The guest speaker at the 53rd annual Boys’ Division Tillotson Lecture was Old Boy David Williams (Class of 1999). His address, inspired by the motto of the Boys’ Division, was titled: Mutare Vel Timere Sperno – What Bolton School Taught Me About Fear and Change. The Tillotson Lecture is an annual fixture in the Bolton School calendar, established in 1971 and organised by the Boys’ Division, which each year invites an outstanding speaker to deliver a thought-provoking address to the School community.
The evening began with a welcome from the Head of Boys’ Division, Mr Nic Ford. As is tradition, he also looked back on David’s school file, which described a talented sportsman, a gifted speaker and a serious academic who was also School Captain and Captain of Wigan House. He then handed over to School Vice-Captain Oliver, who gave a brief introduction to the evening’s speaker.
He said that David’s journey since leaving Bolton School embodies curiosity, resilience, humour and character: all qualities that reflect the School community. He went on to read Geography at St Edmund Hall, Oxford, before embarking on his career in public relations, corporate affairs and investor relations. He has worked across several industries, but today is Director of Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations at the Rank Group, working at the intersection of business, public policy and communication.
David himself then took to the podium to make his Tillotson address.
He began by looking back at the Tillotson lectures of the past, including those he attended and what was memorable about them, before discussing how he landed on his theme: the school motto, mutare vel timere sperno, or in English, ‘I spurn to change or to fear’. David talked about the meaning of the phrase and how it is a reminder to be courageous and constant. He said: “It got me thinking about how enforced and disruptive change and visceral fear, both appropriately processed, have underpinned the very best lessons that we can ever learn and how, for me, they’ve directly impacted the passage of my career to date.”
David went on to consider the lessons learned in his time at Bolton School, not only in classrooms and lessons, but also with classmates, in the common room and on the football field. He discussed how setbacks can open new doors and advised that, while rejection or failure can hurt, facing it down is the best way to react. He noted that defeats often stick in the memory more than victories, and although some of his have left bruises that he “still winces at” to this day, these can ultimately be life-enhancing experiences.
In his address, he invited those listening to consider the School motto against the context of the constant change of modern life. How to stay constant and steadfast in the midst of constant change? The answer, he said, is character. David said: “Character matters and it will matter until the end of time. Personality is how you behave most days, the ordinary days, when things are ticking along. Character is how you behave on the tough days when you lose, when you're rejected, when you face bereavement. Now, my advice to young men in this room is to take the opportunities to reveal your character, your values. They can stem from having a great family or a steadfast faith. Your character will never betray you. Your personality sometimes will. And it’s when you’re down on your luck that your character reveals itself.” He also said, “You've got to wear those scars and bruises with suitable pride: the character to embrace change, to face down fear, and convert it into something more wholesome.”
He went on to talk about his experience narrowly avoiding a terrorist bomb in Bali while travelling during his gap year in 2002. He said that he feels he has been on “borrowed time” every since that fork in the road of his life, and that this incident changed how he thinks forever. It inspired him to embrace change thereafter, and to stand up tall when scared. He briefly recapped his career after university, from its beginnings in roles that were not really what he was looking for and, ultimately, how he managed to get into racing. He spoke about how he got his current role at Rank and his work there.
His last piece of advice was: “Take your work seriously, boys. Take your privilege and your responsibility seriously. But do not take yourself too seriously. More than anything else, take the friendships you are making here on Chorley New Road incredibly seriously.”
He ended his address by thanking his mum and dad for everything they had done for him. The floor was then opened to a lively Q&A session.
The evening drew to a close with Nathan, the School Captain, giving a vote of thanks to David for his lecture, which wove together stories of school days, teachers, triumphs and bruises to build a powerful message about how adversity builds character and the importance of courage and constancy in a changing world.
Watch the 2025 Tillotson Lecture in full:
Photos from the Tillotson Lecture:
