Former School Captain, Chris Kelley, went on to a distinguished career in surgery. He was appointed as Consultant General Surgeon at Ealing and then Mount Vernon and Hillingdon NHS Trust. He became an honorary Senior Lecturer at Imperial College and examiner at the Royal College of Surgeons in London. We caught up with Chris to ask him about his experiences as a School Captain at Emanuel.

     Emanuel taught me to seize every opportunity that comes your way and never give up – everything is achievable if you stick with it.”

 What are your best memories of Emanuel?

I still vividly remember my first day at Emanuel as I walked down the seemingly never-ending drive in my new Harrods uniform and found my two friends from my previous school in the quadrangle in front of the Hampden Hall. The three of us stayed good friends throughout our time there but, sadly, we lost contact when we left some seven years later. Emanuel gave me the opportunity to get involved in a wide variety of activities, including my first taste of rugby union which I still follow avidly to this day. The academic curriculum was extensive and all inclusive, driven by a dedicated team of enthusiastic teachers, some with a more fearsome reputation than others, but they all had our best interests at heart (at least, for the most part, we thought they did!) and were often involved in the wide range of extra-curricular activities available ranging from drama to sport and the CCF.

What were your responsibilities as School Captain?

As School Captain I was responsible for appointing the other prefects and organising the rotas of the School and Sub prefects, in conjunction with the Senior Sub prefect, and help maintain discipline throughout the school which was, mostly, reasonably straight forward. There were, as always, a number of “usual suspects” that seemed to be behind most of the misdemeanours that occurred and it usually fell to the School Captain to keep these miscreants in line, usually achievable with some good humour on both sides. I had regular meetings with the Headmaster and Second Master to relate back the general feeling within the school and perhaps come up with ways to help things run smoothly. I would also represent the school in functions in the local community and would visit the feeder junior schools to tell the prospective Emanuel boys what they could expect if they passed their eleven plus and were lucky enough to be accepted to join us.

Can you share any funny moments from your time as School Captain?

There were many happy and funny moments during my time but I do remember one occasion when I was told of a group of new boys who had been trapped in their classroom by a “vicious” wild animal. When I and two other prefects got there we found a small group of boys in one corner of the room in a Mexican standoff with a tiny mouse in the opposite corner. The mouse displayed an impressive set of incisors, especially for such a small creature. We managed to cover the poor little thing with a large glass retort and were able to humanely move it out on the corner of the playing field.

Who was the Head during your time as School Captain? What are your memories of them?

The Head Master was Charles Kuper and the Second Master was Peter Hendry. They had very different personalities with Dr Kuper a strict disciplinarian and Mr Hendry more quiet and reflective but both were very approachable and supportive.

Did any particular teachers at Emanuel influence you in life or your career path?

It was at the very early age of 13 that I decided to follow a career in medicine. In those days this meant following a scientific pathway leading to the four science A levels of physics, chemistry, zoology and botany. The latter were taught by Mr Stanley Inward who was always very helpful and encouraging; he even awarded me the biology prize so I must have done something right. It was his support that kept me on the on the appropriate trajectory leading to my successful exam results.

1st XI, 1966-67, featuring Christopher Kelley (back row, fourth from left)

What are you proudest of from your time at Emanuel?

Emanuel gave me many great opportunities. I was house captain of Drake, captain of athletics, senior cadet in the CCF and played rugby and tennis for the school. I was a member of the concert choir and sang in the school productions of several Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, the Bartered Bride and Prince Igor, all of them hugely enjoyable.

What is the biggest lesson Emanuel taught you?

Emanuel taught me to seize every opportunity that comes your way and never give up – everything is achievable if you stick with it.

Have you stayed in touch with Emanuel friends?

Sadly no. I had planned to attend the ‘60s reunion on 21st April 2018 but by a strange quirk of fate the occasion coincided with my 40th wedding anniversary and the three-line whip combination of my wife and four daughters took me to Pembrokeshire instead where we had a wonderful time. Hopefully I’ll make the next reunion.

What did you go on to do after leaving Emanuel?

After leaving Emanuel I went on to study medicine at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London University. I decided, fairly early on after qualification, to follow a career in surgery. My surgical training took me around the country until I was appointed as Consultant General Surgeon in 1987 first at Ealing Hospital and then at Mount Vernon and Hillingdon NHS Trust where my surgical practice included general and emergency surgery, paediatric surgery and breast and reconstructive surgery. I was an honorary Senior Lecturer at Imperial College responsible for undergraduate teaching and surgical trainer and examiner at the Royal College of Surgeons in London. I eventually took on the role of Divisional Director for all surgical services at the Trust until my retirement in 2015. I had a wonderful career and can honestly say I never regretted a single moment.

What advice would you give anyone hoping to get into your industry?

Medicine has changed a lot since I started but it can still provide a very rewarding career. It is important to get as much work experience as possible prior to applying to university and it is so competitive now that it is often only those candidates with the top grades at GCSE who will be able to get the work experience placements. However, if you really want to pursue a medical career DON’T GIVE UP, take advice and strengthen your CV as much as possible; activities like Duke of Edinburgh awards and musical experience are a definite advantage.

What’s something you might say to your former self if you came across yourself in the playground?

Make the most of your time, it goes incredibly quickly.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I play tennis regularly, paint in water colours and oils and I have two grandsons who will, undoubtedly, take up a lot of my time in the future.