No . 136 The Trusty Servant current polarised political backdrop and I hope , as he does , that this could shape their decisions as potential captains of industry . He has pushed this agenda in the college too but , in the end , decided that he could be most effective at the sharp end of policy decisions .
He is leaving , therefore , to become a climate policy wonk , where his formidable negotiating skills - inherited from his father , who was manager of the Silverhill Colliery in Nottingham in the eighties - will be tested to the limit .
He is a great loss to Common Room , the Geography department , Boat Club and to College , where he was an outstanding tutor .
Ben Gould ( Co Ro , 19-23 ) Liz Veal ( Co Ro , 13-23 ) writes :
Ben came to Winchester College for his interview in 2019 : he looked smart on paper and seemed very personable . He delivered a terrible lesson on inflation , but there was a spark of something - perhaps his easy rapport with the pupils or his gentle sense of humour . Whatever it was , he was offered the chance to learn on the job ; which he certainly did , passing his teacher training qualification with distinction .
He tutored in Beloe ’ s , and , in Laurence Guymer ( Ho Do K , 21- ) words , was ‘ the ultimate big brother ... kicking a ball around in Yard , clarifying the rules of Winkies in the galleries late at night , and running Economics tasktimes in Grubbing Hall . He was a sounding board , a source of advice , and of light relief .’
Ben loves sport . In football , he has been a keen coach . Specialist goalkeeper sessions were particularly memorable , involving the boys shooting at him , so he could
‘ show them how it ’ s done ’. He has shared the OTH canvas with Ben Cunningham ( K , 07-12 ; Co Ro , 18- ) in Common Times , mastering the rules , and bringing canny tactical insight to the game . His cricket team was not only given sound technical advice , he was also brilliant at encouraging a love of cricket , and of time spent with friends while playing it .
As part of the department Ben has done enrichment activities , Oxbridge tasktimes , talks and clinics for the pupils , but he has also been a hugely supportive colleague and friend to CoRo . We will all miss his patient weekly encouragement to turn up and play for the staff cricket team , his chat , his jokes and his generosity .
Freddie Clay ( Co Ro , 21-23 )
Head of Classics , Edmund Lewis ( Co Ro , 20- ) writes :
Freddie came to us straight from New College in 2021 . And what a success he has been . Freddie absolutely loves Classics , and has conveyed that love triumphantly to the pupils in the classroom . He thrives on the rigours of prose composition and I know teaching that to VI Bk has been a highlight . But he seems to have loved teaching every class , lower or upper school , higher and lower set , and has done a particularly brilliant job of introducing three beginners ’ sets at various stages to the fun of the classical world .
Most importantly , the pupils love him and love being taught by him , mostly for his wit and enthusiasm I think , though also for his dress-sense . I caught a glimpse of the send-off his V Bk Latin set organised for him , which involved balloons emblazoned with the words ‘ World ’ s Best Dad .’ I know he is extremely popular in Chawker ’ s too ; a Chawkerite I have taught this year declared : ‘ I would literally pay
Mr Clay ’ s salary if he stayed .’ And he is omnipresent in extracurricular life , participating generously in sport including football and tennis , as a coach on College Canvas , and in Community Service .
In addition , he has been an absolute stalwart of Classics outreach work , and has helped with many trips ( Geography and Economics ones as well as Classics ). And it is hard to dent that enthusiasm of his : the many highlights he declared from the Easter Greek trip included the morning we got absolutely soaked at the fortress of Mistras : he was singing the praises of the ‘ amazing atmosphere ’ – as well as the Byzantine frescoes – for the rest of the trip .
Freddie has proved a wonderful combination of energy , scholarship , good manners , professionalism , style , charisma and sheer good fun these last two years . We wish him very well indeed next year , when he plans to dip his toes in the business world , but my suspicion - and secret hope - is that he might be tempted back to teaching .
OBITUARY
We have heard from her daughter that Ann Cattermole ( EA Cattermole ) died on 21 st January , 2023 . She was Toye ’ s matron form 2000-2008 , and the wife of Dr PE Cattermole , who was Head of Science from 1976-2000 .
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