The thing is that we're all talking about decades ago. Even Plymouth College now boasts about 40% foreign pupils, whereas 50+ years ago I doubt it was even 4%.

This is good for international understanding; but, in the absence of Direct Grant, only for the (at least moderately) rich.

Public schools are, as I said, businesses.

My school friends included doctors' sons whose fathers certainly qualified as no more than moderately rich. The Chief Constable's son was there, though he certainly wasn't rich (nor a friend). Same for other sons of military personnel (like me): some friends, some not. But mostly we didn't concern ourselves with what our fathers did. One good friend's father was a railwayman: they lived in a tied cottage. I haven't the faintest idea what other friends' or acquaintances' fathers did. No, not true: another acquaintance's father owned the biggest taxi firm in Dar es Salaam, and yet another was the heir to the largest local (Plymouth) firm of undertakers. He was notorious for picking up his girlfriends in (black) Rolls Royces.

Cheers,

R,

 

Plenty of room to lie down in the back, I guess.

Adrian

 

Dear Adrian,

The cars they used for carrying mourners were Rolls-Royces too; with big, soft, back seats.

Cheers,

R.