ORIGINAL MESSAGE
NAME: Robin Dare (Dur)DATE: 20 May 2009
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1967-71
Where are all you ex convicts from 1967 to 1971? We may not have learned very much but I'm sure those of us from 3c and beyond attained at least basic skills in reading and writing! Frep Forster? Hob Perkins? I have loads of names, a class photo from my first year in 1B and my own photos taken after getting relegated to 3C. Anybody want to free up those repressed memories? "I Have A Dreadful Memory" said The Kid - "What Other Folk Forget, I Remember".
1st REPLY
NAME: Martin GroutDATE: 22nd February 2011
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1968-74
Like many others it seems, we all have mixed feelings and memories. Would like to hear from some who were promoted to 2R as guinea pigs.
DATE: 8th November 2012
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1968-1975
I just discovered this site yesterday. Martin Grout, I kind of remember you, and I'll relate a trivial incident concerning 2R and wasn't it a wonderful example of blundering insensitivity? 2R was so called as results of our intake (3 classes in 1968) were so poor that some genius decided to re-group the bottom third in every class and create a 2-Removed. The inevitable result was that the rest of us gloated and crowed, and chanted "2-R, 2-R, 2-R" whenever our paths crossed. After a term or so some slightly less dense teacher must have suggested that 2-R rebaptise itself more diplomatically as 2C. Anyway, a friend of mine was removed to that class called Cameron McVey, we used to run cross-country together, and about 3 years ago to my absolute amazement I realised that the well-known music producer (Portishead, Massive Attack etc) and husband of Neneh Cherry is the very same C. McVey, destined back in 1969 for the scrap-heap with the other members of 2R. If you look at the Wiki page on Q.E. you will find that Cameron is the only "notable pupil" cited from our year !
BTW, let me just throw in my opinion of life at the school: I was very happy for six out of my seven years there (the exception probably had to do more with pubescent hormones than anything else), and as the years go by I recognise that many of my values, a lot of of my general culture, and certainly my sense of analysis and negotiation, were the fruit of my time at QE.
DATE: 14th November 2012
CONNECTION WITH QE: ex pupil
Very mixed memories of QE. Enjoyed the first year, but didn't feel that the education subsequently received in classes 2R/2C was good enough and the 'experiment' did not work. Hence not great memories of the school itself, but lifelong friendships established with some of my fellow guinea pigs, who I still see now.
.jpg "James Cowen gallery")
Then & NowDATE: 14th November 2012
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
I enjoyed reading again, Guy, about 2R and the fact that being in 2R did not stop Cameron McVey being included among the notable pupils on Wikipedia. It is good that you have drawn attention to Wikipedia, the other site apart from this being additional to the official QE website. There is much on Wikileaks about Cameron McVey (aka Booga Bear) and Nemeh Cherry if reference is made to them. I found it interesting even as a non-pop music fan. (I was once in my youth but alas no longer). I had not read Wikipedia about the school before and was informed about many things. Eamonn Harris (Headmaster 1984-99) does not appear in any threads here but reference is made to him in "Criticisms of the School" in the Wikipedia entry. There was criticism of Eamonn's Hit List and maybe some readers could supply more details. At this time of WW Remembrance reference to two VCs won by OEs was also interesting. More details are given in Mr Tripp's book concerning history of medal recipients.
Besides referemce to Eamonn Harris there is reference on the Wikipedia site to Dr John Marincowitz BA PhD FRSA who does get some mention in threads so far.(Headmaster 1999-2011). He commissioned the new Martin swimming pool opened in 2006, the Shirley Hall opened in 2009 and a digital library in 2011. My Good Schools Guide of 2005 gives further information. He joined the school as a history teacher in 1985 and taught part-time while completing his PhD. He previously taught in South Africa for 7 years. His son attended QEs and his daughter went to North London Collegiate. It says he taught some history, was quietly spoken but very approachable and had a clear vision for the school. He said "We are not an exam factory. We want to develop boys to be rounded individuals who will go on to make a serious contribution to society." Others may be able to supply further info, e.g. reasons for leaving.
Then & NowDATE: 14th November 2012
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
I was interested to see on the Wikipedia QE entry such prominence given in respect of the dispute between the MP Jeremy Corbyn and his wife Claudia over where to send their son to school. As is revealed Jeremy wanted him to go to a comprehensive in Islington, however sub-standard, and Claudia wanted him to go to a better academic school such as QEs where he eventually went. This was of course the dilemma of other MPs, especially Labour MPS such as Tony Blair and Diane Abbott. It is to be welcomed that so many comprehensives have improved academically and I am glad the comprehensive schools my children went to were definitely not sub-standard. Maybe then my wife and I would have had more of a dilemma also. We certainly could not have sent them to Marlborough or Winchester unless they had won a scholarship and maybe not even then. Reference to the Independent Schools book gives details of the size of the fees (really enormous!)
Then & NowDATE: 26th November 2012
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
I talked about extensions to QE buildings during the headship of Dr Marincowitz [reply 4] but of course as the QE official website reminds us there were new building erected during the headship of Eamonn Harris (1984-99). The Heard Building was purpose built to accommodate the enlarged 6th form (that is in old currency. Year 12 in new currency). The Friends Music Room was built to serve the many musicians, now very notable in the schools composition and I expect with their own school ties in addition to all the other school ties. The Clark Laboratories were built to improve the science facilities. The Shearley Hall also houses the school shop, which apparently has a large stock of goods, that may be bought with modern finger tip technology by the boys. This hall can apparently accommodate as one body all the school vastly enlarged since our day. A tour of the facilities was arranged by the current headmaster prior to the 2012 Annual Dinner.
Then & NowDATE: 29th January 2013
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
Not a lot has yet appeared on site about the Headmasters of the school after TBE as to what they were like and what school was like under their Headships, nor as yet any photos. I have a copy of the Daily Telegraph Schools Guide for 1998-99. This was part of the reign of Eamonn Harris as head. In the description of the head it says: "Tough,long serving; leads from the front. Formerly a Dominican friar; has wide experience of the state sector. Demands success and has presided over a steady rise in standards. Not all parents warm to his laconic style but few question the thoroughness of their son's education." I did not know the man but is this a fair assessment in a summary write up? I have no longer my copy of Oliphant but is this use of the semi-colon correct?
DATE: 5th September 2013
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1968-1974
I too was one of the Guinea Pigs mentioned above [reply 1]. My first year at the school not helped in any way by 6 weeks off right at the start for an operation. By the time I got back, people had gelled with each other and lessons needed catching up with...
Then & NowDATE: 16th June 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 56-63
Well I never! The only prominent non-OE to appear on the Wikipedia QE Barnet site is in the news again. Jeremy Corbyn, referred to in reply 5, is once more in the news as one of the four candidates in the Labour leadership election. I wish the 66 year old Labour MP for Islington North all the best in the campaign. At least it will bring in more left-wing views in to the debates.
.JPG "Nick Dean gallery")
DATE: 18 June 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
So, regarding reply 9, there appear to be three categories of people who wish Jeremy Corbyn well in the Labour leadership election: some on the 'left' of the party who actually support him; others, possibly including Jas, who want a "proper debate" and, so I understand, a number of Conservatives who are paying their £3 just so that they can vote for Mr Corbyn (and presumably also for Tom Watson as deputy leader). I imagine that, on the strength of the first candidates' TV debate, odds on Mr Corbyn will be shortening and those for Andy "the party comes first" Burnham lengthening. See Daily Mirror article
DATE: 22 June 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
And talking of politicians and Jeremys with links to the school, I see that Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins, who would have been at QE towards the end of Jenkins' time, is one of seven Eurosceptic members to have formed a cross-party "exploratory committee" in preparation for the forthcoming referendum. His younger brother Jeremy was in my year at school. Almost exactly 50 years ago (and no doubt, at the age of 12, taking ourselves a little too seriously, albeit in a good cause) he and I led the opposition to a pro-UDI motion in a debate on Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) organised by Abel Williams during a geography lesson. Not sure if the senior geography master knew about this: I can't imagine such an event taking place in Room U.
DATE: 22 July 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
Various references in the press to Jeremy Corbyn's marital life have drawn me back to replies 5 and 9 on this thread. I hadn't looked at the Wikipedia entry and was unaware until now that he and his Chilean second wife actually split over her insistence that their son go to Queen Elizabeth's. (That would be good for the Chronicle.) A recent piece in The Telegraph speculates that "the name of the school alone must have kept him awake at night" and notes that, "characteristically" he was at a "peace conference" in Holland when news of the separation broke. Of course, in "our day", Labour politicians used routinely to end their children to independent schools (never mind state grammar schools) - Harold Wilson certainly did - and few thought anything of it.
DATE: 29th March 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1968-74
Haven't looked at this site for a while now and just came across it again. Good to see a couple of comments about the 2R debacle and seeing some other threads that trigger memories, few of them actually positive. Like Peter Sumpter above [reply 8], I too had six weeks off in the first term with an operation on my knee and I attribute this to my selection for 2R at the end of the year. The mention elsewhere of certain teachers always appearing when we were in the showers was something that did stir up memories and something that would not be tolerated nowadays hopefully, in the same way that the whole class was subjected to the 'padabat'? in PE during the first year. There were very few teachers who could control the 'R' class as we quickly realised what the 'R' stood for. Merging the bottom ten off each of three classes was never going to work. We realised it, our parents realised it but sadly the establishment didn't. For that reason when I left the school I vowed never to return, a promise I have actually managed to keep. It would be good to hear of other lab rats to hear how we are all facing retirement. As for teachers, Mrs Needle (French) deserves a mention as she used to leave our class in tears most times. Au revoir mes amis.
DATE: 02 July 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
I see that Kelvin Hopkins [reply 11] this week became Shadow Secretary of State for Culture. But for how long, one wonders?