Authenticity, Integrity and Humility (Part 2)

"A Man for all Seasons"- describes someone whose conscience and moral strength do not bend with the trends of different eras.. he remains true to his principles no matter what the prevailing attitude.

In July I was privileged to be asked to write and deliver the eulogy at the funeral of a former colleague, John Harrison, a man I met on my 1st day at work in 1993, he became a great friend and one of my (and many others) mentors, without John’s encouragement and father like advice I would not have stayed in London.

I hadn’t realised when I wrote it, that I would start to write about “Authenticity, Integrity and Humility” it seems to fit the themes perfectly.

AMDG

Firstly, our hearts go out to Sean, Beth and John’s sister Kathleen and all the family for their loss.

It’s an honour to have been asked by Sean and Beth to speak about and to celebrate John’s life. It’s testament to the high esteem that he was held in that there are so many of you here today and I know that people in the UK, Ireland, Spain and around the world are also watching online.

Beth and Sean would like to thank you all for the messages that they have received, cards, via social media and in person, they have taken great comfort from them. They would also like to thank the staff at St. Georges who cared for John over the past months and also the staff at the Royal Marsden who cared for their dad when he was very ill in his early 40s.

You will all have your own memories and stories about John, volumes could be written. I will share some of mine and refer to some of the many posts that have been written about him. I would like to thank the people I have spoken to about John over the past month and those who have helped with this eulogy.

John and his twin sister Anne were born on the 25^th of January 1947 in St. Luke’s Hospital Bradford. As it was just after the war and there was a housing crisis so the family lived in a pre fab in the area known as Greengates in the North of the city. The family moved when his dad Jack became the land lord of The Eagle Pub in Bowling Back Lane. About this time his mum Noreen started teaching at St. Anne's school and John joined in 1954 it was there that the habit of making lifelong friends started, he met John “Simmo” Simpson on the first day, they became best friends, it was a friendship that was to last over 70 years. In 1958 he passed his 11+ and moved to the Catholic grammar school St. Bede’s.

John was very popular and a good all-round sports man. He excelled at football Captaining the school sides and the Bradford Schools side against Glasgow Schools at Hamden Park. Included in the Glasgow side was Archie Gemmill who John was marking, John always insisted Archie never got a kick that day.
Eddie Gardner who was 4 years below him described John in his school days, as the “school hero” who so many of the younger boys, including Eddie, looked up to.

Tragically, in 1964, his twin Anne sister died in road traffic accident aged 17, John and his sister Kathleen have carried her memory with them always.

John decided to follow his vocation to be a teacher, in 1966 he enrolled at Christ's College, a Catholic Teacher Training Institution in Liverpool, specialising in PE with English. It was here that he met his great pal Harry Groenen another lifelong friendship began and it was this friendship that would eventually lead him to Wimbledon. John was initially a footballer but Harry tells me that in his second year all his mates were playing rugby so John decided to give it a go.

John graduated with a Certificate of Education and in 1971 on qualifying as a teacher his first job was at Buttershaw Comp on the Buttershaw Estate made famous in the film. Rita, Sue and Bob Too. His time there was brief as a phone call from Harry led him to the College in January 1972 where he stayed for the rest of his teaching career 39 year and 2 terms. And about another 4 years as a supply teacher.

It is what led him to meet Lennie who was a PE Teacher at the Ursuline High School, they first met at the Merton School Athletics championships at Wimbledon Park and then at various hostelries, The King of Denmark or The Fox and Grapes after school and, I’m told, sometimes at lunchtimes! They were married in this church in August 1975 and they went on to have a wonderful family with Sean and Beth. Lennie and Johns love and commitment has shaped their lives and the lives of their friends and former pupils. They were both big personalities with big hearts! It was so sad that Lennie was taken so soon after retirement which meant that they couldn’t enjoy their retirement and time together in Spain. They are now reunited with each other probably having what could be known as a heated debate

John held numerous roles at the College, he was a PE and English teacher, he was Campion Housemaster and then Syntax (year 11) Head of Line in the 1970s, being Head of Year 11 is a tough job in every school, for John it coincided with what was known as ROSLA the raising of the school leaving age from 15 to 16 in 1973. He and his colleagues would be dealing with boys who a few years earlier thought they wouldn’t have to be in school!

He was always involved in extracurricular areas of the school and had stints as Master in charge of both 1^st XI football and 1^st XV rugby, he arranged and went on rugby tours and ski trips, a comment on Facebook tells us that he even went with Lennie on an Ursuline High School netball tour to Bradford in the early 80s and a great time was had by all.

I mentioned that it was Harry Groenen who brought John to the College just after the beginning of the transition from Grammar school to Comprehensive school. Tony Poole writes in his “History of Wimbledon College”

Many thought that with the move to being a Comprehensive School in 1968 “mediocrity would become the watch word and sporting excellence a thing of the past: no doubt the return to the College for the first time since 1923 of football would bang the last two nails firmly into the coffin of elite sport and rugby in particular.” He then says but due to the strenuous efforts on the parts of the Head of Games: George McPartlin and coaches like Harry Groenen and John Harrison the Jeremiah’s were proved wrong!

Years later in 1985, the Captain the 1st XV writes in the College Magazine that “The College has once again proved wrong all those who said that going “Comprehensive would be the end of College rugby. Tony Poole explains “that it was the end for large numbers of schools – and would have been for the College, but for the likes of John Harrison (who had taken over the 1^st XV), he then lists the names of staff who contributed so much to College sport many of you are here today

Johns’ commitment and the commitment of many more staff over the years still benefit current College boys as the College still puts out full block fixtures on Saturdays for football and rugby. John continued to take teams with much success for his whole career.

In 1979 John had a term as Acting Deputy Headmaster, the untimely death in September 1980 of Fr Paddy Cooper SJ whose memorial stained glass window is over there, meant that he also fulfilled this role for the 1980-81 academic year, many thought he would get the job permanently, he always said to me, without bitterness (although it was a long time after) that he probably didn’t get it because there was some disquiet amongst some of the more academic staff and some governors that he only had a Cert Ed and not a full degree, John took it on the chin and his response was to go back to St Mary’s, Twickenham part time in the evenings to get the Bachelor in Education, for good measure he then decided to do a Master’s Degree in “Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Diversity.” John could be an academic when he wanted to be one!

John taught many 1000s of pupils and the impact on them has been incredible. Here are a few examples of the numerous comments received about him, they sum up his teaching, coaching of sport and his pastoral roles wonderfully:

Mr Harrison at the College and later Johnny H down at the OWs played a big part of my education and sporting (rugby) experience.
He got me my ‘A’ in O-level English lit; his advice for the exam (Macbeth) was - and I can still hear it - ‘quote, quote, quote!’
He kicked me up the proverbial continually (and rightly) on the rugby pitch: ‘Where’s the back row? Eh? Eh? Where are you?’
I always enjoyed talking sport, culture and life with him.

Another writes

My favourite ever teacher, coach, mentor & inspiration both at the College for rugby & football & then at the OWs. Such a massive influence & always ready to tell you straight when you needed pulling up or required heartfelt advice, perspective, encouragement & sympathy at other times. Made me feel 10 feet tall & so privileged when he made me 1st XI Captain in 1972

The theme continues

Straight talking, an all-round great bloke. He once told the Football 1XI goalie who was trying to organise a defensive wall, “not to do it by Pythagoras”

Many of us will have known John because of his involvement with the Old Wimbledonians RFC where he was a player and later Head Coach
He played for the 1st XV from his arrival in 1972 to the mid-1980s, playing at fly half or centre, with one try-scoring appearance in his early 50s on the wing when we were short! A comment says:

Some of my very earliest boyhood memories were watching Johnny H play 10 for the OWs with many other OW legends. We little ones were in awe and tried to copy what we saw in action.
You were supremely gifted on the sports fields, always very funny, supremely expert in having the last word in any craic, highly respected, and loved by all of us.

In 1977, John was part of the OWs team that qualified for Middlesex 7s Finals at Twickenham. We went 6 nil up against Wasps and John kicked the conversion of Simon Travers’ try. He still remains the only person to kick a conversion for the OWs at Twickenham and was always proud to say that he had a 100% kicking record at the home of English rugby!

His coaching career at the OWs was equally successful, he took on the role of Head Coach in 1990 and coached the club to 2 unbeaten seasons in 1991-1993, this took the club to the highest level they have ever been at, we stayed in London 2 till 2000, two years after John had retired from coaching.

John was always keen to know how we were doing and loved to pop in for a pint at the club, here is just a flavour of some of the comments from former players:

A great coach who wasn’t frightened to come on the pitch and show us how it’s done as he did in his early 50s v Purley in a Surrey Cup QF when we ran out of subs - - went on to score the winning try and of course never let us forget it! Johnny H you Legend.

Such a good coach. Always made things straightforward and with ever present good humour.

In the mid-80s John was also the member of The Junction Tavern Sunday Football side whose prowess was feared all over London, their results were impressive and Eddie Gardner and John formed an all-Bradford strike force upfront, neither of them ever mentioned after the regular victories that they had 3 schoolboys who were very good players and the real star of the team was the 15 year old Raynes Park High School lad, the goalie Neil Sullivan who would go on to play 565 games for Wimbledon, Spurs, Chelsea and Leeds United winning 28 Caps for Scotland too! As John had access to the College minibus, he also became the driver for the team for away games, unfortunately he hadn’t actually asked anyone at the College for permission to borrow it, this oversight caused him a bit of a headache when the “Head gasket” blew up on the way home and he had to explain on Monday morning to the Headmaster why the Wimbledon College minibus was parked on a side road by the North Circular in Walthamstow!

I met John (and Lennie) when I started teaching at the College in 1993. John took me under his wing and they both treated me like one of their family. In the early years I would be at The Junction Tavern with him and then taken back to Crossway for my Sunday Lunch. I can honestly say that without John’s encouragement and father like advice I would not have stayed in London.

What always shone through for me was John’s intelligence and his humour, it could be cutting and caustic at times but never cruel, it showed he cared. John always looked for the good in people.

I remember he was tasked by the then Deputy Head to help/improve the classroom management of a young Jesuit who was struggling to control some of his classes lower down the school, I won’t name the Jesuit, but he did deliver a wonderful homily today. John observed the classes and gave him some strategies, there was then a follow up meeting with the deputy head who was keen to know what John had done to improve things, John’s response was fantastic, he acknowledged that some of the classes were a little chaotic, but than added, I also went and observed some of the classes where there were no problems A Level Theology and Philosophy, John said that they were incredible akin to an Oxbridge tutorial, and the students were enthralled and enthused, he also saw him deliver an assembly to 200 boys getting his message across brilliantly, when the Deputy Head said yes but what was John going to do to improve the teachers classroom management with Lower Grammar, John replied, “Listen where I come from you don’t play your centre forward for his defensive capabilities”

One of the comments received about John style of teaching and his wit said:

Be it with rugby or English, he combined no-nonsense straight-talk with humour, which is what I think held everyone's attention - at least it did for me. Some of my best school memories involve Mr. Harrison.

There are so many examples of his quick wit and sharpness and I know we will share more later at the OWs, one of my favourites occurred in the Wimbledon College staffroom in May 1994, I know that the people in the story are here and they won’t mind me mentioning them by name.

The OWRFC had got to the semi-finals of the Surrey Cup and we were playing Sutton and Epson at Old Rutlishians, the Surrey Cups were always Sunday Games. John and our forwards coach Fergus Timmons had decided that they were going to start Tom Kelleher who was 6 foot 3 instead of Stef Marty who had joined us that season after an illustrious career at London Irish but was much shorter and a different type of flanker. Important to this story is that John and Fergus always went to The Cavern in Raynes Park after training. So, Stef was on the bench, at that time replacements only came on for injuries, Stef was also a colleague and good friend of Johns so it made for a few frosty moments in the College staff room! A few months after the match, Stef was making himself a cup of tea and John was already sitting down drinking his tea, Stef had just about got over the selection issue when someone brought it up again (that’s what friends are for), it was obviously still raw and Stef said “Yeah John and Fergus picking the side with the bar man at the Cavern.” Quick as a flash John replied, “No, no Stef, the barman wanted to pick you!”

John was a “local pub man” and a creature of habit, The Junction Tavern was nearest to 2 Aston Road, so it became his regular haunt, he enjoyed pubs, and he enjoyed doing the Daily Telegraph cryptic crossword, for a few years he played the Irish card game 25s with the then elder statesmen of the pub, most of all John enjoyed people and conversations, he used The Cavern as well. When the Junction closed, he migrated to the Raynes Park Tavern and latterly also The Earl Beatty, there was also the brief time in the Edward Rayne where his Yorkshireness absolutely loved the Wetherspoons prices! John knew and spoke to people from every walk of life and background and it’s safe to safe there would not be anybody who had a bad word to say about him. In the pubs his pastoral role continued, OWs and others would seek him out, he signed passports, proof read applications, wrote references for jobs and on a few occasions’ other things too. One Junction Tavern regular, an old Rut, who was about 27 wanted to emigrate to Australia, he drove a bus for the council, but told us he had no academic qualifications and they didn’t need bus drivers in Australia, he sought John’s advice and John suggested that he did an “access to university course” in the evenings at Merton College. John encouraged and supported him. We were all very proud when 4 years later Simon graduated with a 1^st class degree from Lancaster University. I know he is watching now from Perth, Western Australia where he lives with his family.

John loved walking and clocked up 1000s of miles with the 4 different Boxer dogs that the family had. Biffo, Biddy, Bunty and Beryl, John loved alliteration! He had a keen interest in all thing sporting, he was a voracious reader and he adored his holidays to Los Boliches in Spain where he had many friends.

I’d encourage you to read the comments about him the rugby clubs Facebook and Colleges LinkedIn page, they describe a remarkable man, as Kathleen said when I spoke to her on the phone, John really was a one off! In his life of service, he left an indelible mark on so many people and touched so many lives in a profound way.

It will probably come as a surprise to you but John and I both enjoyed the 1966 film A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS depicting the final years of St Thomas More’s life, over the years we would often talk about it. I did a bit of research when I was asked to prepare this eulogy, what I found could have been written about John.

"A man for all seasons" describes someone whose conscience and moral strength do not bend with the trends of different eras ... he remains true to his principles no matter what the prevailing attitudes are.”

John was a man of deep faith attending Mass regularly at this parish and then when he moved to Crossway at St John Fisher, and he was an example to us all of the Jesuit ideal of being a “Man or woman for Others”

John was a loving father, husband and brother, a great sportsman, an inspirational and influential PE and English teacher, a gifted coach, a leader and a wonderful loyal friend to so many.

Rest in Peace John.

LDS