Concordia Magazine 2025

Welcome

Dear Reader Anyone who has visited Merchant Taylors’ School in recent times will know that it is a very happy place to study and to work. Its culture can certainly be characterised as supportive and kind, so it is appropriate that the Head Master opens this year’s edition of Concordia with an article on the subject of kindness. Continuing the theme, our first OMT feature article is by Alexander Margolin (2002–2009), who writes about the work of the charity Made With Hope, which is transforming educational opportunities for children in Tanzania and with which he has shared a seven-year association. Music, entrepreneurship and travel are highlighted in other OMT articles in this issue. Isabel Hesketh, the School Archivist, continues to receive extraordinary donations from OMTs, while also discovering and restoring (often hidden) treasures from the School site and making them visible and accessible to the community. One such treasure is the Victoria Cross medal awarded to George Drewry (1907– 1909), which was returned to the School in a moving ceremony on 27 November and is featured in these pages. To coincide with Simon Everson sitting for his official portrait, we also have an article on the history of portraiture at Merchant Taylors’. The Development section of the magazine celebrates the generosity of the school community and outlines the various ways people can become involved in our activities; it also includes a description of a new online platform soon to be launched for OMTs. I am most grateful to the many people who have been involved in preparing this edition of Concordia , particularly Emma Bindloss. Nick Latham Editor

Contributing Editors Nick Latham

Emma Bindloss Isabel Hesketh Photographers Nate Ayling Emma Bindloss Will Carey Isabel Hesketh Nick Latham Design rcdcreative.co.uk Sean Clarke, Creative Director Ellie Jones, Senior Designer Cover

SS River Clyde : The Ship’s Bell Printed by Lavenham Press