Mark Thomas -Today's Independent

Katharine · Post by **Katharine** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 6:06 pm

In Today's Independent Education section there is an interview with Mark Thomas. Large font quote beside his photo says 'I'd like to put a bomb under that school'. The last sentence actually says 'If I had a chance, I'd like to put a small bomb under Christ's Hospital - just the buildings, not the people'

I find it strange that any OB can describe the uniform as medieval: yellow socks, breeches and a tunic. He also says This was the medieval transvestite monk period of my life. It makes me an outsider, which from my point of view is fine.

He credits his primary school connected with what is known as the 'Wilberforce or ant-slavery church' rather than CH for his concerns with poverty conflict and world debt.

Hendrik · Post by **Hendrik** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:30 pm

The uniform ain't far off medieval really, nor is the transvestite monk comment completely undeserved.

I've heard many people say they'd like to blow up the school.

Is it surprising that he didn't credit CH for his beliefs and anti-establishment actions? The chapel charities hardly cut it. Oxfam, Greenpeace, Medicin Sans Frontiers? No. We raised thousands of pounds for one Somalian to come over here and have plastic surgery on his nose or something.

J.R. · Post by **J.R.** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 11:23 pm

I think this uniform business is all fuelled by a bit of personal embarrasment, plus the fact one can get some mileage out of denigrating an establishment rather than praising it.

I wish Mr Thomas could get another expose series on Channel 4, though I'm told this is unlikely as he ruffled a few feathers with the last series a few years ago !

Katharine · Post by **Katharine** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 7:27 am

I think the thing that surprised me about his description of the uniform was the word TUNIC, I've never heard the coat described as a tunic. Other than that, not much did really surprise me.

If you have not been brought up to expect to go to boarding school, and the decision to accept a scholarship and the transition to such a school all occur very quickly it must be traumatic for anyone. (My brother is 5 years older than me and had started in Prep A when he was just 9, so it all seemed natural to me)

Mrs C. · Post by **Mrs C.** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:17 am

Katharine wrote:If you have not been brought up to expect to go to boarding school, and the decision to accept a scholarship and the transition to such a school all occur very quickly it must be traumatic for anyone.

I`ve heard stories of children coming for the entrance exams with absolutely no idea what`s going on or why their parents want to send them away. That`s in recent years too.

Mid A 15 · Post by **Mid A 15** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 11:47 am

It must be difficult to maintain credibility as a left wing freedom fighter type whilst being an ex public schoolboy.

The general public do not appreciate that parents can earn too much for a child to attend CH.

That is probably why he feels the need to bash the school in print from time to time.

I've seen housie boys on his programme in the past and I believe he has also spoken to pupils at the school, looking at previous threads, so he can't have thought it all bad!

Anyone got a link to the article?

cstegerlewis · Post by **cstegerlewis** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:18 pm

He actually came to the school in the late 80's (88 or 89) to do a 'Grecian's Lecture' about stand-up comedy, and how it develops (satire, observation, how to handle heckler's at the Comedy Store etc.) and he was pretty respectful of the establishment, in particular his English teacher, whose name I cannot remember.

I agree this is probably more to do with his anti-establishment public persona, with a little bit of the 'grumpy old men' syndrome!

Great Plum · Post by **Great Plum** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 2:24 pm

He came back to the school in 1998/99 when he did a double bill with Attilla the Stockbroker in the theatre.

I don't think he hates the place that much...

Katharine · Post by **Katharine** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 2:28 pm

Just had a look at the Indie website and it doesn't seem to be there yet, they have last week's Education but not this.

wagenman · Post by **wagenman** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 9:55 am

cstegerlewis wrote:He actually came to the school in the late 80's (88 or 89) to do a 'Grecian's Lecture' about stand-up comedy, and how it develops (satire, observation, how to handle heckler's at the Comedy Store etc.) and he was pretty respectful of the establishment, in particular his English teacher, whose name I cannot remember.

I remember that lecture, he told a joke about anchovies that i don't think i should repeat here but which has stayed with me since. I could see rocker rae from where i was sitting and the look on his face when the punchline came was priceless. Normally the grecian lectures were the usual parade of lawyers and accountants but this one and one about Picasso's Guernica were extremely enjoyable.

graham · Post by **graham** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 6:32 pm

He came to CH on m Grecian's year too. He told a fair few stories about his time at CH and I would agree that generally he seemed to have fond memories, so maybe it is the left wing/public school conflict. I know that people often think that I must be rich or posh cause I went to public school, even though my family were 'working-class' at the time and we lived in a scummy council estate. It didn't make me hate CH but it was a touch annoying.

On the other point raised here, I wasn't brought up expecting to go to boarding school, in fact my parents only decided to put me forward for CH a year before the entrance exam. It didn't affect me that badly, although I took a while to get over the home-sickness. I guess that's not as bad as being dumped in the school for the entrance exam with no clue of what's going on, but I expect most kids aren't 'down for CH' from birth. Or are they?

Katharine · Post by **Katharine** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:34 pm

graham wrote:I expect most kids aren't 'down for CH' from birth. Or are they?

Except if they are children of OB parsons! I know that it was my father's dearest wish that we should all go to CH. My elder brother had a BSB presentation and went at 9. My parents could not find Governors for my younger brother and myself so we both took Almoner's Nominees exams. There was weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth when my brother did not get in. It was always held against him that he had said that his favourite lesson was woodwork in his interview. He stood up for himself saying it was the truth!

Mid A 15 · Post by **Mid A 15** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 9:31 pm

Mark Thomas was interviewed on Front Row, the Radio 4 Arts programme, this evening.

He is endeavouring to take legal action against Gordon Brown for breaching the Government's own regulations concerning demonstrations in Central London.

Apparently the appropiate permission was not requested when Nelson Mandela's statue was unveiled and Brown, Ken Livingstone and Nelson Mandela himself amongst others apparently breached these regulations.

Mark magnaminously said that he was not going after Nelson Mandela as he didn't want to be known as the man who sent him back to prison!

I don't think he cares too much about Brown though!

J.R. · Post by **J.R.** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 1:33 pm

........... nor Red Ken !!