BISHOPS 150 (Singed by Author, Limited Deluxe Edition)

Cape Town: Juta, 1977

4to, viii + 299pp. Full-leather hardcover binding, 3 raised bands, gilt lettering to spine and front board, fixed lint bookmark, various reproductions of historic photographs throughout.

Limited edition of 300 copies, of which this is no. 161. Deluxe edition. Signed by author.

At Bishops Gardener became Housemaster of his old house, Gray, in 1969; and taught English until 1970, contributing wholeheartedly to every aspect of the life of the school. One of the tasks that lay before him was the pioneering work of converting an all-boys school to becoming co-educational, which was reported with great anticipation in the Argus of 14th August 1972. A very contentious change was handled with great competence and sensitivity. A former Kingswood student and prefect at the time said of John: ‘Tall, regal, a proper Headmaster, seen for his quality, learnéd, everybody respected him’. His Deputy Head Prefect at the time adds the following: ‘He pioneered a different style of Head, different to your guns and bombshell Head, he was a deep thinker, he wrote the school hymn which we still sing today’. (www.odunion.com)

Condition: Very good. Very slight wrinkling to edges of a few pages. Text and photographs are clean. A solidly bound copy.