The school archive is top-heavy with photographs which merit closer inspection and often have a significant amount of history if you do a little extra digging. These particular photographs are outstanding examples.
The gentleman on the left will need no introduction to many alumni – Mr Peter Thomson was the Headmaster of Emanuel School between 1984 and 1994. Peter was an incredibly popular figure, admired by the pupils, with a passion for sport and the arts, a keen eye for marketing and advancing the school forward in the local area. In his sales pitch he was known to call Emanuel “The Eton College of south London”!
However, this feature focuses upon the second gentleman who should be recognisable to history buffs and followers of politics, Lord Alec Douglas-Home. Lord Hume was the Conservative Prime Minister from 1963 to 1964, Foreign Secretary 1960 to 1963 and held other prominent positions, including Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary 1970 to 1974.
This particular photo was taken in June 1985 and although we are not 100% certain what the official occasion was, family connections definitely played a part. Lord Home’s brother, the playwright William Douglas-Home was married to Lady Dacre, a long serving Governor and descendant of the original Lady Anne Dacre who founded Emanuel School in 1594. Lady Dacre is featured in the photo on the right, speaking to a pupil.
Francis Leadbetter (OE1979-86) was a senior prefect tasked by the Headmaster to welcome Lord Home. This is what he recalls of what turned out to be a slightly odd event:
“I was tasked by Mr Thomson to greet Lord Home who arrived in a London black cab at the porch. If I remember correctly, he was late and arrived a bit flustered. Again if I remember correctly he asked me to relay a message to the Headmaster that he didn’t want to give a speech that was expected but said he wished to watch the cricket match. I remember it was an anticipated occasion […] I do distinctly remember he was meant to be giving a speech and was oddly changing the proceedings as I welcomed him.”
We are sure the Headmaster overcame the surprise withdrawal of the former Prime Minister who was obviously more interested in the cricket than the rest of his official visit! In the 1980s Prize Day took place in November, so perhaps the former Prime Minister was supposed to be speaking to a smaller group of pupils or in a Sixth Form discussion.
Cricket enthusiasts should take a closer look at Lord Home’s tie – the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) tie was awarded to members who took part in foreign tours. Lord Home was a member of the MCC side which toured South America in the late 1920s and played first-class cricket for both Middlesex and Oxford University.
Interestingly, Sir Home had visited Emanuel almost 60 years earlier for an MCC match against the school, which is remembered in the official school history:
“In cricket the School XI more than once defeated an M.C.C. side (being itself defeated, however, in July 1926 by a side that included Lord Dunglass, later Sir Alec Douglas-Home).”
Perhaps in the main photo Alec is reminiscing with Peter about that famous victory from all those years earlier or giving an excuse about why he skipped his scheduled speech!
Tony Jones (Senior Librarian & Archivist)