Unveiling of Display Cabinet Celebrating the Life of OE Derek Granger (1921-2022)

On a glorious August bank holiday Sunday when the College was looking at its best, a group of family and friends of Derek Granger (Powell 1935-1939) met to open the display in the Warren Atrium celebrating his long and eventful life. Steve Granger spoke about Derek before Kate McCafferty pulled the cord.

During the get-together, we were able to remember Derek with various mementoes from his time here including having on display some of his school reports. Some videoclips from more recent times in which Derek features were shown incluing this one which recorded his last  visit to the College on 24 April 2022, the day after his 101st birthday. In a Q and A led by theatre director David Grindley (Wargrave 1986-88), Derek spoke about his career in television. 

After the Second World War, in which he served as a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, Derek worked as a journalist in Brighton, before being headhunted by the Financial Times as their first drama and film critic. That led to an invitation from Sidney Bernstein, the head of Granada, to work in television. He was a producer of Coronation Street in its early days, as well as being a scriptwriter, and later became Granada’s head of drama. Derek spoke at the College several times when in his 90s including giving a fascinating talk to the sixth form about his lifelong relationship with Hamlet, and inspiring pupils with his knowledge of countless productions. He worked with and was a close friend of Laurence Olivier who also appeared as Lord Marchmain in Brideshead Revisited for which Derek is probably most famous as its producer for Granada Television. It won a BAFTA award for best drama series in 1982. In one of the gallery photos, Derek is pictured at home after an intervew for the Daily Telegraph before his final visit to the College.

The College is delighted to display Derek's two BAFTAs, his Golden Globe and various photos in this specially designed cabinet.