Rhubarb 2024

where we have had such a wonderful presence for so long, as well as adding other events like the Rosslyn Park Sevens. Similarly for MADD we want to support events both inside and outside the School that I hope will become fixtures in people’s calendars in the same way. The Martyrs need to reflect the full gamut of what Teddies and the OSE community represent. Tell me about your time at Teddies? I had an amazing time at Teddies. I was in a very special year in Corfe (now Kendall) with a really healthy mix of the sporty (triple colours, Oxford Blues) the academic (five successful Oxbridge candidates) and the artistic (actors, artists and musicians – although Neil Tustian’s woeful performances for the Second Orchestra dragged the side down!). David Drake-Brockman (DDB) fostered a strong culture of respect and togetherness and we were encouraged to support each other, whether it was on the side of the pitch or in the concert hall. Looking back, I think the School and in particular DDB gave us a lot of freedom to explore our own path (often by mistakes). DDB didn’t tell you what you should be, he encouraged you to find out what you could be. I think that this is a key strength of Teddies and the high number of OSE entrepreneurs are testimony to this. I loved my sport and I was lucky as it was a major focus while I was at Teddies with some extremely strong sportsmen and women. I played for the 1st XI cricket team for two years, was in the 1st XI hockey and I captained the 2nd XV rugby team. However, the strongest legacy from my time here was the friends that I made who I have remained very close to.To this day, I regularly see the likes of Neil Tustian, Ben Fennell, Andrew Knott, Jon Lawes and Jon Addison and it’s been brilliant catching up with others including Ed Hobart and Alex Johnson recently.The strength of friendship groups is a common experience for many OSE across the generations, including many of the pupils who have just left, and is something that the Martyrs exists to facilitate. What did you do once you left Teddies? In my gap year I damaged my knee whilst en route to New Zealand where I was going to play rugby, so I ended up coming back to England and having an operation. It wasn’t a great year and in the days before mobile phones my Teddies friends thought I had just deserted them! I made a promise then that I would go back and visit all the countries I had missed and I’m pleased to say I did. I went to university at Hatfield College, Durham where there was a strong Teddies contingent and had a great three years. I was very fortunate to make the 1st XV alongside some great players (Will Greenwood,Tim Stimpson, Duncan Hodge – who were all at the start of their trajectories while I was hanging on by my fingernails).We made the UAU Final (the

BUCs equivalent) at Twickenham in 1992 with three OSEs: Ben Fennell, Rory Fowler and myself.

After university I joined BT and have been very lucky to work for some of the biggest telecoms and IT companies around the world. When did you start to reengage with the School? My father, Nick Kane, uncle, Chris Burton, brother, Giles Kane, and cousin, Piers Burton, are all OSE so I’ve always had a strong connection with Teddies and kept in touch with the School.

INTERVIEW

When I got married Tania and I lived abroad for seven and a half years, during which time our two sons Harry and JJ were born. When we came back to the UK we were keen to find a school that worked for them both so we visited a number of places, including Teddies.We both immediately felt Teddies was

right and I recognised the same school and

atmosphere from when I was there.

Al’s sons, JJ and Harry.

The culture of independence and slightly renegade spirit was still there and you could tell it was still a friendly and happy school. The facilities, however, had improved – the grounds had always been impressive but now there was The North Wall and the Olivier and it was very much a co-ed school which was important to us.There were more opportunities and we really liked the uniqueness of the school being in Oxford and the independence it gave the pupils – just as it was in the 1980s, location is a key part of the Teddies experience. Favourite sporting moments? Has to be the gut-wrenching tension of watching the 2003 Rugby World Cup or hiding in my cousin’s study watching Desert Orchid win the Gold Cup while at Teddies. If you could invite one former member of staff, dead or alive, to a dinner party, who would you invite and why? There are certainly many great characters to choose from, and many to whom I owe a lot, but DDB would be amazing; I’d love to find out what he really knew about what we were up to. I was watching cricket on Pigs in Harry’s Shell year and someone had written an ode to him in the pavilion – very apt. Dr Nagel was my tutor and he has taught both my boys – so he’s disqualified as a current member of staff as is Kitto as he never picked me for the 1st XV. It still hurts!

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