INTERVIEW
SCHOOL MEMORIES
HARRY SIDEBOTTOM
The bestselling novelist, historian and tutor at St Benet’s Hall, Oxford reminisces about his King’s Ely Cambridgeshire school days Your school in three words? Cathedral, smalltown, Fens.
Harry enjoyed his fair share of detentions for trips to the bookmakers
Who was your best friend? I made several lifelong friends. Although I knew my best friend, Jack Ringer, before we arrived. Both our fathers were Newmarket trainers. Jack followed them into horse racing. I took a different path.
Did you win any prizes? Only one – a fountain pen for the most improved handwriting. Given that I still write with an indecipherable scrawl, I presumably couldn’t write at all before that.
Childhood ambitions? I had four: to be a novelist, to be an Oxford Don, to be an actor, and to play international rugby. Two out of four ain’t bad, as Meatloaf almost sang. The only person I know who has successfully nailed the latter two is Javier Bardem. Your most embarrassing moment at school? Getting caught coming out of the bookmakers on the market square. It happened more than once. Let’s talk about school dinners… worthy of a Michelin star? As I have no recollection of the food, it can’t have been too bad. However, I do remember having to write an essay on manners. It started with, ‘It is not good manners to shout down the table “more spuds, no custard”’. A mantra for life. Favourite place to hang out? Secluded spots in Cherry Hill Park and the Stagecoach Café for meeting girls.
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All-star sports captain or outside field lingerer? I played rugby and tennis for the school. But it was a small school then, and not that hard to get into the teams. King’s has superb playing fields and that gave me a love of sport.
Harry (middle of back row) in his King’s days
Did you have a favourite teacher at King’s? My favourite teacher was Mark Wilkinson, who had the misfortune of trying to teach us geography. He impressed me enormously. When my sons went to King’s, I was amazed and delighted that
DESPITE THE SOLITARY (AND ULTIMATELY SELFISH) life and pursuits
of a novelist, I still see myself as a team player. THAT SELF-IMAGE, HOWEVER, CAN WEAR A LITTLE THIN
Teacher’s pet or always in the detention room? Some teachers seemed to like me. The headmaster was very supportive, writing glowing reports for mathematics; a subject at which I was terrible. I suspect he might have confused me with Sillitoe, the boy alphabetically next to me. There was quite a bit of detention (usually because of the bookmakers).
independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2021
Are you more of a lone wolf or a team player? Despite the solitary (and ultimately selfish) life and pursuits of a novelist, I still see myself as a team player. That self-image, however, can wear a little thin in interminable academic meetings. My colleagues at Oxford may well have a different view of me. Harry’s new novel, The Return, is out now
Mark (still seems odd to call Mr Wilkinson that!) was still there, coaching rowing. What advice would you offer your school-age self? Don`t shout “more spuds, no custard” at the table. How would your teachers describe you? As being insufferable, I imagine.
