Memories of Mr F E Gladwell

Thanks are due to the Old Symondians' Association magazine where this article appeared in autumn 2009. It had first appeared in the Peter Symonds' School Magazine.
The date of first publication is unknown but it was after 1964

“Mr F E Gladwell

Mr Gladwell came to Peter Symonds’ in 1946 after a distinguished academic career and his war-time service in the Intelligence Corps. Appointed to the German department, he later introduced the study of Russian into the School and organised at Sixth Form level a wide range of cultural and intellectual pursuits. For a number of years he arranged foreign travel for parties from the School and more recently was active in promoting and strengthening the link between Giessen and Winchester.
But most Symondians will remember his very great interest in everything connected with the theatre. Each Christmas from 1949 to 1963 he produced for the Dramatic Society a full-length play, among which the works of Shaw, with “Arms and the Man” and “Pygmalion,” at the beginning, and an ambitious “Caesar and Cleopatra” in the middle, will probably be mot often recalled. The climax of his productions was, however, the stating of his own translation of the Russian play, “The Bed Bug,” with well over 100 characters.
That was in 1962 in Varley Hall, on a real stage. But for 14 years the Dramatic Society had struggled to present its work on the inadequate platform in Northbrook Hall. It was there, all too often in really cold weather, that a team led at all levels by Mr Gladwell, cheerfully surmounted so many difficulties. In such unprepossessing circumstances, many a Symondian’s appetite for the theatre was whetted and many will gratefully remember it.
We hope his new appointment in London will permit F E G many opportunities of indulging his taste for the theatre.”

This was transcribed on Tuesday 8th June 2010 by Jim Wishart, co-manager with Doug Clews and Chris Cooper of the Peter Symonds Nostalgia web site at