Merchant Taylors' School

Merchant Taylors' (one of the nine great public schools of England, as defined by the Clarendon Commission in the 1860s, not, I stress, a school for poor people paid for by the public) was where I spent much of my time between the tender ages of 11 and 18. Not a bad place overall, just one minor omission that would have probably made me a lot more normal- girls.

Situated in acres of land just outside Northwood, we were miles from the nearest town. Some might say this was so that we would be able to enjoy the open air for field games, nature walks, and other outside activities; really it was because at that distance, noone could hear you scream.

A lot of the time was spent polishing up the finer points of latin grammar and whatnot, but it's not all work work work. Well, Ok, let's be fair it probably was. Many memories of extra school activities, mainly involving avoiding the pædophiles (sometimes the older boys, mostly the teachers), learning the rules of various complicated and arcane games (the wall game, rugby union, fencing, the biscuit game). And those Fridays in the Scout troop, with the wonderful, serene scout leader. Ah, happy days.

Nevertheless, I met and still know some very interesting people. The ones that haven't been convicted haven't got round to writing webpages, so I shan't mention them here.