Issue 3, Jun 2001 (Back to Contents)

After 20 years, Radley's Chaplain, David Coulton, is retiring. Former Warden, Richard Morgan, reflects on David's time at the College.

In 1987 David Coulton wrote to Paul Crowson asking him to put on paper his thoughts on the "reasonableness of belief". The result was Paul's compelling pamphlet "Journey into Faith". The request and the response were typical of these two men - both seeking after spiritual truth. No wonder their influence on Radleians has been so great.

For over 20 years, David has kept the spiritual life burning brightly in the Chapel - a remarkable achievement in most ages but all the more so in what is now described as post-Christian England. His Faith, deep, quiet and never strident, has enabled generations of Radleians to make the start on their own spiritual journey across the years, providing a bedrock to fall back on when the extravagance and certainty of youth has begun to pale.

All the services were beautifully constructed whether it was for the visit of the Queen or for a small evening Communion. Preparation of boys for Confirmation led to Confirmation services that were intensely personal with the boys always sitting with their family, everyone strengthened, everyone knowing that "a good thing had been done". These were large formal occasions but David was equally at home with those individual baptisms when water flowed from the rose bowl, the Sunday Communions or the regular Evensongs with their blend of togetherness, singing and silence. We have all come to expect this as the norm but as any visitor will tell you, it is rare. David's preaching, his prayers and his sensitivity to the boys have enabled Chapel to stand secure at the heart of Radley.

From there, David's wholeness has permeated the school. His has been a true vocation "demanding his life, his all". It is salutary to think that as the teaching unions demand a 35-hour week, David has given that length of time every week in the evenings alone! Boys have always flocked to his highly decorated rooms in the Mansion, some for company, some with school problems, others with fears of life and death. All have received kindness, reassurance and an adept sense of proportion. Boys who were in trouble found their confidences kept and received wise advice; boys who took their problems too seriously found the problems went away; boys who were miserable or lonely knew they could always return for more Coke and Mars Bars.

David is not only a great Chaplain but also a great schoolmaster. His teaching, especially of St John's Gospel to A level candidates, has been exemplary. Social Services on Wednesday afternoon has been central to the awareness of the school's responsibility to the wider community, the high jump in the Standards competition has been masterminded with scrupulous impartiality and on the river he has been an inspirational coach to those who have not wanted to emulate Redgrave. The list could go on forever.

The job of the Chaplain is not easy. Loyalty is owed so widely - to the Church and all that it stands for, to the Warden and Common Room, to the boys and their parents. Sometimes a conflict of interests was inevitable, loyalty was not sufficient of itself and other answers had to be found. Over the years, David has found many answers that have strengthened the community but, above all, they have strengthened individual people. That has been his ministry and his ministry has been entirely for good.

I see him now coaching a senior but lowly eight on a bright Saturday afternoon. The magic is working. He leans forward to speak into the microphone on the launch. In that gentle voice of encouragement, he gives the crew his favourite maxim - "mileage makes champions". The crew look heavenwards and resign themselves to more toil. But, David, our Chaplain, knows that mileage does make champions whether it be on the Thames or on the journey into Faith.

Richard Morgan