Berkhamsted Collegiate School
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Berkhamsted School is an
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in
Berkhamsted Berkhamsted ( ) is a historic market town in Hertfordshire, England, in the Bulbourne valley, north-west of London. The town is a civil parish with a town council within the borough of Dacorum which is based in the neighbouring large new town ...
, Hertfordshire, England. The present school was formed in 1997 by the amalgamation of the original Berkhamsted School, founded in 1541 by John Incent,
Dean of St Paul's Cathedral The dean of St Paul's is a member of, and chair of the Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral in London in the Church of England. The dean of St Paul's is also ''ex officio'' dean of the Order of the British Empire. The current dean is Andrew Tremlett, ...
, Berkhamsted School for Girls, established in 1888, and Berkhamsted Preparatory School. The new merged school was initially called Berkhamsted Collegiate School, but reverted to Berkhamsted School in 2008. In 2011 Berkhamsted School merged with Heatherton House School, a girls' preparatory school in Amersham, to form the Berkhamsted Schools Group. The Group acquired Haresfoot School in Berkhamsted and its on site day nursery in 2012, which became Berkhamsted Pre-Preparatory School for children aged three to seven, and Berkhamsted Day Nursery. Berkhamsted School is a "
diamond school Diamond school, diamond model, diamond shape and diamond structure are similar terms that apply to a type of independent school in the UK that combines both single-sex and coeducational teaching in the same organisation. Typically, the establishment ...
" in which pupils are taught coeducationally in the Pre-Prep School, Prep School and
Sixth Form In the education systems of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepare for A-l ...
, but independently in the traditional Senior years, between the ages of 11 and 16. The school has four main sites: the Pre-Prep School, the Prep School, the Castle Street Campus and Kings Road Campus (the latter two being the original boys' and girls' schools respectively). The school is noted for its distinctive collegiate and pastoral structure, a varied sporting, outdoor education and cultural co-curricular programme and participation in the life of the local community. Richard Backhouse, previously principal of Monkton Combe School, became principal of the school in January 2016.


House system

All Berkhamsted pupils belong to a house throughout their time at the School. Each house is run by a house-master supported by several house tutors. Together they are responsible for providing pastoral support for their pupils and serve as the primary link between parents and the school. Houses are both physical environments and communities, each forming a distinct entity within the larger organisation of the school itself. Pupils attend their house for morning and afternoon registration, to play games throughout the day, and for the majority of the administration which governs their time at the school. They also participate in school events on behalf of their house.


Senior boys' houses

*Adders was formed in 1915 to accommodate the so-called "train boys" who, by nature of their daily commute to school, were often excluded from school activities. Various explanations have been given for the name 'Adders'. It may be a casual abbreviation of "the add-on house", or a contraction of 'Adlebert House', now the chaplain's residence. However, according to an anecdote current in the 1960s, the boys were asked for suggestions and one proposed the present name ("Bees" and "Swifts" already existed). On being asked why, he explained, "Puff adders, sir!", an allusion to the steam trains on which the pupils travelled. Adders is situated in a separate building next to Newcroft and it takes the ground floor while Fry's house uses the top floor. Current head of house is Richard Margerison. *Bartrum the newest house, founded in 2019. Current head of house is Andrew Wilkes. *Bees, dating back to 1897 and situated on Mill Street next to Swifts. Current head of house is Graeme Reid-Davies. *Cox's, opened in 1958 in response to the growing numbers of day boys. Named after Cuthbert Cox. Until September 2010, the house occupied a separate building located next to the
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carpark. Cox's moved from its present location to the site of the old swimming pool, sharing with Tilmans. The former Cox's house was renovated into a new drama studio. Current head of house is Jessica Thackaray. *Fry's is named after one of Berkhamsted's former headmasters, Thomas Charles Fry. It is located above Adders. Current head of house is Andrew Harker. *Greenes, found along the cloisters of the Grass Quad. The School's association with the Greene family is recognised in its name. Current head of house is Max Stallard. *Loxwood, also found along the cloisters. This house was named after a former girls' school house. Current head of house is Martin Middleton. *Swifts, established at the same time as Bees. Current head of house is Douglas Foster. *Tilman (formerly Incents), until September 2010, was both a boarding and day boy house. The boarding accommodation is situated along Chesham Road, and is the birthplace of
Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...
. The house was named after John Incent, the school's founder, and had its main entrance in the cloisters between Loxwood and Greenes. In September 2010, Incents day house closed and was renamed 'Tilman' and moved to a new location on the site of the old swimming pool, sharing the site with Cox's. The former Incents House was renovated into a study for the headmaster and deputy head of Berkhamsted Boys. The boarding house remained unchanged. Current head of house is George Campbell. That at least three of the eight Senior Boys' Houses appear to be named after various fauna was not always intentional. When Swifts and Bees were formed in 1897, they were to be called 'A' and 'B' respectively, but the former's first house master considered this dull, naming his House 'Swifts'. 'Bees' is thus
phonetic Phonetics is a branch of linguistics that studies how humans produce and perceive sounds, or in the case of sign languages, the equivalent aspects of sign. Linguists who specialize in studying the physical properties of speech are phoneticians. ...
. 'Adders' may be wholly fortuitous; 'Reeves' and 'Hawks', now sixth form houses, add to the confusion.
Richard Reeve Richard Reeve or Reeves (fl. 1640–1680) was an instrument maker in London in the 17th century. He worked with Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke. His son was also Richard Reeve (fl. 1680). Accuracy Reeve's telescopes and microscopes had a wide ...
was the school's first headmaster; Hawks was named by the apparent "fauna tradition" in 1933.


Senior girls' houses

*Holme *New Stede *Old Stede *Russell *St David's *Stephenson, founded in 2017, named in honour of microbiologist and biochemist
Marjory Stephenson Marjory Stephenson (24 January 1885 – 12 December 1948) was a British biochemist. In 1945, she was one of the first two women elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, the other being Kathleen Lonsdale. She wrote ''Bacterial Metabolism'' (193 ...
. *Wolstenholme, founded in 2011, named after Sue Wolstenholme who was a school governor for 35 years.


Sixth form houses

*Ashby, named after the mother of John Incent's second wife, Katherine. *Burgh, pronounced . *Churchill, after Clementine Churchill, Baroness Spencer-Churchill and formerly girls' boarding accommodation. *Hawks, a former junior boys' house, established in 1934. *Nash, named after Henry Nash, a founder of Berkhamsted School for Girls. *Reeves, named after Richard Reeve and founded as a junior boys' house, along with Hawks. *St George's, originally a junior house for the "train boys", rather like Adders. *School, variously the headmaster's quarters and a boarding house. *Spencer, a new sixth form house introduced in 2009. *Tudor, a new sixth form house introduced in 2019.


History of Berkhamsted School, 1541–1996


Founding

High clergy of the 16th century frequently distinguished themselves by their furthering of the educational establishment and, in this respect, Berkhamsted owes much to John Incent. In 1523, he called upon the brothers of the local brotherhood of
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to divert the funds they had hitherto donated to the monastic hospital (which had closed) to the Brotherhood House, about which little is known. In 1541, however, Incent applied to the King, Henry VIII, in pursuit of a licence "to purchase £40 in land by the year," and was successful. Although Incent was
Berkhamsted Berkhamsted ( ) is a historic market town in Hertfordshire, England, in the Bulbourne valley, north-west of London. The town is a civil parish with a town council within the borough of Dacorum which is based in the neighbouring large new town ...
's most famous descendant, it is considered an act of great piety that he chose to found a school outside what had become his
sphere of influence In the field of international relations, a sphere of influence (SOI) is a spatial region or concept division over which a state or organization has a level of cultural, economic, military or political exclusivity. While there may be a formal a ...
. By 1544, Berkhamsted School's first building, now known as 'Old Hall' was complete, later to be described by
William Camden William Camden (2 May 1551 – 9 November 1623) was an English antiquarian, historian, topographer, and herald, best known as author of ''Britannia'', the first chorographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, and the ''Ann ...
as "the only structure in Berkhamsted worth a second glance." The formal opening is recorded in the Ancient Documents:
''When the building of the said Schoole was thus finished, the Deane sent for the chiefe men of the Towne into the Schoole, where he kneeling downe, gave thanks to Almighty God, which had given him life to see the perfection of that work, which both he, the towne and the country had beene about for the space of 20 years as is manifest by the pmisses. First he read his licence. Then he called for Richd Reeve, and placed him in the seate there made for the Schoolemr. and so did ordaine, make and pnounce him to be the first Master of the said Schoole and after that tooke him by the hand and did give him and his successors for ever possession of the lodgings appteining to that office. In like manner he placed John Audley to be Usher , and John East to be Chaplen. This done he did give possession by his deed bearing date the 23 of March in the 36 yeare of Henry the 8 to the said Richd Reeve John Audley and John East and their successours for ever, of all the land to the sd Schoole then appointed, which are expressed pticularly in an act of pliamt. made 2 & 3 Ed 6. Finally the Deane began TE DEUM LAUDAMUS which being finished with certaine other praiers and ceremonies, the whole Companie did there drink together and so depted.''
Yet the legal foundation was not nearly so sound. When Incent died some 18 months later, his entire wealth (over £330) became the king's, his documents stating that Berkhamsted's founder, a highly educated lawyer, had died
intestate Intestacy is the condition of the estate of a person who dies without having in force a valid will or other binding declaration. Alternatively this may also apply where a will or declaration has been made, but only applies to part of the estat ...
. The authenticity of this claim is rightly questioned: shortly after Incent's death, a complaint was made to the king "by some evill persons that the Deane had laid to the Schoole more revenues than his licence 40 annuallydid permitt him." Furthermore, Henry VIII stood to gain £196 and "a front of pearls" from the Dean's estate. However, there had been no formal incorporation of the school, and records suggest that Incent had spent much time since the opening preparing, but not realising, legal protection. An investigation into the claims that his annual endowment had been exceeded was commissioned and undertaken by John Waterhouse, a favourite not only of the king, but also a confidant of Incent, who had been present at the opening. His choice of commissioner suggests the foundation still had royal approval, something that had allowed the school to survive the first attack against it. The most enduring legacy of the foundation nonetheless remains the building itself.


A Delicate establishment

Incent's death, which itself had created a threat to the school, was followed by that of Henry VIII in January 1547. The Chantries Act 1546, which could have jeopardised the post of chaplain at Berkhamsted, was replaced by new legislation, and the foundation was declared "unperfect". A Foundation Act was introduced in parliament to settle the various claims to the Incent estate, but only those concerning the most immediate relatives of John. Thus claims to land of the school's endowment in
Sparkford Sparkford is a village and civil parish in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the village of Weston Bampfylde. It is situated near the junction of the A303 from London to Exeter and the A359 from Frome to Ye ...
near Winchester were made and tried, resulting in significant loss to the school. An additional threat came when
Edward VI Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour and the first E ...
, acting on advice, re-established the school under his own name. In reality, there was both initial benefit and ultimate disadvantage in this. Richard Reeve, the first headmaster, held strict Protestant views, and was dismissed by the
Bishop of Lincoln The Bishop of Lincoln is the ordinary (diocesan bishop) of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury. The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and ...
, acting upon Queen Mary's instructions, in 1555. He was replaced by William Barker, who offered an alternative religious policy, for he himself was removed when
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gained the throne.


Fulfillment under Saltmarsh and Hunt

William Saltmarsh enjoyed a longer headmastership than either Reeve or Barker. The latter had appointed Leonard Stepney as usher, but he lost his post in 1571 on charges of harbouring a Catholic priest. His successor, John Bristowe, had a still more colourful end, murdered gruesomely in 1597 by a local
yeoman Yeoman is a noun originally referring either to one who owns and cultivates land or to the middle ranks of servants in an English royal or noble household. The term was first documented in mid-14th-century England. The 14th century also witn ...
. Although this would have caused Saltmarsh concern, this was otherwise a very successful period in the history of Berkhamsted School. Pupil numbers continued to increase, and a handful of Berkhamstedians, as they would become known, achieved notoriety. By 1616, some years after Saltmarsh's death, it was written
''Scholae Ludimagister cum 33 annos eidem praefuisset amplam pecuniam testamento suo moriens legavit reficiendis his aedibus''
which Williams translates: "William Saltmarsh, third Headmaster of this School, after presiding over it for 33 years, on his deathbed bequeathed a sum of money sufficient for the repair of this building." It is uncertain why the building (by which it is meant Old Hall) had fallen into disrepair under an otherwise successful headmaster, but through his donation Saltmarsh had decisively added himself to Berkhamsted's list of benefactors. All available evidence, of which there is little, suggests that the Hunt years were also successful ones for the school. His period in the office probably witnessed greater stability in the school than in his personal life – he was married four times – and there was praise for his leadership, a former pupil recording "much reverence and affect" for Hunt. It also appears that he took as active a part in the life of Berkhamsted as had become and remains a tradition, serving as overseer for the poor and bailiff as well as contributing to church funds. He died in office, aged 70, in 1636.


Shorter tenures

There were two hereditary headmasterships in the history of Berkhamsted School, neither of which was successful. The first was that of Henry Hunt, a graduate of
Trinity College, Oxford (That which you wish to be secret, tell to nobody) , named_for = The Holy Trinity , established = , sister_college = Churchill College, Cambridge , president = Dame Hilary Boulding , location = Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BH , coordinates ...
, who died within six months of succeeding his father; the second was to come in the 19th century. In England, however, the political environment began to take its toll on Berkhamsted. Berkhamsted, situated along a route between London and the battlefields of the
English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
, became the subject of
parliamentary A parliamentary system, or parliamentarian democracy, is a system of democratic governance of a state (or subordinate entity) where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the support ("confidence") of the ...
action to preserve the town. Pitkin's death is recorded in the parish register of Fleet Street, London in September 1643; in his history, Williams suggests Pitkin may have visited London in an attempt to obtain protection for the school, instead dying of the plague. He was succeeded by Timothy Taylor, until then usher, but the conditions of the period deny history any formal details, except that his death in 1648 was probably also a result of plague. Ogle (1648–1651/2) witnessed local controversy resulting from the Civil War and it was likely that the school's seemingly relentless decline had begun in earnest by the time of his tenure, with student numbers falling from 80 to under 10 over three decades. It is uncertain whether Peter Berkenhead ever even served as headmaster, although the weight of evidence suggests that he did (however insignificantly). This series of less distinguished office-holders is attributable in part to the Civil War; further, since the value of money had for so long been falling, the annual pay, having been set at the foundation, was insufficient for such a post by the end of the 17th century.


The Fossan saga

Thomas Fossan, a friend of Samuel Pepys, petitioned Charles II for the Berkhamsted job in December 1662. His motive in doing so is unclear, himself recognising that "by reason of its small salary" it was not highly sought, but mostly since, having realised his ambition, Fossan so neglected his duties. Indeed, such was the strength of feeling judges against Fossan that the very same people who had recommended him in 1662 wrote to the authorities six years later in the name of "the trust imposed in
hem A hem in sewing is a garment finishing method, where the edge of a piece of cloth is folded and sewn to prevent unravelling of the fabric and to adjust the length of the piece in garments, such as at the end of the sleeve or the bottom of the g ...
by the founders of the schoole" that the headmaster be removed. When the charges were put to him (that both he and his usher had spent much time away from the school, that the boys' knowledge of grammar was minimal and that the townspeople had taken to lodging the scholars in light of the school's failure so to do), Fossan replied that "he cared not whether he had any scholars or not, for the fewer he had the less trouble he should have." His forced resignation followed shortly after.Fossan's resignation was written in Latin and read during a ceremony in Old Hall.


'So Mean a School'

It is some indication of the extent of Berkhamsted's degeneration under Fossan that his successor, Edmund Newboult, was recommended by the Bishop of Hereford as "of parts sufficient for so mean a school," an endorsement described as "comically unenthusiastic". The most prominent historical source on Newboult remains a reply he made to an educational researcher some years into his tenure, noting that "The Statues of the Schoole were made in the time of
popery The words Popery (adjective Popish) and Papism (adjective Papist, also used to refer to an individual) are mainly historical pejorative words in the English language for Roman Catholicism, once frequently used by Protestants and Eastern Orthodox ...
, therefore not observed." During his 17 years of office, Newboult does appear to have provided a solid educational environment at Berkhamsted, at least relatively speaking, something continued under his successor, Thomas Wren. In his wake came John Theed, member of a prosperous Buckinghamshire family, and Berkhamsted's longest serving headmaster. Indeed, throughout the 18th century, there were to be only four occupants of the post, an age not only of stability but stagnation. Nonetheless, the three inspections carried out during the three years found no cause for concern, and in their record is revealed the first reference to curriculum content, the boys having been examined on
Ovid Pūblius Ovidius Nāsō (; 20 March 43 BC – 17/18 AD), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a contemporary of the older Virgil and Horace, with whom he is often ranked as one of the th ...
's
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. Theed was the school's second pluralist (it is no inspiration that the first was Fossan): his obituary in
The Gentleman's Magazine ''The Gentleman's Magazine'' was a monthly magazine founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1922. It was the first to use the term '' magazine'' (from the French ''magazine ...
recorded him as vicar of
Marsworth Marsworth is a village and a civil parish within the unitary authority area of Buckinghamshire, England. It is about north of Tring, Hertfordshire and east of Aylesbury. Early history The village name is Anglo Saxon in origin, ''Mæssanw ...
and made no mention of his Berkhamsted role – some suggest this is characteristic of an insouciant, unambitious approach to the school. A similar charge could not be made against Evan Price. Having served as usher for 16 of Theed's less proactive years, Price had become accustomed to the day-to-day running of the school. On Theed's death in 1734, his succession, still the jurisdiction of the sovereign, brought Price to the headmastership, despite his not having attended university and his flamboyant record – as curate of
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, he had been involved in an "unseemly brawl" during a burial he was officiating.


Notable alumni

* Henry Atkins (1554/5–1635), president of the
College of Physicians A college of physicians is a national or provincial organisation concerned with the practice of medicine. {{Expand list, date=February 2011 Such institutions include: * American College of Physicians * Ceylon College of Physicians * College of Phy ...
, 1606–1635 * Richard Field (1561–1616), clergyman and
theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
* Sir Algernon Methuen (1856–1924), founder and owner, Methuen & Co, publishers, 1889–1924 * Clementine Churchill, Baroness Spencer-Churchill (1885–1977), wife of
Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from ...
* Charles Seltman (1886–1957), author and archeologist * Sir Lumley Lyster (1888–1957), admiral, Royal Navy *
Clifford Allen, 1st Baron Allen of Hurtwood Reginald Clifford Allen, 1st Baron Allen of Hurtwood (9 May 1889 – 3 March 1939), known as Clifford Allen, was a British politician, leading member of the Independent Labour Party (ILP), and prominent pacifist. Early life and education The son ...
(1889–1939), politician and peace campaigner * Sir Donald Fergusson (1891–1963), Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, 1936–1945, and
Ministry of Fuel and Power The Ministry of Power was a United Kingdom government ministry dealing with issues concerning energy. The Ministry of Power (then named Ministry of Fuel and Power) was created on 11 June 1942 from functions separated from the Board of Trade. ...
, 1945–1952 * Clement Glenister (1897–1968), cricketer and Royal Navy officer * H. W. Tilman (1898–1977),
mountaineer Mountaineering or alpinism, is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending tall mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, an ...
and sailor *
A. K. Chesterton Arthur Kenneth Chesterton (1 May 1899 – 16 August 1973) was a British far-right journalist and political activist. From 1933 to 1938, he was a member of the British Union of Fascists (BUF). Disillusioned with Oswald Mosley, he left th ...
(1899–1973), first chairman of the National Front, 1967–1971 * C. H. S. Fifoot, (1899–1975), legal scholar * F. S. Smythe (1900–1949), mountaineer and author *
Raymond Greene Charles Raymond Greene (17 April 1901 – 6 December 1982) was a British doctor and an accomplished mountaineer. Biography Greene was born in Berkhamsted.Rex Tremlett (1903–1986) author and prospector *
Claud Cockburn Francis Claud Cockburn ( ; 12 April 1904 – 15 December 1981) was a British journalist. His saying "believe nothing until it has been officially denied" is widely quoted in journalistic studies, but he did not claim credit for origin ...
(1904–1981), writer and journalist *
Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...
(1904–1991), author * Bill Fiske, Baron Fiske (1905–1975), first leader of the Greater London Council, 1964–1967, and chairman of the Decimal Currency Board * Sir Peter Quennell (1905–1993), writer and editor * Sir Colin Buchanan (1907–2001),
town planner An urban planner (also known as town planner) is a professional who practices in the field of town planning, urban planning or city planning. An urban planner may focus on a specific area of practice and have a title such as city planner, town ...
* Sir Hugh Greene (1910–1987), director-general of the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
, 1960–1969 * Michael Sherard (1910–1998), born Malcolm Sherrard, fashion designer and academic * Sir Kenneth Cork (1913–1991), accountant, and
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, 1978–1979 *
Margot Jefferys Margot Jefferys (Margaret) (1916–1999) was Professor of Medical Sociology at Bedford College, London Bedford College was in York Place after 1874 Bedford College was founded in London in 1849 as the first higher education college for wome ...
(1916–1999), professor of
medical sociology Medical sociology is the sociological analysis of medical organizations and institutions; the production of knowledge and selection of methods, the actions and interactions of healthcare professionals, and the social or cultural (rather than cl ...
, Bedford College, London, 1968–1982 *
Antony Hopkins Antony Hopkins CBE (21 March 1921 – 6 May 2014) was a composer, pianist, and conductor, as well as a writer and radio broadcaster. He was widely known for his books of musical analysis and for his radio programmes ''Talking About Music'', b ...
(1921–2014), composer * Robert Simons (1922–2011), cricketer *
Stephen Dodgson Stephen Cuthbert Vivian Dodgson (17 March 192413 April 2013) was a British composer and broadcaster. Dodgson's prolific musical output covered most genres, ranging from opera and large-scale orchestral music to chamber and instrumental music, as ...
(1924–2013), composer and broadcaster * Mark Boxer (Marc) (1931–1988), cartoonist and magazine editor * Michael Podro (1931–2008), art historian * Alexander Goehr (born 1932), composer and 1987 Reith Lecturer * Sir Anthony Cleaver (born 1938), chairman of the Medical Research Council, 1998–2006 *
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston Sir William Robert Patrick Knox-Johnston (born 17 March 1939) is a British sailor. In 1969, he became the first person to perform a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe. Along with Sir Peter Blake, he won the second Jules Vern ...
(born 1939), yachtsman * John Bly (born 1939), antiques expert *
Michael Meacher Michael Hugh Meacher (4 November 1939 – 21 October 2015) was a British politician who served as a government minister under Harold Wilson, James Callaghan and Tony Blair. A member of the Labour Party, he was Member of Parliament (MP) for ...
(1939–2015), politician * Richard Mabey (born 1941), nature writer * John Graham Nicholls (born 1929), physiologist * Kit Wright (born 1944), children's poet * Keith Mans (born 1946), politician *
Zaha Hadid Dame Zaha Mohammad Hadid ( ar, زها حديد ''Zahā Ḥadīd''; 31 October 1950 – 31 March 2016) was an Iraqi-British architect, artist and designer, recognised as a major figure in architecture of the late 20th and early 21st centu ...
(1950–2016), multiple-award-winning architect * Alan Goldberg (born 1954), warden of western marble arch synagogue *Lieutenant General
Mark Mans Lieutenant General Sir Mark Francis Noel Mans, (born 1955) is a senior British Army officer, who served as Adjutant-General to the Forces of the United Kingdom from 2009 to 2012. Military career Educated at Berkhamsted School, Mans was commiss ...
(born 1955), Adjutant-General to the Forces * Guy Pooley (born 1965), rower *
Emma Fielding Emma Georgina Annalies Fielding (born 07 October 1964 in Catterick, North Riding of Yorkshire) is an English actress. Biography The daughter of a British Army officer, Colonel Johnny Fielding, and Sheila Fielding, she was raised Catholic and ...
(born 1966), actress * Roger Moorhouse (born 1968), historian and author *
Stephen Campbell Moore Stephen Campbell Moore (born Stephen Moore Thorpe, 30 November 1979) is a British actor. He is best known for his roles in Alan Bennett's play '' The History Boys'' and the film based on it. Since 2019, he has starred in the sci-fi television ...
(born 1977 Stephen Thorpe), actor * Robert Courts (born 1978), politician and
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for
Witney Witney is a market town on the River Windrush in West Oxfordshire in the county of Oxfordshire, England. It is west of Oxford. The place-name "Witney" is derived from the Old English for "Witta's island". The earliest known record of it is as ...
* Carla Chases (born 1984), actress *
James Rodwell James Rodwell (born 23 August 1984) is an English professional rugby sevens player who was part of the national England national rugby sevens team, squad from 2008 to 2019. He ended his career with records as the Worlds most capped sevens playe ...
(born 1984), rugby, team GB rugby 7s at the Rio Olympic Games, 2016 - silver medalist *
Talulah Riley Talulah Jane Riley-Milburn''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916-2005''; Ancestry.com. Retrieved 3 November 2015. (born 26 September 1985) is an English actress and writer. She has appeared in films, including '' Pride & P ...
(born 1985), actress * Will Fraser (born 1989), rugby union player * Roman Kemp (born 1993), radio and television presenter * Olajide "JJ" Olatunji (born 1993),
YouTuber A YouTuber is an online personality and/or influencer who produces videos on the video-sharing platform YouTube, typically posting to their personal YouTube channel. The term was first used in the English language in 2006. Influence Influe ...
, rapper and boxer better known as KSI *
Jonathan Bond Jonathan Henry Bond (born 19 May 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. Bond has played internationally for Wales at under-17 and under-19 levels; he has also been called up to the under-21 and senior teams and t ...
(born 1993), football goalkeeper


Victoria Cross holders

Three former students have won the
Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
: Arthur Mayo during the Indian Mutiny; and George Pearkes and Brett Mackay Cloutman, both during the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.


School offices


Headmasters of Berkhamsted School, 1544–1996

Between the school's opening in 1544 and the formation of the collegiate school in 1997, there were 30 headmasters, whose average length of service was 15 years.


Principals of Berkhamsted Collegiate School

# Priscilla Chadwick (1997–2008)


Principals of Berkhamsted School

# Mark Steed (2008–2015) # Richard Backhouse (2016–present)


Notes


References


Further reading

*
Berkhamsted School Remembrance
Information about Berkhamsted School during World War I.
The Old Berkhamstedians
The old boys' and girls' organisation of Berkhamsted School.
The Graham Greene Birthplace Trust
Organise the annual Graham Greene Festival in October at the school.


External links

* {{authority control 1541 establishments in England Educational institutions established in the 1540s Independent schools in Hertfordshire Member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference Member schools of the Girls' Schools Association Diamond schools
School A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes comp ...