Melvin Glynn
Age: 60
When were you at Princethorpe - years from and to?
1969 to 1975
Bit of background, where you live, what you do for a living.
I was born in Oldham in Lancashire, into a working-class family and my father was an engineer in a local Foam factory. When I was about 10 years old my parents moved to Nigeria as my dad had been offered a position out there and my elder brother Martin and I were put into Princethorpe as full boarders.
In fact, myself and all three of my brothers went through Princethorpe, Martin, Me (Melvin), Michael and Mark. All ‘M’ Glynn’s which proved very difficult when letters came addressed to just ‘M. Glynn’. We were often mixed up on sports team lists as well.
I think we are one of very few families that had four brothers at the school. The Cox’s were another set of four as I recall.
On leaving Princethorpe I went to Christ's College in Liverpool to study Art and it was there that I met Carole, my wife, and we both trained as teachers. We now live in Wiltshire and have enjoyed 39 years of happy marriage and we have a son Matthew, his wife Gemma and our lovely granddaughter Sophia who is only 3 years old and an absolute joy to us.
In career terms I never actually followed a teaching career, instead I took up a position in a food production management.
Over the last forty years I have been the Managing Director of several food businesses including Burts Potato Chips and Ilchester Cheese, but I now own my own family cheese business, Windyridge Cheese and we sell top quality speciality British cheeses all over the world.
All my family are involved in the business and that’s very satisfying to me.
What was the school like in your day?
I remember it being a school full of great fun and adventure.
It was an all-boys school back then and run mainly by the MSC Priests with only a few paid teaching staff and of course Matron, Maria Lawless. The memories are still very vivid as though it was yesterday. As full boarders, back then Fr Clarkson and the other priests replaced our parents for most of the year and going back to Princethorpe now, always makes me feel like I’m going home. That’s what is so special about it.
At the recent Princefest weekend I met with Fr Teddy O’Brien and we discussed those early school days and he said that “the priests in the beginning really didn’t know what they were doing, they sort of bungled their way through, they didn’t know how or why it worked but it did!!’ I was surprised by this as we boys were very happy and contented and the school seemed to run like clockwork. However, when I think about it, it did seem like we were all on a sort of development journey together.
I like to think that not only those priests but we boys as well, set the foundations for what the school is today. It’s a bit like we had a hand in creating Princethorpe’s DNA and I feel very proud of that.
How did Princethorpe affect the person you are today?
It’s almost as though Princethorpe is still my Guardian Angel, the morals, and life rules that were instilled in us as boys at the school are still with me today. It’s difficult to describe but the ‘Princethorpian’ is deep in my psyche.
What advice would you give to your teenage self?
If there was any advice that I would give to myself as a teenager it would probably be ‘Get your hair cut!’, as I used to have it quite long in those days but of course almost everyone did.
Who or what has been the greatest influence on your life?
I think the greatest influence in my life from those Princethorpe days must be Lou Skiffington.
He was my art teacher back then and is still one of my dearest friends now, He taught me how to look at things differently and not to just accept things at face value.
Of course, back then I thought that he was just talking about what you see as an artist, but I now know he meant it about life itself.
He was the reason that I went on to study at Christ's College in Liverpool, where he had studied, and obviously because of that I met my wife Carole, who is my soulmate and the reason that I wake up every morning and think how lucky I am.
What keeps you awake at night?
Physically, our very old little dog that snores, and mentally where the next cheese conquest is to be made.
What has been your proudest moment/greatest achievement so far?
My proudest moment was when our son was born and my greatest achievement to date is starting my own business six years ago, it’s terribly hard work but very satisfying.
What’s your biggest indulgence?
Spending time with our granddaughter Sophia, she is adorable!
If you had to have one last meal, what would it be?
A good Chinese meal probably including shredded Duck pancakes
What is your favourite TV Show and why?
I love Dragon's Den, I once went clay pigeon shooting in Berkshire with Debra Meaden and her husband. She’s great fun, not at all like she is on the telly and my favourite Dragon.
If you could be anywhere right now, where would it be and who would be with you?
In the Cavern Club in Liverpool with my wife listening to the Beatles.
Lasting memories of Princethorpe:
Oh, so many memories,
Fr Bill Clarkson driving us around the mile walk in a beat-up Morris Minor…yes, it is true, I was one of those boys! It was grey with burgundy leather seats.
I used to run the Tuck Shop and I think that this was my first outing into retail sales!
I was Joseph in Princethorpe’s very first musical, a production of Joseph and his Technicoloured Dream Coat, produced by Fr Teddy O’Brien. In fact he said to me just a few months ago, when we met and he couldn’t recall who I was, I said to him ‘I was your Joseph ’and he immediately replied ‘Well Melvin Glynn as I live a breath!’ I thought, thank God he didn’t say Jason Donovan…Fame at last!!
Are you in touch with any other Old Princethorpians, if so whom?
Yes, on Facebook, Peter Hurst, Peter Yang (Fat Jack), Rabi Di Melo and David Douglas
