Nicolas Common

1946 - 2019

Attended Monoux 1957 - 1964

Messages from former school colleagues, friends and members of the choir.

Nicholas was the son of Joan and Jack Common and he lived most of his childhood in Tower Hamlets Road, E17. His father was an author and his mother a teacher and it is believed that he went to his mother’s school for his Junior years. Having passed his 11+ Nic gained a place at the Sir George Monoux Grammar School starting in September 1957.

As he passed into the sixth form, Nic had gained a sound grasp of the main subjects at GCE, studying French and Music at A level. His good friend Graham Conridge recalls that the O level Music was a very close knit group of about 6 students including Stephen Studd, Jo Conway, Nic and Graham and the subject really took off after Roger Moffatt joined the school. Having auditioned students during the music lessons, Mr. Moffatt soon formed the Choir based on a combination of a Cathedral choir and the Vienna Boys choir. In particular the emphasis was on using the purity of boys voices prior to their voices breaking backed by the more senior boys to perform four and five part harmonies. The older boys came into their own in the operas that formed  the second part of many concerts. In this exciting extension to the music life of the school, Nic flourished and was soon an important voice both as a soloist and leader of the baritone/basses.

Nic studied A Level French with Mr Chambers for Literature and Mr Hyde for Grammar. Nic matured as a fine singer under Mr Moffatt’s tutelage and in the different times of the early 1960s some of the choir (Conridge, Attfield, Chatterton and Common) plus Mr Moffatt used to meet in a local café for tea, buns and cigarettes at lunchtimes which did much to develop the social side of the Choir that was always as important as the music.

The comic opera 'Three's Company' by Anthony Hopkins provided Nic with an early solo opportunity, with Dave Chatterton and Roy Phillips playing the other roles, Nic had the role of Dick Deadeye in HMS Pinafore and he later excelled as Gianni Schicchi mastering the aria ‘Marco Nistico’ which required a superb technique finishing on a high G at the end of the aria. During his time at Monoux, Nic was the first winner of the Waltham Forest Music Award.

On leaving school, Nic worked for L.B.W.F. while continuing his singing training with Roger Moffatt. From there Nic auditioned for the Welsh National Opera, joining the chorus at their base in Cardiff and on tour. He returned to London several years later, living in Carr Road, E17 with Jane who he had met at the Welsh National Opera and they soon married. Like many singers at the developmental stage of their career, Nic became a freelance singing teacher while taking any singing and acting parts that became available. One regular job was as professional leader of the basses at the North East London Polytechnic Chorus along with Lindsey Benson (Swingle singers) and Rosie Ash (Phantom of the Opera). A regular ‘gig’ was the Cup Final at Wembley singing the opening songs and he got regular work each year singing in the annual Wembley Ice Show. A special engagement in July, 1969, was for the Investiture of the Prince of Wales. Nic also took walk on parts in the Onedin Line and other TV programs. His ability to speak French became useful when Nic worked in France singing in the chorus at Avignon and Monte Carlo opera. When work dried up Nic also worked on building sites both here and in France.

Later, Nic underwent a period of illness and lost touch with most of his friends from Monoux. He lived for some time back with his mother in Walthamstow and then he got a flat in north London doing some singing again with the Crouch End Chorus. He moved for a while to Tenerife returning to re-marry and live with his wife Helene in Brighton, where he also sang with the Brighton Chorus. Nic always loved animals especially dogs and he worked finally for a dog charity as a walker.

Nic Common had a wonderful baritone voice but never quite got the breaks he needed. Nic was much travelled and he enjoyed a wide variety of foods and drink but he never forgot his East End roots and was just as happy with a Sunday lunchtime drink followed by jellied eels. His warmth of personality will be remembered by all who knew him.

Rick Law  - September 2020

With thanks to Graham Conridge, Dave Street and Roy Phillips for details and photographs.

Nic and I appeared together with WNO in Billy Budd on tour and a week in Lisbon.He was on stage, I was in the pit. I remember Forbes Robinson, who was a mate of Nic’s sang Claggart. They used to celebrate with lots of ‘Fundador’ after the show. Re Schicchi, there was a recording, I used to have it but the old reel  to reel machine got lost in one of my house moves. Did anyone else get a copy of the recording?
Best Wishes,

David Chatterton

This is sad news about Nic - a wonderful voice and a proper character! I saw Gianni Schicci as part of an introduction to Monoux. The performance will have been at the end of the Summer Term before I joined the school the following September. I remember being very impressed that that sort of thing went on!

Later in life, probably in 1973, my first wife Sherine and I bought our first flat, near Lloyd Park, from Nic and his about to be ex-wife Jane. They were selling because they were splitting up. Subsequently, Jane introduced Sherine to the vacant job of Wig Mistress at The National theatre when it was still at the Old Vic, under Laurence Olivier. That's my Nic Common anecdote. Not really obituary material, but I thought you would be interested.

All the best.

Gareth Winters

Sorry to hear the sad news. I was a year later than Simon so definitely didn't encounter Nic.....until 1990 when I moved next door to his mother Joan in Walthamstow. He was living there some of the time. His mother recognising my surname was pleased to recount a story of Nic being nursed by my mother (wife of Peter S. Couch ) on a Monoux trip abroad when he fell sick. I don't recall which trip that was. Perhaps one of you can answer and save me digging further through this box of papers. When I met him, Nic was having some temporary health issues but when these were resolved I believe moved to the south coast working in some sort of support/caring role. I last saw him at his mother's funeral which could have been around the turn of the century, perhaps. I certainly remember him as a character and have the same school recording of him to enjoy. The HMS Pinafore performance you mention was two years before I went to Monoux but I clearly remember being taken to see it and enjoying the spectacle and some of the tunes. I can now see from the cast list a few names I recognise. 

Martin Couch

What Terribly sad news. Nick was certainly one of the choir's great characters and singers. I will always remember him in HMS Pinafore particularly He was also a great companion to have on the European trips. Rest in peace Nick, our loss is heaven's gain.

Best wishes to everyone

Geoff Hotten.

That is very sad news. Thank you for passing it on.

John Ferguson

Nic had already left the school when I arrived, but I do remember him from when Roger invited him back to sing on our first EP! Amazingly, he did the solo on “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” which I’m listening to now!

Ironically, the English RFU are currently discussing whether to ban the song from rugby matches because of its racist connections!!!! I have already voiced my objections and defended the song (via Radio 5) because it actually came from black slaves singing about Elijah being taken up to Heaven in a fiery chariot, as they believed that one day God would set them free from slavery and oppression. It ought to be the theme song for “Black Lives Matter”!

I still play a reggae version of ‘Swing Low’ when my band gets together, because it’s a great freedom song of faith!

I shall carry on listening to Nic singing it as well, and I pray that Nic will Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory!

God bless you all,

Rev. Simon Law

Such a sad loss. And I do remember Dick Deadeye!

Les Smith

Very sad news

Chris Miller

So sorry to hear about Nick’s passing. I was watching Gianni Schicchi from Covent Garden the other day and all the memories came flooding back.

Colin Symes

Very sad to hear. Nic always seems a larger than life character and he has gone too soon.

Neil Beckingham

Really sorry to hear that. One of my earliest Monoux memories is of Nic playing Dick Deadeye in HMS Pinafore, with Mr Chatterton as Ralf Rackstraw.

I was a sister/cousin/aunt as, I suspect, were a number of others

Alan Gwynn

That’s sad. I remember the same characters as Alan did.

John Fyson

He Dave and I did Threes Company at the end of Summer term 1963, as I mentioned at our last meeting. His Dick Deadeye was most memorable but he was always nervous and rumour has it that he was getting through 40 Embassy a day running into it. His Schicchi was a wonderful finale to his school musical career.

Roy Phillips