This week I distribute the prizes as guest of honour at my old school, St Albans School.

St Albans School is one of the oldest schools in the world. Thirteenth oldest in fact.

It was founded in 948 by the Abbot Ulcinus, whom I recall with affection. He was an avuncular prelate with white bushy eyebrows who chanted Latin psalms with great piety as he flogged us pert young choirboys with birchtwigs early every morning.

Later the school flourished thanks to a lucrative Wine Charter. The school still uses the historic Abbey Gateway which was attacked during the Peasants Revolt of 1381.

Its most famous Old Boy is genius Stephen Hawking, who, of course, was nothing special at school. Later in 1972 I was there to cheer as schoolmate Kirk Dumpleton whupped two other skinny teenagers (and future Olympic champions) Steve Ovett and Seb Coe to win the English cross-country championships – the only British runner ever to beat them in one race.

A distinguished former teacher who attempted to knock Music into me was Simon Lindley. He would make a half-hearted but witty attempt to beat the whole class one by one with a long ruler if we were too noisy waiting for him outside the old Lecture Room. Happy days. 

My own claim to fame at the time was more modest. I was captain of the school chess club which made it to the last eight in the Sunday Times National Competition. But I was Head Boy in my Oxbridge term. Creep Crawly Crawford indeed. 

The current Headmaster is the energetic Andrew Grant, who also currently leads the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC – national association for independent schools).

Should be a blast.