Page 34 - OM Newsletter 2022-23

A glimpse
into the past
One OM’s remarkable story of boarding in in the 1950s and 60s International families have been boarding at at Malvern College since 1866 This is is the remarkable story of David Lee Due to to political instability in in in Argentina where he he was born David Lee’s parents decided to to spirit him away In 1953 at at the the age of of of nine (just a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a year after the the the death of of of Eva Peron subject of of of the the film ‘Evita’) David David came to England with his elder sister who was was enrolled at Malvern Malvern Girls’ School School whilst David David was was sent initially to the Link School School before joining Malvern Malvern College in in in in in in September 1957 His parents stayed behind The journey from Argentina about 13 hours’ flying time nowadays took nearly two days days in in in that era Young David and his sister only saw their parents once a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a year – the the Christmas holidays were spent in in in industrial Sheffield with an an aunt aunt and Easter at a a a a a a a a a a a a a cousin’s farm near rural Taunton The culture shocks were profound For a a a a a start David’s
first encounter with boarding before Malvern College was was unhappy and another unwelcome surprise was was the the scarcity of food food Whereas in in Argentina food food had been largely abundant David was taken aback to encounter ration cards and limited choice in in post-war Britain David originally arrived at No 5 5 a a a a a a a a few days before the the the start of of the the the the September term in in in in 1957 having spent the the the the summer holidays in in in in Buenos Aires He He says he he he he had the the the “privilege” of of of being “looked after” by Senior Prefect and and Head of of House House Mike Theobold and and and HouseM Twip Collinson He He was also briefly and and obviously memorably greeted by the the great Donald Lindsay Headmaster of the day “I treasure so many memories from from that period – academic hymns from from Chapel walks up those Malvern Hills sporting triumphs and strutting around in in tails as a a a a a School Prefect ” David Lee Now and and then David Lee in in Malvern in in 1962 and and 2019
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