Autumn Winter 2019
the PERSE SCHOOL CAmbridge
OP
in this issue HISTORICALLY CURIOUS History Academics An Enduring Gift Maurice Baker (1953) Campaign Update An Enduring Gift CAREERS WORKSHOP Going international
Contents 03
From the Head
06 HISTORICALLY CURIOUS
04
School News
06
Historically Curious
OPs with an academic interest in history
10 Staff Profile
11 An Enduring Gift: Maurice’s Legacy
11 An Enduring Gift
12 Campaign Update
13
Maurice Baker (1953)
Donor Lists
16 OP News
18 Careers Workshop
12 Campaign Update
20 Obituaries
24
The latest news of An Enduring Gift campaign
Upcoming Events
On the cover Into The Glacier, Langjökull, Iceland. Taken by Ryan Jones (Y10). The Langjökull glacier is the secondlargest glacier in Iceland. Pupils went into the 300m man-made tunnel as part of their geography trip in July. You can read more on page five.
18 CareerS Workshop The International Workplace
From school thenews Head
In October, we enjoyed catching up with many OPs and Friends in Hong Kong and Singapore. Thanks to Somerton Sio (2006), Ernest Tsui (1986) and Alan Cheung (1995) for hosting
From the Head
I
History shows The Perse has survived worse –
am delighted that history is a focus for this edition of OP News. Although a geographer by degree
from the English Civil War and bubonic plague in the
I regard myself as a ‘closet historian’, and these
seventeenth century, to near bankruptcy and Luftwaffe bombs in the twentieth century.
days my teaching is limited to a Local Studies course
Necessity is the mother of invention, and as we
where I minibus Year 7 (first form) pupils around Cambridgeshire’s historic sites, including the Roman
face uncertain times in the UK we are expanding
Road, the ‘pyramids’ at Bartlow, Devil’s Dyke, and the
overseas. Perse schools in Suzhou and Singapore will
deserted medieval village at Castle Camps.
extend our educational reach and provide benefits for children both overseas and in Cambridge. For pupils in
Children must study history because it teaches them perspective, and perspective is something that
Asia there will be the chance to access a world-class
young people lack, as it comes with life experience.
liberal education, whilst for students in Cambridge
Today’s pupils exposed to a media diet of global
there will be new exchange and cross cultural learning opportunities. And importantly when
warming, political scandal and economic uncertainty
Perse UK could be facing political and
can get anxious and depressed about their futures. The perspective of history is a very helpful antidote for
economic hardships, Perse overseas
such teenage angst. For in many cases it was worse in
will provide much needed funds to finance bursaries, outreach, capital
the past and we did survive and even thrive.
improvements, and to keep a downward
This is something I have to remind myself as
pressure on fee increases to help
politicians of all colours attack independent
preserve affordability.
schools and threaten us with anything from loss of charitable status and VAT
With best wishes, Ed Elliott
on fees, to full-scale abolition and redistribution of assets. 3
old perseans
School News
Schools’ Challenge teams complete the double
The Perse have been crowned champions in both this year’s Junior and Senior Schools’ Challenge competitions. The competition tests students in general knowledge, and is regarded as the secondary education equivalent of University Challenge. Oliver Phillips (Lower Sixth) captained the Senior team, featuring Vikram Singh (Lower Sixth), Malachy Wallace and Sean Ridley (both Year 9), to a 990–350 victory against Magdalen College School in the final of the competition in April. The Junior team, captained by Global Horizons
Vishrut Pisupati (Year 8) and featuring
We are pleased to announce that excellent progress is being
Freddie Doel, Harry Purvis (both Year
made with The Perse’s first two international schools which are
8) and Dhruv Radhakrishnan (Year
both due to open in 2020. These two new schools are important
7) followed in their footsteps in June.
next steps in an educational journey that began over 400 years
The boys beat George Heriot’s School
ago. The new schools will be operated under licence agreements
530–430 and Magdalen College School
with The Perse School Cambridge International and will share our
750–540 in the quarter and semi-
core values of endeavour, intellectual curiosity and scholarship,
finals respectively. The final was a tight
breadth and balance, and one another and our environment.
encounter with The Royal Grammar
The schools will be located in Singapore and Suzhou, a
School Guildford, but despite being
25-minute high speed train ride from central Shanghai. The school
neck and neck throughout, The Perse
in Singapore will be for international pupils aged six to 12, and the
edged ahead late on to secure a 630–
school in Suzhou for Chinese and international students aged 15+.
610 victory and the overall honours.
In September, Ed Elliott and Simon Armitage, Assistant Head (Educational Opportunities) went to Suzhou and Shanghai to participate in the signing ceremonies, where the opening of The Perse School Suzhou was announced. Over 250 people attended the events including Mr Richard Burn (HM Trade Commissioner for China), Dr Ker Sin Tze (Former Minister of State, Education in Singapore), other British Embassy and Consulate representatives, government officials, entrepreneurs and business leaders. The Principal of The Perse School Suzhou has been appointed. Naomi Atkins has held senior leadership positions in British Schools in Indonesia, Malaysia and China, including in Suzhou itself. We are delighted to be working with Naomi on this exciting venture.
Students enjoy spectacular scenery on Iceland trip Over the summer holiday, 79 pupils in Years 9 and 10 enjoyed a five-day geography trip to Iceland. The packed programme saw pupils enjoying a relaxing few hours in the Blue Lagoon learning about geothermal power; hiking up a volcano; visiting Geysir, the place where all other geysers get their name; and even whale watching! However, it was the trip into a glacier that was described by Y9 pupil Edward de Ferrers Green as “once-in-a-lifetime”. Pupils fitted crampons to their shoes before heading through a large tunnel into the glacier. Once inside, they learned about the formation of glaciers and saw the black ash lines from the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull that now lies about nine metres under the ice. Anna Bevens (Y10) said “I really enjoyed the trip as it allowed me to see the things we had learnt about [in lessons], but also I was able to experience their beauty. I really appreciate all the effort put in to make the trip so memorable.” 4
school news
Largest PES Camp to date!
EXAM SUCCESS breaks records
This summer, Perse Exploration Society’s ascent group of
This year we celebrated record-
272 pupils travelled to the Isle of Wight to experience new
breaking I/GCSE results thanks to
adventures, learn new skills and build friendships. This was
the excellent performance of the
the largest camp ever for the group, which is the modern-day
School’s 176 Year 11 students who
incarnation of The Perse’s 5th Cambridge Scout Troop.
achieved stellar grades in their
Throughout the week, pupils experienced a number of activities
exams. A record total of 84% of
including orienteering, backwards cooking, archery, canoeing,
Perse entries were graded 9 or
kayaking and paddle boarding. The whole troop also took part
8 (broadly equivalent to the old
in a survival camp activity, which saw them sleeping out under
GCSE A* grade), with 94% at 9, 8
shelters they made themselves from tarps, string and canoe
or 7 (equivalent to the old GCSE
paddles. As well as having lots of fun, the pupils took part in some
A*/A). This success saw The
activities to improve the campsite, by creating a new archery
Perse placed top of The Times
shed and renovating the Richard Crabtree assault course.
league table of 193 independent
Taking so many young people camping is no mean feat, and so particular thanks go to the five members of Perse Outdoor Pursuits staff and 41 volunteers, including four OPs and 16 Sixth Formers, who ensured the smooth running of the trip!
co-ed schools’ I/GCSE results for the fourth time in recent years. In the Upper Sixth, 179 students secured a total of 590 A level and Pre U grades with 49% of entries being graded A* and 80% A*-A (or the Pre U equivalent). Almost two-thirds of the year group achieved three or more A*-A (or equivalent) grades – congratulations to our newest OPs!
Girls’ cricket teams at Lord’s The Perse girls’ indoor cricket teams enjoyed a
National architecture award for PAC
successful time at the Lady Taverner’s national
The Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre has
schools finals at Lord’s this summer, with the U13
received a prestigious RIBA National Award.
side runners-up and U15 team finishing fourth in
Having won a RIBA East regional award in May,
their respective competitions.
the new facility, designed by architect Haworth Tompkins, achieved further recognition from the
The Perse was the only school to have representatives in both national finals, and despite
Royal Institute of British Architects. The venue,
losing out on a title, team coach John Read was
which opened in March 2018, features a 400-
very impressed with the girls’ performances. He
seat auditorium, rehearsal and teaching rooms,
said “It’s a tough competition when you get to
an exhibition space and full back-of-house
this level. Every team is a good team and the
facilities. It functions as a café for pupils and
champion of their region. To put it into perspective
staff during the school day and as a foyer for
around 800 schools entered this competition and
audiences during events in the auditorium. The
we came fourth, so it’s a very good result.”
building was described by RIBA as “beautifully conceived and masterfully executed”.
5
old perseans
Historically curious History has always
my other subjects, although I
been popular at The
really enjoyed English, especially
Perse, with many of our
I preferred history, even though
alumni pursuing the
John Tanfield, the sixth-form
subject at university
much he disliked teaching it. If he
and beyond. We hear
aimed to put us off, he failed. A
from four OPs who are
group read history at Cambridge.
with the brilliant Douglas Brown,
teacher, told us repeatedly how
significant proportion of my year Tanfield focused mainly on
spending their careers finding out what the Romans (and Egyptians, Stuarts and Europeans) have ever done for us…
early modern England and Europe
John Miller (1965)
and by the time I arrived at Jesus College this was my main area of
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at The Perse, from the Prep to the Upper Sixth. I “chose” my A levels largely by default. I felt I had reached my ceiling in maths, my physics was lamentably weak and my having studied only French ruled out modern languages. Of 6
interest. Interpretations of the Civil War and Republic were in a state of flux. The Marxist-influenced preoccupation with economic and social change was questioned by younger historians who placed greater emphasis on politics and religion. Post-Civil War society was
school Feature news
I should first like to record my gratitude to The Perse and its traditions.
disturbances and conflicts
Harold James (1974)
between Whigs and Tories, Anglicans and Dissenters. My shift of emphasis from high to popular politics reflected a changing understanding of “political” history in terms of power relationships within towns, villages and other communities. My shift from political to social history owed much to time spent teaching at Queen Mary College, (now Queen Mary University of London). I had always believed iStock.com/Flory
that good teaching required an element of fun, to make students want to learn. Queen Mary’s intake
I preferred History, even though John Tanfield, the sixthform teacher, told us repeatedly how much he disliked teaching it. If he aimed to put us off, he failed.
was diverse, so I learned to tackle different topics in different ways, developing my own ideas and understanding in the process. When I retired I drew together my ideas on British history in its widest sense, which I hope will prove useful to future generations of students, in Early-Modern Britain 1450–1750, (Cambridge 2017). To finish on a rare negative note, among depressing recent
increasingly seen as divided not
developments in universities is
only horizontally (between classes)
the tendency of administrators to
but also vertically (along religious
value research above teaching,
and political lines). Moreover,
to define teaching in terms of
historians of the Civil War now
sterile “aims and objectives”, and
focused on Scotland and Ireland,
to assume that everything can
as much as England.
be reduced to PowerPoint. For
This rethinking of the divisions
me, teachers need sometimes to
within English and British society
surprise and to shock. I used to
took many decades. I began
finish a lecture on Oliver Cromwell
research for my PhD in 1968,
with extracts from his ferocious
working on popery (and anti-
letter to the Catholic bishops of
popery) under Charles II and
Ireland in 1650. It began “your
James II. After the PhD I became
Covenant is with death and hell”
a research fellow of Gonville and
and concluded “ere long you must
Caius, publishing a biography of
all of you have blood to drink: even
James II and later a comparison
the dregs of the cup of the fury
between the French and English
of the wrath of God which will be
monarchies. I remained interested
poured out unto you.” At which
in popular anti-popery: bonfires
point I would walk out, leaving
and processions continued to
in my wake some shaken but (I
play a significant part in urban
hoped) more thoughtful students. 7
I should first like to record my gratitude to The Perse and its traditions. In particular the charismatic figure of John Tanfield has been a lasting source of inspiration: a man of deep learning, but also of passionate views and a love of theatre that was expressed in his whole demeanour. I don’t believe I would have become a historian without his influence. My historical research started in Cambridge University, where I was a student at Caius and then became a Fellow of Peterhouse. Again two inspirational figures pushed me in thinking about the catastrophes of twentieth century Europe: Jonathan Steinberg and Norman Stone, whose moving funeral in Budapest I attended earlier this summer. My PhD thesis, and my first book, dealt with the interplay between economic collapse and the destruction of democracy in interwar Germany. That book, The German Slump (1986), set up the themes that I have been engaged with ever since. When I was writing it, I was struck by the similarities between the large and unstable capital flows of the 1920s
old perseans
and the inflows into Latin America
Banque de France, Jean-Pierre
Depression – has been a revival
in the 1970s, and their reversal
Landau, produced a study that
of thinking in zero-sum terms:
in the 1982 crisis: a reversal that
looked at the problems of the
nations or regions are involved in
produced a lost decade for
Euro in terms of long-standing
a competitive struggle and what
development in Latin America. I
differences of outlook between
benefits one will hurt the others.
looked at the whole of the postwar
France and Germany. My most
It is particularly striking that the
era in International Monetary
recent enterprise is the latest
backlash against globalisation has
Cooperation Since Bretton Woods
volume in the official history of
been most politically dramatic in
(1995), and then went on to think
the Bank of England, covering the
the two countries that built the
about the conditions in which
period between the late 1970s and
successful and stable postwar
globalisation can be reversed,
the eve of the financial crisis: in
order in 1944–45 – the United
and the world of the interwar
short, the years in which the Bank
States and the United Kingdom.
Great Depression might return, in
responded to globalisation and a
Deglobalisation is facilitated by
The End of Globalization (2001).
new financial revolution.
a mode of thinking that regards
That book was translated into ten
I’ve always thought it important
general rules, of the sort required
languages, and came in for a great
to draw on history and academic
for effective international
deal of attention after the financial
analysis in thinking about current
coordination, both on a global or
crisis of 2007–8. More recently,
problems, and indeed I write
a European level, as redundant or
I wrote about the origins of the
a regular column for Project
ineffective or even harmful. But
European monetary union, and
Syndicate, which is then reprinted
the absence of such general rules
together with a German colleague
in many newspapers all over
– as the UK is discovering in the
at Princeton, the economist
the world. The aftermath of the
chaos of the Brexit debate – makes
Markus Brunnermeier, and the
Global Financial Crisis – as was
finding a way to keep society civil
former Deputy Governor of the
true after the interwar Great
ever harder.
Jerry Toner (1986)
In one joke, for example, a man bumps into his teacher in the
For some reason I’ve always found
street and says, “I’m sorry my son
the past more interesting than the
wasn’t at school today but he’s
future. At The Perse, this interest
dead.” Pretty bleak stuff. We also
naturally led me towards studying
find a world where a very different
Classics and I am now a Roman
mindset operated. A man once
historian at Churchill College in
dreamt that he had sex with one of
Cambridge. My research focuses
his slave girls and was worried that
on finding out about ordinary
it meant that his children would
Romans. What stories did they
end up as slaves. The dream-
tell? What made them laugh?
interpreter, Artemidorus, reassures
What did they worry about? How
him that it simply means he will
different were their tastes, cultural
take pleasure from his assets. There are many methodological
preferences, even language from
problems in using this type of
those of the rich? This is not straightforward because nearly all
can offer us a glimpse of the world
evidence. These popular texts
the surviving texts in the canon of
and world-view of the ordinary
are no more transparent than any
classical literature pay little more
Roman in the street. There are
others, and some of them may
than passing attention to the non-
fables, joke books, oracles, graffiti
not be as popular as they seem.
elite, and hardly any were written
and visual representations of many
They all require literacy and it is
by those who were not part of a
kinds. Then there are sources such
very unclear how widespread this
narrow group of well-connected
as astrological handbooks and a
was. In the town of Pompeii, with
elite men. But there is nevertheless
work on dream-interpretation.
a population of about 15,000,
some material – and much more than most people imagine – which
All this evidence often reveals a grim world of high mortality.
about 13,000 pieces of graffiti survive. Some level of modest
The Classics department has always been strong and Stephen Kern and Paul McKechnie were excellent teachers and have remained supportive throughout my career. 8
school Feature news
Alex Loktionov (2011)
I hope to shed more light on what may have been a floruit of intellectual globalisation almost a millennium before Classical Greece.
I started at The Perse Prep in
Cambridge, where I’m looking at
2000 and lasted to the end of
how ancient ideas about justice
Sixth Form in 2011. For much of
circulated between Egypt, the
that time, I was generally known
Middle East and Sub-Saharan
for one of two things: my fondness
Africa in the later second
for Latin and my fascination with
millennium BCE. I’m particularly
the social structure of the great
interested in how early Semitic
apes. This somewhat unorthodox
conceptions of enforceable order
intellectual outlook made
may have permeated into Egypt
university choice rather easy:
at a time when the Mesopotamian
the only option where you could
cuneiform script was becoming a
study apes while also continuing
lingua franca in the south-eastern
work with ancient texts was the
Mediterranean basin. In the official
Archaeology & Anthropology
rhetoric of the Egyptian state,
degree at Cambridge, so that is
foreigners were generally seen as
what I did.
bad, but the day-to-day reality of
The rationale behind the
people from different backgrounds
Cambridge course was that these
settling in Egypt paints a different
two areas of research – commonly
legal and social story. By looking
seen as rather disparate and
at a range of formal legal
rarely studied together – are in
documents, stone monuments and
fact both crucial components of
private archives, I hope to shed
what makes us human. We are of
more light on what may have been
course apes ourselves, and it is
a floruit of intellectual globalisation
our sophisticated use of language
almost a millennium before
literacy must have existed quite
which has allowed us to forge our
Classical Greece.
widely. And who do we mean by
own distinct identities. While at
“ordinary” Romans? The urban
Cambridge, I learned two of the
what I treasure most is the
plebs, the peasants in the fields,
oldest languages ever recorded
School’s focus on encouraging
or the artisan class? And what
by humans – Ancient Egyptian
genuinely independent thought
about women? Almost none of the
and Akkadian, the language of
across a huge diversity of
graffiti were explicitly written by
Ancient Iraq. When the human
intermeshing disciplines. While
women. More often we have men
ape first turned to writing over
this sounds like a cliché, there
writing about women, which adds
5000 years ago, these are the
surely cannot be many places
a whole other level of difficulty.
scripts it first produced.
where you can combine seven
The Perse gave me a
During my time at university,
Looking back at The Perse,
A-levels, regular participation
tremendous basis for this work.
I became increasingly interested
in archaeological excavations,
The Classics department has
in how early complex societies
fundraising for chimpanzee
always been strong and Stephen
in Egypt and Iraq were able to
protection and developing a
Kern and Paul McKechnie were
develop forms of normative
unique form of (admittedly rather
excellent teachers and have
behaviour that eventually
clumsy) dance at the charity
remained supportive throughout
developed into bodies of law.
cabaret. Nor are there many places
my career. I recall that at the time
This research led me to some
where I would have wanted to do
they were working on an edition
interesting places – including a
all of these – and that for me is the
and translation of the so-called
remote sheep farm in Armenia
School’s biggest achievement.
Oxyrhynchus historian, a late-fifth
and the Library of Congress in
and early-fourth century BCE
Washington, DC. Eventually, I
Greek writer whose text survives on
completed a PhD on the evolution
an Egyptian papyrus, which in itself
of judicial process in Ancient
tells you something about their
Egypt, working mainly on tomb
academic prowess. They made me
inscriptions, seal impressions
realise that the narrowly focused
and papyri from archaeological
set of elite-authored texts we were
contexts dating to 2700–1600 BCE.
studying for A levels was only part
I’m now a Research Fellow in
of the story of the ancient world.
Egyptology at Christ’s College, 9
what I treasure most is the School’s focus on encouraging genuinely independent thought across a huge diversity of intermeshing disciplines.
old perseans
Staff Profile
Lilian Blaxill
I
started teaching at The Perse
in terms. Much as I love the
time with family, both here and in
in 1995; the year girls joined the
mathematical side of my job, and
Scotland, is always treasured.
School. Coincidentally there
I really do, it is as a Sixth Form
There are too many fantastic
was a large number of female staff
tutor where I hope I may have the
students and classes I have
appointed that year – probably one
biggest impact on students’ overall
encountered to name them all
for each of the seven or so girls who
wellbeing. I have been incredibly
but one of my early double Maths
were in the Sixth Form!
lucky to have tutor groups who
classes who gave me a hamster
will join in with every ridiculous
(actually a toy guinea pig) complete
Physics and GNVQ numeracy at
venture, from half marathons to
with cage, food and owner’s guide
a Further Education college in
fashion shows and lip sync battles.
(for a mouse) does stick in my
Before joining The Perse I taught
Penzance. I think it was at the point
There is no doubt in my mind
mind. So too does the student who,
when the bench caught on fire
that I have been incredibly
when the School asked us to be
during an experiment on measuring
fortunate to find a job that I
very “on message” and add the
the specific heat capacity of
genuinely love but, as with any job,
phrase “Celebrating 400 years of
paraffin that I realised perhaps a
there are aspects that are mundane
The Perse” to our email signature,
less experiment-based subject,
or tiresome. Occasionally on a wet
suggested I add “Celebrating 400
such as Maths, was best for me.
and windy November morning,
years at The Perse”. And finally, the
I question how eight years at
student who perhaps best embodies
Mathematics, following my first
university led me to be trudging
my well-meaning attempts at
degree in Maths and Astronomy
round the School grounds on duty
pastoral care: who replied as I
and a PhD in Astrophysics. I’d
with the mantra “Tuck your shirt in”
walked into form time and greeted
always been drawn to the idea of
on repeat. And marking; ah, the gift
the students with a cheery “I’m in a
lecturing but, during my PhD, I
that keeps on giving. Of course, as
good mood today” with the warning
began to realise that lecturing and
my classes remind me; I only have
“It’s a trap…”
teaching are very different things
myself to blame for that one.
In fact, my PGCE was in
and it was the interactive nature of
But for the most part, each day
teaching which really appealed. One
is interesting and, crucially, filled
Name: Dr Lilian Blaxill
of the things which makes teaching
with laughter both in lessons and
Joined The Perse: 1995
at The Perse so rewarding is the day
in the Maths office (a place as wild
Subject: Maths
to day conversations with students.
and exciting as you might imagine.)
Also known for:
Colleagues become friends and a
Running, founding the
vital support mechanism.
School's Maclaurin Society,
Over the years, the pastoral side of the job has become more and more important to me, which
Outside of school? Well running
encouraging staff to make
may come as a surprise to those
slowly trying not to fall over on flat
fun of themselves and raise
who may suggest that “Glaswegian
unimpeded ground is a great way
money in the lip sync battle.
empathy” is a contradiction
to clear the stresses of the day and 10
Campaign school news update
An Enduring Gift Maurice Baker (1953) developed and shaped training courses for young people with his lifelong friend, George Moody. Maurice became the hub of the courses – organising, publicising, administering and delivering them. He led expeditions for Scouts to adventurous places, including Turkey, the Lofoten Islands in Norway and Kashmir. All of these trips gave young people from Hertfordshire the opportunity to explore lands they had only read about and helped them make their dreams come true. In total, Maurice spent over 60 years in Scouting (acknowledged by the Chief Scout in a Long Service Presentation in April 2014). He gave excellent service at all levels of the movement, recognised by awards such as the Medal of Merit, the bar to the Medal of Merit, the Silver Acorn, the bar to the Silver Acorn and the Silver Wolf which is the unrestricted gift of the Chief Scout and is only awarded for service of a most exceptional nature. In addition, Maurice was awarded Maurice Baker was born on 8 December 1934
the Chief Scouts Commendation for Meritorious
and spent his early years in Cambridge with his
Conduct for his organisation and coordination of
older sister, Audrey. He won a bursary to join
the rescue of an injured Scout during the first of the
The Perse and attended the School from 1945–1953.
County Expeditions to the Lofoten Islands in 1971. He passed away on 13 February 2018, at the age of
Throughout his life, Maurice recognised the great start in life his schooling gave him by making modest
83. Maurice had devoted much of his life to inspiring
donations to the School’s Bursary Fund as his way
young people and encouraging them to be the best
of saying thank you.
they could be. In death, he was able to continue this
W
passion, by leaving a six-figure legacy gift to The Perse hilst at The Perse, Maurice was introduced
School’s Bursary Fund. This gift will support a number
to Scouting as part of the 5th Cambridge
of young people through The Perse and will enable
Scouts, as well as to the cadets. After
them to benefit from the same great education that Maurice had, regardless of their family circumstances.
school, he joined ICI and trained to be a plastics
Maurice’s good friend, Gordon Marshall, said
research chemist. His career was interrupted by a period of National Service, when he was posted to
of Maurice at his funeral: “The Perse motto – Qui facit
India and Malaya with the Army Catering Corps and
per alium facit per se – pretty much describes the
where he discovered a lifelong talent for cooking.
way Maurice led his life. He gave young people a chance, helped to nurture and support them,
Throughout his time in the Army, Maurice continued in Scouting. He became the Scout Leader of the 19th
recognised when they were able to go off on their
Jahore Bahru Troop in Malaya for service families
own and celebrate their development whilst remaining
whilst on National Service and continued
watchful and to be there to help them when needed,
this in the Hertfordshire Scouts when he returned
whilst all the time remaining courteous and generous.
to the UK.
There are many words that could be used to describe Maurice – colleague, leader, inspiration, mentor,
Maurice had a passion for the development of young people. In the 1960s he became a part
neighbour, chef, raconteur, good counsel – but above
of Hertfordshire Scouts’ growing involvement in
all he was a great friend.” Maurice’s gift to The Perse will enable that spirit of
developing mountaineering skills and the County
the School motto to live on.
Adventure Centre at Lochearnhead in Scotland. He
Maurice’s gift to The Perse will enable that spirit of the School motto to live on. 11
old perseans
Campaign Update 2018–19 During the 2018–19 academic year we received
In addition to financial gifts, we are also
support from 423 donors, raising over £575,000 for The
incredibly grateful to the Old Perseans
Perse. The generous support of our community enables
and Friends of the School who give
us to continue to provide opportunities for young
their time to The Perse. This year
people, both within the School gates and further afield.
over 120 members of our community got involved in a voluntary capacity; from
As well as supporting over 100 pupils at The Perse with means-tested financial assistance, this year we
delivering lunchtime lectures and careers workshops
worked with 20 local primary schools as part of our
to helping with extra-curricular activities or being a
outreach programme. Our partnerships with primary
Year Group Rep. We are especially grateful to the
schools enable the schools to suggest the support
OPs and parents who provide invaluable support
they would most benefit from, from fortnightly French
to the development office by serving on the
lessons and maths mentoring, to visits to galleries and
Development Advisory Group.
museums. This year saw OPs getting involved, with Midé Adenaike (2013) returning to The Perse to deliver an a cappella workshop to four of our primary partners. In September
Our outreach work does not just support young people – each year a group of Upper Sixth students
2019, 11 recent
run a Digistart scheme for retired members of the local
leavers took to the
community, showing them how to get the most from
11 callers
their computers and smartphones. You can read more
phones as part of our annual
about all of our outreach and community partnerships
telephone
at www.perse.co.uk/partnerships.
campaign. We
437
are enormously
conversations
The Perse has a global
grateful to all of our donors,
network of OPs and
whose names
Friends. In the last
will be listed in
financial year, we
the donor report
Over £60,000 pledged
received gifts from four different continents! Direction of pledges and donations
Sources of pledges and donations
for the 2019–20 financial year.
OP donors by decade 61
.01% 2%
49
20% 1%
Total
Total
£575,008
425 Gifts
38
47 42 34
77%
Bursaries (including endowed): 77% Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre: 1% U nrestricted: 20% Outreach: 2%
12
OPs: 68% Parents: 27% Other: 6%
4 ’40s ’50s ’60s ’70s ’80s ’90s ’00s ’10s
Other: .01%
12
school Donors news
Donor List 2018–19 We are deeply grateful to all who have made a donation to The Perse, both those listed in this report and those wishing to remain anonymous. In November, we were honoured to receive a transformative legacy gift from the estate of Maurice Baker (1953). Maurice had been a loyal supporter of the School during his lifetime, and left a gift in excess of £250,000 to the bursary fund in his will. Maurice’s incredible generosity is a wonderful example of an enduring gift that will transform the lives of young people for years to come. We are delighted that many members of our community recognise the impact a legacy gift can have – this year we were notified of six new legacy pledges.
Following on from the success of last year’s Leavers’ Appeal, the Class of 2019 parents took up the mantle and have, at the time of writing, raised in excess of £60,000 in support of The Perse’s Bursary and Hardship Fund. Special thanks go to Alison Wilkinson, Juliet Jackson, Liz Proudfoot, Ruth Lewin Smith and Amanda Parton for their help in raising awareness of the campaign.
Gifts in numbers
89 loyal donors (who have been giving for 10+ years)
179 members of the 1615 Society
69 members of the Dr Perse Society
64 new donors who made their first gift during 2018–19
Donations are listed in alphabetical order by decade at the School. *D onors who have given to the School for 10+ consecutive years
Class of 1940s Mr P T Armitstead* The late Dr B J Drake Mr J G B Hughes Major E G S Lachlan Class of 1950s Mr G Addison* The late Mr M G Baker* Mr J F Bullen* Wing Commander E B Bywater* Mr J W Charles* Dr D C H Cheng Mr A S Crawford Mr J A Elmore Mr S C Foster Mr R G Gee Mr C A Greenhill Mr J M Hammond* Dr B L Hunt* Dr P G G Jackson* Mr M D C Johnson* Mr J M Kidd* Mr R L Kidd Mr T G King Mr R A Lanham* Mr T C Laurie Mr I G Lyon Mr R R Mansfield* Ms A May* Mr P E Mills Dr P H Mynott Mr R C Norris* The Reverend Canon D W Owen* Sir Mark Potter Mr M J A Powell* Mr P J D Scarlett MBE* Mr D E Sibson* Mr T G W Sweeney Mr A H C Voaden Mr R J H Wheatley* Professor J A Zetter Class of 1960s Mr D J Alexander* Mr T Andrew Mr J S Andrews Mr M J Beloe* Mr J A Bishopp* Dr J E Bradshaw* Mr C M Byrom Dr J W Calvert Mr R A Camping Dr J Cheney Professor R C Cheng* Mr C D Chitty Professor J Clarke* Dr A E T Cook Mr W O Cook
13
Mr R A Covill* Mr D G Crawford* Dr H M Davies Mr G R Ditcham* Mr R D Eastcott Mr D I H Field* Mr R W Goddin Mr R S Gould* Dr D B Goulstine Mr J M Green* Dr N Hamson Mr M E Harper Mr C P Harrison Mr W G Hodges Mr J R Holy* Dr R Jeffery Mr L J Kimpton Mr R K Loukes Mr A R Mackness Mr P Mahaffey Dr J Marshall Dr M G Mason Professor J L Miller Dr R F Mitchell* Mr T R T Morris Mr J E Moss Dr R Murphey Mr G Palmer* Mr R F Perkins Mr S J Perrin Dr D J Robinson Mr G A M Sims The Honorable R S Smith Mr P J H Smith* Dr M A Spencer* Mr R F Squibbs Mr S J Stanley Mr R D Stearn* Dr S M Stearn Sir Quentin Thomas* Mr P E Thompson Mr R J Thomson Mr C V T Walne Mr H J Wiseman Mr A C H Wright Class of 1970s Mr J P C Bailey* Mr C S Bell* Mr A J M Brookes Professor S E Buttrey Mr R Clarke Mr A C Cook Mr A Cuthbert Mr D N Daughton Mr S V De Boo* Mr G Dench Mr A Donoghue Mr T Empson Mr D A Farndale Dr A J France Mr T C Freane Mr B C Gill Mr R P Grace Mr C P Hancock QC* Dr W G Handley* Mr P A Harlow Mr D E Hart* Mr M Hawkins Dr R Hindmarsh
Mr A Homer Mr R Hutt Mr P J Johnson* Mr B D Lanaghan Mr M H Massy Mr K A A McFarlane Mr R I Morgan* Dr A J G Nurser Mr S W Pain* Mr R D Partridge Mr W M Pattison Mr C F Rushton* Mr R D Russell* The Reverend R Smail Dr L M V Smith Mr J P Stevens In memory of Commander and Mrs K G Sumnall OBE Mr D J Thompson* Mr W D L Thompson Professor M Threadgill Mr J P Tunnicliffe* Mr G Warren Dr G D Wattles* Mr M J Whitehead Class of 1980s Mr P Ansell Mr P Bailey Mr N Brownlie Mr S Chaplin Mr J A Collins* Mr D P Dorai Raj Dr M R Echlin Mr A J Finch* Mr A G Fisher Dr A R Gande Mr S M Groom Mr I M Handley-Schachler Captain P J Haslam Mr S G Kelly Mr M J Leake* Mr S A H Lello Mr A J M Liddle Professor S J Martin Mr T R Matthews Mr M A Melford Dr F Moscuzza* Mr J L J Newman* Mr M P Newman* Mr O O Ojehomon Mr P Peglar Mr C P Ramsey Mr S C Riley Mr G W Smith Mr N A J Tait Mr M Wilkinson Mr S D Wright Class of 1990s Mr N K Amery Mr H Borno Mr P J Brotton* Mr J J Butler* Mr P C Cave-Gibbs* Mr R E Challis* Professor G Csányi Dr R J H Dunn Mr G C Dymott Mr T G A Edgar
old perseans
Mr N Elvidge Dr G A W Evans Mr A Farboud Mr A Farboud Mr D M Goodridge* Dr W K Hage* Mr M Hawkes Mr A Herriot Mr J R N Jack Dr A Kumar Dr V I Lesk Mr M R F Lynn Mr V Mahindran Mr O P J Metherell Mr A G Moir* Mr T Morfett Mr R N Oakeshott Mr J Odell* Mr N D Owers Mr M R Peachey* Mr A C M Rabarts Mr S P Rankine Mr W F Reeve Mrs K C Rodriguez Dr T Sivayokan Mr J E Stobbs Mr V Sujendran Mrs A H P Sutherland Dr M J Whitaker Mr J G Williams Mr D L Young Class of 2000s Miss R A Abulafia Mr E Aston Mrs H Beckett Mr J A Bell Miss G Brunt Mr O W Callington Mr C Carter Dr A R Chapman Mr L D Clayton Mr Q P P Croft Mr G E J Dean Mr A W R Devine-Wilmott Mr & Mrs T B Doble Mr P J H Dunn Mr E H Fray Mr B P T Freedman Mr L C Green Mr J Hale Mr A D Harris
Mr J M D Holden Mr R P Jones Mr S Keen Mr T J Latimer Miss F Liu Mr Y Liu Mr C J Lyon Dr A J Maxwell Mr D Meese Grove Mr A J Milne Miss K E Muir-Jones Mr J E Nichols Miss S E Nolasco Miss M Patel Mr N D M Paulson Mr J Pearson Miss C Pettit Mr O Pindar Mr A Pooles Mr A Porter Mr C D Rogers Dr S D Smart Mr S F G Smith Mr M Swan Mr P C Swan Dr O D N A Swift Mr B Taylor Dr R Tharakan Miss M L Wadham Class of 2010s Mr L M M Blackman Mr D Chapman Mr M H Du Mr C Kingstone Miss H Knowles Mr T Loveluck Mr P Miozzo Mr T Norris Mr A North Mr A Shore Mr D Worrall Parents and Friends of the School Mr & Mrs J Abbiss Professor D S H & Professor A S Abulafia* Mr J Barker & Dr C Hubbard Mr & Mrs S Barlow Mrs B Rhodes
Mr & Mrs N Brent Mr & Mrs D Brigstocke Mr & Mrs S Burson Dr K Buse & Dr S Hawkes Dr & Mrs W Cai Mr & Mrs R Chandraker Mr & Mrs S Chintala Professor D Chu & Ms M Lu Mr J Chung & Dr H Lee Mr & Mrs J Clarke Mr & Mrs P M C Clarke* Mr & Mrs D Cope Dr N Cox & Dr S Booth Dr N Crockett & Dr J Greenwood Mrs A Crossman Mr M Darling & Ms A Dolby Ms M Dayrell Professor F Diamond & Dr P Suntharalingam Mr & Mrs E M Downey Mr & Mrs R Dunn Mr & Mrs H N Edmundson* Mr E C & Dr S Elliott* Mrs J Ellis* Mr & Mrs S Ellis Dr & Mrs O Fawehinmi Mr & Mrs E Fernandes Mr & Mrs O Frakin Mr & Mrs T Fryers Mr & Mrs S Gaastra Mr & Mrs M Gaunt Mr & Mrs S Goddard Dr & Mrs S Goodman Mrs S Gordon Dr & Mrs A Grace* Mr & Mrs R Greensitt* Professor C & Dr H Griffiths Mrs K Halstead Mr A & Dr J Hartree Dr & Mrs T R Hesketh* Mr & Mrs S Hirtzel Mr & Mrs D Hopes Mrs R Howard Mr & Mrs E Humbert Dr C R Hunt & Dr V Stephenson Mrs S Hunter Mr & Mrs D Ison
Mr & Mrs T Jackson Ms M Jones Dr & Mrs R Jones Mr & Mrs T Joyce Mr & Mrs T Kasperkiewicz Professor R Kemp & Mrs R Rhodes-Kemp Mr S Kern Mr M & Dr K Kingstone Mr M Last & Ms J Kershaw Mr & Mrs G Lewin Smith Mr & Mrs N Ley Mr R S & Dr A Lyon Professor A MacGregor & Dr C Reavley Dr A Majeed & Dr J Majeed Mr & Mrs P Marsh Ms F Martin-Redman Dr R & Dr A Mason Mr & Mrs T J C Mawby Mr & Mrs J Mayfield Mr R Nolasco & Ms L Arthur* Mr L & Dr J Okechukwu Mr D O’Mahony & Ms C Evans Mr & Mrs R Owers Drs A Parton Dr N Peabody & Ms B Hare Mr & Mrs P Perkins Mr M Pidgeon & Mrs K Rodney Professor R Prager & Dr C O’Brien Mr & Mrs G Proudfoot Mr J Racher & Ms K Church Mrs R Rainey* Dr J Rashbass & Dr A Jenaway Mr & Mrs J Renfrew Knight Dr & Mrs B Rhind Dr & Mrs N Richardson Dr & Mrs W Ridsdill Smith Mr A Robinson & Dr J Lockie Mr & Mrs S Rodwell Mr & Mrs S N P Rosen Mr & Mrs D Rosenwold
Professor D & Dr J Rubinsztein Mr & Mrs R Senadeera Dr K Sengupta & Dr A Roy Sengupta Dr R & Dr S Sewell Mr D & Dr S Sinclair Mr & Mrs B Singh Mr & Mrs G Smith Dr P Smith & Mrs E Regan-Smith Mr & Mrs E Stanford Dr S Stewart Mr & Mrs M Sullivan Mrs L Tibbs* Mr R Tidy Dr N Toff & Dr L Allen Mr & Mrs A Turner Mr R & Dr H Tyte Ms E Waldron Mr & Mrs M West Mrs H Whiting Mr & Mrs D Wilkinson Mr J Williams Mr & Mrs I Wright Mrs K Wright Mr & Mrs R Yeoman Dr L Ying & Mrs D Ye Mr & Mrs M G Zeitlyn Dr S & Dr A Zia Mr & Mrs N J Zolman Organisations Association of Pelican Parents BP Foundation Ernst & Young Fawcett Charity Perse Parents Association Perse Prep Parents Association Sixth Form Charities Committee TTP Group and 17 anonymous donors
Dr Perse Society Members The Dr Perse Society recognises those who have made provision for The Perse in their will. Society members are listed in alphabetical order. Mr G Addison Mr D I Alexander Mr D J Alexander Mr P T Armitstead Mr P W Bogle Mr D Bowley Mr & Mrs T K Boyden Mr A J M Brookes Mr E J N Brookes Mr I J Burton Mr P R G Cannell Mr P C Cave-Gibbs
Mr J P Cheffins Dr J Cheney Mr D A W Clark Mr J R S Cope Mr E A Copeland Mr T T Dingle Mr G R Ditcham Mr P N Draper Mr A J Eden Mr M A Edwards Mr E C Elliott Mr R C H Genochio Mr R W Goddin Mr & Mrs S W Graves Mr M C L Herring
Mr J G Hicks Dr C R Hunt & Dr V Stephenson Dr P G G Jackson Mr M D C Johnson Mr P J Johnson Mr D J Jones Mr A Kemp The Reverend C M Kemp Mr S W Kemp Dr G S Kenyon Mr R S & Dr A Lyon Mr R R Mansfield Mr L G D Marr Dr L P Marsh
14
Dr R J Marsh Mr T J Marsh Captain P McLaren Mr O P J Metherell Professor D F Nixon Mr S W Pain Mr R D Partridge Professor D M Potts Mr W F Reeve Mr J W Roberts Professor J E Salzman Dr J A Sills Mr J L Smart Mr & Mrs A P J Smith Dr M A Spencer
Mrs S H Stobbs Mr R G Thomson Dr J C Thurman Mr D G Tomlinson Mr C V T Walne Mr D T Ward Dr A G Weeds Mr R J H Wheatley Commander D G M Wilkie (RN) Dr P M Williamson Mrs K Wright and 3 anonymous members
school Donors news
1615 Society Donors who make a gift of £1,615 or more to An Enduring Gift campaign are recognised by becoming members of the 1615 Society, having their name included in the book of benefactors and receiving a special lapel pin. Society members are listed in alphabetical order. Mr P Ansell Mr A C Appleyard Mr & Mrs J C Aston Mr J P C Bailey Mr M J Beloe Mr M Bennett Dr B Bhardwaj Mr J A Bishopp Mr D Braben & Mrs W Irvin-Braben Dr J E Bradshaw Mr & Mrs N Brent Mr J J C Brinsden OBE Mr M & Dr P Broadbent Mr A J M Brookes Mr E J N Brookes Dr & Mrs W Budenberg Dr K Buse & Dr S Hawkes Mr P C Cave-Gibbs Dr N S Y Chao Dr A C Y Cheng Professor R C Cheng Mr Y Chew Mr M J C Chong Mr S T M Chu Professor J Clarke Mr R H Clarke Mr S P Clemmow Mr R A Cliff The Reverend Professor A & the Reverend O Coles Mr J A Collins Mr A C Cook Mr D G Crawford Mr J D Crompton
Dr H M Davies Mr S V De Boo Mr & Mrs C Dell Mr A P Donoghue Mr P N Draper Dr M R Echlin Mr M & Dr S Fell Mr A J Finch Mr & Mrs O Frakin Dr A J France Mr & Mrs T Fryers Mr & Mrs R G Gardiner Mr & Mrs A Glinsman Mr R W Goddin Mr D M Goodridge Professor I R F Gordon Mr R S Gould Mr & Mrs A Grabowski Mr J M Green Mr S M Groom Mr C P Hancock QC Dr W G Handley Mr I M Handley-Schachler Mr P A Harlow Mr A D Harris Mr A & Dr J Hartree Captain P J Haslam Sir Michael Heller Mr A M Herriot Dr & Mrs T R Hesketh Mr & Mrs A T Hirzel Mr J R Holy Mr & Mrs N Howlett Mr & Mrs E Humbert Dr B L Hunt Dr C Hunt & Dr V Stephenson Mr R W F Hutt
Mr & Mrs D Ison Mr M D C Johnson Mr P J Johnson Mr & Mrs T Kasperkiewicz Mr S G Kelly Dr G S Kenyon Mr J M Kidd Mr R A King CBE Mr T G King Mr & Mrs F Knowles Mr & Mrs P Lai Mr B D Lanaghan Mr A Landy Mr C J Leak Mr M J Leake Dr J H Lee Mr & Mrs G Lewin Smith Dr K Lin & Ms S Hsu Mr Y Liu Mr R S & Dr A Lyon Professor A MacGregor & Dr C Reavley Mr V Mahindran Mr R R Mansfield Mr L G D Marr Dr L P Marsh Mr S J Martin Dr M G Mason Dr R & Dr A Mason Mr M H Massy Ms A May Mr & Mrs I McKernan Mr & Mrs J McNeil Professor J L Miller Mr A G Moir Mr R I Morgan Mr T R T Morris Mr H A L H Mumford
Dr & Mrs A Newlands Mr J E Nichols Mr R Nolasco & Ms L Arthur Mr R C Norris Mr O O Ojehomon Professor C J Oon Mr & Mrs R Owers Mr S W Pain Mr J G Parr Mr R D Partridge Mr M R Peachey Mr J R Pedley Mr A J Pitt Mr M P H Pooles QC Mr & Mrs M J A Powell Mr & Mrs G Proudfoot Mr & Mrs G Rainey Mr W F Reeve Mr A W M Reicher Mr & Mrs D G Richardson Dr & Mrs N P V Richardson Mr S C Riley Mr & Mrs S N P Rosen Mr C F Rushton Mr J H Sacks Mr P J D Scarlett MBE Dr K B Seamon & Dr J A Biddle Mr & Mrs J D Shave Mr P Shelley Mr D E Sibson Mr & Mrs B Singh Mr B P Smith & Mrs P Hayden-Smith Dr M A Spencer Mr & Mrs E Stanford Mr S J Stanley
Mr R D Stearn Dr S Stewart Mr V Sujendran In memory of Commander & Mrs K G Sumnall OBE Professor M D Threadgill Dr N Toff & Dr L Allen Mr J P Tunnicliffe Mr R & Dr H Tyte Dr A & Dr V Warren Dr G D Wattles Dr A G Weeds Mrs W J Whalley Mr R J H Wheatley Dr M J Whitaker Mr M A Wilkinson Mr & Mrs D Wilkinson Mr P M Wrench Sir David & Lady Wright Mr S D Wright Professor J A Zetter Mr & Mrs N J Zolman and 14 anonymous members
Major Benefactors Our major benefactors’ board recognises those who have made gifts in excess of £50,000 to The Perse. Major benefactors are listed in order of the date their gifts were made to the School. Dr S Perse Mr G Griffith Dr W H D Rouse Lady Frazer Mr I Hersch Mr H C Cook Mr A C Benson Sir Harold Bowden
Mr G Macfarlane-Grieve Baron Porter The Industrial Fund for the Advancement of Scientific Education in Schools Mr E Funge Sir John Gray Dr L Marsh Squadron Leader William Lodge Mr A Bottomley
Dr R Haylock The Wolfson Foundation Mr R White Mr M Fell Mr M P H Pooles QC Sir David Tang KBE Mrs G Earnshaw-Smith Mrs H Greenhalgh Mr P J Johnson Professor B W Lacey Mr R Mansfield Mr & Mrs D G Richardson
Mrs C Thomas Mr & Mrs W T Brown Mr C Kidman Mr & Mrs A Frost Mr S Bahwan Mrs M Neve Mr R A King CBE Mr J J C Brinsden OBE Mr L G D Marr Mr H A L H Mumford Dr A C Y Cheng Mr & Mrs M J A Powell
Mr S P Clemmow TTP Group Class of 2018 (parents) Mr M G Baker Class of 2019 (parents) and 3 anonymous members
Every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of our donor lists. However, if any error has occurred, please accept our apologies and notify the Alumni & Development Office so that we can amend our records.
15
old perseans
OP News
Earlier this year, OPs Nick Adlam (1998), Alain Hosley (1994), Nick Saunders (1993) and Dave Potter (1998) launched the RDC Foundation. The
Hasan Cuthbert (2017) spent
foundation, set up in memory of former Perse
the summer enjoying an
geography teacher and Scout Leader, Richard
internship in Nanjing, China.
Crabtree, will enable young people to experience
Hasan, who is currently
and develop themselves through adventurous
studying Engineering at
activities. Grants of up to £1,000 are available to
Cambridge, worked with
young people and charities working with young
Yourun International where
people, in order to continue the spirit of Richard’s
he did a six-week engineering
endeavours in supporting the development of
internship. Whilst in China, Hasan
young people. You can find out more about the
also helped run a rugby summer camp
foundation at www.rdc.foundation.
with Times College, sharing the skills he has gained as a member of CURFC. In August, Claire Pallister (1997) represented Team GB at the 14th IDBF World Dragon Boat Championships in Pattaya, Thailand. Claire competed in the Mixed Premiere mini boat in 2000m, 500m and 200m races. She said “[I] was honoured to represent my country for the first time at 40 years old. It’s still amazing to me that you can find a sport you’re really good at later in life and representing your country for the first time feels like a rather good midlife crisis!” Will Harmer (2018) was recently commissioned to compose a piece for the BBC Singers, which was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in August. The piece, entitled “Voyage of the Soul” was commissioned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landings. You can listen to the piece online on BBC Sounds.
Max Moncrieff (2009) became a record breaker over the August Bank Holiday weekend, when he took part in the longest ever match of fullcontact rugby, totalling 30.5 hours and raising almost £50,000 for charity. Max was playing for the School of Hard Knocks against a team from Wooden Spoon, both charities that aim to use rugby to empower people and transform their lives. At the end of the gruelling match, the School of Hard Knocks won, with the final score 2154 to 1163 – an incredible feat by both teams! Speaking after the match, Max said “I’m incredibly proud to have taken part in the event and of everyone involved. The heat and sheer length of time playing made it a gruelling experience with a lot of mentally tough moments. Being woken up at 1.50am with a red bull and jelly babies to play again at 2am was a particular low point. We managed to raise a significant amount of money for these great charities and really made a difference. Everyone came together brilliantly and the way players pushed themselves was amazing to see. I’ve made some friends for life through bonding on the pitch, the camaraderie was key to keeping each other going.” 16
school OP News news
Hector Thornton-Swan (2018), Elizabeth Stephenson (2018) and Sam Clarke (2016) took part in the Montane
Matt Leach (2011) competed for
Lakeland 50 ultra marathon in July. The route goes
Great Britain in the European
round the Lake District and features climbs, descents,
10,000m Cup at Parliament Hill
rugged terrain and tricky navigation. Despite the route
in July. Matt came 21st overall,
having a 40–50% drop out rate, all three of the OPs
with a time of 28:47.24.
completed the race. Hector completed the course in 13:24:15, Elizabeth in 19:16:19 and Sam in 15:56:51.
Guy Whitmarsh (1962) recently became the male veteran 75+ European Mountain Running champion at the championships in Janske Lazne, Czech Republic on 25 May 2019. He said “In the almost 60 Molly Underwood (2011) won the
years since I left The Perse,
prestigious Poetry Prize at the 10th
I have graduated from
Manchester Writing Awards, which were
the flat, frozen ploughed fields on which the ‘new’
announced in February 2019. Founder of the MWAs and Poet Laureate Professor
Addenbrooke’s stands, scene of school cross countries,
Carol Ann Duffy DBE helped to judge
to mountain running. The European Mountain Running
the awards. Adam O’Riordan, chair of the
Championships entail running uphill only, this year to
poetry prize judging panel and director
the summit of Cerna Bora in the Czech Republic. The
of Manchester Writing School, said “In a
race involved a 8.6km run uphill, ascending some 650m
richly varied short list, Molly Underwood
to the summit. I fell into the oldest veteran category of
shows an undeniable musical clarity
75+. All the women and the men aged over 55 set off
in her work. As few poets can, she
together. Arriving at the finish line, after 65 minutes,
reminded the judges of the reasons we
I had no idea how I had fared, and it was only shortly
began to write ourselves.”
before the awards ceremony in the town square that I finally had my win confirmed. I was soon to be standing on the podium as European over 75 champion.”
Sophie Burrows (2015) has been awarded a Fellowship
Alan Cheung (1995) has been
at the Guildhall School of
appointed as an official doctor for the
Music and Drama, where
Wrestling Foundation of Singapore.
she has been studying
Alan, who is a consultant orthopaedic
Saxophone since
surgeon, was also the first American
leaving The Perse.
College of Sports Medicine Certified Ringside Physician in South East Asia.
17
old perseans
reers w a C o
rk sho p The International Workplace With the advent of new technologies and flexible working practices, more and more people are working internationally. In this article, Irina Astigeevich, Amazon Web Services Sales Leader for Europe, Middle East and Asia, shares her personal experiences of working across different countries and cultures.
T
he labour market has rapidly changed over
teammates and colleagues from other countries on a
the last couple of decades, adapting to global
daily basis, without seeing each other in person. Many
trends such as mobility, devices and big
jobs can now be performed by people who never go
data. Nowadays, almost every company embraces
to company offices and may not even be company
the “modern work place” concept, which suggests
employees – they may be freelancers or employed on
that employees can be effective doing their job
a part-time contract to deliver a particular project.
remotely using mobile devices and applications, if
The job opportunities on the international market
arranged right and supported through the respective
are now tremendous and richer than ever before. One
work culture. The adoption of the modern work
can now do jobs never dreamt of before, escaping
place principle is happening across many industries
the limits of geography, gender, time zone, race,
and professions – medicine, IT, art and others. The
physical capacity and others. One can only imagine
possibility of working remotely became a catalyst
how diverse working groups can now be. In my
for another phenomenon – the international work
previous role, whilst living in the UK, I was responsible
place. Millions of doctors, musicians, scientists,
for company business in 12 European countries –
artists, managers, engineers, journalists and sales
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, the
people now work remotely and collaborate with their
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and 18
school Careers news
Switzerland, whilst also collaborating closely with my
about language interpretation can give you some
colleagues in the US and Asia almost every single
indications why. Ask for feedback on your interactions
day. This mix of international cultures is so exciting
– something that does not come naturally in every
and interesting; however, the cultural differences,
culture. This might be difficult, especially for British
not to mention other diversity characteristics, can
people. Let me give you an example. Imagine yourself
create a lot of confusion, misunderstanding and,
at a restaurant. You were served overcooked pasta
sometimes, even challenges in expectations.
and the dessert was tasteless. When the waitress asks you “how was it?”, you answer “good thank
The BBC once published a funny article on the interpretation of what British people say. Brits may
you”, right? Asking and giving feedback comes more
say a proposal is “very brave” or “very interesting”,
naturally in some cultures and less so in others. You
meaning that it is absurd or ridiculous: non-British
might not always get open and direct feedback, but
people may understand that their proposal is
keep asking. Especially in the international market,
ambitious and worth exploring further.
asking for feedback is a great opportunity to get valuable insight in the vast majority of situations.
People from different backgrounds can interpret the same statement or action, or lack of one, very differently. If our working environment is
4. Be curious. Natural curiosity can build bridges.
so diverse, how can we possibly ensure great cultural
Ask people about their experiences and to share their
fit to a working group we want to be successful,
knowledge.
and how can we make sure we avoid any risks or misunderstandings? The answer is simple – we
5. Be respectful of other people’s diverse
cannot. The truth is that, while experience helps
backgrounds and habits.
and things usually improve over time, we cannot truly predict how a message might land or calculate
6. Build a network of people that you can ask
how others might react, given the diversity of
for advice. Keep these connections even if you leave
our workforce.
the company or work environment you met them at.
In order to be successful and stay true to yourself in the international market, there are a few key principles
7. Deliver – ALWAYS – on your promises.
I highly recommend:
This principle alone, and the reputation it builds for you, can help you win over a lot of difficult and
1. Don’t pretend. Some workplaces may create
uncertain situations.
pressure to act or look a certain way. While adopting particular business etiquette is indeed a requirement
8. And enjoy. In the international work place, just
of many business environments, remember – your
like everywhere, you cannot be truly successful if you
personality matters. Do not pretend to be someone
do not enjoy what you do.
you are not. Bring your authentic self, just do it respectfully. Another part of this principle is don’t pretend to know something you don’t. The culture of professional markets is rapidly moving from “know it all” to “learn it all”. It is usually OK not to know something, especially at the beginning, if you are willing to learn and demonstrate improvement over time. 2. Communicate to people what is important for you and why. Let people know if it is important for you to have an agenda before a meeting to prepare yourself, or that you want to take brief written notes of your conversations to have a chance to follow up better. Tell people that you prefer not to work at particular hours so people don’t expect a response from you at that time, or that you have an open and easy demeanour and like to make jokes
Irina Astigeevich is a current parent at The
to lighten the mood. Help people to understand
Perse. In this article she shares her personal
who you are.
recommendations based on her experience working in international markets whilst holding
3. Don’t assume – ask questions. In the
leadership positions at Amazon Web Services
sales world, there is the belief that assumption is
and Microsoft over the last decade.
the worst enemy of the seller. The example above 19
old perseans
his interest in obstetrics and
Obituaries
gynaecology, later becoming a Member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. He worked, among others, at
Michael Harris (1947)
Hillingdon Hospital, before becoming a GP in West London.
John Harris (1950) writes:
He married Evelyn, also a
My brother Michael died in June
gynaecologist, in 1962, and they
shortly after celebrating his 90th
raised two sons. She sadly died
birthday with his family.
young in 2001. He later had a
It was my good fortune to
partner, Rosemary White, who also
follow three years behind him at school, and also at Emmanuel
Emmanuel College straight from
died before him, in 2018. His last
College. He was able to explain
school: unusual in those days. After
years were spent in a retirement
many aspects of school life, so that
reading medicine there, he did
home near Watford.
I knew in advance what to expect,
clinic training at University College
including, for example, at Scout
London Hospital, where he won
Camps at West Runton when they
a prize for his skill at diagnosis.
resumed after the war. Yes, we had to take our ration books! As a Sixth Former he was part of a fire-watch squad. Exciting times! Medical students could defer national service, so he went to
Barry Mason (1949)
This most un-military man was then commissioned as a Captain
He cared deeply about family, and is survived by his two sons and four grandsons, who were very attached to him. As a grandparent I have had plenty of opportunity
in RAMC, and served in Egypt
to observe sibling rivalry between
and Cyprus which were both
youngsters. I think it is to Michael’s
having troubles in the mid 1950s.
credit that there was none of that
It was there that he developed
when we were growing up.
won the All Britain Dance Band
– Bradley on trumpet and Elliot on
competition for that year. In 1958,
Trombone. Both won scholarships
he was one of many musicians
to study at the famous Berklee
who decided to work and travel to
Jazz College in Boston
New York on the legendary Queen
Massachusetts, from where they
Mary playing in the resident bands
both graduated. Both boys are
on board. Once there, the three
now professional jazz musicians,
day turnaround allowed him to
living and working in New York,
see and hear all the famous jazz
following in the footsteps of
musicians of the day. Barry did this
the father whose tuition and
for a year, travelling back and forth
encouragement led both his sons
and hearing most of his idols in the
to a musical life.
jazz clubs of New York. Christine Mason writes:
In 1959 he joined the Joe
Barry Mason was born on 9 April
Daniels Band at Butlins in
1932 in Cambridge, the son of
Skegness for the summer
Edna & Arthur Mason, who, with
season, and a residency at The
Nicholas Paton-Philip writes:
his brother Ernest started the
Samson & Hercules Ballroom
John was born in Cambridge, with
famous Fitzbillies cake shop in
in Norwich followed in 1960
an older brother and a twin sister.
Trumpington Street in 1920.
with the Cambridge Band of
When recalling his time at The
Ken Stevens. Barry changed
Perse, he mentioned the sports
made business to go into, he
from trumpet to trombone and
teacher writing in a report that
decided to try Music as a career,
stayed with them until 1972,
“Philip was not a very good rugger
playing trumpet. He studied
when he married their vocalist
captain but always seemed to be
with Ernest Hall – a well-known
Christine Vance. As a married
at the right place at the right time!”
and respected trumpet tutor –
couple they worked together
in London and soon found work
in Big Bands and eventually
in Agriculture from St John’s,
playing in clubs and dance halls
their own Quartet, travelling
Cambridge, but his ambition to
with various bands and musicians.
all over the UK playing jazz.
become a rugby blue was dashed
Although Barry had a ready-
In 1956, he played trumpet with the Ken Stevens Band, and they
They had two sons, Bradley and Elliot, and Barry taught them both 20
John Paton-Philip (1943)
He got a first class degree
after falling off a horse while trying to impress members of the
school Obituaries news
of the two-year course. John also
a GP in Bishop’s Castle on the
persuaded his governors to fund
Welsh borders where he stayed
the building of a chapel, which
for the rest of his life – he knew it
embedded an extra spiritual
was for him when a visit on his first
dimension.
weekend on duty involved a bumpy
John was also reacquainted
ride at night on the back of a
with rugby, as all students
tractor across a steep field to reach
were expected to play. There
a remote farmhouse.
were weekly matches and
He was a pillar of the local
John would turn out to referee
community, serving as GP for 41
the home games, much to the
years, as Town Councillor for 46
dread of the away sides, as
years, as Mayor for 11 years and
rugby team. He was advised by
many an expletive was uttered
as Deputy Mayor for a similar
the doctor who reset his fractured
about his visual capacity!
number of years, on South
wrist that rowing was the best rehab activity.
In 1980 he took early
Shropshire District Council for
retirement and moved to
seven years and on various local
south west Scotland, to fulfil
medical committees. He took a
and John was chosen to row as a
a dream to become a hill-side
particular interest in introducing
last minute replacement for CUBC
shepherd, with two working
several generations of trainee
in the 1945 boat race. The Light
border collies, which gave him
GPs into the art of rural General
Blue crew was victorious. The next
10 years of great satisfaction.
Practice and was actively involved
Every cloud has a silver lining
year he was elected President. His
John was a great encourager,
in many a local cause, including
future wife remembers watching
a humble man, who lived out his
successful campaigns to save the
that race from the bank, not
Christian beliefs. In last years of his
local community hospital and to
realising that her husband-to-be
life, John suffered from vascular
preserve the site of the old castle.
was sat in the stroke seat of the
dementia, spending the final three
trailing boat!
years in a care home. This did
family GP, dispensing advice on
not stop his interest in his large
the vicissitudes of life as much
persuaded to take up a lecturer’s
extended family, with whom he
as medicines. He maintained an
post at Chadacre Agricultural
was able to spend a memorable
interest in Cambridge and the
Institute, a small training
joint 90th birthday with Margaret
surrounding area throughout his
establishment in Suffolk, endowed
and many of their local friends. He
life, having last visited the City on
by the Iveagh family – part of the
retained his sense of humour and
Remembrance Sunday in 2018
Guinness family. This started his
his love of food right up to the end.
(which was followed by a visit to
In 1946, John was reluctantly
lifelong association with the long dark drink with a white top! In 1949, he became estate manager for another Guinness
John died on 1 November 2018.
He was the consummate
Ickleton). He died on 19 March 2019
He is survived by Margaret, and
aged 92, having lived independently
their four children, Deborah,
at home until his final few days in
Nicholas, Jennifer and Rachel.
the same community hospital that
property in Northern Ireland.
he had helped to preserve. He is
It was during this period that
survived by his four sons (three
his father suggested that John
Gerald ‘St John’ Penney (1944)
of them qualified doctors, one a lawyer) and 10 grandchildren, his
spend Christmas with a radiology colleague in Belfast. There were
Charles Penney writes:
wife (Belinda) having predeceased
two daughters, neither of whom
My father, Gerald (known as
him in September 2017.
showed much interest in him. It
“StJohn” from University days
was not until the older sister’s
onwards), was born in Norfolk and
dog went missing in the snow on
then brought up in Ickleton Vicarage
Christmas Day, which John went
close to Cambridge. After The
out alone to find, that Margaret
Perse, where he had been a Senior
realised he was something of a
Prefect, he followed his father,
special man.
the Rev. A.E. Penney, to Queens’
In 1952 John married Margaret
College, Cambridge where he
in Belfast and in 1958 they moved
read Natural Sciences as a medical
back to Chadacre with their four
student followed by his Clinical
children, for John to take up the
studies at Guy’s Hospital in London.
post of principal. He dedicated the
Following National Service in
next 22 years to the development
the Royal Navy, in 1954 he became 21
old perseans
company – Flaxyard Ltd. The
time, Barbara Haworth, moved to
company went on to enjoy
Abbey House, a Tudor-style estate
considerable success and was
in Wiltshire.
responsible for a number of high
There, Ian and fellow gardener
profile “post-modern” buildings
Martin Roberts worked ceaselessly
including Marco Polo in Battersea,
to create a series of formal garden
and Homebase in Kensington.
spaces and a more naturalistic
Ian set out to give commercial
riverside garden. They opened to
architecture a monumental civic
the public in 1997 and have since
dimension, to make architecture
seen almost three quarters of a
“fun” and thought provoking. Ian
million visitors.
wanted to make people smile, to
Ian was an avid plant collector,
brighten up their day, and to make
an accomplished musician –
work environments exciting and
teaching himself to play the flute
stimulating places to be.
at 60 – and a prolific reader,
Ian’s own personal style
accumulating his own library
matched that of Flaxyard’s most
of over 2,000 books at Abbey
flamboyant buildings, and in 1993
House. When asked what one
Rufus Pollard writes:
he was voted one of Britain’s Best
thing he could not live without, his
Ian was born in Cambridge on
Dressed Men by Esquire magazine.
response was, “Being outside in
9 June 1945. Having forged his
He even modelled on the Paris
the fresh air”.
mother’s signature on a permission
catwalk for the designer Kansai.
Ian suffered a devastating
slip, he entered and passed the 11
Ian liked to challenge convention
stroke in March 2015, which left
plus, winning a scholarship to The
and created a unique work
him unable to walk. His eldest son
Perse. During summers he worked
environment, combining work and
Rufus, took on the responsibility
with the Cambridge University
home life in a way that wouldn’t
of caring for him & managing the
Estates Department; whilst also
become the norm until a few
gardens, which will continue to
giving tours of the colleges to
decades later.
be open for the future, in honour
Ian Pollard (1963)
guests from his grandmother’s
Sadly, however, Flaxyard was
of the legacy that Ian has left. Ian
impacted by the recession of the
is survived by his five children:
Ian then went on to qualify as a
late 1980s and the company was
Juliette, Samantha, Arushka, Rufus
chartered surveyor, before setting
forced to downsize and relocate.
and Kian; and grandchildren,
up his own property development
In 1994, Ian and his partner at that
Ashley, Kiaran, Jason.
lodging house.
Stanley then turned to writing
Stanley Price (1949)
for television. After adaptations Philip Graham (1949) writes:
of the Noël Coward plays, Star
Between the 1960s and 1990s,
Quality, What Mad Pursuit and Bon
with his wonderful talent for
Voyage (1985), he wrote Close
spotting the comic potential in
Relations (1990) which won the
almost any situation, Stanley
award for the best screenplay at
Price (1949), who died from post-
the Rheims International Screen
operative complications, aged
Festival, and Genghis Cohn which
87, was one of a small number
won the same award in 1995 as
of successful British writers for
well as a US ACE Cable TV award.
screen, stage, and television. He
This was followed by A Royal
began his writing career as a
Scandal (1996) shown on BBC1. With astonishing versatility, he
journalist, as well as publishing four sharp satirical novels. He then
of comedies for the West End
then wrote three notable works of
turned to writing for Hollywood
stage, beginning with Horizontal
non-fiction, Somewhere to Hang
studios. Screen credits included
Hold, (1967). This was followed by
My Hat, (2002) a hilarious account
Arabesque (1966), starring
The Two of Me (1975), with David
of his Irish-Jewish childhood in
Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren,
and Clive Swift, Moving (1981)
Dublin, The Road to Apocalypse:
Gold (1974) with Roger Moore,
with Penelope Keith, and Why
The Extraordinary Journey of
and Shout at the Devil (1976).
Me? (1985), with Richard Briers,
Lewis Way (2011), written jointly
These were followed by a stream
also followed by a TV series.
with his distinguished historian
22
school Obituaries news
son, Munro Price, and James
many faithful clients, and after
Joyce and Italo Svevo The
leaving the firm at 65 carried on
Story of a Friendship (2016).
working from home until the
Stanley was born in Stamford
age of 70.
Hill, London in 1931 to Morris
Dad settled very well into
(Jim), a GP in the East End, and
Suffolk life, buying a medieval
Gertrude (née White), known as
house, and learning about its
Gyp. He first attended The Perse
history with my mother. He was an
from September 1942 until March
interesting source of knowledge
1943, boarding at Hillel House,
about Suffolk history, and worked
the Jewish boarding house. As
hard for the village of Stansfield,
revealed in his memoir, at the
acting as parish councillor and
end of that Easter holiday, he
David Winch (1948)
refused to return to school, locking
instigating fundraising to save the church tower, which became
himself in the lavatory at home in
Sally Winch writes:
a project involving many villagers
Dublin for several hours with the
Dad lived to the grand old age
and fundraising with copies of the
complete works of Conan Doyle
of 87, despite being a life-long
prints of the church by John Piper.
and resolutely refusing to come
smoker (he managed to stop a
out until his parents promised
couple of years before he died).
kinds of fundraising events,
he could attend a day school.
With longevity in the family – his
on one occasion cycling from
Eventually they agreed. However,
mother lived until 99 and a half
London to Brighton. He had a
he then returned to the School in
– he may have gone on longer if
great civic sense, and was a very
September 1947, again boarding at
he hadn’t suffered from COPD.
kind and modest man. He and
Hillel House until it closed in 1948
However, he felt he had had a
my mother always loved walking
when he went into digs.
good innings and was lucid to the
holidays, music and he was a
end, always keeping his trademark
tireless helper in the garden
the notable 1949 Perse Players
sense of humour. When asked why
my mother loved so much. For
production of Hamlet, in which
he had several razors brought to
many years he was also a keen
Peter Hall played the title role.
the care home in Suffolk where he
wine maker, his wines feared by
As well as acting, he played
spent his last year, he said “one
those who knew their potency.
rugby for the 1st XV and was
for each hair”. The mark of a good
captain of the tennis team. After
joke from dad was the volume of
leaving school in 1949, and doing
the groans from those around him.
Stanley was the Player King in
Dad was also involved in all
In Memoriam
National Service in the Army, he
Dad was born in Cambridge,
read History at Gonville & Caius
living in Hurst Park Avenue with
College, Cambridge, where he
his family of Suffolk origin. He was
Peter N Betterman (1956)
wrote sketches for the Footlights.
sent to The Perse after a surprise
died 2019, aged 79 years
Shortly after graduation he married
legacy arrived from great aunt
Judy Fenton, an Evening Standard
Lucy in Australia, and never looked
Roy A Carter (1949)
reporter, whom he had met at
back. He loved The Perse, cycling
died 3 April 2019, aged 87 years
Cambridge where she was studying
to school and learning to love
at Homerton College. In 1957, the
rugby in particular. He went on to
David A Dilley (1948)
two of them moved for three years
Gonville & Caius, where he read
died 18 May 2019, aged 87 years
to New York where he worked
Law, and only slightly regretted
as entertainment correspondent
not having to leave home.
for Life, conducting interviews
He married Marjorie Clarkson,
Robert J Milne (1949) died 12 June 2019, aged 87 years
with numerous celebrities
a teacher, and they initially lived
including Marilyn Monroe.
in Shelford, then moved to Suffolk
Raanan Sivan ‘Ronald Silver’ (1939)
for work, where dad became a
died March 2019, aged 97 years
Stanley combined being one of the funniest men of his generation
country solicitor, having to step
with great warmth of heart. A very
into the breach after the sudden
Gerald R Walker (1965)
large number of people counted
death of junior solicitor Francis
died September 2019, aged 73 years
it a tremendous privilege and
Wayman’s father at Wayman &
pleasure to have known him as a
Long. Dad’s desk was surrounded
This list was up-to-date when
life-enhancing friend.
by piles of books and he doodled
we went to print. Obituaries may
artistically on his blotting pad
be read in full on our website:
while working on cases. He had
perse.co.uk/obituaries
He is survived by Judy, Munro and his brother, Ashley.
23
old perseans
Upcoming Events Upcoming Reunion Dinners 2019/20: Classes of 2005–2010 2020/21: Classes of the 1980s 2021/22: Classes of the 1990s Community Lecture: Professor Beverley Glover, Director of Cambridge University Botanic Garden Wednesday 26 February 2020 7.30pm, The Perse. Open to all. OP Sports Festival Saturday 21 March 2020 Timings TBC, The Perse. Open to all. 2005–2010 Reunion Dinner Saturday 25 April 2020 6.45 for 7.30pm, The Perse. Open to the Classes of 2005–2010. Perse Community Weekend: 60 years at Hills Road Saturday 2 – Monday 4 May 2020 Timings TBC, The Perse. Open to all. Half Century Club Lunch Saturday 16 May 2020 12.00 for 12.30, The Perse. Open to those who left in 1970 or before. OP Cricket Friday 19 June 2020 Play from 2pm, The Perse. Open to all. Benefactors’ Reception Saturday 20 June 2020 12.30pm, The Perse. By invitation. For more information Please visit perse.co.uk/alumni/events or contact the Alumni & Development Office by telephone on +44 (0)1223 403 808 or email PerseADO@perse.co.uk Alumni & Development Office www.perse.co.uk/alumni
Old Perseans and Friends @OldPerseans
The Perse School Hills Road Cambridge, UK, CB2 8QF
Old Perseans
Tel: +44(0)1223 403 808 PerseADO@perse.co.uk
The Perse School is a registered charity no. 1120654 24