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Born in Jamaica parents from Barbados moved to England in 1976 when her father came to London to be a medical advisor. Went to school and lived in England before moving to America [00:50]. Joined Westminster, her mother suggested her to apply, found the entry exam interesting and felt deep sense of curiosity [3:30]. Interest in medicine came most likely from her father, thought of Westminster as an intellectual academic coming of age, curiosity driven [6:15]. John Rae, headmaster at the time, made her Head of School. John Rae wanted Westminster to be seen as progressive, and to change the perception of public schools, so by selecting a black female student as Head of School, he was able to pursue this wish. Felt that this was quite well accepted by people inside the school, controversy outside of the school [8:55]. Felt connected to politics and arts by it being at school in central London [12:15]. Westminster created fearlessness, empowered choices and motivated risks and confidence [12:33]. Memory, when John Rae left people threw toilet paper to celebrate and say thank you, done with the nicest spirits. The quiet times as a boarder was tranquil. Boarded in Liddell’s. Thinking of her daughter applying to Westminster [16:28]. Was offered a place at Harvard as an academic and was there as a junior faculty member. Is still there now. The Gates Foundation wanted to build vaccine team, would allow potential influence on public health and health equity which spoke to her roots from a developing country. Helped create MRNA vaccine [19:33]. Supports large efforts in antibody and vaccine discovery and development, makes investments in companies and academics. During the pandemic, had resources that could develop Covid vaccine. Focus on ensuring the vaccine was available for lower/middle income countries, vaccine nationalism made this hard. Hopes to help the marginalised where problems are most inequitable [23:58]. Enjoys outdoor activities. Played Netball at Westminster and was captain. Also played Netball at Cambridge. Played lots of sports, most were sporty at Westminster. The food at Westminster was not great [26:45]. Traditions, champagne breakfast on people’s birthdays. The Christmas carols, assembly in the Abbey was extraordinary and a privilege. Not particularly close with friends from Westminster now due to leaving London [29:11]. Being a girl in the sixth form, only 15 girls in the year, unified in this way, very close. Maturity levels and seeming older than the boys in the year. Now about 60/70 girls that join in sixth form. Race, a lot of friends were Asian, very few Black people. Context of society at the time, found that Westminster was more progressive and did not impact her in negative way. Very happy at Westminster, intellectually interesting, peers very smart and forward thinking. Started as day girl and decided to board in first term [36:45]. Double maths, physics and chemistry at A-level. Diversity at Westminster, not just race and gender but thinking also. Diversity is embraced and cultivates a culture of acceptance [48:34].

Attended St. Paul’s Girls School, lived in different sailing barges on the River Thames in West London [1:20]. Brother went to Westminster, attended Grant’s. Was not happy at St. Paul’s as it was extremely high achieving and stressful. Father died so struggled financially. Was offered a trust to go to Westminster. Uniform, baggy bloomers, white girdle for gym, kilts, white shirts, long grey coats, bowler hats. Uniform very expensive so struggled financially [5:00]. At St. Paul’s, a lot of suicides, the pressure meant you had to be the best of the best, felt insignificant [6:00]. A lot of boys but not many girls. No idea what the reputation was. Had an interview with John Rae. Stepfather had sons who went to Westminster and was very close to them. Had no organised sports for girls other than Judo. Girls felt very safe and sisterly [16:00]. Extracurriculars; many decided to do dance but were naïve about impact that the girls had on the boys. Loved the freedom and confidence of the teachers on expeditions [19:54]. Felt as if the teachers knew you properly. Took English, History and Maths at A-level. Nobody seemed to care about exam grades. Teachers taught in their own styles, very interesting lessons, taught what was interesting to the teachers. Small classes [26:31]. Very liberal school and couldn’t tell if people were extravagant or taking drugs. Unique and eccentric people. Some bullies but when the girls came in sixth form, this was called out. Little prejudice in the classroom and there was a great sense of comfort [31:50]. Oxbridge term, no one really thought to go anywhere else. Missed the interviews for Oxford and it felt like St. Paul’s. Wished to go back to a girl’s college. Got a scholarship, had terrible teaching, not as good as Westminster and was a shock. Got very lazy at Westminster as grades did not really matter [38:10]. Traditions at Westminster, singing in the choir, in a pop group for a charity called “wet music”. Felt that even the “no hopers” were successful [42:29]. Could easily spot someone who attended Westminster. People dressed in a way that was not to be seen as necessarily attractive but unique. Quite fun and theatrical clothing. Uniform at Westminster, people wore what they wanted, but wanted to be seen as part of the school. Reluctant to wear boring clothes [45:33]. Everyone had different experiences of what they were comfortable with. Development of social media changed this perception. Communication in person when Stubbs attended, not a sense of being judged. Felt as if people were kinder. Never felt scared, some of the girls had a harder time, the girls who did sciences and arts were more separated as they did not cross paths [50:33]. Took part in lots of plays at Westminster. Part of a band called Local Heroes [57:42]. In a house of scholars, wished to be a boarder rather than in the house of scholars. Often the extremely bright boys lacked emotional development. Felt the need to mother them. Everyone very smart so under a lot of pressure [59:30]. Food was nice. Ate in College Hall. A lot of tradition. Before eating they said grace with three boys singing in Latin. A lot of tourists. If the Queen was passing you would have to throw your hat in the air. The Greaze, controversy now about girls and the Greaze [01:05:21]. Social media does take over a lot of time, creates pressure around how to act. Being at Westminster and in a community feels more welcoming (because of co-ed or boarding). Was never fully living school life at Westminster. Educational style at Westminster was fresh and exciting. Being a kind person more important than grades. Some felt compelled to be fixated on one path, but this blocks opportunities and closes off possibility. Learnt at Westminster that exam grades do not matter as much as the experiences people make on the way – most significant take away. You do not have to end up as an academic from Westminster. She is not academic but performed well in exams. Would have liked to be a translator [01:19:53]. Had to address the title of what the essay was about multiple times in an essay to get a good grade. Would not be writing like others, desire to be unique in exams was significant. Would write essays in the style of who they were writing about [01:24:41]. Advice for girls at Westminster; important to turn up and care, especially after Covid, being resilient, very special time and special place being at Westminster. Worth cherishing the time you are at Westminster and keep in touch with friends. Important to expose your age group to all the different job opportunities that are available. Felt it was a gift being at a co-educational school [1:30:31]. Very encouraging of people to do what they want to do [01:33:35]. Important to be proactive about what we want to do or be [01:38:22]. Did not appreciate how good the teaching was, and the privilege of attending Westminster. Difficult world now for fear of being inappropriate or from creating their own ideas of teaching. The hardest thing about teaching now would be wanting to teach the full depth of the subject but having to consider that there will be examinations and a syllabus, so depth of teaching is limited. Expectation between private schools and state schools. An advantage to go to Westminster but not as much as it used to be [01:50:02].

Born in London, parents divorced when she was five. Lived with her grandparents and then her father. First Secondary school was Queen’s College. Father urged her to apply to Westminster. She did not love the all-girl environment of Queen’s College [2:15]. Did not know much about Westminster before arriving. Quite naïve, only fifteen, not as mature. Good for ego as there were fewer girls, girls got a lot of attention and were more mature than the boys [4:37]. Felt that there were lots of rules at Westminster compared to her secondary school, which was quite relaxed. Was in Ashburnham house with her brother. School on Saturday mornings [7:37]. Took Greek, found that literature was fine, but the boys were better than her. There were eccentric teachers. At Queen’s College, was the most academic and found Westminster promoted a nature of competition, particularly among other girls [10:00]. A-levels in Greek, Russian (one year), History in the first year. Did English in one year. Russian teaching was ok, English and History teaching very good. Taught English by Rory Stewart and Richard Jacobs [14:20]. Went on the study History at university. Westminster was a great preparation for university. Sent daughters here [16:30]. PHAB. Very interesting, not completely frictionless environment. Felt that they got more out of it [19:54]. Traditions; Abbey every morning, Latin prayers, the Greaze. Not a sporty environment. Went to primary schools in Wandsworth and took the children out for the afternoon. Found that people often did what their friends wanted to do. Put on two plays and acted in them [24:11]. Took part in production and directed a play in the first year. Did a talent contest and was in the Latin Play and the choir. Joined in on a lot, felt she wanted attention. The environment of Westminster encouraged doing a lot of activities all the time. Never felt threatened by boys maybe because there were fewer girls or because they were exposed to less. Girls now feel more threatened by male presence. Could have had these experiences but did not notice them at the time. Female solidarity, the Head Master’s wife used to invite the girls for tea. Only one female teacher. Girls did not wear uniform, but boys did. Difficult to police what the girl’s wore [33.43]. Food always revolting. Not a lot of bullying. Some boys were gay and were out about this, the school was accepting. Still transitioning from being a school all about boys, to a school where girls were being integrated, took a long time. Her sister attended in the 80s [37:49]. Everyone’s Invited has potentially changed the perception of the school. Social media has massively influenced the differences of her experiences compared to her daughters. Always being in the male gaze did not feel unpleasant but her daughters found this to be different. Young men now more threatened by girls as they feel the girls have an unfair advantage and these young, privileged men will not have the same opportunities as they used to. Liked how it was anti-authority when she attended, now has probably changed due to expenses, not everyone’s parents used to be super rich [43:18]. Drugs at Westminster; a few boys got expelled for this, not considered particularly cool, did not get much excitement from it. A lot of the teachers were older so a lot of them did not have the same upbringings surrounding drugs. Probably more liberal than it is now [46:57]. John Rae taught her history, was always at the Latin Prayers, and was very much a presence in the school. He was quite progressive (introduced girls for example) [48:47]. She was in a documentary. No duty of care. A lot of people had seen it. Asked invasive questions [53:12]. Had a lot of fun at Westminster, learnt a lot, pleased with herself, social and romantic memories. Must have been times where she was unhappy, falling in love, constantly being observed, working hard. Felt that she thrived in this environment. Father felt the documentary was shedding light on her being in an area that had not been gentrified [56:30]. Felt that for girls it helped if you were pretty and confident and not intimidated by the boys and the Masters. Could not imagine boarding there and being constantly at school. A lot of male admiration that felt great at the time [58:10]. After Westminster, felt that the school was brilliant in placing her in a job afterward. You instantly have connections which is very elitist but does help majorly. Feels slightly differently now due to the class divide in education. Felt very lucky to come to Westminster and was glad not to stay at Queen’s College. Felt she made the most of the experience despite it breeding a particular arrogance. When going off to work at the BBC, she realised that life is not actually like this, and people do not realise how lucky you are. Felt that Westminster was a bubble, when going into the workforce realised the existence of sexism, and that privilege was sometimes not an asset. Felt politically detached [01:02:39]. Believed John Rae did his best, and the elitism is not the school’s fault. Wanted her children to have the same experience she had. Need to be a certain type of child to attend Westminster. Feels like Westminster is a very tolerant place [01:06:02]. In the future, feels that schools like Westminster will have to work harder to broaden the social mix of the school. Thinks that it would be a shame to abolish these schools. Shocking that bright kids cannot get into Westminster due to money and blocks their opportunities [01:08:04]. Not very socio-economically diverse. Feels like the school should be co-educational all the way through. Attitudes towards girls may change if the school is co-ed the whole way [01:10:53]. Westminster considered the “lefty, bohemian, less sporty.” A lot of rivalry between people.

Greatly enjoyed his time at King Edward VI Camp Hill Grammar School in Birmingham. Worked as a technician at the University of Birmingham for Neville Cartwright, a bacteriologist. Then worked in the Physics Department. Completed a PhD. [2:24] Started to consider teaching at a school. Enjoys the collegiate atmosphere and learning from colleagues about different subjects. [2:53] Started teaching at Sherbourne School in 1972 and stayed there for 19 years. [3:18] Head of Science at Westminster. Was attracted to the role’s combination of different sciences and the great reputation of the science department at the time. [4:51] The school is now a kinder place than it used to be, but hasn’t lost its academic edge or its tolerance for unusual people. Before, the school’s atmosphere could be quite abrasive and girls had to be survivors to enjoy it. [8:13] How to change the atmosphere in a school. [10:13] The characteristics of a Westminster pupil. Often more confident. Intellectual curiosity. [12:53] The importance of pupils progressing in every aspect of their lives. [15:10] Moved to SMT and gave up most teaching. Became the Senior Master and got to know more pupils. [18:30] He has really enjoyed his time in the SMT. Insight into the work behind the scenes. [19:58] Different Head Masters had little effect on him when he was Head of Science. They trusted him and left him to run the department. [22:33] Enormous increase in the number of pupils taking science. There is much more energy in the department than when he first came. [24:38] Changes in the science curriculum. Now more emphasis on understanding than in just knowing things. [26:48] Chemistry influences how he looks at the world. [28:42] His time as Chief Examiner for Edexcel.

How did you come to attend Westminster School (WS). Went to Francis Holland School (FHS) Sloane Square – an artsy school so not sufficient to study Physics and Chemistry A-Level. At Sixth Form girls often went to FHS Regents Park or St Paul’s Girls School. Relationship with WS for drama. Came on her own in 1967. [1,29] Brother was in Wrens 2 years below. Still studied maths at FHS. [1,44] First impressions. Much larger. Boys seemed very young, with 13 and 14 year olds in the class as they were scholarship. [3,00] Reaction of boys to have you in lessons. Good relationships with ones in class. College Hall - others who didn’t know her would show off, naïve. [3,46] separate table for Jewish boys. Sat with them to have intelligent conversation at lunch. [4,15] Treatment from masters. Good chemistry master. Some peculiar characters. [5,03] top set Physics, flamboyant teacher D. Hepburne-Scott. Keen on trains. Liked him at the time. [5,27] Old reports. Reveal he was quite damning of female capability, made disparaging misogynistic comments about her intellect and female domesticity. [6,56] Housemaster Mr Ross was embarrassed by this. [7,48] some positive comments, eventually acknowledged her potential, but still made allowances due to her sex. [8,58] academic standard. Teaching style was completely different. [9,46] whole a-level syllabus in 1 year. Exploring things that were interesting outside of the syllabus. Nuffield Chemistry. [10,43] teaching was eye opening. Responded to it well. [11,00] preparation of WS for university. Went into medicine. Accepted institutional sexism – 70 places for boys and 7 for girls. Gained confidence at WS, and got a scholarship at medical school. [12,13] joined the army after qualification. 350 medical officers, 9 women. Learnt to be gender-blind. [13,05] other characteristics gained from WS. Enjoying learning for the sake of education. Appreciated the leeway. [14,45] didn’t spend much time in school outside of lessons, as was only half at the school. Used 4 Barton Street sitting room and bathroom. Would spend half a day at each school. [15,35] time in St James’s Park in summer. Went home to Holland Park. Didn’t socialise much with the boys. [16,44] no facilities for girls. She was attached to Wren’s. Used staff toilet. School was experimenting with having female pupils, after she left, a couple of FHS girls arrived. Didn’t work financially to be under this setup. [18,00] fees at FHS were £90 per term. £150 per term at WS. Parents had to pay both schools. [18,53] would recommend it to girls at the time. Teaching is invaluable. Put into practice. Comfort being in an unusual situation, pushed the boundaries. [19,48] friendships with the boys. Didn’t last. Never invited to be an Old Westminster – institutional sexism. Didn’t feel fully part of the school. [21,01] met some who did medicine. Nearly all 3 years younger – started later as even though they’d got their qualifications they were too young. [22,38] difference between hers and her brother’s experience. Brother expelled for trying to set the school on fire and went to Marlborough. Similar friends. Didn’t compare experiences much. [23,41] no uniform at FHS Sixth Form, and none at WS. [24,26] WS customs. The Greaze. Unique slang to other schools. [25,19] difference to FHS atmospherically. Change in Sixth Form environment in itself at both schools. Only girl doing A-Level Maths at FHS. Good teaching, different as learning with people who were doing subjects they had chosen and had a passion for, as opposed to that they were forced to do. [26,42] assumption at WS that you were quick learners and would understand. Take things to a greater depth than required. Assuming interest. [27,46] Boys more politically engaged. Intellectual conversations at meals, but this was at FHS. [28,50] Didn’t show off their wealth, but also a lot of wealth at FHS. A level of class was assumed. Image proposed by the school changed in recent years. [30,49] pleased that WS accepted girls. Good for both sexes. For girls, especially in the 60s, beneficial to compete healthily in academics. [32,06] school reports. [33,36] impromptu trip in Physics to see the Flying Scotsman make its last ever scheduled run from King’s Cross. Went by tube, packed platform. More liberal teaching.

Family background. Parents were writers: editor for the BBC and poets. Older brother who was praefectus at Westminster. [1,00] Earliest memory of the school - being taken to plays, concerts, Little Commem. Enamoured by the buildings and the place – lots of activity. Had private English coaching with John Field. [2,30] Schooling before Westminster – Rye grammar school. When it was turned into a comprehensive her teaching suffered. Quality of the teaching at Westminster was amazing. [4,10] How she came to go to Westminster. Connected through her brother. Played violin in the College concert when there was a shortage of players. Spoke to Martin Rogers who informally invited her to come to the school, because hers didn’t offer university entrance. [5,30] Heard that she was going to Westminster via telegram whilst on holiday. [6,25] Logistics of being a girl in a boys’ school. Treated like a personal guest, stayed in the spare room. Abbey and Latin Prayers. Steep learning curve. Wasn’t told anything about where to go and what to do. Had to dine at the top table with College. Worked in her room. Stayed in the Master of the Queen’s Scholars house. [9,40] Lessons. First lesson was with John Field, whom she knew. Kept herself to herself. Intellectual side was very stimulating and hard work. [10,50] Browning with John Christie. Called her Miss Dickinson. [12,00] Janet Carleton – very fierce but a delight. Knew her and John Carleton. Taught Scott. [12,52] Music side with Mr Burt. College competition. Won as a soprano. [13,40] Thames rowing. Coxed the boat and won. [14,10] Martin Rogers. Oblivious to any of the school rules as she wasn’t properly introduced to them. Caught with Grant’s boys in her room at 11:30pm discussing Yeats. Able to use her familial connections with many of the teachers to get away with restrictions. [16,50] Did she feel she was a trailblazer for the beginning of a co-educational Sixth Form at WS? No, done by personal arrangement with Martin Rogers, father didn’t pay any fees. Had to overrule a statute of Elizabeth I to allow women to be educated. Yet not properly a pupil. Occasional girls came in from St Paul’s to do sciences because Westminster’s labs were better. Helped that she had an older brother and that she knew his friends. Never struck her that she was an only girl among boys. [18,50] Bizarre marking system. Generally treated as any other pupil. [20,05] Uniform. Nothing outlandish. No requirements dictated at all. [21,13] Station afternoons. Catching up on work, helping Jane Rogers, watching football at Vincent Square. [23,11] School services, the Abbey. Awe inspiring, beautiful, privileged. Loved compline, candlelit, special service. Appreciated it enormously. Felt part of Latin prayers eventually. [24,39] John Carleton. Incredibly easy, tolerant, smiley, trusting. Total competence and a big sense of humour. Unshakeable and liberal with rules. Good couple with Janet. [26,10] Little contact with rest of school apart from at whole school gatherings and at meals. Little time. Sometimes went to the theatre or the pub. [27,40] London in the 60s. Connections between bits of London she knew, having not grown up there. Went to Peabody estate. Never threatened. [30,00] Range of reading. Shakespeare, Chaucer, Browning, Tennyson, George Eliot, T.S. Eliot, Wordsworth. Teachers had their areas of expertise. Like Oxford learning. [32,10] Taking the Oxford entrance exams. Unseens and essays. [34,14] Oxford interview. Had many family connections. [35,11] Discrepancies between male and female colleges. No overlap, yet they mixed a lot with boys in male colleges. [37,37] retained some connections with OW boys and friends from Somerville. [40,12] Musical activity at Oxford. Egalitarian setting met many people from varied backgrounds and subjects. [41,00] enjoyment of studying English as a degree. [42,30] English ran in the family, part of discussion. [44,00] Westminster Greek trip. Joined her brother on it when he was at the school. Went with 2 Paulinas. Theo Zinn: charismatic, eccentric, reading Agatha Christie. Loved all the ruins. Fan of botany. [46,10] Rome. Taken to see the Sistine Chapel. Wasn’t wearing the right outfit for a lady so posed dressed as a boy with short hair. [49,00] Educational quality of the trip? Instilled a feeling for the classics in pupils, more like a holiday. Appreciate the environment. [49,50] Ted Craven. Archetypal classics master, reserved. Not as characterful as Theo. [50,49] Felt a part of College. Even the staff living there overlapped with the staff who taught her. Not a real part of the school despite this. Lived separated in number 3. [54,21] Classrooms. Taught in mainly Ashburnham house, the library, Liddell's – very nice setting. Fewer pupils, intimate family atmosphere. Compelled to learn. [57,30] Teachers losing their temper. Jim never did so at her. John Field – a dramatist. Took the class to a performance of Hamlet with Ian McKellen. Was furious because not one of them had thanked him. Then carried on as if nothing had happened. A useful lesson. [59,50] Not much of a sense of rivalry between subjects. Healthy rivalry within the English Seventh. Tradition of having to read your marks out. From the arts perspective, the sciences were somewhat looked down upon. [01,01,00] 10 years earlier, superiority of the Classics dept. Classics was second nature in her family. [01,01,47] Didn’t do much theatre. [01,02,16] Carol Service. Held at St. Margaret’s. Asked to read a lesson by Field. Burt had asked her to sing soprano recitatives and be in control of descants. Challenge, wanted to make it audible. Heard people saying that it was an extraordinary voice for a boy. [01,04,45] Champagne parties and social events, centred around Martin. His Aunt. [01,05,59] Carletons as hosts. John and Janet were very sociable and well connected. Because of her own background, she never thought much of where people were from, encountered famous people everywhere. Daniel Day-Lewis. Made more lasting relationships with people who were interesting. [01,08,48] This attitude towards people helped her to thrive at Westminster. [01,09,17] Field and Carleton were very much a part of Westminster’s history. Field invited her and her mother on a private Abbey tour. Huge benefits. [01,10,43] Life after university. Obtained degree, could have gone to RCM. Ended up taking on a summer job housekeeping and looking after 6 children on a Scottish Island in the Hebrides. Full charge of a 24-bedroom house. Connection to the mother from Oxford choir. Household returned to London and Bath, the permanent housekeeper retired, and she returned to live on the island permanently. [01,14,00] Difficulties of old-fashioned homes and old telephoning. Telephone number was Colonsay 1. Still had to wind a handle to get the exchange on the island. Stayed there for nearly a year. [01,17,11] House cow. Not allowed to look after it herself. Given the produce of the cow daily: a huge excess of milk for one person. [01,18,37] Spent a few years doing antique restoration and china handling. Then got married. Helped with her children’s work.