The Haileybury Society was delighted to hear from David Hart (Tr 45) who has been in contact concerning his time at Haileybury and his memories of a play written by one of the teachers at the school which was well received in the national press at the time.

Actor, photographer, survivor

David, who is described in the 1994 Register as an “actor, photographer, survivor who also runs a guest house” lives in Spain with his wife Joanna. David boarded in Trevelyan in the late 1940s, recalling two Housemasters during his time – Charles Fair (Staff 1912-1946) for his first term, then Edward Etheridge (Staff 1942-1966). He also recalls Frank Newbold (Staff 1935-1978) being connected with the House. (Newbold then went on to be the next HM of Trevelyan from 1950-1968 and was one of Haileybury’s longest serving HMs).

Thespian memories

David’s theatrical interests form a key part of his memories. He vividly remembers a day when the entire school walked into Hertford to get the train to see Olivier’s Henry V … and then walked back again as there was so little traffic then!

One of David’s more intriguing memories of his schooldays, however, is of taking tea with two friends on a Sunday at the invitation of Maths master Edward Miller (Staff 1943-1962) in Red House, and who had asked the boys to tea so he could hear them talk in more relaxed surroundings.

Miller went on to write a play The Hidden Years under the pseudonym of Travers Otway based on ideas that came to him during his time teaching at Haileybury.

A play well received

The play, which was staged at the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden in 1948, explored what the Daily Telegraph obliquely referred to as “the friendship, forbidden but innocuous, between an older and a younger boy” in a British public school. Miller wrote another play, Parc Monceau, which was only shown in club theatre in Westbourne Grove, and for which David recalls sadly failing an audition.

Although now possibly a footnote in theatrical history, The Hidden Years, published by Faber and Faber in 1947, was well-received at the time, with the Telegraph describing it as “a much needed thing” and the Daily Herald saying “the West End has not seen such a good play for months as this“. The TES also thought well of the play, its reviewer saying “Mr Otway portrays school life with specialised knowledge and wide sympathy … the two boys on whose relationship the play centres are treated with a fine perception of the discomforts and exaltations of adolescence.”

Other recollections

Beyond these theatrical memories, David also recalls an eventful coach trip home at the end of term with the late Sir Stirling Moss (L 43) and working at Moorfields as a receptionist between acting jobs at the same time as OH John Salmon (A 42), who worked there an eminent ophthalmic surgeon. He also recalls a more recent moment which he describes as comic – when advising the Society in 2016 of the death of his 93 year old brother Lt Cdr Peter Hart, RD (Tr 38), a “slip of the fingers” in the Society office wrote to David expressing sympathy at his own death!

Our thanks go to David for his interesting memories of his Haileybury days. We were particularly fascinated to read amongst his personal recollections that he appeared in a television advertisement for Harvey’s Bristol Cream – from which he earned more from repeat fees than any other. Now living in Spain, David one day passed the place where Harvey’s is produced – “extra joy that we never had to drink it”, says David of his advertising appearances. “We just look as if we were having a very happy time – which we were!”

Updates from other members

Since publishing this story, other OHs have written in about Edward Miller.

Neville Lyons (Th 42) wrote, “I was particularly intrigued by the account under ‘Haileybury Memories’ by David Hart about Edward Miller, Maths Master turned playwright. I well remember Mr Miller; before his arrival at Haileybury he taught at my prep school! I have vivid recollections of his Red House teas with the delicious cakes, despite wartime austerity! He had a warm personality. His speaking voice had a European twang and, as boys, we used to talk about him rather unkindly as Herr M?ller! But how fascinating to hear he wrote a successful play.”

David Bailey (C 60) wrote, “I was in Colvin from 1960-64 and remember well Edward Etheridge, Frank Newbold and Edward Miller. And yes, I remember Miller writing under the pseudonym of Travers Otway but sadly was too young to have seen his play The Hidden Years performed at the Fortune Theatre.”

About Haileybury Memories

We are always delighted to hear our members’ recollections and stories of the time they spent at Haileybury as a pupil, and love to share these with the OH community whenever possible. This is a significant part of the Society’s vital role as a corporate memory for its members. We are always mindful of privacy, especially that other people mentioned may not recall things in quite the same way. We will only identify the name of the Society member from whom the story originated and who has given us consent to share it.