Murray Argyle came to Bradfield in 1947 after a distinguished career of war-time service in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during which he captained one of the Navy’s small patrol boats with considerable distinction. Afterwards he went to St John’s, Cambridge, where he completed his degree course in Natural Sciences and Geography which he began in 1937. His Cambridge friend David Norwood was also looking for the next job and was therefore persuaded to “come along and look at Bradfield” where they then remained friends and fellow housemasters for many years. His cheerful personality and willingness to take on all kinds of out-of-school activities (hockey, 2nd team cricket, Junior football, the Royal Navy section and the SCR cellar) soon established him as a pillar of the place, noted Francis Templer in a Valete written on Murray’s retirement. His appearances for the SCR Football XI on New Ground were eagerly awaited. He was a commanding full-back, famous for this full-frontal bicycle kicks with which he ruxed the ball enormous distances.

In 1948 when Archie Drake-Brockman gave up B House on marrying, Headmaster John Hills quickly and wisely appointed Murray as the new Housemaster. The old College Housemaster’s dining room was never dull with Murray there, although the College was still in the throes of much rationing. Murray’s stories and his inventiveness for nicknames for pupils and staff were legendary.

As Housemaster of B House, Murray was an instant success. The many school connections he had and his numerous friends in Cambridge, the Navy and the hockey world, helped fill to overflowing a House which had had 7 Housemasters in 33 years and which needed the continuity, time, training and ideas which Murray gave it. He was a great encourager and never failed to give the weakest, both in and out of school, his due for trying. Woe betides the usher who said of a B House boy, “We got him through Maths”, Murray would growl, “Who wrote the exam?”

For 22 years he ran his House very much as he had run his ship, with an eagle eye for detail and a very real concern for the welfare - and efficiency - of every member of the company. Chris Jenkins (B 63-68) remembers: “Murray was a very significant character in my own life – and I suspect that is true of the many B House boys who “served” under him. My memory is that he did well with parents – but was far more comfortable with fathers than with mothers. My wife Jenny recalls only too well standing on Pit Bank with Murray, enjoying a rather stilted conversation on the subject of whether or not our own daughters might – eventually – be able to come to Bradfield!”

Murray enjoyed running the House and very soon in a quiet way he was keeping a paternal eye on the whole of the College. He developed a care and an affection for Bradfield as deep as any Bradfieldian or previous master had had, and Headmaster Michael Hoban extended Murray’s term as Housemaster by two years. His wide interests, encyclopaedic knowledge and memory of friends and places were of priceless value to so many, boys and staff alike. In 1970 he handed over the running of the House on to Charles Porter.

In 1973 Murray succeeded Alan Young as Second Master and devoted himself to the needs of the school. He was never arrogant, always humble, often seen picking up a piece of litter that was offending him! He did so much good by stealth. Over ten years he served two Headmasters and his own colleagues in the SCR with that blend of wise authority and good-humoured firmness that had always been his trademark. In 1979, he acted as Headmaster in the Lent Term, and no Headmaster could have taken a Sabbatical as Anthony Quick did more confident in his deputy. He continued as Second Master until 1982. One recollection demonstrates Murray’s personality. On one occasion when, with the conclusion of the usual end-of-term SCR meeting in the Beaumont Library, it was discovered that the one and only exit was firmly locked. Murray, appreciating the need for a swift and effective solution, strode to the door, picked up the heavy cast-metal fireside fender and, using it as a lever, deftly prized off the bracket that retained the tongue of the lock and the door was open in less time that it has taken to tell of the incident and to the dismay of Billy Butler who was called in to repair the damage!

As a hockey player Murray (who was Cambridge Captain during 1946-7) came to Bradfield at the height of his playing career. He took an Oxford and Cambridge side to South Africa and played for England on 3 occasions after joining the College. His hard work on the hockey fields transformed the game and the fixture list at the school, introducing better players, better pitches and much more enthusiasm for the game until he stepped back as Master in Charge of Hockey in 1969 after 19 years. His outstanding ability as a sportsman enabled him to pass on some of the skills which had brought him so much success and enjoyment - some will certainly remember 2nd XI fielding practice conducted by him with his hockey stick.

Murray’s teaching in the Biology Department, where he finally settled, was a source of inspiration to many. Boys found that behind a sometimes-stern exterior there was a devoted teacher whose wit, humour and kindliness kept them absorbed. A natural scientist with a deep interest in Biology and, thanks to inspired teaching in the subject at Marlborough, an expert in the art of dissection. One colleague described him as “one of the last great dissectors” always making time for field courses at Scolt Head in Norfolk, both for its biology and ‘apres-bio’! His share in the work of the Department, first under Hugh Wood and later with Tim Potts and Malcolm Thompson, gave him enormous satisfaction and contributed hugely to the much-envied atmosphere of happy industry that seemed to pervade the biology labs.

After his retirement in 1984 following 36 years of service to the College, he continued to live locally with his sister who had worked at Queen Anne’s Caversham in what had been his parents’ retirement bungalow in Bradfield Southend and remained part of the Bradfield community until he died on 5 February 2000. He was a keen supporter of the School’s teams far into retirement wherever they performed, though he was happier on Pit than in Greeker. Mike Gush (B 62-67) added “He loved Bradfield and was at his happiest in retirement under the scoreboard in Pit watching the cricket.” Golf had been a favourite relaxation, and he regularly supported those taking part at Woking or in the Halford Hewitt, some compensation for his increasing difficulty in movement. Knee-trouble proved a serious handicap which he struggled to overcome with the aid of various gardening implements, scorning the use of the more conventional walking-stick. His support for the school’s own golf-course was enormous and its completion gave him tremendous satisfaction.

David Norward said of his friend of over 50 years after his passing: “Those who knew him will be well aware that Murray would most certainly not have wanted the sort of memorial service that marks the passing of a much respected member of the establishment, but he would, I’m sure, be ready to concede that those who are left to mourn his death are entitled to pay this tribute to someone whom we admired and whose friendship we enjoyed. But it is as Housemaster of “Beer House” - as he called it - that Murray will be best remembered. Significant years too: it was surely one of John Hill’s greatest contributions to have appointed to the SCR, among others, Philip Stibbe, Clive Gimson, Michael Ricketts and Murray Argyle, a remarkable housemaster quartet, three of whom went on to become headmasters while the fourth stayed to see the Bradfield to which he was so devoted raise its numbers from just over 400 - all boys and almost all boarders - to nearly 500 by the time he retired.”

Members of his House were seldom in much doubt as to RMA’s wishes - or about his likely reaction to any serious divergence. He could certainly act with severity, but he had no favourites and he strove to be scrupulously fair. He was quietly but intensely proud of the achievements of his House, collectively and individually, and he encouraged every boy to practise and perfect whatever talents or interests he might have, whether academic, sporting, artistic or musical.

A very private man, Murray seldom chose to talk about any close relationships. He appeared self-sufficient and certainly reckoned that the Navy had taught him how to look after himself, though he was quick to appreciate any help that came his way. When the College Council decided to provide in-College Housemasters with ‘extra-mural’ accommodation, Murray was delighted with the chance to establish himself at Fairway; to entertain on a more civilised basis, including those Sunday morning breakfast parties, to enjoy the creation and maintenance of a garden and generally to spread himself more comfortably than had been possible in his two rooms in College. Mark G Mills (B 67-71) remembers those breakfasts “MA invited 6-8 boys for Sunday breakfast at his house each week. He made sure everyone felt included irrespective of seniority. And it’s still the best scrambled egg I ever had!” Mike Gush concurs with this memory remembering “I arrived as a very unsettled 13-year-old feeling quite out of place.  The surprisingly informal, friendly and domesticated Murray orchestrating his particular recipe of scrambled eggs and encouraging me to join in was an unforgettable moment.  A transformative event and I have been happily making scrambled eggs the same way ever since!” Mike also remembers “Geography lessons were often lively - he could draw a perfect circle on the board and kept his class engaged. It was always felt that there must be several Murrays.  For any misdemeanour, wherever the incident occurred, Murray always seemed to be there to witness it!”

He belonged to a large family of seven brothers and two sisters, mostly scattered throughout the teaching profession, and was successful at maintaining contact. His mother and father retired, after long service in the Anglican Ministry, to Bradfield Southend and so came under Murray’s special care. Quickly what had been a building site was transformed into a garden. Murray’s father, by no means suited to the task, proposed to remove a rather untidy line of fence posts on his boundary to make way for a hedge. Murray, aware that the job was far too strenuous, but anxious to give his father the satisfaction of completing it, surreptitiously loosened every one of the posts without removing them, and thoroughly enjoyed the old man’s delight when, the job successfully finished, he was able to say, ‘There! I told you I could do it!’ As time passed there were, of course, plenty of other tasks which Murray was happy to see at ‘Bird Rock’ and he always made time for visitors.

He kept an avuncular eye, too, on three of his many nephews as they made their way through the school, each of them ending up as Head of D House (Dog House, of course!), quite an achievement for the three brothers, Alastair (D 66-71), Duncan (D 68-73) and Patrick Argyle (D 70-75). Patrick said of being at school with his Uncle Murray: “You can imagine that having an uncle as a senior member of staff in the school you attend, especially during formative teenage years, might have been difficult and even an embarrassment. However, my Uncle Murray was so respected and admired by both staff and pupils alike that I was immensely proud for it to be known that I was his nephew.”

Patrick also shared an amusing tale. “One of my favourite memories is of an occasion when I and a friend decided one weekend that we fancied a drink in The Boot, so, without permission, we walked along the Pang to get to the pub. (Nothing like as posh as it now is!) Having had a drink, I went to relieve myself in the gents only to find myself shortly standing beside Uncle Murray. His only comment being that he wouldn't tell if I didn't! Typical of Murray's attitude that people could have fun and enjoy themselves as long as it did no harm to anyone else.”

The crew of his war time command looked forward to their annual reunion and the skipper never failed to attend. Stoker Fenn, in fact, was a regular and very welcome visitor to Fairway and he would insist on taking Murray for at least one ‘run ashore’.  He kept up his membership of the RNVR Club to the end, and with his College at Cambridge and the Hawks Club.  Patrick Argyle shared that losing so many naval colleagues deeply affected Murray all through his life. 

The obituary written by David Norwood continued: “We all have our special memories of Murray and, no doubt, we shall continue to recall one or other of the facets of this highly individual man that made him such good company, such a loyal friend and so devoted a servant, as well as a Master, to Bradfield. And yet, but for the strange workings of fate, we might never have had the chance to know him at all. Early in his Naval career he was posted to HMS Hood for a short spell of training which ended soon after the beginning of 1941, shortly before the Hood was sunk with the loss of over 1500 lives and only three survivors. As we remember now the tragedy of that loss, we may thank God for the life of Murray Argyle and for his long and devoted service to this much-loved College of St Andrew.”