I see Boris Johnson has finally celebrated his wedding – how many is that now? He’s had a posh bash at Daylesford House. I know the place quite well. I was head of The Cotswold School for 16 years – only ten miles away. Daylesford is in Gloucestershire near Stow on the Wold. A large marquee appeared in the grounds and of course the media was interested. We could see and hear the helicopters overhead in our garden.
Twice a year, the grounds were thrown open to the public. I used to go to the Daylesford farm shop. The Daylesford Shop (run by Lady Bamford) opened in 2008 and I often stopped there for the delicious bread and to chat with some of my previous students after bumping in to them. In 2009 I was invited by Prue Leith to join an afternoon meal at the magnificent garden behind the Daylesford Shop. I had met her before at our Cotswold School Book Week. We enjoyed the food and walked around the beautiful green salads and herbs which we could eat.
One Sunday, with a group of friends we were invited to have lunch under the verandah by the magnificent garden. We spent the afternoon being plied with food and collecting fresh greens in the garden. We were told to walk anywhere we liked.
It was August in 2009. A hot sunny day just like today.
The Cotswold School was a wonderful place. I can remember that children with interesting parents often thought we were the best. We had sons and daughters of fashion folk, actors, authors, horse trainers, vicars, opera singers and many more.
I took the school from six hundred pupils to over twelve hundred. I was never certain why it did so well. Both my parents were teachers and I had taught in London and Dorset for more than a decade. I also had experience as a Deputy Headteacher.
I wasn’t too old. I enjoyed listening and talking and was very keen to get the best for each child – and from each child. I worked fanatically. In school at 6am and leaving late. I guess it all adds up. Whatever the reason for the school’s success, I loved it.
Of course none of this matters to Johnson. His only interest in the community lies in taking advantage of Bamford’s hospitality.
