History classes from Years 8 and 9, and the whole of Year 7 learnt about 800 years in the fight for freedom when journalist and academic Chris Lloyd spent the day at Fortismere on Tuesday 8^th December.  Chris specialises in the art of connecting knowledge through telling stories with timelines and his latest book, The Magna Carta Chronicle, was written for this year’s 800^th anniversary of the sealing of the document.  With his huge timeline that covered the width of South Wing Hall stage, and his coat of many pockets, Chris involved the students in key moments in history from the barons forcing King John to agree to the charter (some very energetic swordplay after tyrannical “King John” said he wanted all the “peasants’” chocolate and mobile ‘phones) right up to the present day and Mulala Yousafzai.  Unfortunately there was no time in the one hour sessions to discuss the Russian Beard Tax of 1698 of the Trial of Bill Burns (for cruelty to a donkey) in 1822 – both important in their time, so look them up!  The use of objects from his multi-coloured pockets (eg handcuffs = slavery, rats = Black Death, sash = suffragettes) ensured that all the students will remember some – if not all – of the vital incidents in history since the Magna Carta of 1215.