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In Memoriam G J Allen (M 40) May 2011 Peter Allen (Hf 51) Feb 2013 Richard C Beadon (LH 48) Jan 2013 J J B Bembridge (C 45) Dec 2012 Maurice Bradshaw (L 43) May 2013 C. Gordon Clegg (SH 30) Sept 2013 Robert Craig (WD 52) Nov 2011 John L Crooks (C 42) 2012 Neil L Dallas* (WD 39) Apr 2012 William Davies (SH 46) Jan 2013 Charles Fenton (WD 45) Aug 2013 Donald Fraser (LH 28) Sept 2012 Stewart Green* (WB 38) Dec 2012 Francis Hancock (Hf 26) Sept 2013 John C Haygarth (LH 42) Dec 2012 Patrick Higgins (SH 58) Mar 2013 John Hornshaw (M 36) Sept 2012 David Hodson (SH 33) June 2012 Anthony Howitt* (C 33) Sept 2013 A J G Howse* (F 42) Dec 2012 Kenneth Hugh-Jones* (WB 37) May 2013 Dennis Hurden* (L 38) Mar 2013 Bryan Jenks* (SH 32) May 2013 John Johnston* (H 48) Oct 2012 Robin Jubb (B 57) Oct 2012 Frank Latham* (H 37) Jan 2013 Peter L Lindrea* (F 30) Feb 2013 Charles Longbottom* (B 44) Feb 2013 K B W MacLellan (H 30) Jul 2013 Andrew Madel (LH 58) Jan 2013 John Maling* (B 34) Dec 2012 Dick Malthouse (F 44) Jun 2013 Ian Menzies (H 53) Sept 2012 Neville Moss (F 42) Dec 2012 John Nicholls (L 46) Nov 2012 Martyn R Noble* (L 42) Jul 2013 William Parker (Fgh 34) Apr 2013 R F C Pull (M 64) Dec 2012 Richard Pyatt (F 56) Feb 2013 David Ramsay (C 62) Oct 2012 Timothy Roberts (WB 46) Feb 2013 Richard Rope (C 40) Nov 2012 John Rushton* (C 63) May 2013 Peter Seely* (SH 63) Jan 2013 Richard Sherwood (Fgh 37) May 2010 Christopher Simpson (SH 50) Nov 2012 Frank South* (Fgh 29) Apr 2013 E Ian Stanford* (Hf 35) Jan 2013 Richard Stuart (C 47) Apr 2013 W Guy Street* (LH 33) Mar 2013 John Sturton (SH 46) Feb 2013 Roderick W A Suddaby* (Hf 60) Jun 2013 Simon G Tate* (H 61) Feb 2011 Richard Thorp* (Fgh 45) May 2013 Nigel Truefitt (L 63) Jun 2013 Robert Varney (WD 57) Jul 2013 Peter Wadsworth (WB 37) Mar 2013 D P Wainwright* (M 49) Sept 2012 A K Waller (Hf 46) Aug 2012 Eric V Willings* (F 57) June 2012 Brian Woodcock* (F 38) Nov 2012 Andrew Woodhead (M 41) Feb 2013 P M Zinn (WD 46) Jan 2013
1975-1982
The last in our series of articles on Headmasters up to the modern era.
Coll MacDonald, Headmaster The 1970s were evolving times; historians have increasingly portrayed the decade as a “pivot of change” in world history and Uppingham during the period in which Coll MacDonald served faced its own challenges. Wider society saw struggles against conformity and so it was at Uppingham with uniform protocol being tested to the limit and disquiet being voiced at some unpopular decisions (such as removal of tapestries due to a serious fire in one of the boarding houses). Nevertheless under his leadership, the introduction of girls to the School in 1975 changed the face of Uppingham to this day. Discussions regarding girls had been ongoing since the previous headmaster who had broached the subject with the Trustees in 1968. Bryan Matthews commented in his book ‘By God’s Grace’, it was the economic crisis sparked off in December 1973, with the OPEC countries more than doubling the price of oil, which fuelled the momentum for taking girls, reinforcing the advantageous social reasons which were evident. In February 1975 the decision was taken to admit girls as boarders into the Sixth Form in the following September, occupying what had been the Sanitorium, now to be named “Fairfield”. It was a decision which enabled Uppingham to survive the political and economic dangers of the time, propelling it into its next chapter as the co-educational school that thrives today. Coll MacDonald was 50 years old when he was appointed, with 15 years’ experience as a headmaster. He was an academic, educated at, Rugby and Christ’s College, Cambridge where his undergraduate career in Classics had been interrupted by three years’ war service in the RAF, in the rank of Flying Officer serving in the Far East, where he became an accomplished pilot. To many he was the antithesis of his predecessor, seeming somewhat detached from pupils, although his relations with staff were cordial and supportive. Despite this he had a rational and analytical mind, and an ability to tread carefully through the crises of his reign. He left the School in 1982 to settle in Portsmouth, but before a year had passed after his retirement Coll MacDonald died of a heart attack at the age of just 59. To be frank, Coll appeared at first meeting to be a rather nervous person, rather uncomfortable in his role as Headman! How wrong can an initial judgement be! In my latter years at the School I acquired a very great respect for a wonderful man who took you at face value, encouraged your best attributes and gave you confidence to present the best of yourself in whatever you most excelled. A truly great man to whom I owe a great deal in confidently presenting my skills to others. David Carter (M 72)
