Hello
Numerous messages are arriving about the late Len Clark MBE, Deputy Head and Head of Maths at Kynaston, later Quintin Kynaston, School. Many of these mention how Len’s support and guidance, around both character development and maths, helped students excel in later life.
— I thank Len D. Clark OBE, my deputy Headmaster at Kynaston School, for being the great educator that he was and, in many ways, and a friend.
Len was a highly skilled mathematician. My first memory of this was in a detention. Rather than doing the usual “lines”, Len showed us how to multiply numbers together, but not in the traditional way !? This opened my eyes to the fun of maths. Len was a consummate mathematician!
There was a big celebration for the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation. I convinced Len, the District commissioner, that the District should create a float along the lines of “Where were you in ‘52”. Len, as always, was very supportive. After agreeing we never looked back and created a float which everyone was proud of making and taking part in.
Len was the 1st St Marylebone Air Scout Leader, being ex-RAF ), and as a friend of the 8th St Marylebone Scout Group. I had the greatest pleasure in giving the toast to Len, our guest of honour, at the annual 8th Old Scout branch dinner some years ago. I was very proud to have been given that honour, as there are few times in your life when you can thank a person who has had such a positive influence on your life. But the story Len recounted, to me, that night was about himself.
“ Derek “, he said.
“ I could never understand how right the difficult kids were when I had to reprimand them.”
“ You Bastard, they would call me.”
“ You bastard, I would think to myself.”
“ How the hell do they know“.
“For they were right, I was indeed a bastard“
Len was born out of wedlock, I don’t think he ever knew his father. What candour he had.
Len had razor sharp memory. During an annual school reunion at The Star pub in St. John’s Wood Len went to the bar. A chap who must have been in his fifties at the time was sitting at the bar said “I bet you don’t remember me.“ Len casually reeled off his name, his school house, and the year he attended school! The chap nearly fell off his seat. Len’s memory was prestigious, he never forgot anyone.
Finally, regarding faith, I once told Len that I don’t believe in God and that I was happy to be a humanitarian. The great thing was Len never forced his belief on me. For, like us all, we have our own individual views.
Len, I cannot thank you enough for being one of many positive influences in my life. Your light will always shine for those of us who knew you.
Derek James.
— I could recount numerous memories about Len. One in particular concerns his humility. Throughout 2018 I was collating documentation, memories, and chatting through suggestions to include in the new school website with the late Head of Art, Dick Curtis. Dick suggested that I might also chat with Len who would remember more. I subsequently visited Len at his flat in St. John’s Wood on numerous occasions. He always supplied tasty cakes and pastries to go with the necessary cups of tea. During one visit, glancing at a document, I came across mention of an OBE which I was unaware of. Len left the room returning with a smart leather case containing a gleaming award. Sniffing an interesting news angle I asked Len for more information, in particular, the reasons contributing to such an award. I had wanted to mention this along with a photo when writing for the website. Len very politely asked me not to, suggesting it would be of little interest to anyone. I duly respected this request but Len, I still disagree with you and will soon correct this!
Rob Sherwin.
— Very sorry to hear this, of course. I do remember him well – and one time enjoyed, and was impressed by, his bashing out the national anthem in all octaves at an whole school event, it may have been Prize Day (the rest of the harmony was provide by an actual music teacher on a second piano next to him).
Ian Lewis
—I’m really sad to learn of Len Clark passing. He was an inspirational teacher who taught me the importance of maths that has been beneficial to me throughout my career as an architect.
My anecdote about Len was in 1963 and again in 1965 when he organised 20 boys on each journey to go on an amazing European adventure in two transit vans for a 3 week tour of south Europe in 1963 and north Europe in 1965. Another teacher drove the second transit, but I can’t remember his name.
In 1963 I was 13, the youngest in our party, we left from outside the school gates in July for a tour through France, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Germany, France again. We stayed in a few hotels and we also camped to keep the costs down. The trip cost £50.00 and my parents paid in £2.00 instalments. It opened by eyes to the wider world. Then in 1965 we ventured on a second tour to the north, travelling through France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, East Germany, West Germany, Luxembourg, and again France.
Can you imagine any teacher doing that now, Len Clarke was a ‘legend in his own time’.
Bless the guy for being a wonderful teacher and mentor to us all.
John Parr.
—Len was my math teacher in the 1st form and I credit him with opening my brain to maths and moving me up to 2A and later A-level maths.
Martin O’Brien.
Scouting memories (written c. 2013 when Len was 80 years old):
Len Clark began his scouting career after he completed his national service in the early 1950’s. He went on to run the scouts section of the 1st St. Marylebone who were without a leader at that time.Having served in the RAF he decided to change the scouts to an air scout troop.
Len trained to become a Maths teacher and had Tommy Steele’s brother, Colin Hicks as one of his pupils at a school in Bermondsey. Later Len became the deputy head at Quintin /Kynaston School in St. Johns Wood.
In the early days Len lived at Streatham and several members passed their cooking badges in Len’s garden as fire lighting in the scout hall was out of the question.
One of his first camps was to Wales. At the end of the week the scouts were late to catch the train back home so Len decided to proceed by using the Scout Pace (100 steps walking then 100 steps jogging alternately) The outcome was, they missed the train.
The highlights of the scout year were the various camps Len took the scouts to and the annual trip to the Farnborough Air Show.
The camp at Mundon, Essex was flooded during the week and the troop had to sleep in a disused cottage with Len on his camp bed in the bathroom and the troop leader Denis Blaymare in the old bath.
Now the troop were air scouts, the members often went to Biggin Hill for flying trips. The troop obtained RAF recognition and went on several flying weekends.
In 1957 Len took several 1st St. Marylebone members with boys from others Marylebone groups to the continent visiting the Brussels Exhibition, with visits to Wiltz and Estenach, in Luxembourg and also Luxembourg City. The 10-day visit was £9-10 shillings.
In the sixties, there was a change of vicar at St. Marys, Bryanston Square and as the troop was attached to the church there was a possibility that any new vicar could elect himself as the group scout leader, so Len became the group Leader with Jim Walsh as Scout Leader and Peter and David Hunt as Assistant leaders.
However, Len had to also become the Cub leader when Prince Andrew joined the cubs as The Duke of Edinburgh did not like the idea of a Women being in charge (Kitty Windsor). The cubs were bussed to Buckingham Palace each week with the Queen often making an appearance. Prince Andrew did attend church parades at St. Mary’s with his bodyguard. A boisterous child who does not seem to have changed in later life!
Later in the 1980’s when many of the other leaders had married and left the group, Len changed the scouts back to a land scout unit. He served for many years as a sidesman at St. Marys.Later he became the District Commissioner for the new combined scout area of Paddington and St. Marylebone.
Dave Hunt.
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