Entries by Nigel Thomas

More Gleanings from the Burrough Collection.

For archive purposes, and for natural curiosity, we would like to identify these young men:

Who are they and what was the joke?



Who are they and what are they watching?

Posted by Nigel Thomas in OHA Archive at 07:48 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0)

More Gleanings from the Burrough Collection.

For archive purposes, and for natural curiosity, we would like to identify these young men:

We would welcome information about the post-school life of members of these school teams.

Posted by Nigel Thomas in OHA Archive at 07:42 | Comments (2) | Trackbacks (0)

More Gleanings from the Burrough Collection.

For archive purposes, and for natural curiosity, we would like to identify these young men:

Who are they and what are they doing now?

Posted by Nigel Thomas in OHA Archive at 07:33 | Comments (3) | Trackbacks (0)

A series of photos taken during John’s time at the Harvey 1957-81

John Burrough was one of the best teachers of English to work at the Harvey. He studiously avoided all promotion and concentrated his efforts on his class-room and he was a beacon of common sense in the staff-room.

Few knew of his heroism in the war which led to his being awarded the DFC. The boys called him “Bunnie” and he was regarded with universal affection and respect. He was also, as his photographs show, a brilliant photographer.

We will be publishing a range of his pictures in the coming weeks which form part of the School Archive and we need your help in identifying and dating some of the faces, as well as information about their life post-school. Click the comments link below each post to leave feedback or information about the photo's.

Posted by Nigel Thomas in OHA Archive at 09:28 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0)

Aled Davies, who was a superb Romeo in the Harvey production of 1970, has been attracting fine reviews for his work in America.

Currently on the web are reviews of his lead performances in “Art”, “Lend Me a Tenor”, Performance” and “A Christmas Carol”. His Scrooge in this last play is acquiring legendary status as he seems to have a continuous Christmas booking with the Portland Stage Company for the part.

Also on the web is an endorsement for Aled on the site, www.yourtruehero.org by an assistant stage manager from the Portland Stage Company, Meredith Morgan.

Here are a couple of extracts:

"Aled Davies is, among other things, a great human being and professional stage actor. Theatre, not just ordinary blood, flows through his veins (though at this point in his life they’re probably a little polluted with carcinogenic chemicals he sucks into his lungs daily and the fatty remnants of less than healthy meals and sugar, which he denounces as “poison”, but boldly consumes anyway, in spite of himself). Aled Davies is my hero."

"At the Portland Stage Company in Portland, Maine where I was an assistant stage manager. Aled was in two shows and also a sometime dialect coach. Unnervingly blunt and slightly bawdy, he was initially intimidating but in “Christmas Carol”, when I wasn’t trying to herd child actors and keep rehearsal flowing smoothly, I realized how amazing Aled really is. Throughout the entire process, he, Aled, knew everything that was going on. He knew which kids cared about the play and which kids were problems (he actually mentioned wanting to have a particularly annoying, stupid seven year old in place of a Thanksgiving turkey).

"After Christmas Carol closed and we had moved onto the next show I realized that Aled is a student of humanity. He has spent the majority of his life trying to understand people. He is the only grown person I have ever met who has openly and honestly referred to himself as being lost. Someone once said: “We are all in the gutter, but some are looking at the stars."

"Aled Davies is one of these people. That’s why I consider him my hero."

Posted by Nigel Thomas in Old Boys Now at 20:39 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)