Margaret Wood (LGS 1985-2013)
Margaret joined the School in 1985 to take over catering in a ‘Nissan Hut’ with old kitchen equipment that was totally unfit for purpose. Despite this initial challenge, the boys soon saw a difference in the quality and choice of food on offer. However, it was clear that in an ever-expanding School, the dining hall would have to be replaced, and the obvious place to put the new facility was where the existing one was. This provided a huge challenge, as for nearly two years the School would be without a dining room, and both day boys and especially boarders would have to be fed.
Margaret’s solution was to have the new kitchens built whilst using the old kitchen to provide food in the Hodson Hall, and then, once the new kitchen was operational, place the new dining hall where the old kitchens had been. The design of both the kitchen and the dining hall was crucial. Margaret and Headmaster Neville Ireland had the idea of ‘raising the roof’ with a lofty space so that the sound of 240 boys talking over lunch would disappear. When the dining hall opened in September 1990, it was clear this was ‘a triumph’, and to this day, visitors marvel that lunch with 240 boys is quieter than most restaurants. On 16 May 1991, the ‘Burton Hall’ was opened by Sir Andrew Martin, former Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire.
The following year, the Schools launched their Quincentenary Development Appeal. This centred around numerous evening buffets for potential donors in addition to the ‘normal’ School events. This, however, was nothing in comparison to what happened in 1994-5, as the School celebrated its Quincentenary with special events and a lot of food!
At its centre was the idea of celebrating with a service in St Paul’s Cathedral, followed by a matinee performance of Les Misérables. The biggest problem, however, was what to do with lunch – and here Margaret came up with the solution by offering to provide 1,100 packed lunches, prepared in Loughborough and transported to Lincoln’s Inn Fields. The whole operation was carried out with ‘military precision’, but one vital ingredient of a birthday celebration was missing. So, on the following day at break, she provided a five-tier birthday cake for the boys to enjoy.
On the last weekend of term, she provided a buffet for 500 alumni on the Saturday evening, then lunch for 150 current and former staff on the Sunday, followed by ‘teas’ for 500 at the Victorian Evening the following Tuesday. Then 500 attended the Quincentenary Ball on the Saturday after term ended!
Given this, I was always glad that the Queen decided to delay her visit to 1996. When it was announced by the Palace at the end of January, not only would she be visiting the School, she would also be having lunch here and that, on the recommendation of the Lord Lieutenant, uniquely, a school caterer – Margaret – would be allowed to provide this. Thus, on 28 June at 1 pm, the Queen and 130 guests sat down for a three-course lunch in the Burton Hall…whilst 1,000 packed lunches were also provided for the School on the field. It was Margaret’s greatest triumph!
For anyone present at a School which celebrates its Quincentenary and then a monarch’s visit, this has to be the highlight – and so it was for Margaret. But to her, anything that needed catering was never too much trouble. One thinks of Prize Givings, Burton Dinners, Leavers’ Balls etc. but to her it was just as important to provide the first meal for Scout Camp – frozen and transported to the site to be cooked the first evening. This was in addition to providing lunch for 1,000, and breakfast and evening meal for 70 boarders each day.
In the following years, not only did she oversee the Grammar School catering, but, given her experience with the Burton Hall, she also took charge of the new Fairfield dining hall and kitchen build, and then became the Endowed School’s Catering Manager until her retirement in 2013.
Margaret died peacefully, with a house full of family and a glass of wine in her hand, on 12 July, aged 76.