The Wykehamist
VIBk pupil is also an integral member of their own house. So you’ ve got to keep the houses alive. We will have, for the boys, vertically structured houses, for the girls it’ s all VIBk— there’ s a lot of moving parts in there. So what does that look like for the sports program? For house sports? For house identity? There’ s a lot in there. So that’ s probably enough of a diet of big structural change for the next few years. And then alongside that, we’ ll be trying to refine and enhance a whole variety of other things.
TD: Conscious of time, we’ re going to move on to the last question, unfortunately: has there been a particular moment during your time here that you feel best exemplifies the spirit of Winchester College?
HM: In all honesty, I think that on any average day, there are three to four moments where I think,‘ I can’ t believe how lucky I am to be here’. So, this morning, I was standing outside Chantry with the Dean of Chapel, looking at a particular view of Chantry and the dappled light on it, and thinking,‘ How could this be my workplace?’. On one of the first days of this term, I walked past the Eccles Room. The Master-in-College was in there with some JP men who were looking at these beautiful, beautiful medieval books and manuscripts which he’ d got out. He’ s a great scholar. He was introducing them to these seminal works that they can pick up in their hands and touch! I looked at that and thought,‘ That is the most outstanding educational experience that you can’ t get anywhere else.’ I got a phone call about a week ago about a new pupil in the school. The parents had been very enthusiastic about Winchester, but quite worried about this pupil and how they were going to settle in. And they couldn’ t believe it; even in the first ten days, their confidence was blossoming. They said that they would have been thrilled if this had happened over three years, and it happened in two weeks! [ laughs ] That is a really touching moment.
This is why I always say that everyone should become a teacher. You get the joys of parenthood at mass scale, right? You see what your pupils become, and you have the memories of all the high jinks that they got up to, or the outrageous email that they shouldn’ t have sent you, and then you see what person they’ ve become. Or opportunities like the Jane Austen house at 8 College Street … the way that we drew on our archives, our collections, the curatorial expertise of Mr Rattray, Dr Foster, Ms Foster, Ms Ceiriog-Hughes— that was the most beautiful exhibition, and so far above the more popular Jane Austen things. Name a school that has that expertise! I mean, you [ gestures to Jad ] wrote half the album in that exhibition! [ laughs ] Lucky you, right? But what an exceptional thing that was! I can’ t pick one. On the weekend, one of the trees was so heavy with apples they were dropping onto the asphalt of the car park. And I thought,‘ This is ridiculous, I’ m going to go and pick some’. So I got out there, and they were all too high, and I couldn’ t reach any of them. Lo and behold, Harry Tang walks past! [ laughs ] So I said,‘ Harry! [ claps ] Over you come...’. That gentle good humour, that quality of relationship that you only get when you live together and do lots of silly things together— I don’ t know, it’ s unlike any place that I’ ve been in.
JD: Well, on that really wonderful note, sadly I think that’ s all we have time for. Thank you so much, Headmaster.
TD: Yes, thank you very much— it’ s been an absolute pleasure.
The interview was conducted by Thomas Dunn( H, 2021-) and Jad Darkazally( D, 2021). The Wykehamist would like to thank the Sub-Warden, LJQ, Arthur Marre( C, 2024-) and Laurie Sawbridge( H, 2022-) for contributing questions, and the Headmaster for generously giving her time.
10