John Lilburne ON

The ONA magazine (No 82) arrived today. I note we are told it is "now available online", and "each edition is added to the ONA website shortly after circulation". In fact the "current" edition on the site is No. 79 - Summer 2010. Nevertheless, I was delighted to see the image of "Free-born" John Lilburne on the cover, and to read Sir Geoffrey Bindman's Article on his "legal hero" first published in the Guardian. You can read it here 'until' the ONA version is actually online.

Sir G. (O.N.) writes "When I was at school between 1945 and 1950 I knew nothing of Lilburne, and for many years later was unaware of his link with the school. Every day we sang the school song which listed those famous Old Novos: "Collingwood, Armstrong, Eldon and Bourne, Akenside, Stowell and Brand." Why leave out John Lilburne, who, apart from his pivotal role in the development of our legal system, was one of our most important constitutional thinkers?"

Well, those of us who were privileged to be taught 17th century History by Alan Mitchell knew who John Lilburne was and why his name was omitted. Furthermore, in the Novo of Summer 1968 (appropriately) a new verse for the school song was proposed in his memory by Iain McGill. Here it is: