Old Millhillians President 2021-2022

At the age of 70, the new President of the Old Millhillians Club, John Gallagher (Ridgeway 1963-1969) takes a trip down memory lane. He shares his story of how he came to be at MHS, what the school and the Club meant and mean to him and gives a few thoughts on his impending Presidency a number of boys long before I went to the school. This was in part because my parents used to invite boys round for tea on Sunday. I was able to tell Henry Goldsmith (Collinson 1954-1958) recently that I recalled meeting him in about 1957!. Possibly the fact that I had a sister seven years older than I was accounted for the likes of Mike Petersen (Murray 1955-1960) being a regular visitor to our home. Who knows? It was all a long time ago, and I have forgotten, as the old lag said to the Judge.

My father Willy Gallagher (MHS 19541970), after time in the Indian Civil Service, the Colonial Office, and a brief period in banking, came to Mill Hill in 1954. Initially, he joined the common room for one term to teach Classics until John Wait arrived at the end of the cricket season, intending then to move on to Cheltenham College to restart the teaching of Greek there. At the end of the term, Roy Moore asked him to stay, which he did, until 1970, during which time he introduced the teaching of Economics, as well as his famous League of Gentlemen 4th XI cricket.

Thus, it was that in 1955, as a child of four, and along with the rest of my family, I moved to live in Shenley Cottage on the High Street. Being the son of a master meant that I grew up knowing

From 1959 to 1963 I was a day boy at Belmont, and enjoyed every minute of it. Chris Thornton (Murray 1961-1967), who sadly died recently, Tim Bunyard (Burton Bank 1963-1968), alas also no longer with us, Paul Winter (Murray 19611967), and David Kenning (Ridgeway 1964-1969) became lifelong friends. For the holidays, the likes of Ian Turnbull (Murray 1964-1969) whose father Tony Turnbull was also a Master at MHS and his brothers and I, had the run of the school grounds to play in. Almost our own estate!

My father had originally intended to send me to Winchester, out of regard for his old Headmaster, whom he revered. Thank goodness he had a change of mind, and I entered Ridgeway House as a boarder in 1963, and left the school in 1969. During my time there I played for the 1st XV rugby, for two years, alongside the legendary John Hume (Weymouth 19631968), Ian Turnbull, Simon Nightingale (School 1963-1968) and others; the 2nd XI cricket, and the boxing, squash, and athletic teams. I was useless at hockey! I played for the chess team, sang in the choir, and was a Colour Sergeant in the CCF. The school was smaller in those days, and if you did one sport you tended to have to do several other ones. I was a monitor, and in the Classical VIth, where I won the Classics Prize in 1966. In due course I went to King’s College London, where I read Classics, and was the Mason Scholar. Also reading Classics there was Olly Mundy (Murray 1964-1968). I graduated in 1972, BA in Classics and AKC in Theology. I then read for the Bar and was called by Gray’s Inn in 1974.

At the school I formed further lasting friendships with Graham Myers (Ridgeway 1963-1968), Richard Llewellyn (Collinson 1962-1966), Paul Glover (Ridgeway 1963-1968), Tom Gabriel (Murray 1962-1967), and others, some already mentioned. The 1960s were a time of great change, with the public school system gradually trying to modernise itself, and to come to terms with the ‘white hot heat of technology’. Fagging was abolished after I had done my year of it, and I was able some years later to embarrass Guy GodwinGill (Ridgeway 1960-1965), who was mother’s side, a family who were one of the earliest at the school. Later, my youngest son, Rory, was at Mill Hill, whilst my oldest, William, when available, played for the OMs at rugby for about 14 years, as did my middle son Alex, though for a shorter period of time. So, whilst not in the league of some of the ancient families of Mill Hill, I can claim a connection over several generations. lecturing me in law, by announcing to all and sundry that I used to clean his rugby boots! Boxing was abandoned by the public schools after my third year; tail coats ceased to be worn by monitors in my last year, and corporal punishment inflicted by one boy on another was effectively abolished. At King’s I bumped into Nick Mayhew (Ridgeway 19611966), and reminded him that he had given me six of the best! I think he was more upset than I was.

(Ridgeway 1961-1964) was full back, and I think he got knocked out. He was always getting knocked out. We got thrashed! But for all that it was a great start.

The younger of my two sisters, married an Old Millhillian, Martin Spettigue (Burton Bank 1951-1956), who was at Belmont in the 1940s. My older sister’s husband was a Pierce Powell on his

My first experience of the OMs club was playing for the A XV at rugby, in the Christmas holidays in 1968, along with Ian Turnbull, whilst we were both still at school. I remember the match, which was against the Old Whitgiftians, pretty well. It was at their ground which was shaped like a saucer, and their club was particularly strong that year. Richard Milnes (Ridgeway 1956-1960) was our out half; Ian and Ray Dunsbier (Collinson 1952-1956) were the centres, I was on one wing, and that nicest of OMs, Tommy Oxenham on the other. Who was scrum half? Bob Hudgell (Winterstoke 19541959) Rodney Cook (Scrutton 1951-1955) and Jimmy Needham (Weymouth 19521955) were in the front row as was Ronnie Cohn (Weymouth 1959-1963) the other prop?) and Claude Jarman (Collinson 1949-1953) was in the second row, with some other largish gentleman who clearly had a fear of heights because he did not jump all afternoon! I think Paul Furness

The summer before I went up to university was spent playing cricket with the OMs 2nd X1, in what was one of the happiest and most successful teams for whom I have played; and I am still playing! Under the inspired captaincy of Ronnie Boon (Murray 1954-1960), who scored shed loads of runs, and with veterans like Nod Saunders, David Smith (Ridgeway 1930-1935),

Mick Catesby (School 1928-1933), Robert Harley (Murray 1945-1950), Ray Weavers (1932-1937), and Eric Harvey (Scrutton 1946-1951) to provide experience, and recent leavers such as Ian Turnbull (Murray 1964-1969), Peter Mills (Winterstoke 1963-1968), Geoff

Boardman (Scrutton 1964-1968), Docker Neate (Scrutton 1963-1968) and myself, to add enthusiasm, we beat just about everyone we played.

Although Martyn Thomas infamously did go into the club house at Headstone Lane on one occasion and stop the clock, to ensure that we got a couple of extra overs in which to score the winning runs. I also did a stint as Team Secretary of the OMCC.

Whilst at university I played for two seasons for OMRFC, enduring or enjoying a memorable Easter tour in 1970 when I was sent off against Taunton (the subsequent disciplinary committee hearing was the only occasion when my name could have entered the mind of the Chairman of the English selectors, as he was also on that committee) and scored the only tries of the tour against Torquay and Bridgewater. That year we won the Hendon 7s, and as the reserve, I was lucky enough to play in the final when Ronnie Boon departed early to catch a train to Wales. I recall Francis Mann (Murray 1959-1964), Nigel Wray (Ridgeway 1961-1966), and Barney Micklem (Weymouth 1962-1966) being in the team, but being a back I have no idea who the forwards were. A few years later I had a further two seasons, with my final game being against the Wasps, marking the then leading try scorer in first class rugby. We lost 9-8. Our fixture list was very different in those days; we played Saracens, Wasps, Northampton, Rosslyn Park, Old Belvedere, Glamorgan Wanderers, Manchester, Esher, and London Irish (we were their oldest opponents), to name a few.

Throughout my career at the Bar, time and again I have encountered fellow OMs, as barristers, solicitors, judges and the like; and, on one notable occasion, as a solicitor, standing in the dock! He can remain nameless. My pupillage was effectively organised by the OMs network, when I went to the chambers of Esyr (Ridgeway 1939-1944) and Michael Lewis (Ridgeway 1943-1948). My later head of chambers was the brother-in-law of the late Rhodri Watkins (Ridgeway 1963-1968).

What then does the Old Millhillians Club mean to me? It has been a source of real and lasting friendships and fellowship. It has given me opportunities that I never expected. When as a newly called and newly married barrister, and feeling penniless, I looked for some part time work, I approached a private law school in the Temple, of which there were a number in the 1970s. The Registrar told me that they had no need for further lecturers, and so I turned to leave. At that moment the owner of the establishment arrived; he was a wonderfully eccentric character called Basil Webb, and seeing my OMs tie, immediately announced that ‘work had to be found for a young OM’.And it was. At Clive Weber’s (Ridgeway 1965-1969) well-organised OM lawyers’ annual event, I have maintained contact with countless OMs in the Law. Over the years I have bumped into the likes of Bruce Coleman (Weymouth 1963-1968), Michael Heywood (Winterstoke 1963-1968), Graham Harris (Winterstoke 1965-1969), John Parker, James Mason (Murray 1961-1966), Richard Atchley (Collinson 1967-1971), George Heimler (Murray 1965-1970), and Chris Butcher (Murray 1961-1967), again to name just a few.

I loved my five years as Chairman of the OMRFC, plugging the gap between the legendary Doc Webster (Burton Bank 1953-1958), who really was irreplaceable, and the ebullient Nashy, Ben Nash (Priestley 1986-1990). As Chairman, I was able to see first-hand the commitment of the likes of Oli Avent (Priestley 2008-2013), Greg Walsh (Cedars 2005-2010), John Tucker, Nick Coburn, James Roycroft-Davis (Murray 2007-2012), Phil Hadji (Murray 19961999) who have ensured that the rugby club preserves the spirit of yesteryear, whilst building its own present and future. Do get down to Headstone Lane if you can during the forthcoming season; the team love support from the touchline. I have enjoyed many OM organised dinners and lunches, and have valued the dedication that the likes of John Watkiss (Collinson 1950-1955), Andy Mortimer (Burton Bank 1957-1961),

Ronny Cohn (Weymouth 1959-1963), Alan Toulson (Weymouth 1955-1960), Tommy Oxenham (1954-1959), Gerry Westoby (Ridgeway 1956-1961), Mike Leon (Winterstoke 1953-1957), Peter Wakeham (Burton Bank 1960-1964) and many, many others have shown to the club. There are names that spring to club’s motto; ‘Non nobis..,’ and have provided inspiration to those who follow. There is, as you will all have gathered, a long list of OMs who have given, and continue to give, meritorious service to the club and make it what it is. I am hugely honoured to be the President for 2021-22; I very much hope to renew old friendships and build new ones. If I was asked for a strap-line, I think it would be one word; ‘Service’, with an emphasis on people.

As I write this on a Spring morning in April, more and more eulogies are coming in about the lately deceased HRH Prince Philip, almost all which refer to a life of service well spent. What a good way to be celebrated and remembered. In 2022 MHS and the OMC will celebrate the unique contribution made to the school by its most famous Headmaster, Sir John mind as I write, John Elliott (1950-1955), Francis Mann (Murray 1959-1964), Richard Llewellyn (Collinson 1962-1966), Ronnie Boon (Murray 1954-1960), Stewart Wernham (Collinson 19741979), Dick Lidwell (Murray 1959-1964), Nigel Baker (Burton Bank 1955-1961); the list is really endless and in one sense it is invidious to name names, because I know that I will have missed worthy ones out. All these have given years of time and effort to the club very often at considerable personal sacrifice, and almost always for no reward, save that of knowing that they have served the club and school. They have in a very real sense complied with and lived up to our

McClure, who died in office in 1922. It is probably no exaggeration to say that McClure of Mill Hill gave his life to and in service of Mill Hill. In these times as we emerge hopefully from the Covid-19 epidemic, service and the desire to serve are vital commodities. It is likely that I will stay within the UK during my year with the emphasis on restoring and strengthening our fellowship here, and in seeing a return to business as normal.

I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the various events, dinners and the like to be held throughout the year. Whether I cleaned your rugby boots, went three rounds in the boxing ring with you, bowled or was bowled by you, fought in the mud of Top Field, or worse Gears, rest assured time always improves memory!