FAREWELLS
Here is a photograph of James as captain of the 1959-60 Football XI:
James McLaren 13th February 1942 – 31st March 2020 Former Staff – 1971 to 2002 James was born to Neil and Ruth McLaren on the 13th February 1942, the youngest of four children, to join Robin and his twin sisters, Sanda and Ailsa. The family lived at the time in 4 Roughdown Villas in Boxmoor, Hertfordshire before moving in 1945 to Box Lane House, which was a large rambling Victorian house set in four and a half acres on the site of Boxmoor Hall that had been previously destroyed by fire. All the children had bicycles and devised some hair-raising games in the extensive gardens, such as ‘The Land of No Brakes’ and ‘The Land of Near Miss’. The lawns at the house were so large that they were used every year for the church fête – an event referred to by the parents as ‘the fête worse than death’. In 1946 Robin went away to a boarding prep school, Swanbourne House, about thirty miles away in North Buckinghamshire. His cousin Malcolm joined the school, followed by James, and they were collectively known as McLaren I, McLaren II and McLaren III. In September 1955 James moved to Bradfield College entering into H House – The Close – Mr Young being the Housemaster. The January 1961 Bradfield College Chronicle lists his achievements: House Prefect May 1959, School Prefect Sept. 1959, Senior Prefect Sept. 1960; 1st XI Football 1958-60 (Capt. 1959-60), Public Schools XI 1960-61; 1st XI Hockey 1958-60 (Capt. 1960); 2nd XI Cricket 1958-60 (Capt. 1960); Fives Team 1960; Ami de Molière; Halstead Declamation Prize 1959; Food Committee (Hon. Sec.); Games Committee; J.U.O. [Junior Under Officer] in C.C.F.
In his final term, Michaelmas 1960, he took part in the Sixth Form Speeches on the morning of Saturday 26th November, just before he played in the Old Bradfieldians match in the afternoon.
The report in the Chronicle reads: ‘For the last item, from McLaren, we welcomed the Head of School and the Captain of Football, who, on the morning of the match against the Old Boys, still found time for a considerable extract from Tennyson’s Lotus Eaters. Under the circumstances, it seems almost churlish to suggest that prose rather than poetry might have been more suitable. There is, however, a wholesome cheerfulness about his voice and personality which kept on breaking in and preventing the audience from being lulled into a mood properly receptive of Tennysonian melancholy.’ James also wrote in his final Head of House report in The Close House Book: ‘In conclusion, after 16 terms in the Close, and after many major and minor changes, I would like to remind you all that, although we have our successes and failures, the community life within the House will always remain and it is the way in which the individual contributes to this life that is so valuable.’ That parting sentiment would become apparent in the future when James became housemaster of The Orchard at Repton twenty-six years later. With so much going on at school it would seem that James would have little time for anything else. However, later on, he did often boast about having dated the future film star and actress, Jacqueline Bisset, daughter of a local doctor in Tilehurst, near Reading, while he was at Bradfield. For those who do not recognize her name, she acted opposite Steve McQueen in the 1968 film ‘Bullitt’, famous for its stunning car-chase sequence around the streets of San Francisco. She added to her fame for her wet T-shirt scene in the 1977 film ‘The Deep’ and was called ‘the most beautiful actress of all time’ by Newsweek magazine in the same year. Some boast, James!! CONTINUED ON PAGE 72
THE ARCH
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