The years roll by, just as sure as day follows night, and sure enough, Speech Night once again raised its head above the horizon.

Whilst it might seem as if nothing changes, subtle adjustments to the event evolve through the years. So, although covid prevented the school from celebrating Speech Night during the last two years, the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral welcomed the school back for Speech Night and Prize Giving 2022.

As the Principal said, "Never has the school been so glad to celebrate again."

Because the school has grown in numbers over the last ten years, Speech Night is now reserved for Year 7 and above, together with the pupils' parents and friends. (The younger years have their Prize Giving event on another day.)

The format, though, remains much the same.

At 7:30 pm (prompt), with Dan Bishop playing the cathedral organ, the audience stood to sing the National Anthem. After that, the Deputy Chairman of the Governing Body, Dr Tim Nichol, welcomed the assembled to the cathedral and the evening.

After a speech from The Principal, Mr Hans van Mourik Broekman, we all enjoyed a musical interlude from Anna Palframan playing Nocturne in C sharp minor by Chopin.

The Head Boy, Jan Maciejewski and the Head Girl, Mercedes Keto Bouesso, shared The Latin Oration rejoicing in how covid had not defeated the College, although it did mean for pupil and teacher alike being "plugged into the Wi-Fi" [good job, I was following the "free translation" as I'm not sure how the Romans would have interpreted Wi-Fi.-Ed]

With a final flourish, Jan and Mercedes gave a warm welcome to our Guest Speaker, who would address those present in a short while.

After another musical interlude, this time featuring a large choir and orchestra, we turned to the main business of the night.

Here again, subtle changes over the years mean any pupil winning more than one prize need only step up to the stage once to receive their rewards when all their successes are mentioned in one declaration. These changes allow for a slick presentation and save many sore hands with a reduced number of rounds of applause.

Our Guest of Honour, Mr Jimmy Mulville, then addressed the assembly. Mr  Mulville is an actor, comedian, classicist, Liverpudlian and co-founder and Managing Director of Hat Trick Productions. One of the country's leading comedy, drama, and entertainment producers, its output includes such shows as 'Have I Got News For You', which Mr Mulville created in 1990. 

In an entertaining speech, Mr Mulville told us about his upbringing in North Liverpool. The son of two alcoholic parents whose high aspirations were for Jimmy to get a job on the docks. But Jimmy was a bright boy who won a place at the local grammar school and encountered an inspirational Classics teacher.

Jimmy then invited us to go on a time-travel expedition with him as he looked at crucial moments in his life.

The first was the opportunity to go on an extended tour of the classical world of ancient Rome and Greece with his inspirational Classics teacher. But fame (or potential fame) got in the way when Jimmy was invited to act in a proposed Ken Russell film, rejecting the tour of Rome and Greece. And Jimmy also lost out as an actor when the film was cancelled, and it was too late to re-join the Classics tour.

But with grace and patience, his Classics master could see the potential in Jimmy, and Jimmy successfully went up to Cambridge to study Classics.

Many years pass, and Jimmy is now highly successful in his own right in the world of TV, but disaster strikes when he contracts throat cancer. Taking stock of his life, Jimmy decides to track down his former schoolmaster. The two of them, over the next few years, retrace the steps of that missed Classical tour, this time with the luxury and comfort that Jimmy's career can now afford to provide.

And Jimmy's advice to those who were present this evening? Even if you are a cool teenager who never appears to take direction, remember this; relax! Things will work out fine. It will be all right, and if it's not okay, it's not the end.

And the twist? When he left Jimmy's school, the inspirational Classics master of Jimmy's youth became our much-loved Classics master at Liverpool College - Mr Doug Cashin, well known to many years of pupils of yesteryear.

The evening closed with a Vote of Thanks from the Head Girl and Head Boy. A rousing singing of the School Song followed.

Our final treat was to listen to the school musical group BPM who played Van Morrison's Domino as the Platform Party retired.

Floreas Collegium!