Full name:
Elisabeth (Lizzie) Tyrrell
Where did you grow up?
Liverpool and Southport in the UK then on to Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin, NZ!
Education:
Nelson College for Girls, NZ then I studied a BA Hons in Classics at Canterbury and Otago Universities in NZ.
Your previous place of work and role:
The Marist School, Ascot – Head of Classics.
What are you most looking forward to about joining King’s Ely?
I’m really looking forward to the opportunity of working in a mixed boarding school with strong links to Ely Cathedral. I used to live in Ely years ago and was part of the cathedral community and so am looking forward to re-establishing those.
Hobbies/interests outside of school:
I love choral singing (I’ve been a soprano chorister my whole life), netball, running, long walks, barre and yoga classes, entertaining my family and friends, travelling and experiencing different cultures, and I am highly competitive at pub quizzes!
Any pets?
No, sadly.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A diplomat.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
Time travelling, definitely.
What was the last book you read?
‘Circe’ by Madeline Miller.
What song are you most likely to sing at a karaoke?
‘I will survive’ by Gloria Gaynor.
What is your favourite film?
That’s a tough one! Depends on my mood. ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ or ‘Stealing Beauty’ if I’m being cerebral but ‘Back to the Future’ or ‘When Harry Met Sally’ if I want something more light-hearted.
Do you have any phobias or fears?
Birds – particularly swans and geese (following a traumatising experience with a black swan when I was younger!)
Name three things you would want with you if stranded on a desert island for a week:
A copy of Virgil’s Aeneid, some bottles of crisp and cold NZ Riesling (dry) and a banana hammock to recline in whilst reading and sipping my wine.