Dear Simon
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| William Dobbie and his rather pretty American wife |
It is William! It's amazing to hear from you - and to see you looking so happy in those photos.
I must say that you were an inspirational teacher, whose impact is with me still. I wish I had been less annoying and more grateful and respectful at the time, but I'm glad I get to thank you now at least. You were unbelievably patient with me Simon. If I had been you, I definitely would have strangled me. I have strong memories of you reading to us often, which I adored - especially Roald Dahl. I can still picture your handwriting. I remember you getting emotional occasionally as well, which impacts a child - once about suffragettes fighting for the vote. I was inspired by your re-telling to us of a piece of writing by a boy you had previously taught at a different school. This boy's writing described being very badly burned by boiling water, accidentally poured on him by his mother. (Possibly the same boy who, you once told us, ran over to you at a football match when it was raining to remark to you "God's just flushed the toilet!"?) Giving someone a lifelong love for words and literature is priceless, and you did that for me.
Your story since Northaw sounds fascinating. Do you miss the UK? In answer to your questions, yes, I went to Eton and then read music at Oxford where I believe you went. I almost applied to read English. I then joined the British Army as an infantry officer and served for four years including in Iraq, before going into full-time Christian ministry, which is what I've been doing ever since. And like you, I'm an expat - I married an American in 2007, and we moved to the US just 18 months ago. I ministered in Newcastle and London before moving here to Tennessee, for us to be closer to her family. We're building our family through adoption, which has been an amazing privilege. Our oldest son has multiple special needs. Along the way, life has knocked some rough edges off me since Northaw days.
If it's at all gratifying for you as my former English teacher, I had this published earlier this year, and plan to keep writing. The book includes at least one (brief) Northaw anecdote, and other personal anecdotes which you might find interesting.
Thanks for the news about other ONs. Fascinating. I hear little as I'm not on social media. I know that Tessa Waterhouse (for whom I had a huge crush throughout my Northaw career) sadly died of cancer perhaps around 15 years ago. And I was told just last year that Alex Drury electrocuted himself accidentally as a teenager, while using an electric lawn mower. (I can't verify this.) Boris served in the army (including in Iraq) and is now the head of fitness for a rugby club. My sister read classics at Oxford before becoming a barrister. A year or two ago, she became a recorder (a junior type of judge), one of the youngest in the UK. Mawgan Gyles was an actor the last I heard. (I remember you being very compassionate to Mawgan, who struggled in English lessons.)
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| Mawgan onstage in A Long Day's Journey into Night |
My overriding memory of Northaw is of being very happy and massively privileged, though I'm not sure how conscious I was of either at the time.
What a truly idyllic setting - both the elegant building and the grounds, in which I spent many happy hours in my boilersuit!
Are you in London anytime in 2023? I'm there for a week in January and some time briefly in June. A catch-up would be a joy.
Take care, and thank you so, so much again Simon for those English lessons.
W
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