Family Tradition : RICHARD & HENRY FULLER
individual ,” he says , “ it is because I have chosen to go down the path that I myself want to .” His decision to pursue his passion was greatly encouraged by his father , but Henry does not preclude the notion of eventually joining the family business . “ I expect my Dad would not be proud if I went to the Brewery because I felt I had to ,” he says . “ If I ended up wanting to join , it would just be nice , in the same way as a coincidence is nice , a bit like me choosing to go to Trant ’ s .” Henry and Richard share the same approach to life , and to making decisions about their lives . Whilst life at Win Coll may have been very different in their respective times at the school , certain features have ensured that the journey remains the same . The most important of all , according to both , is the role of the Housemaster . “ The Housemaster is the means by which you do what you want to do ,” says Henry of Dr Cullerne ; whilst of Dick Massen , Richard remarks , “ The Housemaster can always see the bigger picture .’’ Both Fullers are simultaneous examples of how and where Wykehamists tend to apply themselves and of what lessons they have learnt . However , Richard is quick to state that it tends to be rare for Wykehamists to aspire to go into industry . Whether it is the lure of continuing the collegiate nature of the school ’ s intellectual environment into adult working life , or whether university tends to push young men towards certain lines of work , or whether it is simply a sense of duty to other interests , Wykehamists have usually made their mark , as Fullers past have , in traditional professional institutions . However , Richard advocates the role of the entrepreneurial environment for the application of the intellectual mind . “ The enquiring mind is always happier ,” he says . “ You can use your brain fully in industry .” In essence , both Fullers are archetypes of Winchester ’ s bold education , having made the most out of their respective experiences in the school to fashion who they are , in order to influence the world in the best way they can . In advocating the role of individual desire when making decisions , they are also brilliant examples of how a school , and a family , can provide the best platform for young men to leap out into their own destinies . Henry , poetically , remarks that “ In order to grow into wheat , a seed needs to be a good seed . However , it also needs good grounding , and needs the earth around it to be fertile .” The Winchester experience has changed somewhat from the mid-70 ’ s through to the early 2010 ’ s . The school is , of course , far more international , and the curriculum has continued to develop . Richard would have progressed through the years according to his performance in Div , whilst Henry finished his five years having taken the Cambridge Pre-U . Their paths may have been different , but there is a commonality in their journeys which demonstrates the role the school plays in the lives of Old Wykehamists over the centuries . “ Dad has always said you can recognise a Wykehamist in the room ,’’ says Henry . “ It ’ s simply their approach to the world and their sense of direction .’’
40 The Wykeham Journal 2016