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to managers less familiar and confident with financial matters. He had a genuine passion for helping others understand numbers and how finances work. A senior academic colleague commented, ‘perhaps he missed his vocation; he would have made an excellent teacher,’ adding that Nigel had ‘a keen understanding of the needs of departments and an interest in the boys and their activities. He kept an eagle eye on departmental accounts, but understood that managing finance was not every teacher’s speciality. He had a love for the College and a real enjoyment for some of the absurdities of the place; he has left the College a better and brighter place.’ Believing firmly in the aims and ethos of the College, Nigel managed his team accordingly, encouraging them to give helpful, friendly and prompt service to both teaching and operational staff. He was a good listener, and when asked a difficult question, he would always provide a well-considered and fair response.
A modest man in his style and words, Nigel came across as unassuming, yet he has a tremendous sense of fun and enjoys a party. He is greatly loved by a wide circle of friends, who all but closed his street by turning up outside his house during lockdown in fancy dress to sing and cheer him on his 60th birthday. Not one to turn down a challenge, he climbed Kilimanjaro in recent years. Covid has more recently frustrated other plans for adventures, which he will no doubt now pursue. Nigel will be remembered at the College for his strong sense of responsibility and quiet sense of purpose, and for his deep care and concern for the less fortunate. Always there, always dependable, always patient and supportive, he is a personal friend without whom I would have struggled to do my job and whom I shall miss. We wish him all the very best.
John’s work as a conductor has seen him lead many College ensembles during his 29 years. Three of the stand-out performances were Stanford’s Songs of the Fleet with Rodney Clarke OA at the Fairfield Halls, Tippett’s ‘Negro Spirituals’ with the Madrigal Choir and Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess with the Lower School and Madrigal choirs; the latter two performances were both at St John’s Smith Square. More recently John conducted the Symphony Orchestra in successful performances of Brahms’s Academic Festival Overture and Mussorgsky’s Night on the Bare Mountain at concerts given in the Cadogan Hall. With longevity comes experience and knowledge. John has these qualities par excellence. He was Common Room Secretary for five years from 1998 to 2003 during the Able years. His understanding of the College, of Music in the life of the College, and of what works for the boys musically has been invaluable to the overall development of the department. We will miss John very much, not least his sense of humour – a remarkable blend of Yes, Prime Minister and Dad’s Army . I take the opportunity to thank John for all that he has done for the College’s Music, for his views, his musicianship and his support. On behalf of all in the Music Department, I wish him every happiness in retirement.
HIS GRADUAL REVITALISATION OF THE COLLEGE’S MUSIC CURRICULUM HAS SEEN A SUSTAINED INCREASE IN THE NUMBERS OF BOYS TAKING GCSE AND A-LEVEL MUSIC
John Carnelley CAROLINE MEDLAND
Nigel took up the position of Head of Finance on 1 July 1999, in the office of the Clerk to the Governors of Dulwich College and Alleyn’s School, located at Ellerbank, before becoming Director of Finance of the College in 2005. In his 22 years of service he devoted himself to the interests of the College with tireless commitment and dedication. A man without ego and of the highest integrity, Nigel was a rock in the administration of the College, and it is in large part due to his sustained and enduring efforts that the College’s finances are in such good shape. Governors, especially chairs of the Finance Committee, universally valued Nigel’s work and conscientious application, speaking of his great professionalism, insight and clarity of expression. His devotion to Dulwich and his sense of integrity were qualities which were greatly prized by the governing body. He had a rare ability to challenge without giving offence, to ask the awkward question and to hold management to account, but was motivated entirely by what he knew was for the benefit of the College. A quiet presence at the senior management table, Nigel spoke only when necessary, making sharp and insightful contributions grounded in practicality. Zealous in pursuit of the College’s interests, he could be trenchant and difficult to dissuade from his path when he knew it to be right. He possessed exceptional patience, and gave generously of his time to explain the intricacies and constraints of budgets
Simon Yiend NIGEL PROUT
In 1999 the Medland family moved into 51 College Road and almost immediately Caroline was snapped up by Ann- Christine Andersen to teach at DUCKS. In fact, Caroline was already involved in the life of the College, as her husband, Stephen, was by then an established member of the English Department, and Caroline helped with the Drama Department costumes. She had also been on tour with Peter Jolly and Upper School boys to Chicago and Boston in the early 1990s, before taking a few years out to bring up her three children, Annabel, Barney and Tobie. Barney and Tobie were later Dulwich College Music Scholars, contributing much to the College, and they are both now professional musicians. Having been Director of Music at St Ronan’s Prep School in Kent, Caroline was well qualified to establish a professional music department at DUCKS, with a full programme of singing, concerts, church services and instrumental teaching.
Originally it was a part-time role, with just two days of class singing, but gradually this grew to four days, together with a day in the Junior School, making it a full-time role. With Caroline as Head of DUCKS Music, a busy schedule of music-making soon developed for the children, including whole- school church services at St Stephen’s Church for Harvest, Christmas and Easter, attended by a large congregation of parents, as well as musical plays for Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, for which Caroline had usually written much of the script, having taken the needs of individual boys and girls into account. In addition, she organised and sometimes made the costumes, designed the set and the lighting, and taught all the music. Caroline’s development of DUCKS music included the appointment of visiting music teachers for strings and piano, and the holding of regular piano and string concerts. She
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