CoRo, 10-26; HoDo, K, 21-26
The Wykehamist
Salve GCL
Last term, we welcomed Mr Lewis as our new
Head of Economics. His path to the subject began at Newcastle University, where he read Economics before briefly entering the insurance industry, followed by sixteen years of experience across state schools, independent schools, and even three years at a school in Kenya.
He has settled into Winchester smoothly and impressively. Within his first term, he has shepherded students to the finals of both the Economics Olympiad and the national Economics Budget Challenge— a remarkable start, although one for which he is admirably reluctant to take credit for. In lessons, he resists the dreary pull of the textbook in favour of wide-ranging discussion, never apologising for going off-topic. He holds a Masters from the Institute of Education and still maintains a keen interest in educational research.
Outside school, GCL is a seasoned runner, having competed in races in Namibia, off-road triathlons, and trail marathons across the Yorkshire peaks. Perhaps even more impressively, he has also found time to venture onto the Winkies pitch, an experience he describes with cheerful honesty as having left him‘ less certain of the rules than before’.
With thanks to Nicholas Barclay( K, 22-) & Kirin Ranpura( K, 22-).
Vale LMG
Dr Guymer came to Winchester in 2010 by circumstance. Midway through a postdoctoral lectureship in nineteenth and twentieth century history, he found himself, in his own words,‘ a casualty of higher education’. He applied for two teaching posts— one here, one at Charterhouse— and received a text from JGW offering him the Winchester job on the train home from his interview. Charterhouse had shown unpromising communication skills and was not seriously considered— much to our benefit.
What was meant to be a year became sixteen. LMG quickly found that teaching here was far more rewarding than university work, where seminars of twenty( largely unprepared) students left little room for the depth he craved. He published a book and built an academic CV, even interviewing at Queen Mary for a position in modern British history, but the winds of scholarly fashion had turned— his specialism in nineteenth century diplomacy had given way to material culture in eighteenth century houses— and Winchester, where he was well-liked, kept him. RDT( HM, 05-16) asked him to run the History department and‘ each year simply rolled into the next’.
CoRo, 10-26; HoDo, K, 21-26
He speaks most fondly, I think, of his time spent as Housemaster of Beloe’ s. He describes it as the most all-encompassing thing he will ever do— something that he will‘ remember as an old man, just before he shuffles off the mortal coil, with images of certain pupils flashing across his mind.’ He declines to name these more troublesome boys for legal reasons.
He leaves for the Norwich School, one of England’ s oldest, founded in the twelfth century and set within the grounds of Norwich Cathedral. Of the school he is leaving, he is characteristically generous. What makes Winchester special, he says, is not the rules or the traditions but the boys themselves— the fact that no one would bat an eye at the captain of Commoner Xs and a reclusive chess player walking together. He appreciates that at Winchester, pupils enjoy learning—‘ however much you might pretend otherwise.’ He doubts he will ever teach somewhere again with such qualities so plainly on display; we doubt we will easily find a don to match him. He will be dearly missed.
With thanks to George Hewett( K, 21-) & Kirin Ranpura( K, 22-).
44