I discovered this old school magazine when sorting through the detritus of death. It was published in the autumn term of 1971. The school was Beverley Grammar School in the heart of East Yorkshire. It is where I pursued my A level studies in the sixth form. The school was founded long ago and is believed to be the oldest grammar school in England.
I joined the school in September 1970 and left in June 1972. They were happy days. At the end of my first year I designed the school magazine's new front cover shown above. Within the pages of that particular "Beverlonian" there was a prize winning essay I had written titled "Trees" about the future of the natural environment and also this rather enigmatic short poem:-
In the past few days there has been talk in the British media about the ownership of Manchester United football club possibly being transferred to Britain's richest man - Jim Ratcliffe. His massive wealth has grown out of the company he founded in the nineties - the Ineos Chemicals Group. He is the same Jim Ratcliffe who attended Beverley Grammar School at the same time as me, leaving in the summer of 1971 and listed, as I have just discovered, in the same "Beverlonian":-
And this is Jim Ratcliffe today, looking rather happy. Well who wouldn't be with a reported fortune of $30 billion (US)? He now lives in Monaco most of the time to avoid paying millions in taxes each year.
Hey, I'm pretty sure I'm the most famous guy from my class of eight students and I'm just a little old retired guy with only a pension!
ReplyDeleteYou neglect to mention that you were an axe murderer!
DeleteOops!
DeleteWho the hell needs $30 billion? Unless you plan on sharing it widely, which sounds like Jim does not. Wanker. I do love that word:)
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed with your poem and you were only seventeen when you wrote it. You've been writing for a long time.
Writing poetry since I was seven years old.
DeleteIt's Jim who sponsors England's best Cycling team, for which the world should be eternally grateful. I don't wish to pick nits (yes I do), but my alma mater was founded in 970; are you trying to say that Beverly is older than that?
ReplyDeleteNobody knows for sure when Beverley Grammar School was founded but some historians claim it was around the year 700! So you went to a pretty modern school!
Delete970 was the 'official' date, but as a monastery school it probably was much older. It possibly had the young Adam as a pupil.
DeleteThis surprise find must have been nice! Have you kept no issues of the Beverlonian in your attic or elsewhere? In my school days, the only time we ever made a magazine was at the end of Librarian School. Guess who did most of the writing and nearly all of the "artwork"... It was great fun.
ReplyDeleteYour poem is enigmatic and very seventeen!
As for Mr Ratcliffe, taxes on his fortune could do a lot of good if used wisely by the government. But he is not the only one, is he.
The super rich are very good at evading the taxman. I like the term "very seventeen".
DeleteDoesn't seem fair that those of us least able to afford paying taxes must do so or go to jail, while those with billions get away with living tax free.
ReplyDeleteInteresting poem you wrote at such a young age.
Jim avoids paying millions in tax each year but never mind, we poor folk will fill the gap!
DeleteAn enigmatic poem indeed, YP.
ReplyDeleteSeems Jim Ratcliffe showed early promise and didn't disappoint in later years!
Quite an achievement for a grammar school boy Carol. Did you and your husband flee to Spain to avoid paying tax - just like JIm Ratcliffe?
DeleteNo, we came for the warmer winters!
DeleteMy school was founded by a Scotsman named McMix. His name appears in huge letters above the front door. I see there is a photograph on Geograph.
DeleteIt is a good boost to have famous people who went to the same school. I can boast that Fiona Bruce went to my school about 14 years after me.
ReplyDeleteDramatic poem, and a reminder of school days. I cannot even approach the subject of men richer than Croesus. Ratcliffe made a fortune than is spending it willy-nilly on whatever takes his fancy.
ReplyDeleteActually I like the poem. So there.
ReplyDeleteJust imagine that. Both you and Jim from the same school ending up rich and famous!
ReplyDeleteThere's always a way for the rich to get richer, but not for anyone else.
ReplyDeleteWell, now that you have mentioned it, Neil, I would like to read your award-winning essay entitled Trees. Were you correct in your prediction of the future of our environment?
ReplyDeleteJust think, that could so easily have been you!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely
ReplyDeleteI like the poem too -- much better than mine at that age.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if there are any billionaires who decline to move to an overseas tax haven and proudly pay their taxes to the countries that nurtured them and allowed them to become wealthy in the first place?