This is a list of some notable former pupils of The King's School, Canterbury, known as Old King's Scholars (abbreviated as ''OKS''.) The term King's Scholar referred to the few boys who, by their academic ability at a very young age, won scholarships to King's.

Art

Shoo Rayner Shoo Rayner (born 1956) is a British children's author and illustrator. He was born Hugh Rayner to a Norwegian mother and a British father. Background Rayner's father served in the British Army, so his family moved around a great deal. His format ...

(born 1956), children's author and illustrator *

Edmund de Waal Edmund Arthur Lowndes de Waal, (born 10 September 1964) is a contemporary English artist, master potter and author. He is known for his large-scale installations of porcelain vessels often created in response to collections and archives or th ...

(born 1964), artist, potter, and author

Business

* Ian Cheshire (born 1959), chairman of Barclays UK and former CEO of

Kingfisher plc Kingfisher plc is a British multinational retailing company headquartered in London, England. It has over 1,300 stores in nine countries, and its brands include B&Q, Castorama, Brico Dépôt and Screwfix. Kingfisher is listed on the London St ...

* Charles Powell (born 1941), diplomat, businessman, and foreign policy adviser to

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. S ...

* Hugh Robertson (born 1962), chairman of the British Olympic Association and the Camelot Group, former MP for Faversham and Mid Kent,

Minister of State Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. In o ...

, and

Minister for Sport A Ministry of Sports or Ministry of Youth and Sports is a kind of government ministry found in certain countries with responsibility for the regulation of sports, particularly those participated in by young people. The Ministry of Youth and Spo ...

Engineering, science and medicine

Roger C. Field Roger C. Field (born 31 July 1945) is best known as the inventor of the Foldaxe folding electric guitar which won the Designers' Choice Award for the United States in 1980. He is also an inventor with over 100 patents, an industrial designer, ...

(born 1945), inventor * Michael Foale (born 1957), astrophysicist and former

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

astronaut * William Harvey (1578–1657), physician *Sir

Tony Hoare Sir Charles Antony Richard Hoare (Tony Hoare or C. A. R. Hoare) (born 11 January 1934) is a British computer scientist who has made foundational contributions to programming languages, algorithms, operating systems, formal verification, and c ...

(born 1934), computer scientist *

Thomas Linacre Thomas Linacre or Lynaker ( ; 20 October 1524) was an English humanist scholar and physician, after whom Linacre College, Oxford, and Linacre House, a boys' boarding house at The King's School, Canterbury, are named. Linacre was more of a schola ...

(–1524), humanist scholar and physician * Thomas Stapleton (1920-2007), paediatrician * John Tradescant the Younger (1608–1662), botanist and gardener

Film, television and theatre

* Oz Clarke (born 1949), wine writer and television presenter and broadcaster *

Charles Frend Charles Herbert Frend (21 November 1909, Pulborough, Sussex – 8 January 1977, London) was an English film director and editor, best known for his films produced at Ealing Studios. He began directing in the early 1940s and is known for such ...

(1909–1977), film director and editor * David Gower (born 1957), cricket commentator, former cricketer and captain of the

England cricket team The England cricket team represents England and Wales in international cricket. Since 1997, it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club (the MCC) since 1903. Engla ...

John Lloyd John Lloyd may refer to: Artists, writers, and entertainers *John J. Lloyd (1922–2014), American art director and production designer *John Lloyd (graphic designer) (born 1944), co-founder of design consultancy Lloyd Northover *John Lloyd (journa ...

(born 1951), television and radio comedy writer and producer * Leslie Mitchell (1905–1985), British radio and television announcer * Michael Powell (1905–1990), filmmaker * Carol Reed (1906–1976), film director * Tom Ward (born 1971), film, stage and television actor * Antony Worrall Thompson (born 1951), restaurateur, celebrity chef, television presenter and radio broadcaster

History and philosophy

Catherine Conybeare Catherine Mary Conybeare (born 1966) is an academic and philologist and an authority on Augustine of Hippo. She is currently Leslie Clark Professor in the Humanities at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania.Hugh Honour Hugh Honour FRSL (26 September 1927 – 19 May 2016) was a British art historian, known for his writing partnership with John Fleming (art historian), John Fleming. Their ''A World History of Art'' (a.k.a. ''The Visual Arts: A History''), is now ...

(1927–2016), art historian *

Jeremy Lawrance Jeremy Norcliffe Haslehurst Lawrance FBA (born 12 December 1952) is a Ugandan born British linguist and historian. Professor at Manchester and later at Nottingham, and Fellow of the British Academy since 2011, he was President of the Association ...

(born 1952), linguist and historian *

(–1524), humanist scholar and physician * Walter Pater (1839–1894), essayist, literary and art critic, fiction writer and humanist *

George Sale George Sale (1697–1736) was a British Orientalist scholar and practising solicitor, best known for his 1734 translation of the Quran into English. In 1748, after having read Sale's translation, Voltaire wrote his own essay "De l'Alcoran ...

, (1697–1736), Orientalist scholar and solicitor * Alan Watts (1915–1973), writer and philosopher *

William Wyse William Wyse (19 March 1860 – 29 November 1929) was a classical scholar, noted for his work on the Attic orator Isaeus, and a benefactor of the University of Cambridge. Life Wyse was born in Stratford, London. After education at the King ...

(1860–1929), classical scholar

Literature

Sebastian Barker Sebastian Smart Barker FRSL (16 April 1945 – 31 January 2014) was a British poet notable for a visionary manner that has been compared to William Blake in its use of the long ecstatic line and its "ability to write lyric poetry which used simp ...

(1945–2014), poet * Richard Boys (1785–1867),

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

clergyman, chaplain on

St. Helena Saint Helena () is a British overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote volcanic tropical island west of the coast of south-western Africa, and east of Rio de Janeiro in South America. It is one of three constitu ...

and author * Oz Clarke (born 1949), wine writer and television presenter and broadcaster *

Michael Cordy Michael Cordy is a British novelist. He was born in Accra, the capital of Ghana. Cordy spent much of his childhood in both West Africa and East Africa, India and Cyprus. He was educated in the United Kingdom at The King's School, Canterbury, a ...

, novelist * David Edwards (1929–2018), former

Dean of Norwich The Dean of Norwich is the head of the Chapter of Norwich Cathedral in Norwich, England. The role is vacant since Jane Hedges' retirement on 1 May 2022. List of deans Early modern *1538–1539 William Castleton (last prior) *1539–1554 J ...

Speaker's Chaplain The Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons, also known as the Speaker's Chaplain, is a Church of England priest who officiates at services held at the Palace of Westminster and its associated chapel, St Mary Undercroft. The Chaplain a ...

, Sub-Dean at

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...

, Dean of Southwark and author *Sir

Patrick Leigh Fermor Sir Patrick Michael Leigh Fermor (11 February 1915 – 10 June 2011) was an English writer, scholar, soldier and polyglot. He played a prominent role in the Cretan resistance during the Second World War, and was widely seen as Britain's greates ...

(1915–2011), author, scholar and soldier * James Hamilton-Paterson (born 1941), poet and novelist * John Wesley Harding (born 1965), singer-songwriter and author * Dyneley Hussey (1893–1972), war poet, journalist and critic *

Alaric Jacob Harold Alaric Jacob (8 June 1909 – 26 January 1995) was an English writer and journalist. He was a Reuters correspondent in Washington in the 1930s and a war correspondent during World War II in North Africa, Burma and Moscow. Early life Alar ...

(1909–1995), writer, journalist and war correspondent *

(born 1951), television and radio comedy writer and producer * Edward Lucie-Smith (born 1933), writer, poet, art critic and curator *

Christopher Marlowe Christopher Marlowe, also known as Kit Marlowe (; baptised 26 February 156430 May 1593), was an English playwright, poet and translator of the Elizabethan era. Marlowe is among the most famous of the Elizabethan playwrights. Based upon the ...

(1565–1593), playwright and poet *

Somerset Maugham William Somerset Maugham ( ; 25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German un ...

(1874–1965), playwright, novelist and short story writer *

Michael Morpurgo Sir Michael Andrew Bridge Morpurgo (''né'' Bridge; 5 October 1943) is an English book author, poet, playwright, and librettist who is known best for children's novels such as ''War Horse'' (1982). His work is noted for its "magical storytellin ...

(born 1943), author, poet, playwright and librettist * Walter Pater (1839–1894), essayist, literary and art critic, fiction writer and humanist *

Anthony Price Alan Anthony Price (16 August 1928 – 30 May 2019) was an author of espionage thrillers. Price was born in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, England. He attended The King's School, Canterbury and served in the British Army from 1947 to 1949, ...

(1928–2019), author *

(born 1956), children's author and illustrator *

(born 1964), artist, potter and author * Hugh Walpole (1884–1941), novelist * Alan Watts (1915–1973), writer and philosopher

Military

* John Day (born 1947), former

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

commander and military advisor to

BAE Systems BAE Systems plc (BAE) is a British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company based in London, England. It is the largest defence contractor in Europe, and ranked the seventh-largest in the world based on applicable 2021 revenues. ...

*Sir

(1915–2011), author, scholar and soldier *

Arthur Fleming-Sandes Major Arthur James Terence Fleming-Sandes (24 June 1894 – 24 May 1961) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonw ...

(1894–1961),

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

major and

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 ...

recipient during

World War I 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 ...

* Harry Gardner (1890–1939),

first-class cricketer and officer *

Bernard Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, (; 17 November 1887 – 24 March 1976), nicknamed "Monty", was a senior British Army officer who served in the First World War, the Irish War of Independence and t ...

(1887–1976),

field marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...

Peter Scawen Watkinson Roberts Peter Scawen Watkinson Roberts, (28 July 1917 – 8 December 1979) was a Royal Navy officer and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ...

(1917–1979),

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

Lieutenant Commander and

recipient during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

William Vousden Major-General William John Vousden, (20 September 1848 – 12 November 1902) was a Scottish officer in the Indian Army, and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that ...

(1848–1902),

British Indian Army The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which co ...

major general and

recipient during the Second Anglo-Afghan War

Music

* Stephen Barlow (born 1954), conductor and former Artistic Director of the Buxton Festival *

Simon Carrington Simon Carrington (born 1942) is an English conductor, singer and double bass player. He was a founding member and member for 25 years of the Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble the King's Singers; he subsequently worked for 15 years in the United ...

(born 1942), conductor, musician, and former founding member of The King's Singers *

Harry Christophers Richard Henry Tudor "Harry" Christophers CBE FRSCM (born 26 December 1953) is an English conductor. Life and career Richard Henry Tudor Christophers was born in Goudhurst, Kent. He was a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral under choirmaster Al ...

(born 1953), conductor * John Wesley Harding (born 1965), singer-songwriter and author *

William Lewarne Harris William Lewarne Harris (23 May 1929 - 17 August 2013) was an English composer and teacher. Harris was born in Birkenhead. He was educated at the King's School, Canterbury until the war saw him evacuated to St Austell in Cornwall. He performed N ...

(1929-2013), composer and teacher *

Andrew Marriner Andrew Marriner (born 25 February 1954MARRINER, Andrew Stephen
''Who's Who 2 ...

(born 1954), former principal clarinettist of the

London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...

* George Miles (1913–1988), organist *

Christopher Seaman Christopher Seaman (born 7 March 1942, Faversham) is a British conductor. Early life Seaman was born to Albert Edward Seaman and Ethel Margery Seaman. He was educated at Canterbury Cathedral Choir School and The King's School, Canterbury, an ...

(born 1942), conductor *

Stephen Varcoe Christopher Stephen Varcoe (born 19 May 1949 in Lostwithiel, Cornwall) is an English classical bass-baritone singer, appearing internationally in opera and concert, known for Baroque and contemporary music and a notable singer of Lieder. Prof ...

(born 1949), classical singer

Politics

Charles Abbott, 1st Baron Tenterden Charles Abbott, 1st Baron Tenterden (7 October 1762 – 4 November 1832), was a British barrister and judge who served as Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench between 1818 and 1832. Born in obscure circumstances to a barber and his wife i ...

(1762–1832), barrister and judge * Natascha Engel (born 1967), former MP for

North East Derbyshire North East Derbyshire is a local government district in Derbyshire, England. It borders the districts of Chesterfield, Bolsover, Amber Valley and Derbyshire Dales in Derbyshire, and Sheffield and Rotherham in South Yorkshire. The population ...

Catherine Fall, Baroness Fall Catherine Susan "Kate" Fall, Baroness Fall (born 1967) is a British peer and political advisor. She served as Deputy Chief of Staff for David Cameron when he was prime minister and became a life peer in September 2015. Early life Born in 196 ...

, political advisor and former Downing Street Chief of Staff under

David Cameron David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2016. He previously served as Leader o ...

* Tristan Garel-Jones (1941–2020), former MP for

Watford Watford () is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, 15 miles northwest of Central London, on the River Colne. Initially a small market town, the Grand Junction Canal encouraged the construction of paper-making mills, print works, a ...

* George Gipps (1790–1847), Governor of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

*Sir

Fairfax Luxmoore Sir Arthur Fairfax Charles Coryndon Luxmoore (27 February 1876 — 25 September 1944) was a British barrister and judge who sat as a Lord Justice of Appeal Life Luxmoore was born on 27 February 1876 to Arthur Coryndon Hansler Luxmoore, an art ...

(1876–1944), barrister and judge who sat as

Lord Justice of Appeal A Lord Justice of Appeal or Lady Justice of Appeal is a judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, the court that hears appeals from the High Court of Justice, the Crown Court and other courts and tribunals. A Lord (or Lady) Justice ...

*Sir

Anthony Parsons Sir Anthony Derrick Parsons (9 September 1922 – 12 August 1996) was a British diplomat, ambassador to Iran at the time of the Iranian Revolution and Permanent Representative to the UN at the time of the Falklands War. Career Anthony P ...

(1922–1996), diplomat, former

British ambassador to Iran The Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Iran is the United Kingdom's foremost diplomatic representative in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and in charge of the UK's diplomatic mission in Iran. The official title is ''His Majesty's Ambassador to th ...

, and former British Permanent Representative to the UN * Charles Powell (born 1941), diplomat, businessman, and foreign policy adviser to

* Jonathan Powell (born 1956), diplomat and former Downing Street Chief of Staff under

Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of th ...

* Hugh Robertson (born 1962), chairman of the British Olympic Association and the Camelot Group, former MP for Faversham and Mid Kent,

, and

*Sir Patrick Walker (born 1932), former Director General of MI5

Religion

Gavin Ashenden Gavin Roy Pelham Ashenden (born 3 June 1954) is a British Catholic layman, author and commentator, and Associate Editor of the Catholic Herald. Formerly a priest of the Church of England, and subsequently a continuing Anglican bishop. He was a ...

(born 1954), former

priest and continuing Anglican bishop * Richard Boys (1785–1867),

clergyman, chaplain on

, and author * William Broughton (1788–1853), Anglican Bishop of Australia * David Edwards (1929–2018), former

, Sub-Dean at

, Dean of Southwark, and author * Reginald Glennie, first-class cricketer and clergyman *

Michael Mayne Michael Clement Otway Mayne, (10 September 1929 – 22 October 2006) was an English priest of the Church of England who served as the Dean of Westminster. Early life Michael Clement Otway Mayne was born at Harlestone, Northamptonshire, the ...

(1929–2006), former Dean of Westminster *

Howard Mowll Howard West Kilvinton Mowll (1890–1958) was the Anglicanism, Anglican Anglican ministry#Bishops, Bishop Diocese of Western China, of Western China from 1925 to 1933, and Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Archbishop of Sydney from 1933 until his ...

(1890–1958), former Anglican Archbishop of Sydney

Sport

* Harry Gardner (1890–1939), first-class cricketer and British Army officer * Reginald Glennie (1864–1953), first-class cricketer and clergyman * David Gower (born 1957), cricket commentator, former cricketer and captain of the

* Bob Haines (1906–1965), cricketer *

Frances Houghton Frances Houghton MBE is a 5 time Olympic rower (2000–2016), 4 times World Champion and 3 times Olympic Silver medallist. She now mentors elite athletes and works as a professional chef. Early life Houghton was born in Oxford, and started her ...

(born 1980), Olympic rower and

World Champion A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...

* Millie Knight (born 1999), Paralympic skier *

Tom Ransley Thomas Matthew Ransley (born 6 September 1985) is a retired British Rowing (sport), rower. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro he was part of the British crew that won the gold medal in the Rowing at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Men' ...

(born 1985), former Olympic rower and

Ollie Robinson Oliver Edward Robinson (born 1 December 1993) is an English professional cricketer who plays internationally for the England cricket team, England Test cricket team. In domestic cricket, he represents Sussex County Cricket Club, Sussex, havin ...

(born 1993),

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

cricketer * Fred Scarlett (born 1975), Olympic rower

Other

* Gregory Blaxland (1778–1853), pioneer settler, explorer, and co-leader of the first crossing of the Blue Mountains * John Blaxland (1769–1845), pioneer settler and explorer *

Hubert Chesshyre David Hubert Boothby Chesshyre (22 June 1940 – 24 December 2020) was a British officer of arms. Chesshyre served for more than forty years as an officer of arms in ordinary to Queen Elizabeth II and as a member of Her Majesty's Household. ...

(1940–2020), retired British officer of arms found to have committed child sexual abuse *

Myles Jackman Myles Jackman is an English lawyer who specialises in defending cases related to pornography. Jackman was born at Basildon Hospital, where his father, a consultant radiologist and his mother, Susan, a radiology technician, worked and met. He w ...

, (born 1974/75), lawyer * Jacquetta Wheeler (born 1981), model * Peter, Hereditary Prince of Yugoslavia (born 1980)

References

{{Reflist King's Old King's Scholars