Mr. N. H. Tyrwhitt
In order to recognise the great amount of hard work that goes on in a school after
hours, we instituted some years ago the idea of the Merit Award. If there was such an
award for members of the Staff, we feel that Mr. Tyrwhitt would richly deserve one.
.....
Apart from the teaching of chemistry, in which he is highly successful, perhaps because of
his rigorous discipline (who was it Rattigan was thinking of when he described a character
in "The Browning Version" as "The Himmler of the Lower Fifth"?) he is
an indefatigable worker behind the scenes.
He is of course in charge of the Lighting Staff on the school stage, and every show for many years now has been lit under his direction; and in conjunction with the Old Gaytonians' Dramatic Club, he administers the fund that provides for new lights for the stage; as a result very largely of his efforts the stage is now extremely well equipped.
Following his running of the Afro-American Music club, he took over the general running with Mr. Kincaid of the Christmas Entertainments and keeps a careful eye on the more exuberant fancies of the sixth-form producers of these very popular shows. His love of the theatre showed itself, too, in his home town of Watford. Here he was, in a happier electoral climate, a Councillor and later on an Alderman; as such he not only served on housing and education committees but was one of those responsible for the very successful civic theatre being formed in the town.
In between these activities, which would each be enough to keep one man busy, Mr. Tyrwhitt manages to issue permits for cyclists and for those who have dinner in Harrow. At Common Room meetings, he is an eloquent and powerful debater, with a withering turn of phrase for his opponents. He serves willingly on a number of Staff sub-committees: on these he chases erring detainees or designs new report books. Ironically, he will probably this term have been one of those to decide on the recipients of Merit Awards.
While he stands dazzled by what is for him this unusual publicity, we have an uneasy feeling that there are probably another half-dozen things that he does that we have not heard about. Like the Gayton Fair model railway for instance. Or his skill at Bridge. Or his love for his green and powerful Alvis car. Or his help with Scouts. Or his massive record collection. Or as master in charge of stationery.
Gaytonian 1968
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