Framlinghamian 2022 - Flipbook - Page 124
DINNERS & SUPPERS
Lipman (Head Boy).
The longest serving OF attending the
dinner was Ken Mayhew (R29-34) who is
now 102 years old and 2 shared the most
recent leavers place – René Bahar and
JoJo Maberly both of whom left in 2017.
Four recent Moreau Scholars attended –
René, JoJo plus Luke Quatermaine and Ele
Williamson. Three tables of young OFs
under the age of 30 were present. Five Past
Presidents of the Society: Norman Porter,
Brian Smith, Andrew Wright, Richard Sayer
and John Ellerby attended.
After the meal, many lingered, chatting with
friends and colleagues with the final groups
leaving after midnight.
RICHARD SAYER’S ADDRESS TO
PAUL:
The Society wishes to say what they think
of you. I am privileged to be speaking for
them all.
When Paul arrived at Framlingham in
2009 he came as the senior deputy head
of the Kings School Canterbury where
he had spent 5 years, following 13 years
at Tonbridge. He had captained English
Universities at rugby and British Universities
at cricket, and played professionally for
Surrey where he was Young Cricketer of the
Year in 1981. He became an advertising
executive, managing budgets up to £15
million. All this, helpful training for a later
Headship during a period of unprecedented
political and financial difficulty for
independent education.
But the reason why the Framlingham
College governors interviewing him 11
years ago rated him head and shoulders
over the other candidates - no, not me, I
am not to blame - was not what he had
done, but who he was.
SOFRC Jim Overbury, John Halahan, Steve McDowell, Kim Pope,
Christina Johnston-Myachin, Slava Johnston-Myachin and John Horton.
OK – in 2009 the rock-loving, jeanwearing, fashionably coiffed, boyish man
became Head at Fram. Well – 10 years
later - look at him now…..Absolutely
unchanged…
But underneath that cool, modest
countenance what lies there? To get an
answer I questioned a wide-range of
people with whom he has worked with:
pupils, College car drivers, governors,
catering staff, teachers both current and
retired, College building maintenance
team, housemasters and mistresses (sorry
- house mistresses) deputy heads, parents
and you lot - Old Framlinghamians of
differing vintages.
I got many responses: People didn’t hold
back – they seemed anxious to let me know
exactly what they thought. There is some
pretty frank stuff here Paul. I hope you are
ready for it.
When I asked “what advice would you give
Paul for his post-Framlingham future?” they
said ‘Enjoy yourself’, ‘have a rest’, ‘get out
on the course’, ‘try to avoid bunkers’, ‘do
what makes you happy’, ‘have a lie in’, and
‘lie down’ from a couple more. It’s pretty
obvious that most of them think you have
had very little enjoyment over the last 10
Left to Right: Chris Bellamy, Alex Henney, Andrew Payn (FC and Hon OF), Tony Martin, John Waugh, Peter Hein, Michael Smy
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THE FRAMLINGHAMIAN 2019
years and have been rather over-doing it.
Then the tide turned significantly in your
favour with the philosophically interesting:
“you can’t retire from being great!”
Then when I asked “What would you miss
about Paul when he has left?”, the first
answers weren’t great: “His gnashing of
teeth following another England batting
collapse”, ‘chatting about the 1970s music
scene’, and again “I will miss the constant
Test Match updates at often otherwise
uninspiring Management Meetings.”
But then some more serious ones: From
someone with whom you have worked
closely: ‘I will miss his steady presence;
he has been a lovely, calm, influence; he
always takes time to make decisions, both
large and small, and I will always recall
that’.
A senior teacher made the same point: “it
didn’t matter if I saw Paul at 7 AM or 7 PM,
weekdays or weekends, I could always rest
assured that he would make time for me
and whatever issue I was trying to resolve –
a consistency of approach which I admired
hugely.”
One of Paul’s most senior colleagues said
this: “I will miss the most wonderful working
relationship that we have developed, based
on loyalty, honesty and trust. More than that
you couldn’t wish for”.
I asked for stories demonstrating aspects of
Paul’s leadership.
A former Brandeston teacher wisely said
this: “Leadership is easy when things go
well. The true mark of a leader is how they
cope with a crisis.” Well, Paul has had
some really tough issues to deal with which
would have tested the greatest of men or
women, and how he has handled these has
featured strongly in the stories I received.