ABSTRACT
One of the largest Hull firms, Reckitt and Colman’s, were much involved with the University and generous towards it. In the USA they owned French’s Mustard, the soft, mild stuff spread along hot-dogs; and French’s were based in Rochester. At school in Rochester, Simon was put in a class composed of boys two years older than he was. His unusual articulateness at ten had presumably been taken to indicate the maturity of a twelve-year-old. He survived cheerfully, as a sort of mascot. One day the class was having a debate on the nature of the British Empire. Presumably someone at one of the two universities suggested a Hull–Rochester annual exchange with Fulbright sponsorship, and Reckitt’s/French’s agreed to pay the salaries on their respective sides. Within three weeks of reaching Rochester the interest of so strange a place and the warm welcome and generosity of adults and children had put us all well on the way to settling in.
