohol?”, and “Do western women need to cover up?” The answers to these are yes, yes and no, but there is more to know about a country that many people will only take notice of for the first time this year.

Qatar is a tiny Gulf country, about half the size of Wales, with a local population only about twice that of Cambridge. It is ruled by an Amir and is very wealthy thanks to liquified natural gas exports, giving it the highest GDP per capita in the world.

I have found the stereotype of Arab hospitality to be true, although it is rare to be invited to a Qatari’s house. While this may seem like the product of a closed society, the reality is that family comes first in Qatari culture and most social time is spent with relatives. I have been

lucky enough to go to a number of Qatari majlises (male only meeting spaces that are separate to the main house) but my wife has been more successful at procuring invitations and even attended a number of weddings. I only have verbal reports on what these are like, as Qatari weddings are sex segregated, with separate male and female celebrations (often on different days) and mobile phone bans in force.

Qatar is the first Muslim and Arab country to host a World Cup. Critics think this is ridiculous as it does not have the same footballing heritage as, say, Europe. For Qatar, the World Cup is more about nation building than it is about staging football matches. The country has a “National Vision 2030”, which aims to create a more sustainable economy that is less reliant on hydrocarbon revenues. 2022 brought this deadline forward and the pace of development has been staggering. Since 2010, a new airport, a container port, an underground metro, a new city (Lusail – where the final will be played), hospitals, universities and massive infrastructure upgrades have all been built. This is all to create a country that can attract new people and businesses to facilitate a non-hydrocarbon future. The eight new stadiums are just the icing on the cake. Nation building from the World Cup also extends beyond the concrete. “Brand Britain” is so strong internationally in that people know quite a bit about us, whether through our history, arts, sports, TV, tourist attractions, politicians, or the Queen. Qatar does not have these things to the same extent. The World Cup is seen as important to strengthen a sense of national identity and to put the country on the global map. Increased international attention has been uncomfortable at times, however, especially regarding the mistreatment of migrant labourers.

2022 is undoubtedly a different World Cup, not least because it is in winter, all the stadiums are within 35 miles of the capital and alcohol is restricted to respect Islamic culture. Some people will embrace this difference and others will not. Regardless, the World Cup is a very big deal for a small country. And for Qataris, it is much more than just football.

Malcolm Morley (1988) was recently appointed as President of the British Veterinary Association Council for 2022–23. Malcolm joined the BVA in 2019, and his appointment follows his service as Junior Vice President for 2021–22.

Tess Howard (2017) made her return to international hockey when she represented England in this year’s Hockey Women’s World Cup, where she scored a goal in their match against Korea. Tess also played in the Commonwealth Games, and scored in the final as England won the gold medal. She has over 50 caps representing Team GB and England.

Michael Pepper (2016) won Essex Eagles, player of the year this year. He was in the top 10 runscorers in the T20 Blast. He also played with the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred tournament in the summer.

Ashwin Ranasinghe-de Silva (2021) released his first instrumental cinematicambient album titled Beyond New Domains (Part 1). The release is under his musical alias, svono_svono and can be found on Spotify.

Grant Glazebrook (1995), along with James Hacking (1994) and Simon Boyden (1995) recently took on the Lakes 3000 Challenge. For the Challenge, they had to complete a 54km trek non-stop whilst ascending over 12,500ft. Part of the journey involved scaling Scafell Pike, before navigating every peak of 300ft or greater in the Lake District –which they did in a time of 16.5 hours! They raised over £12,500 for Mind, a charity which provides for UK mental health services.

Alex Coles (2018) has been selected as a forward for the England Rugby squad for the autumn internationals by England coach Eddie Jones. He made his debut against Argentina in November. Coles has previously appeared in the England U20s squad and plays for the Northampton Saints.

Book Publications

David Yeandle (1973) has recently published the third instalment of his A Tale of Academic Intrigue series. A College for Sale follows the Master of Needham College, Cambridge, as he ponders the following question: Should he sell the college to an international hotel chain?

Alan Debus (1972) has recently published Kong, Godzilla and the Living Earth, which explores the meaning of Kong and Godzilla as planetary saviours – titanic protectors of a theoretical “living Earth” and how they respond to the hubris of the way mankind has treated that Earth.

Henry Miller (1996) has recently published two books. Dwoskino is a volume of photographs and essays about the celebrated filmmaker Stephen Dwoskin, for which Henry served as editor. The First True Hitchcock is an historical account of the making of Hitchcock’s The Lodger, which Henry argues is the film that made Hitchcock, Hitchcock.

Ed Walker (1994) was awarded an MBE in this year’s Jubilee Birthday Honours. His award was in recognition of his work as founder of the Peterborough-based homeless charity Hope into Action which provides housing for over 300 people.

The final instalment of Holly Race’s (2003) young adult fantasy trilogy, A Midnight Dark and Golden was recently released, completing the story of Fern and Ollie as they fight against Medraut. It has been described as the perfect end to the trilogy.

Peter Scupham’s (1951) final, posthumous collection of poems, Invitation to View, was recently released by Carcanet Press. The poems are framed around viewers to Scupham’s house long after he and his partner have departed it. You can read an obituary for Peter on page 20.

Roger FitzGerald (1977) has published Buildings of Kent, a book on architecture in Kent. It comes at the end of a long line of similar books including those on London, New York, and Britain more generally. An obituary for Roger can be found on page 21.

CAREERS WORKSH

Working as a Professional Interpreter

Marcus Broadbent (1975) left The Perse in 1968 to embark upon a long and highly distinguished career as an interpreter, working with famous figures like Jacques Chirac, John Howard, and even Nelson Mandela.

On 31 January this year, my professional career drew to an end and a new chapter began, during which I intend, amongst other things, to take a degree in Latin, learn basket weaving and write about my great-aunt who lived alone in Biafra in the 1930s. But I digress. I thought that, as I leave the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), where I have worked for the last 10 years as a staff interpreter, it might interest readers to hear about my rather circuitous path to becoming a conference interpreter. It might also be reassuring to learn that many, like myself, only find their professional path in their thirties.

When I was at school, careers guidance pamphlets always mentioned interpreting dismissively as a nonstarter. The only path for those who loved languages was teaching, or careers where languages were simply an additional feather in your cap. I left Sixth Form with A levels in German, French and English. I studied Linguistics, German and Chinese at York University, which included a year in Leipzig.

When I obtained my BA in 1979, I gained a British Council scholarship to continue my Chinese in Beijing. It was a very different country from today: no telephones, no internet, no coffee, nothing! Students shared rooms, hot water was available only once a

day, and there was a night-soil man who collected the manure every morning. However it was a fabulous experience and I made lifelong friends.

I then spent four years working as a ChineseEnglish translator in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Eventually, I began to miss Europe – though not so much the United Kingdom, because I was gay, and the 1970s and 80s were difficult decades in which to be gay and out. So, I came to France in 1985 with my partner, a Frenchman, and worked as a journalist for seven years. However, I always had the nagging desire to train as an interpreter. I applied to take the Parisbased ESIT interpreting course with Chinese and German, but was told I needed French.

Fed up with my job in photojournalism, I applied again to train as an interpreter, this time to ISIT, which offered evening classes in those days to mature students who were in full-time employment. By that time my Chinese was flagging but my French was fluent. I hadn’t used my German for years so had to double-down to improve my comprehension but, equally important for interpreters, get a full grip on German, Swiss and Austrian culture. Half of interpreting is about context. If you know nothing of the country, even if you think you understand the language, you will not be able to interpret what native speakers say.

So, the career I had always dreamed of began at the ripe old age of 37. Paris was the ideal location to work as an interpreter. Many international organisations are based here – the European Space Agency, UNESCO, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

France considers interpretation to be a hardearned skill and it is remunerated accordingly. The only hitch is that no country has chosen to regulate the profession as is done with others such as the legal profession, medicine or airline pilots. However, an international organisation, the Association Internationale des Interprètes de Conference (AIIC), which I joined, is a guarantee of high-quality interpretation for international organisations.

I worked as a freelancer for 18 years. It involved an enormous amount of travel, which was sometimes fun, sometimes not. Interpreting can be an extremely stressful job, particularly in politics or high-level international negotiations. I took six months off in 2004 to teach interpreting in Monterey, California, mainly so my husband could improve his English. It was wonderful to hang up my headset and rest my ears for a while.

Ten years ago, a staff interpreter post became vacant at the OECD and I applied. I got the job and found myself, at 55, with a salary for the first time in my life. An odd but liberating feeling. Overall, it has been a wonderful experience. The OECD is not good at showing off, but it is thanks to that organisation that recent global agreements are now forcing Airbnb,

Amazon and Facebook to pay tax where it is earned. Plus, thanks to their generosity, and in order to relieve some of the monotony of the work, I was able to learn Spanish, starting at the ripe old age of 56!

The world of conference interpreting that I have been fortunate enough to operate in is a very friendly, open-minded one. By definition interpreters are curious, eager to learn, open-minded and, importantly for me, gay-friendly. Most interpreters are women and many male interpreters are gay. I have no idea why, but that’s the way it is!

However, I have left, and “après moi, le deluge”. It has been a wonderful experience. I have been privy to fascinating negotiations (none of which I can reveal, of course), and my career has been punctuated by hilarious anecdotes. I was once locked in the lavatories of a French castle with the Princess of Nepal. Another time I was asked to interpret from Malay for the Sultan of Brunei at a Presidential lunch; the French President was not amused when I explained, red-faced, that the Palace Protocol Department had assumed the Sultan would speak English!

Although the UK has sadly left the EU, and so that door is closed to budding British interpreters, there are still numerous opportunities. Best languages to have? Well, English, obviously; French is very important; now Spanish, and perhaps Russian (still very much spoken in the UN system). Remember, very often one has a better chance of getting in and through the internationally recognised interpretation courses if you start as a mature student. You then already have some understanding of how the world works. I once heard a young student whom I was teaching interpret “Neanderthal” from German into English as “men from the Neander valley”. She had never heard of Neanderthals. I hope you have!

MARCUS WORKING IN HIS INTERPRETER’S BOOTH

Obituaries

We are saddened to report the deaths of the following OPs. Complete obituaries can be read on Alumnet.

of his teaching career as Head of English at the progressive St Christopher School in Letchworth Garden City, while at the same time pursuing his ambition to become a poet. His poetry, eventually amounting to 12 volumes, powerfully expresses his zest for life, linguistic wit, and consummate technical skill.

Peter was an intellectual free spirit, writing poetry striking for its originality, range of subject matter, and resonating music. With typically modest self-deprecation he described himself in “Amours de Voyage” as a “tame dilettante”, whereas he was indisputably a scrupulous and much-practised craftsman.

Peter Scupham (1951)

Ian Gordon (1958) writes: Peter Scupham (1933–2022), highly esteemed and much-loved English poet, died peacefully at his home in Norfolk on 11 June 2022. Although Peter’s memories of his time at The Perse immediately after the end of the Second World War were rather negative, he is on record as saying that it was at school that “poetry sang its way into my bones”. The School should be proud of having played a part in the education of so original and distinguished an alumnus.

After National Service, Peter went on to read English at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he found the teaching in the English faculty overly dismissive of the importance of enjoyment in reading literature. He particularly disliked the lectures of the acerbic OP literary critic F. R. Leavis (1913), and Leavis’ contempt for less well-known writers. Peter decided, nevertheless, to continue with his studies for an English degree, but by reading literature “in my own way.”

After graduation he went on to teach English as he thought it should be taught, spending most

Peter’s love of books was not, however, confined to writing them: it also encompassed making and selling them. In 1972 he co-founded the Mandeville Press with poet John Mole, specialising in handprinting contemporary poetry. When he retired from teaching 20 years later, he and his partner, Margaret Steward, purchased a semi-derelict Tudor manor house in South Burlingham, which they lovingly restored and where they annually put on Shakespeare plays in the garden. While doing this they also established the greatlyvalued, antiquarian bookselling business – Mermaid Books.

Peter Scupham’s rich and full life as poet, printer and antiquarian bookseller was one truly and humanely lived through a passion for books.

Charles Harrison (1967)

Bill Harrison (1968) writes: My brother Charles was just 14 months older than me and began his Perse education in the final year of the Prep in 1959.

He was a natural all-round sportsman but, as early as his school days, golf took priority. As a school boy, he won the Cambridgeshire Men’s County

Championship in 1966 whilst he was still the county junior champion. Despite his sporting pursuits, Charles was sufficiently academic to gain entry to Downing College, Cambridge, where he read Engineering in his first two years, specialising in Business Management in his final year. His business education set him up well for his career with Shell, following a short apprenticeship with BAC, working on the first Concorde prototype and winning their apprentice of the year award.

In 1971, he broke our family tradition by marrying young –to Sarah Ireland, a nurse and daughter of a school friend of my father. During their 50-plus years of marriage, Charles and Sarah had a son, Ben, in 1977, then twin sons, Tom and Mark, in 1980. Employment with Shell took them all over the world, finishing up in Calgary, where Charles was Vice-President of Shell Canada, and finally in Wellington, New Zealand, where he led Shell as President of Shell Antipodes. Retirement, which came in 2007, gave Charles the opportunity to serve the game of golf in various ways, from Chairman of the Golf Foundation, the national charity that introduces young people from all backgrounds to golf, to membership of seven committees (chairing two of them) at the Royal & Ancient, golf’s world-governing body based in St Andrews.

The current chairman of the Golf Foundation wrote in his tribute that Charles, as a natural leader, was very much a guiding light to the charity as chairman for seven years, and was an inspirational figure to the board and all their staff and volunteers. He described him as a highly intelligent, driven, yet warm-hearted man who offered insight, financial acumen and also considerable flair to the role of chairman, helping to secure future funding from core sponsors.

We in his family will certainly miss him. He was always a big hit with my children, as well as his five grandchildren and several descendants from his three siblings.

Charles had lived quite normally with an asymptomatic blood cancer, diagnosed eight years ago, but a massive heart attack on a cruise ship, followed by pneumonia in a Tenerife hospital, finally got the better of him. He was 73 years old and was cremated one day before his father, who had died two years earlier at the age of 104, having donated his remains to Cambridge University Medical Sciences.

A service of thanksgiving for Charles’ life took place near his home town of Woking on Friday 2 September 2022.

Nick Andrew (1966)

Tim Andrew (1969) writes: Nick Andrew joined the Prep in 1956. He was notable for his sharp intellect, great energy and lively, sometimes irreverent, wit. At the Upper, he continued to excel academically, seemingly without undue effort. He achieved A1, A1, A grades at A and S Levels in English, German and French, and it was little surprise when he won a scholarship to read English at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge.

Together with his academic achievements, Nick was a capable sportsman, an accomplished

flautist and guitarist, and a talented actor. His introduction to acting at The Perse led to appearances on stage outside school, notably in a professional production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons

After graduation, Nick spent two years at the University of York, undertaking research into 17th Century drama, which led to a commission to edit John Dryden’s All for Love. He then moved to an administrative post at the Open University (OU) where he spent 17 years and rose to be Deputy Planning Officer. In addition to his full-time administrative work, he was a part-time OU tutor for courses in drama and the 17th Century.

In 1989, Nick was appointed Registrar of South Bank Polytechnic (now London South Bank University). He stayed there for five years before moving to the University of Bradford as Registrar and Secretary, with overall responsibility for all administrative departments, legal affairs and a £25 million budget. Later, he was Deputy Principal at Bradford.

Nick remained at Bradford until he retired in 2007. He was typically energetic in retirement, pursuing longstanding enthusiasms for cycling, swimming, travel, and taking on numerous voluntary roles.

Nick faced his eventually fatal illness with fortitude and maintained a busy life to the end. He is survived by his widow Margaret, three children and four grandchildren.

Roger FitzGerald (1977)

James FitzGerald writes: Roger was born in February 1959 and was brought up on Almoners’ Avenue in Cambridge. From 1966 to 1977, he attended The Perse. He would later speak highly of his time at the School, noting his enjoyment of geography and art lessons in particular. Indeed, it is believed that, had he not gone on to become an architect, Roger would have chosen a career as a geography teacher.

In his time at The Perse, Roger was a keen artist, whose work drew high praise from his tutors. He was also an avid sportsman, playing rugby, hockey and football. He represented the School on the 1st XI cricket team, played as part of the 2nd XV rugby team, and was a member of the Perse Players.

Roger attended the Manchester School of Architecture after leaving The Perse, and completed his studies by writing a dissertation on the architecture of the famous courtyards of the Cambridge Colleges.

He then went on to work for ADP, an influential UK architecture firm responsible for many notable buildings. Those that Roger worked on whilst at ADP include the conversion of Oxford Castle from prison to hotel; the new visitor reception building at the Palace of Westminster; the innovative rebuilding of Riverhead Infants’ School, and notably

for residents of Cambridge, the King Street development of Christ’s College. This final project earned a prize for best new building in the city. From 2001, Roger served as chairman of ADP for 20 years before retiring in 2021, having spent nearly 40 years in total working for the firm and becoming its longest-serving employee.

In his spare time, Roger was a prolific painter. His paintings were given as gifts to family and friends, and many were auctioned for charities such as Cancer Research UK. Many of his architectural drawings and models received public exhibition in galleries including the Royal Academy, Somerset House, The Shard, RIBA, and more. Roger was also a published author, writing four books: Buildings of Britain (1995), Buildings of London (2016), Buildings of New York (2017), and Buildings of Kent (2022).

Roger and his family moved to Sevenoaks Kent, in 1994 and resided happily in a house he designed himself. He married Lynne and had two sons, myself and Will. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2021, Roger passed away on 6 July 2022. He was known by all to be a charming, inspiring and kindhearted man. He was quietly confident, calm, decisive and funny. Through his architecture he touched many lives, and he will be fondly remembered.

Mary Bedford

Julia Halbert writes: Mary was involved in many areas of school life. The form teacher of 3A, she cared for about 20 eight to nine-year-old boys in each of her 30 years of teaching. Her knowledge and understanding of every one of those boys was deep. She knew their strengths and what they found hard. She remembered all the things that had been going

on in their lives and she really cared for them. Whenever I meet an Old Persean who was at the Prep during Mary’s time here, they always comment on how much they enjoyed being taught by her.

Music was a very important part of Mary’s life at the Prep. She ran a choir for many years and I have very fond memories of helping her put on productions such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. She prepared carols with the choir at Christmas. For many years, she took a group of boys to the Robert Meyer Concerts for Children in London.

As a colleague, she was so supportive. When staff faced difficulties, whether professionally or in their private lives, she was always there to help us work out ways to overcome them. When I was nervously about to head off to Addenbrooke’s for an operation, she quietly handed me a pack of ‘Fresh Wipes’, whispering “I’ll be thinking of you, dear.” 36 years later, I still remember that simple act of kindness.

Mary was also the keeper of many tales of life at the Prep in “the old days.” I loved hearing these stories, such as how in the early days at the Trumpington Road site, staff had to help the farmer move cows out of the field in front of Leighton House so the boys could play football. She

moved with the times, however. We were delighted to welcome her back to school for events such as school productions, art exhibitions, and concerts, or for occasional staff reunions. She always commented on how wonderful the play, the artwork, the music, or the site were, with her lovely little smile and that twinkle in her eye.

Mary – we’ll miss you. Thank you for all you did for The Perse and for us.

David Owen (1950)

Penny Brassell writes: David William Owen was born in Hove in 1931. He went to school in Harpenden, briefly being evacuated to Swansea during the war, before transferring to Manchester Grammar School. In 1946, his father’s promotion to the post of Assistant Planning Officer for Huntingdonshire meant another move, and as the local grammar school in Huntingdon did not teach Classics, his parents (with the support of the County Education Officer) gained him a place at The Perse School in Cambridge.

To quote from David’s memoirs: “Cambridge was a revelation and I fell for it completely: the old colleges, the Backs, King’s College Chapel…. I especially loved to browse in the bookshops.”

At The Perse, he credits the English master Douglas Brown

for instilling in him a love of classical music; he also joined the Perse Players, and played Horatio alongside Sir Peter Hall’s Hamlet in 1949 during his final year.

Following two years of National Service, mainly served in Austria as part of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, he read Classics at Downing College Cambridge, graduating in 1955. He then studied for two years as a theological student in Lincoln, where he met his wife of over 60 years, Liz Allport. He was ordained deacon in Manchester Cathedral in December 1957, and priested the following year.

Initially serving at St Philip’s Salford as a curate, he married Liz in August 1959, and daughter Mary was born there in 1960. In 1961, he moved to Lincolnshire to become Priest-in-Charge of Harrowby in Grantham, where

Recent events

daughters Kate, Penny and Roz were born. In 1965, he moved to become Vicar of Messingham, where their fifth and youngest daughter, Clare, was born.

David became Vicar of the Spilsby group of parishes in 1970. Then, in 1977, he moved to St James’s Louth, where he would spend 15 years as Rector. In 1992, David became Rector of a team ministry looking after seven parishes in Grendon Underwood in Buckinghamshire, at which time he also joined the Franciscans as a Tertiary. He retired at 66, moving to Stephen Road in Headington.

David leaves behind his wife Liz, his five daughters, nine grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren, nearly all of whom were able to be with him for his 90th birthday celebrations in November 2021.

We remember

Brian S Adams (1950) Died 2022, aged 89 years

Oscar Cubitt (2018) Died 18 May 2022, aged 21 years

John T Davies (1962) Died 1 February 2021, aged 76 years

John N Farrow (1959) Died 6 February 2022, aged 81 years

Cecil A Greenhill (1954) Died 14 May 2022, aged 86 years

Adrian D Stark (1948) Died 28 January 2022, aged 90 years

CLASS OF 1990S REUNION DINNER

The Class of 1990s reunion dinner was held at The Perse Upper School in October. OPs who left the School in the 1990s gathered together for a drinks reception in the Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre before enjoying a delicious meal in the Barry Room. They were joined by their former peers and old members of staff from their time at the School.

Getting involved

We are always delighted to welcome OPs back to The Perse to help with our careers programme, or to deliver a lunchtime talk to pupils as part of our 42 Society lecture series. If you would like to find out more about ways to get involved, please contact PerseADO@perse.co.uk.

Dates for Your Diary

Old Persean Sports Festival

Saturday 25 March 2023

The Perse Upper School

Class of 2011–15 Reunion Dinner

Saturday 29 April 2023

The Perse Upper School

Half Century Club Lunch 2023

Saturday 27 May 2023

The Perse Upper School

Please visit perse.co.uk/alumni/events or contact the Alumni & Development Office by telephone on +44(0)1223 403808, or email perseADO@perse.co.uk

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Staying in touch

Old Perseans and Friends

@OldPerseans

Old Perseans

Alumnet

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