When Bill left Sevenoaks in 1986, he went to Brentwood School, remaining there until retirement in 2008. The term‘ all-round schoolmaster’ can be a cliché but it is only when one looks at someone like Bill that the full meaning becomes apparent. While reviewing the recent tributes to Bill, the words of Wren’ s epitaph, adapted, come to mind: Lector, si monumenta quaeris, memorias audi –‘ Reader, if you seek his monument, listen to the memories’.
John Guyatt, Undermaster 1990-2003( OS 1961)
ANN MURRAY 1947-2024
Ann Murray began teaching recorder at Sevenoaks School in 1983, having graduated from Trinity College of Music under the tutelage of Professor Edgar Hunt, and retired in 2022. She transformed opinions of the recorder and established it as a serious instrument integral to the school’ s Music department. Student enrolment in recorder lessons soared under her guidance, but what truly marked her success was the number of students who continued lessons into the Sixth Form – testament to her passion and the enthusiasm she inspired.
Ann was an advocate of a well-rounded musical education, with no shortcuts. She warmly encouraged all her students to sing in choirs and take part in chamber music. They regularly performed concertos with chamber orchestras, and she seized every opportunity to bring the recorder to the concert stage. One highlight was a remarkable performance of Bach’ s Brandenburg Concerto No 4 at the Purcell Room, in London, in 2003, featuring recorder soloists Alec Frank-Gemmill and Emily Hastings.
Her dedication to the craft of teaching was matched by her joy in and unwavering support for the Music department. Ann was a constant presence at school concerts irrespective of whether her students were performing.
Kind, generous and quietly influential, Ann never sought the spotlight but profoundly enriched the Music department through her gentle and steadfast encouragement. She supported every student from the young beginner to the most advanced music scholar and leaves a lasting legacy on the school’ s music community. Our thoughts are with Ann’ s husband Peter.
Christopher Dyer
SEVENOAKS SCHOOL 2024-2025 139