Haunting lesson for today's TV child geniuses: What became of Ruth Lawrence, Britain's most famous prodigy? We tracked down the father who drove her, and heard a troubling tale

Home-schooled child prodigy Ruth Lawrence became the youngest person to win a place at Oxford University with the help of her father Harry. 


There, she completed her degree in two years, getting a starred First in 1985 - the only maths student in her year to get the top grade. However, history hasn't looked kindly on the claustrophobic relationship she shared with her father. When any new story comes out about hot-housing children, the Lawrences are recalled as a cautionary tale.