The Housemasters Voice 1971-2021 Chris Kelly 1986-89

Chris McKay 2018 – present

I first heard of Mill Hill School and subsequently McClure House in December 1972. I was sitting on the reserves bench for the South East England Schools Ruby and the coach of the team was David Franklin (MHS 1959-1988), a Mill Hill teacher and McClure’s founding Housemaster, who was in his first year at the school. Some years later, when the McClure House Tutor, John Vachec, was about to leave for pastures new Franklin recommended me for the position. I was interviewed in the Easter holidays by the Alastair Graham (MHS Headmaster 1979-1992) and he offered me the job as house tutor. I also took on the roles of assistant careers master, economics teacheralongside Robert Clarke - and rugby team coach. It’s fair to say that my appointment to Mill Hill in 1981 was entirely through my rugby connections and it played a big part in my time at Mill Hill. As assistant coach I was involved in on our first big tour to Australia in 1983 at Newington College (the first team to play rugby union in Australia) who we had hosted the previous year. By 1981 I had stopped playing rugby through injury at which point I became Master in charge of rugby, later helping to found the rugby social club.

I visited the school in the summer term before joining and attended a McClure House assembly. The McClure Housemaster at the time was the geography master Alan Prosser Harries (McClure 1977-1986), a well-known and distinguished rugby player who’d played for Harlequins. I was still playing for Harlequins at the time so the connection there was already strong. McClure was on the ground floor of the sixth form centre under Murray - one of only two other day house at the time - and was still relatively new. It was mainly boys as there weren’t many girls in the school - perhaps around thirty in total - and they were limited to the sixth form. The facilities were very good but it had been designed for 50 pupils but the houses had 100 kids apiece so were fit to bursting. It also made for a lot of report writing!

I was very impressed by the relaxed manner in Prosser Harris ran the house. The House Prefects - known - as school staff - were incredibly involved in the day-to-day running of the it, taking daily registration and organising house events and house teams. We would meet for our catchup meeting every Thursday lunchtime in a cubby-hole above the kitchens! The ‘house staff’ were also very much in charge of the younger pupils and showed them the way through. The vertical integration of the house system at the time was to my mind invaluable.

House rugby was a big deal and fiercely competitive. Collinson House run by Biology master Trevor Chilton at the time and McClure had both made it into the finals! Collinson had half the 1st XV in their side and were the clear favourites. Somehow and I’m not sure how, McClure, led by Jason Swakey (McClure 1981-1985), to everyone’s amazement won! From memory Ben Hartman (house dates) kicked the winning points. McClure played like men possessed and it illustrated how much the House meant to the pupils at the time. It really was everything.

To my surprise, Alistair Graham asked me to take over as Housemaster of McClure in 1986 from Prosser-Harries. I took over in Sept of that year not long afterwards in December 1990 became Director of Admissions/Registrar. Sadly, I had to give up my two passions of rugby and my job as McClure’s Housemaster. I recently met with McClure’s founding housemaster, David Franklin for lunch, who also has fond memories of his time as housemaster. He told me how he had been instrumental in deciding the name for the house after much debate at the school. He felt strongly that as Sir John McClure had been the most distinguished Mill Hill Headmaster

Old McClurian colourful characters as remembered

by Chris Kelly

Charlie Balcombe (McClure 1977-1982) was Head of House and a real leading light: he was an unusually enthusiastic, whole-hearted character who has since been my dentist for the last 30 years succeeding his father Nigel. Alongside, in support was Graham Scott (McClure 19761982), who could always be relied on to be well organised, and quietly get on with all the administration.

Paul Robin (McClure 1976-1982) was a great games player and a brilliant cricketer who has become a great friend and who, until recently, was the Chief Exec of the Lords Taverners. His good friend was Jonathan Wall (McClure 1977-1982) who ran the Chemists in Mill Hill High Street. Dominic Eglinton (McClure 1977-1983) is now my osteopath and he has kept me alive and kicking from my rugby injuries. His father was the School’s House doctor.

Phillip Keller (McClure 1978-1983), - Richard Keller’s* (House dates) son - who succeeded Charlie Balcombe as head of house. He was mad on rugby, was captain of the first XV, and became senior monitor, and after my prodding went to Hatfield College and then Durham University. Much later, after a successful financial career, he is now back at Durham doing a part-time music degree becoming a distinguished amateur conductor, following in the footsteps of other OMs such as Ben Glassberg (McClure 2007-2012).

* Every Saturday afternoon Prosser Harris played tennis on the Keller’s private tennis court in Wills Grove!

ever he should be honoured. After all, the first day boy house Murray, was named after a distinguished OM Sir James Murraythe lexicographer responsible for first Oxford English dictionary - and so it seemed an appropriate example to follow. Well, that’s the end of my personal and very happy memories of my time in McClure House. I recognise that the school is now a very different place.

Andy Froomberg (McClure 1977-1983) – Keller and he were best mates - also played rugby at Durham. I persuaded him to do general arts and he went on to become a successful businessman in America. I met him in New York 24 months ago for dinner. When I was President of the RFU in invited as my guest both Phillip and Andy to attend one of the London international matches.

David Mercer (McClure 1984-1989) was a great thespian and professional entertainer in his time at school, as well as being co-head of house.

John Morgan (McClure 1983-1987), was head of house and very much his own man. He had a tremendous sense of pastoral care: I can picture him to this day always in a threepiece-suit with a group of fourth formers sitting at his feet. He was also keen on rugby and a prop forward: his parents, Ron and Ros, were leading lights in the social club.

Lia Rapaccioli (McClure 1983-1985), and her youngest brother, Michael (McClure 1981-1986) - a delightful young man and from a lovely family also stands out in my mind.

Tanika Gupta (McClure 1980-1982), became a successful playwright and her younger brother Teertha Gupta (McClure 1980-1985) is a successful barrister and was also a notable rugby player.

Sarah Samuels (1985-1987), daughter of Ronnie Samuels (Winterstoke 1943-1948) who was at St Bees rather than Mill Hill during the war.

Sarah Ferryman (McClure 1986-1987) - Arthur Ferryman’s daughter a bright girl who went on to sing opera.