The Cholmeleian, Winter 2008

Head Master's introduction

OCs will have heard the sad news that Theodore Mallinson who joined the school in 1939, and has been associated with it ever since, has died in his ninety-ninth year. Theodore had, in fact, already persuaded me that the time had come to pass on his baton as record-keeper of the School Archive and arrangements are in place for Tim Livsey of the History Department, aided by Luke Schrager (WG 1992), to do so: the latter is assisting us in preparing a new Register. For those who knew Theodore, it is difficult to imagine Highgate without him: we were all the richer for knowing him and his inspirational, indefatigable ways. I know all OCs and friends will join the school in sending our condolences to Theodore’s family: his daughter Priscilla, grandsons Michael and Peter, his grand-daughter Sarah and great-grandsons Joseph, Christopher, Luke and Harry. It is truly the end of a very special Highgate era which we shall mark at a service of memorial and thanksgiving at St Mark’s Church, Dalston on Thursday 19 March at 2.30pm.

In this edition of The Cholmeleian, we have chosen as our theme the worlds of medicine and the law: the former is pertinent in this anniversary year of the founding of the National Health Service; the latter recalls our eponymous Founder’s profession as a lawyer and Lord Chief Justice under the first Queen Elizabeth. Generations of Cholmeleians have developed and fulfilled their vocations as doctors and the current generation is no different: about a tenth of leavers head off to read medicine at university. Both professions are represented on the governing body: Highgate’s latest governor, Professor Dr Brian Davidson, a world expert on the human liver, writes of his work in the magazine; Rachel Langdale, a barrister, has succeeded Nigel Boardman as the Lord Chief Justice’s nominated governor, and is, like Professor Davidson, a parent of children in the Highgate Foundation.

After a year’s interlude, building work has got underway in earnest: Central Hall is the focus of a year-long restoration project and is shrouded in scaffolding; work has begun in Dyne House to refurbish the auditorium, build new practice rooms and create a new music performance space in the ‘black hole’. Phase two of the restoration work, due to start in September 2009, takes in Big School which will, we hope, be transformed into a spectacular library; a generous OC donation has helped us move forward on this exciting project to relocate the library at the heart of the School.

Our pupils have broken Highgate’s impressive A level records and entered the Daily Telegraph ‘Premier League’, scoring 90% A and B grades in the recent round of examinations. Year 7 and 8 pupils (first and second formers, to older readers) have entered the Senior School and cheerfully, charmingly taken the hill-top site by storm. At the time of writing, the First XI has triumphed over Eton (one – nil) for the first time in a generation (in time for Theodore to gloat!) and the netballers have secured epic victories over Channing and NLCS. While it would be ungentlemanly to crow over such successes, it is good to be able to report that sport is in such good shape while academic standards rise!

Adam Pettitt

To read the Winter 2008 edition of The Cholmeleian, download a PDF copy.

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