For our first 'A Conversation With... ' of the academic year, we had a chat with Welsh Housemaster and Teacher of Business, Mr David Rose. Mr Rose and his Cavapoo Bert are enjoying seeing the boarding house busy with life again and look forward to putting on the BBQ for the boys before the weather gets too cold.
How long have you been at Shiplake and what have been your roles, previously and now?
This is my sixth year at Shiplake and I have lived in three properties on the site. I have been a Teacher of Business, Head of Business, Second XI Cricket Coach and Under 15’s First XI Football Coach. I have also run the enterprise activity for the last four years where we make lots of different goods to sell at the Shiplake Christmas market.
I have been a Housemaster now for nearly two years, before that I was the Deputy Housemaster in Welsh.
What are you looking forward to this term now that everyone is back?
Having a routine and seeing all of the Welsh boys. I genuinely look forward to seeing the boys every day. Seeing all of the students back in Shiplake with their blazers on and a smile on their faces. I certainly missed having a bustling boarding house over lock down, it was very eerie teaching online in my office with no one else around. Bert (my Cavapoo) just couldn’t work out where all the boys went, he likes to sit on the windowsill in my office and watch them coming and going.
What does the role of Housemaster entail - can you tell us a bit more about life in Welsh House?
Doing my best for every member of the house. Offering advice, looking out for everyone, being a role model, making the boys know that you care, staying in contact with parents, putting a smile on the boys' faces (with some pretty terrible humour), listening, encouraging teenagers to get out of bed in the mornings, reminding them to take their boots off in the boarding house, taking light-hearted banter for the football team I support, striving to make the boarding house an environment that they care about and are loyal to, winning the house music event and of course putting the BBQ on as much as possible.
Can you tell us a bit more about how you became a teacher?
When I was younger I wasn’t as focussed as I should have been, I was more interested in sport and having fun than my academic studies. But I really enjoyed Business Studies. As a young man in my teens I was always looking at ways to make extra money (my parents always said I was a ‘Del Boy’) and I loved the history of businesses starting from a small acorn and growing into a huge oak tree. I also loved businesses with a story behind them. For example did you know that Adidas was started by two brothers in a small town in Germany. After the war they had a big falling out and one of the brothers left the business and started his own shoe business in the same town called Puma! The brothers never spoke again to each other and are now buried in the same cemetery in the small German town but at either ends of that cemetery due to their hatred! Its amazing that two brothers could start two such iconic businesses.
When I finished my A Levels I worked for a year in a motorway service station which wasn’t the most exciting. However, I found the marketing of Roadchef really interesting and decided that I ought to go back to education and I thought my personality would be ideal for teaching. I think I made the right choice although I am sure some would disagree.
Which businesses/brands do you admire most?
You have to admire any business that is successful and makes a profit, it's not easy. A boring answer is that I really admire the business model of Aldi. To come into a crowded market with already well established huge companies taking the market share I think they have to be admired.
I also really admire the PDC (Professional Darts Corporation). To take what is essentially a pub game that was failing and about to lose any TV coverage, make it into the huge success that is followed all over the world by millions of people on TV and at the sold out venues is amazing. Barry Hearn is someone that you have to admire for that.
In terms of History I think that Cadbury is a great company to read about, as is Nintendo.
What is the best thing about Shiplake?
The people. It’s a cliché but I do look forward to going to work every day. I even look forward to being bored to death by Mr Olhausen talking about his croquet handicap and Dr D’Rozario claiming he’s not losing his hair! Yes I moan a fair bit but deep down I love it here.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love to spend time with my family, I have two girls (8 and 2), a lovely caring wife and a dog addicted to tennis balls, they keep me busy! My wife and I really like to spend the limited time that we have together watching Masterchef and particularly Australian Masterchef which is an epic 60 episodes per season but highly addictive.
For my sins I am a big fan of Southampton FC which ensures many ruined weekends! I try to get to as many games as possible but as the years go by it becomes harder and harder. I also enjoy watching cricket. I used to play a good standard of club cricket for 25 years but unfortunately the arthritis has won and I only spectate now.
In the last few years I have become a keen follower of horse racing. I am finding it really interesting to learn all about the technicalities and what all of the jargon means. I have been due to go to the Grand National for the last two years but due to a mix up with tickets and then COVID I have never quite made it. Hopefully it will be third time lucky when it is next run with crowds in attendance. I have recently bought a small share in a horse called ‘Bob Pebble’.
I also enjoy growing vegetables in the summer, didn’t see that one coming did you!
What is the first thing you did when you got out of lockdown?
Got in the car and drove to Romsey (where I come from) on the outskirts of the New Forest to see my family.
What does the future hold for Mr Rose?
In the short term I have just done the sleep out with the Year 9s so I would like to have some sleep.
Continue to try and lose some weight, I will be buff one day!
I would like to end up as a Housemaster by the sea at some point, I would take the sea over the river any day.
