Hands was a Lecturer in English at Oriel College before becoming a housemaster at the King’s School, Canterbury, and then Second Master at Whitgift School.[5] In 1997, he became Headmaster of The Portsmouth Grammar School,[6] before moving in January 2008 to Magdalen College School as its 61st Master.[7] Hands has appeared as a spokesman for the independent sector on educational matters,[8] especially partnership between the sectors, and university admissions.[9] He was elected to the Committee of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference in 2003,[10] becoming chairman of its University Committee one year later, and serving in that capacity for seven years.[11] In 2012, he was elected as Chairman of the Conference for 2013-14.[12] He became Headmaster of Winchester College in September 2016.[13] In March 2022, it was announced that he would retire in August 2023.[14]
Publications
Hands has written books on English literature, especially on Thomas Hardy.[15] These include A Hardy Chronology,[16]Thomas Hardy: Distracted Preacher?,[17] and the Hardy volume in Macmillan's "Writers in their Time" series.[7] He contributes to other books about Hardy including the Oxford Reader's Guide and the Ashgate Companion.[1][18] In 2021, he wrote an illustrated guide to Winchester College's heritage, A Winchester A–Z.[3]
References
^ ab'HANDS, Timothy Roderick’, Who’s Who 2013, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2013, online edn Oxford University Press” : UK Who's Who
^ abShurlock, Barry (28 February 2022). "Heritage: The hidden corners of Winchester College". Hampshire Chronicle. Retrieved 25 February 2023. He is inspired to do this by, amongst other things, the example of his father, R. K. Hands, who in 1968 became the headmaster of a pioneering comprehensive school in Chiswick.
