Taylorian

106

VALETE

Jonny Taylor arrived at Merchant Taylors’ School in 1987 fresh from St Catharine’s College, Cambridge as the youngest member of the SCR, with the generation of Ogan, Steane and Hull coming to the end of their time. He was appointed by David Skipper to join the History Department under the leadership of Tony Booth. Jonny knew the school and the profession well: he was following in his father’s footsteps as a teacher, and had played MTS at sport on numerous occasions as a pupil at Haberdashers’. The latter was well known among the pupils, particularly in these early years, but OMTs recall the twin obstacles of his tender age and his Habs roots being negotiated very skilfully in those early years. OMT Jonathan Keane recalls joining the school on the same day as Jonny, but only fully appreciating at this summer’s 30-year reunion just how young Jonny was on that autumn day. “I can still remember my first lesson with him, in that corner area at the top of the stairs, surrounded by posters of Egypt, Rome and various wars. It was clear to me – as it was to my peers that year – that Jonny was going to have a successful teaching career. He remains one of the first people that I think of when I reminisce about my time at Sandy Lodge. His ever-present smile, his positivity, and his encouragement of all at the recently contacted Jonny to express his gratitude for a life-changing moment: being struck on the head with a piece of chalk in a lesson! Jonny’s accompanying words remain a mantra for him to this day. The use of chalk – as a weapon or otherwise – is a stark reminder of how times have changed over the course of his time at the school. The impact he has on his pupils has not diminished, however, and OMTs of all ages recall his hugely positive impact on their lives; one of the brightest and best historians we have had in recent years at the school was so roused by Jonny’s teaching in the Fourths that he suggested of his class that they were “a bunch of donkeys led Jonny Taylor school stays strong in my memory.” Another OMT from these early years

History Trail, the Upper Thirds focused on Castles, and the Fourth Forms’ battlefields trip was extended to three days and combined visits to Ypres and the Somme. Jonny has guided boys to the battlefields for over thirty years. In 2004, Jonny became the school’s first dedicated Director of Studies. His instinct

by a lion”. Jonny joined the History Department under the leadership and mentorship of Tony Booth, who allowed him to find his way with an emphasis on fostering a love of the subject. Tony was a strong supporter of experiencing the practical side of the subject, an approach which suited Jonny, who sought to make the most of opportunities to visit historical sites, museums and make use of original documents. Amongst many trips, the visits to Normandy with Gus Lock, and to Vietnam with Simon Stott, were personal highlights for Jonny. After just three years at MTS, Jonny was given the opportunity of a teaching exchange to Christ’s College, Christchurch, New Zealand. This year was formative for Jonny, and remains a regular topic of lunchtime conversation. It helped foster the all-round approach to education that underpins his values and which is synonymous with Merchant Taylors’. Not long after returning from New Zealand, under the Headship of Jon Gabitass, Jonny was made Head of Spenser House, taking over from Bob Prescott. Here he was given free rein to indulge his enthusiasms, bringing in House magazine Suspense , the Spenser Guide to Life (how to cook, iron shirts, etc), the Spenser Travelling Support, and inviting the Lower Sixth to apply for the role of House Prefect with CVs; all things designed to prepare the boys for the challenges of university and beyond. In 1997, Jonny succeeded Tony Booth as Head of History. Inheriting a stable, successful and popular department, the role was one of evolution rather than revolution. Jonny’s focus was on the introduction of technology to the classroom, reinvigorating the Whitelock Society to include debates over key A-Level issues, and the Fourth Forms’ history quiz. He also aimed to give all year groups experience in the field: the Third Form took up the challenge of the MTS

was to promote teaching and learning, and he introduced hour-long lessons and a fortnightly timetable to enable more structured, diverse lessons. Jonny’s work in this role

yielded results: a highly successful inspection report in 2008 was cited by Stephen Wright as a personal triumph for Jonny. Beyond this role, he remained a crucial part of an outstanding history department. Former colleague Michael Bond recalls joining the most talented and intelligent history department he has worked in, with some real ‘heavyweight’ historians. This was combined with a ‘work hard, play hard’ ethos that led to some lively departmental nights out. In 2014, shortly after the arrival of Simon Everson as Head Master, Jonny took on the role of Registrar. Jonny was again inheriting a role from Tony Booth and continued to cultivate excellent relationships with many local feeder schools. Jonny reformed the 13+ entry process so that all candidate assessment took place in Year 6, thereby giving early assurance to prep school boys. Funded scholarships were also reintroduced, helping us to attract some of the best candidates. Jonny ensured that bursaries

were not sacrificed to fund them. The merger with MTP brought its challenges, but with a strong team around him, Jonny was able to develop a coherent

system of admission from the Prep School. However, Covid brought its own unique set of difficulties.