I
t was in 1974 that Bob Currie
answered an advertisement for a job
at King's whilst still on his own
teacher training course. He was following
in the footsteps of his father, who had
started his teaching career at King's after
leaving the Glider Pilot Regiment at the
end of the Second World War.
He spent 13 years working in King Alfred
house, the perfect preparation for his own
highly distinguished 15 years in charge of
Woodard house, a time he remembers as
"an experience that ranks as the most
rewarding time that a teacher could
possibly imagine."
His seven years as Head of History saw
many new innovations in teaching,
including the introduction of the iPad of
the 80s, the overhead projector, and he
helped usher in the new GCSE
examinations. Generations of pupils have
been enthralled by his passion and
enthusiasm for history, from 5th-century
Periclean Athens to the English Civil War,
Oliver Cromwell and beyond.
He was heavily involved in the CCF
throughout his time at King's, running the
RAF section for 14 years, and being the
mastermind behind shooting at King's.
He also helped run Chindit Camp for
seven years. Despite his self-confessed
modest credentials on the sports field, he
still found time to run the 3rd XI cricket
team, and various hockey teams with
great distinction - the true schoolmaster,
able to turn his hand to seemingly
anything.
Members of the teaching staff though will
perhaps most vividly remember his ten
years as Deputy Head, during which time
he had particular responsibility for the
staff. His innate kindness and gentleness,
coupled with a mind that seems to hold a
million small details in perfect order,
smoothed many a furrowed brow, and
brought highly imaginative and above all
profoundly human solutions to even the
thorniest of problems.
He himself said of this period in his
career "Having an opportunity to help set
a tone and run a school community whilst
keeping it true to its promises has been
something I have prized highly." And
when asked what he would miss most in
retirement, he unsurprisingly started with
the pupils themselves. "The
entertainment provided by teenagers
growing up from 13 to 18 takes some
beating with all its angst, naughtiness
and triumphs. It is a great career."
Bob, with his wife Julia, now plan to split
their time between London and Cornwall,
with no hugely adventurous list of mustdos.
"Thirty-nine years at King's," he
said, "have been enough of an adrenaline
rush for me."
Bob Currie
Headmaster Richard Biggs said "I for one
am ever grateful that my first post as a
headmaster was alongside the all-seeing
and kindly eye of Bob Currie, and my job
has been made infinitely easier and more
enjoyable because of his support." He
will be greatly missed.
8
Ollie Lloyd O
llie Lloyd joined King's in
September 2003, and soon
established himself as a much
valued history teacher, the leader of
numerous history expeditions to France
and Italy, a tutor in Tuckwell house, and
housemaster of Bishop Fox. He coached
the boys' Under 14 A hockey team, and,
more recently, took on the role of master
in charge of real tennis.
He is an enthusiast both inside and
outside the classroom: a global traveller, a
keen surfer, an avid student of the 'Great
Game', and an archaeologist. His
passion in the classroom has revolved
around the study of art in its historical
context, and he has explored this through
courses on the Renaissance, the Tudors,
and Bourbon France. Above all, he
enjoys history through travel.
He has been the leading light behind
KCAP, a huge and ambitious project
which has seen parties of sixth formers
spend weeks of their summer holidays in
Kerala, Southern India, where they have
helped local workmen build houses for
homeless families. Many pupils
afterwards have spoken eloquently and
movingly about this time as a genuinely
life-changing experience.
He leaves us to take up the reins as a
housemaster in a new boarding house at
Harrow International School, Hong Kong.
We wish him and his family every
happiness as they travel on to the next,
more tropical and exotic phase of their
lives. We hope to see much more of
them on our many travels out there when
we entertain Hong King pupils, former
pupils, and their parents. He leaves with
our great affection and respect.