Old Farnhamians' Association |
Politics, People & Principles
2003 Lecture
The
Rt. Hon. Virginia Bottomley MP
Friday, 19 September, 2003
Virginia Bottomley has been the Member of Parliament for the SW
Surrey Constituency for 20 years, during which period she held senior
Government positions, including six years as Secretary of State for Health.
With her announced intention to quit parliament at the next election, this was
a good time for the 400 Trust to invite her to deliver the Farnham Lecture on
the above topic. Although frequently touching on political events and issues,
this was not a party political speech, but a well-balanced, reflective
discussion of the political process and some examples of the characters who
have filled key roles.
Following an introduction by college principal Sally Francis, Mrs
Bottomley described her pleasure at being in Farnham College, which had such a
well-deserved reputation as one of the country’s best sixth form colleges. This
was a continuation of the excellence that had existed in the Grammar Schools
from which the college had sprung. It brought to her mind one of the key
characters still living in Farnham, George Baxter, who had become the
headmaster of Farnham Grammar School fifty years ago. After his successful
career in education, he had retired but continued to play an important role in
the life of the town.
From this base, her talk ranged over a string of characters from
the local, national and international level. Locals current and historical
included Sir Ray Tindle, Dame Elizabeth Anson and William Cobbett; national and
international figures embraced people such as Sir Keith Joseph (who had greatly
influenced her at an early stage of her political career), Margaret Thatcher,
Julian Critchley and Nelson Mandela.
The nature of our society was profoundly influenced by the tapestry
of people who, rather than passively accepting the state of affairs, took an
active role and tried to make a positive difference to the world. We should be
equally grateful to those who did this at all levels of society.
The lecture was filled with a stream of amusing quotes and
anecdotes that captivated its audience. The question period showed that Mrs
Bottomley had not just held their attention for over an hour, but carried her
audience every inch of the way. 91-year-old Leonard Evans, a master at Farnham
Grammar School for over 25 years, provoked a round of applause by announcing
that, despite being a committed socialist, he was one of her greatest admirers
and he wanted to thank Mrs Bottomley for being an outstanding MP who had looked
after the interests of her constituency with great diligence. Cyril Trust,
Chairman of the 400 Trust, closed the event by thanking Mrs Bottomley for a
memorable 2003 Farnham Lecture.
Ian
Sargeant
L to R: John Crotty,
Maurice Sturt, Sally Francis, Cyril Trust, Virginia Bottomley, Roy Robins