News & Events

IN MEMORIAM Andrew Bull 1934-2009

Publish Date: 30/06/2009

Andrew Bull 1934-2009

Andy was born in Porto in 1934, where his father was in the port wine trade. When Teddy Bull joined the air force in 1940, Andy set sail for South Africa via Mozambique with his mother, brother and sister . The family returned to Portugal at the end of the war, and young Andy attended the Oporto British School before being sent to England to boarding school. It was during these years that he and his many British friends in Portugal would travel to and from England on the Highland Boats. These trips were the highlights of the year as the many teenagers who boarded at Lisbon tormented the crew, organized wonderful parties and to this day have lasting memories of all the pranks and excitement of their voyages. It was here that Andy’s insatiable desire to go dancing was quickly apparent to the young students travelling in Third Class. Realizing that First Class offered much better prospects, he would don his dinner jacket each night and slip into the First Class ballroom, where he was such an accomplished suave and charming dancer that he never got caught. His friends would try to emulate his elegance but never came anywhere close: this tremendous gift, despite his considerable height, lasted a lifetime and often saw him clearing dance floors as people stood and watched him and his partner take the floor. His love of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers also continued throughout his life, and he always took great pleasure in watching and re-watching old black-and-white films. He was even caught dancing on a table in the Oratory library, an audience of boys watching in awe totally unaware that a schoolmaster had entered. Andy was duly taken off for punishment. From the Oratory Andy went on to Oxford where he read History, and he has always remained a true Historian. Unsure of what he wanted to do, he drifted into teaching and returned to Portugal where he taught at the British Council and then for a year at St. Julian’s. Our information is that all the girls at the school fell in love with Andy—so much so that they altered the words of a popular song of the time called ‘Mr. Sandman’ to the following: ‘Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream, Make him someone like Andy…’ Deciding that he had better make a material success of his life, Andy then went in to the business world– but just before being posted to Angola he realized that this life was not for him. Returning to England, he secured formal qualifications in education and understood that he had found his vocation, in spite of a very tough introduction to the teaching profession at Tulse Hill in South London. He moved on to a prep school – Redrice in Andover - where he became house master. His next post involved a four year spell at one of the British army schools in Rheindahlen, Germany, and he was on the point of accepting a demanding new position at another British School in Germany when he received a telephone call offering him the job of Headmaster at St. Julian’s School. He had to make a decision there and then. This was shortly after the 25th of April revolution, a period which plunged the school into very difficult circumstances. Pupil numbers had fallen dramatically, and there was unrest among the staff. Andy took up the challenge... and the rest is History. Returning to Portugal placed enormous demands on Andy’s broad shoulders as he set about tackling the many problems facing the school. Slowly but surely he brought back normality and stability. The school began to develop and grow into what it has become today, one of the leading British international schools in Europe. It was Andy, in the 1980s, who brought the International Baccalaureate to Portugal, an example which has been followed by several local schools since that time. After the first group of IB students had written their examinations, Andy went on holiday in France. He waited on tenterhooks for the results, for his career and future depended on them. Eventually a telephone call brought him good news, and since that moment St Julian’s has never looked back, continuously improving and expanding its IB programme. Andrew Bull was a true British Headmaster in every sense of the words, respected and admired, charming and polite but at the same time very humble and unassuming when you got to know him well. He devoted his life to the children of St. Julian’s, and many readers of this magazine will acknowledge that they owe him much of what they have achieved. Forever being asked for advice by parents and students, Andy was always able to come up with the information, encouragement and faith that they craved. During this long stewardship at St Julian’s, Andy became well known among the many British schools abroad and was always regarded with great admiration and respect. His vocation for helping the young to succeed gave him the opportunity to start the Portuguese Committee of the United World Colleges, another of his initiatives that continues to prosper today. Andy retired in 1994 after 18 years leading St Julian’s. He was awarded the OBE in recognition of all that he had done in education and for his work with the British community in Portugal, and he travelled to Buckingham Palace to receive his award from the Queen in July 1990. His love of history and reading led him down varied paths. He was a devoted member of the British Historical Society, writing many articles and producing several longer publications. Whenever and wherever he found himself on holiday, he would always discover yet another church to visit, utterly fascinated by the past, and enthusiastic in communicating his passion and erudition to others. Far from idle in retirement, Andy soon got down to working with committees and charitable institutions in this area, as well as taking on the challenge of running the British Community Council. He was also a long-serving member of the Committee of the Friends of Monserrate, where he was instrumental in helping to restore the gardens and the pavilion to their former glory. A serious car accident in 1998 left Andy in poor health. He had to alter the pattern of his active daily life, and then miraculously survived a major heart attack in 2004. Perhaps his great strength of character was most evident in these final years,. Few of us would have been able to bear this kind of misfortune with such fortitude and humility and with never a word of complaint. There will not be another Thomas Andrew Bull, a true gentleman whom we have all been privileged to know. His spirit will live on however, and will stand alongside every one who knew him, to guide and inspire us.

Source:
Vivian Bull and Clive Gilbert