PRIZEGIVING SPEECH 27


The last point I’d like to make is the hardest of all to articulate. It’s intangible, and yet probably the most important aspect of QEH. A value system, I suppose; shared qualities that stretch into adulthood. Decency, if that’s not too old-fashioned a concept. Fairness. A confident modesty a million miles away from arrogance. Also a certain robustness that helps in the Big Bad World outside.


Another tiny example of such values, picked randomly from hundreds, involves a Welshman by the name of Perkins: a man of few words and fewer teeth, a man who had a large influence on my life. I played for the 1st XV for the last two years of my time here. In those days, Clifton College would only ever let us play their second team. Finally, they agreed to let us play their 1st XV and on a memorable afternoon at their place we beat them. And so to the return match at Failand the next season. By now I was Captain and I was absolutely determined that we’d beat them on our patch. Just before we ran out, I came up with a plan: if I shouted “TWO MEN!” we’d put four into the line-out and outnumber them and if I shouted “FOUR MEN!” we’d stick two in and get a penalty.


These being Clifton College Boys, and not the brightest, the referee pinged them all through the first half and we turned around comfortably up. I was giving the team talk when I saw JDP walking over to me. Now, if there was anyone in the school who wanted to win more than me it was Dave Perkins but he was displeased. “What are you doing?” “Um, winning, sir?” “But who wants to win like that? Beat them fair and square or you don’t deserve to beat them at all”.


He was, of course, right. I’ve tried to live my life according to such tenets. Not always the easiest thing to do when you work in the shark-infested world of film and TV, but I hope I do my best.


Which brings me full circle, to that little matter of 1590 and the generosity of our founders. I feel it’s a little unfair to say this to 11 and 12 year olds but I’m going to say it anyway: when you leave this place, when you become Captains of Industry and sports stars, classicists and physicists, Estate Agent of the Year in Swindon, whatever it might be, remember where you came from and put your hand in your pocket, so that generations of boys yet to come will have what you and I have had. A QEH education.”


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