Who’s A Clever Boy Then?

A man who was denied his graduation for 41 years because of an unpaid bill of £64.80 relating to a parrot has finally donned his cap and gown on the same day as his son.

Jonny Clothier studied architecture at the University of Bristol and was meant to graduate with his peers in 1983. But his old flatmate had a parrot which, after being left unsupervised, had free run of their university accommodation and was said to have wrecked the place. The students found alternative housing but still had to settle the final term’s rent of £64.80, which Clothier refused to pay. A long-since abolished rule meant that students with unpaid accommodation bills were awarded degrees but were not allowed to graduate.

But now they've waived the bill. Is he grateful? Reader, what do you think?

Clothier, 62, who lives in Petersfield, Hampshire, said he viewed the unpaid bill as an “ultra-long-term, interest-free loan”. “They haven’t mentioned the money, so I’m keeping quiet,” he said. It means Clothier, his wife Helen Hill, 60, and their three children have all graduated from the University of Bristol.

Thanks for letting future employers know you can’t be trusted, Jonny!  

Clothier left architecture and also went to work in TV, as a director and executive producer, but has since returned to his former subject and is building a contemporary net-zero treehouse in the Forest of Dean.

At this point, I’m rolling my eyes pretty hard…but there’s more! 

Their eldest son, Quito, graduated with a degree in music in 2020. He is an operatic tenor in London and works as an art dealer specialising in the work of Banksy.

Gosh, his workday must be action-packed. 

The couple’s daughter, Tiger, graduated in law in 2023 and was a ski instructor in Japan before embarking on a career in marketing.

Is there no beginning to the achievements of this family? 

Carter, who is looking for a career in sustainability having recently represented England at lacrosse in Portugal, said: “It’s definitely a unique experience graduating with your dad, but it was an amazing day and a beautiful ceremony.”

The entire family should get a group ticket for that ‘B’ Ark….