ODyssey-Spring 26

From space exploration to lifesaving

Dauntsey's

Memories shared are memories saved. Hear from some of our ODs as they recall stories from their time at Dauntsey's.

New Sixth Form and Middle School social spaces, an Astro and a Tuck Truck. Just some of the developments over the past twelve months.

If walls could talk, the panelled corridors of The Manor would no doubt have a tale or two to tell. Mark Neve, Gerry Marsh, Eleni Conidaris and Emma Jolly recall some of their favourite stories, from fake fire alarms to secret passageways and even an explosion!

Welcome

I am delighted to share the latest issue of ODyssey Magazine, where past, present and possibility meet!

This issue is a celebration of the people and places that shape Dauntsey’s, from the excellent Women in Science article that features three inspiring ODs who have bucked the trend in the field of science, to our piece on The Manor where we speak to staff who have played an integral role in the lives of many ODs and current pupils. Our honorary archivist, Philip Nokes, also delves into the History of the Houses with a fascinating read tracing the traditions and shared pride of the School Houses that is still shared today.

I hope that you enjoy the articles and features and find the OD stories inspirational, amusing and reflective. My grateful thanks to all who have contributed.

The Head Master, in his introduction, talks about the Dauntsey’s community filled with optimism, humility, creativity and joy and I have certainly seen this when I’ve met ODs at reunions and other events. It’s these enduring qualities that make our OD Community so valuable and I’d encourage all ODs to re-connect, whether that’s by contacting me with your news or memories from your time at School, offering support to our current pupils in the form of work experience, mentorship and career advice or coming back to Dauntsey’s for an event or reunion.

Do keep an eye on the website and your inbox for more details on our alumni events, which are listed in the magazine too. Following the success of last year, I’m delighted that we are running another OD Cruise on the Jolie Brise and watch this space for information about an OD Dinner at Mercers’ Hall in February 2027!

I can’t wait to meet more of you over the coming year; let us continue to support each other, celebrate our achievements, and look forward to a bright future together.

Best wishes, Stephanie

Stephanie Cadwgan, FoundationOfficer

s.cadwgan@dauntseys.org

THOUGHTS from the Head Master

I write this introduction as I reach the eighteen-month mark of my tenure as Head Master of this wonderful school. I am grateful for the engagement and support of our alumni during this time. Without exception, all the ODs I have met over the last eighteen months have spoken of their time at Dauntsey's with real affection, alongside fairly regular stories about the best places to hide when smoking with friends, or which local pub had alarmingly relaxed approaches to under-age drinking.

In some senses, Dauntsey's hasn't changed much at all (although the local pub has since closed). We are still characterised by our warm and friendly community, breadth of opportunity, and the stunning environment that surrounds us, and permeates our daily lives. Wiltshire is an ancient landscape, and we are reminded by the henges and white horses that humans have lived together amongst these wide-open spaces for thousands of years. There is something grounding in being surrounded by so much ancient history, particularly during a period of seemingly relentless change.

For there is no doubt that we are living through a period of significant upheaval. Recent political events remind us that the world is unpredictably dynamic, and that the norms many of us took for granted are open to being tested and questioned. Of course, in every generation the future has felt uncertain, although I would argue that the pace of change feels particularly acute right now.

Yet for all the hand-wringing about young people today, I find our current generation of Dauntseians to be remarkable. They certainly smoke and drink less than their predecessors - national statistics show young people today are far more health conscious and knowledgeable about mental wellbeing. More than that, I find them more tolerant of one another, more optimistic, and more open-minded than my generation.

The challenges are different, too. Social media continues to raise important questions about childhood and development, with ongoing discussion about how best to protect young people whilst preparing them for a connected world. Artificial Intelligence is developing rapidly, and our young people will need to be ready for an employment landscape that looks quite different from the one their parents knew - more fluid, with multiple career changes likely, and new kinds of interviews and selection processes to navigate.

And so, in designing education we find ourselves reconciling Dauntsey's ancient roots and traditions with a world that seems to change at a daily rate. We are right to be proud of who we are and where we have come from, and it can be anchoring to draw strength from an identity that stretches back to the 1500s when trying to make sense of ourselves

when everything around us seems to be spinning. Our history and our culture are, in that sense, a gift: it helps us remember who we are.

All this is not to say that we are trapped in the sands of time – far from it. We are a progressive and modern school seeking to evolve the way we educate young people for a modern world. We seek to embrace technology in the right way whilst not losing sight of the educational traditions that have brought us this far. We certainly want to ensure that our academic curriculum and our co-curriculum offers our young people the kind of intellectual and interpersonal grounding that is required for a successful life, regardless of the industries of the future.

Our ethos is ultimately our greatest anchor. It seems to me that the best response to a world in flux is not necessarily to match that pace of change stride for stride, but instead zero in on the things that bring out the fullness of our humanity. I am sure that there is a bright future for our children, and I am convinced that their success will be governed by how much they can understand and amplify their human uniqueness. We still hold to the belief that there is a hidden curriculum that sits beneath the lessons and the sports fixtures and the activities. It might be considered the blood in our veins, or perhaps the roots in the landscape that anchor deep that which can be seen on the surface. In that sense, our roots have not changed, and I recognise them in the stories and characters of all the ODs I meet: a powerful belief in community, optimism, humility, creativity and joy.

I commend these pages to you as we celebrate with you our successes, our losses, our changes and our shared history. I would encourage you as you read to notice the roots beneath – the binding values that we all share that continue to sustain 'Dauntsey's people', both those already out in the world, and those who are about to take their first few steps beyond the Plain.

John Davies Head Master

Never Standing Still SUMMER WORKS 2025

Dauntsey’s has existed in its current location since 1895 – more than 130 years – and the fact that it remains such a well-kept and purposeful site is a credit both to the team who care for it on a daily basis, and to those who are always looking ahead, considering where and how we need to invest to ensure we continue to offer an outstanding educational experience.

Previous Page: Sixth Form Work Centre

Top: The new Lower School Tuck Truck

Middle: Helen Richardson-Walsh opens Astro 1

Below: The Piglet & Bell, the Middle School Common Room

Sometimes investment takes the form of small, thoughtful changes that quietly improve day-to-day life. At other times, it involves more substantial developments that make a marked difference to how spaces are used and experienced. While the summer of 2025 did not see any large-scale new building projects, it was nevertheless a period of significant progress, focused on reconfiguring and enhancing existing spaces to ensure they are working as effectively as possible for the Dauntsey’s community.

Indoors, the Library has been reimagined to incorporate a brand-new Sixth Form working space, directly connected to the much-loved and recently refurbished 17 Club. Designed to encourage collaboration, independence and relaxed study, the space has proved so popular that pupils have quickly forgotten what life was like before it existed. While the Library and House spaces remain central to school life, having a dedicated Sixth Form environment for group work and discussion has been a welcome and highly successful addition.

...a vibrant hub of activity and community.

Another exciting change has been the opening of a Middle School Common Room, now commonly known as The Piglet & Bell – a name created and voted for by Middle School pupils themselves. Occupying the building where the Tuck Shop once stood, The Piglet & Bell has been complemented by the introduction of a new ‘Tuck Truck’, now based outside the Lower School Centre. Created specifically for Fourth and Fifth Form pupils, the Piglet & Bell provides a place to work, relax and socialise, and has very quickly become a vibrant hub of activity and community.

The final most notable development was the complete replacement of one of our AstroTurf pitches. The new hockey-specific, sand-dressed

surface has been complemented by an electronic scoreboard and new dugouts, significantly enhancing both training and match-day experiences and reinforcing our strong sporting provision.

These projects represent just some of the headline developments from the past year. Alongside them, the summer months also saw extensive redecorations, general estate upkeep, the creation of new pathways, and continued work across the grounds to ensure the school looks its best and is maintained to the highest possible standard.

THE SCHOOL YEAR in pictures

Salisbury Carol Service

Other than my own wedding, I cannot think of another moment when I felt prouder in church than at Salisbury Cathedral (and in both cases, my role was more ceremonial than organisational!).

I am, of course, hugely biased, but I think this was a wonderful event. A colleague reported to me that she heard a middle school boy's review that went as follows: 'Actually, that wasn't that bad'. High praise indeed and I will certainly take it!

I am also hugely grateful to all the readers and singers who did a magnificent job in what can be an imposing space.

I confess to having a few nerves of my own, and so I can only imagine that a 12-year-old reader might have been terrified. You couldn't tell if they were: they spoke and sang with clarity and appropriate solemnity.

In his address, Bishop Andrew touched upon tradition as he reflected on why the Christmas season might stir in us a certain strength of feeling. He also noted something about history and the idea that for centuries, people have gathered in that space to tell the exact same Christmas story. In a world of rapid change and bewilderment, there is something anchoring about tradition and ancient communities; they remind us where we have come from and that some fundamental things about us do not change.

I was moved to remember that Dauntsey's is also an ancient institution, we too have spent hundreds of years gathering under a shared narrative: that we educate children for the betterment of their lives, and for the good of society. Schools stand on the boundary lines of today and tomorrow, both meeting the needs of present society and shaping the society of tomorrow through the values we instil in our children. Communities like Dauntsey's are thin places where yesterday, today and tomorrow meet.

And so, for me, this was not just a celebration of the Christmas story - although it was certainly a magnificent version of that! It was also a celebration of the depth and history of this incredible institution that has stood in West Lavington for hundreds of years called 'Dauntsey's'.

John Davies

Head Master

HUMAN RAINBOW

Celebrating Pride with Colour & Community

In the final week of the school year 2024-2025, Mercers’ Field was transformed into a sea of colour as more than 600 members of the Dauntsey’s community gathered to create a giant human rainbow in celebration of Pride. Pupils, staff, and friends of the school united in a joyful display of solidarity, each holding a coloured card for the rainbow or white cards to form the vibrant spectrum. At the signal, the field came alive with a sweeping rainbow that stretched from end to end – an uplifting sight that perfectly captured the energy and spirit of our school.

The event was more than just a colourful spectacle. It was a moment of togetherness, embodying Dauntsey’s ethos of inclusion, celebration, and community. Pride is about recognising diversity and embracing it with joy, and our human rainbow stood as a powerful symbol of these values. In an age when it is all too easy to focus on what divides us, our rainbow reminded us of the extraordinary strength that comes from standing together. It was a vivid, living expression of Dauntsey’s school spirit: creative, supportive, and proud.

Justine Wall Teacher of English

Round-up

Marcus Olsen, Director of Sport

SPORT

Without a doubt, 2025 will be remembered as one of the great years for Dauntsey’s sport. We began on a high, with our 1st XV rugby team taking to the field in February for the National Semi-Final of the Schools’ Plate Competition. Fortunate to play the match at home, the team had huge support around the pitch from parents and pupils alike. After securing a memorable victory, the boys – along with the vast majority of the school – travelled to the Trailfinders Stadium in Ealing to contest, and win, the final in March: an incredible moment to be part of the Dauntsey’s community. The match was also live-streamed back at school for those unable to attend.

But this was far from our only sporting success in 2025. Our 1st XI girls’ hockey team earned their place in the National Quarter-Final of the England Hockey U18 Tier 2 Plate Competition, while the boys’ U14A hockey team were crowned both County and Regional champions. The boys’ hockey programme enjoyed an outstanding season overall, with the 1st XI recording an impressive 11 wins, one draw and just two losses.

Netball continued to thrive, with both the Under 16 and Under 18 teams once again qualifying for Regional Competition, the Under 18s securing the County title. In cross country, 22 runners represented the school at the County Schools Championships in January. From this group, three Dauntseians went on to represent Wiltshire at both regional and national level. Later in the year, 38 Dauntsey’s athletes competed in the Area trials, with 16 finishing in the top ten across different age categories.

Dauntsey’s swimmers returned to the London Aquatic Centre to compete in the prestigious Bath Cup, where the girls’ freestyle relay team achieved a top-11 finish. Equestrian sport was also well represented, with fifteen riders competing at the Hickstead NSEA Championships and producing outstanding performances across a range of disciplines.

In athletics, our Senior and Intermediate girls’ teams remained unbeaten for the third consecutive year, before going on to win the Lutra Shield at Yeovil Arena for the third year in succession. The boys also enjoyed a successful season,

claiming the Lutra Shield themselves. On the tennis courts, more than 150 matches were played across the term, with Dauntsey’s teams winning over 70% of them. Meanwhile, senior cricket benefitted from an outstanding tour to Dubai and Sri Lanka, setting the tone for a season of strong performances from both the 1st and 2nd XIs.

But it is not, and never has been, just about the wins. At Dauntsey’s, we measure success through participation, enjoyment and fulfilment. We continue to offer a wide and varied sporting programme, from rifle shooting and fencing to basketball and football, ensuring there is something for everyone. For the first year ever, the school entered the Football County Cup and the fixture list continues to grow year on year. Girls’ cricket and girls’ rugby are thriving, driven by copious amounts of energy and enthusiasm, while across many sports we regularly field A, B, C and D teams to ensure every pupil has the opportunity to represent their school. That so many choose to do so is a powerful testament to the pride they feel in being a Dauntseian.

CELEBRATING Leavers of 2025

Whilst a Dauntsey's education is about so much more than just examination results, the 2025 grades are a fantastic testament to the ambition and determination of an incredible group of young people. This year, an impressive 46% of all grades awarded were at A* or A, and 75% at A* to B. Twenty-eight pupils achieved three or more A* and A grades.

These results enabled almost 98% of students to secure places at their university of choice, with popular destinations including Newcastle, Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Manchester and Oxford Brookes.

GRIFF LAW (OD 25)

Since leaving Dauntsey’s I have started studying at Warwick University where I am reading Philosophy, Politics and Economics. I have really enjoyed my first term as the course allows me to learn in different ways through the three disciplines, although it can be challenging trying to write essays in three different styles!

In the summer I went inter-railing through eastern Europe with school friends where we had a great time exploring different cultures from busy souks and Mosques in Istanbul, to beautiful Orthodox cathedrals in Bulgaria. A particularly meaningful highlight was visiting Auschwitz where we got to learn more about the horrors of the Holocaust and I would highly recommend a visit.

Also, I recently attended a dinner in the City of London with the Guild of Mercers’ Scholars where I got to meet Old Dauntseians as well as meet and network with alumni from other Mercers' schools. The Guild was set up to help Mercers' school alumni get involved with the Livery Companies in the city and it was great to experience some of the traditions and still feel the Dauntsey’s connection despite having left.

CAITLIN WILLIS (OD 25)

I have begun my 3-year course in Acting at the Arts Educational School in London. It is very intense, with a jam-packed timetable of physical training that includes stage combat, studies of numerous practitioners and training in countless styles of acting for both stage and screen. I have already learnt so much about my craft, and have been privileged to watch performances from other years that only serve to heighten my excitement for my continued training. I am absolutely exhausted, but I would not have it any other way!

I would not have gotten to where I am without the countless hours of help from the Drama Department, Mr Walker helped me to improve my audition pieces and self-tapes to the level they needed to be at.

Dauntsey's and its tight-knit community left me with a strong determination and improved my self-confidence through a myriad of opportunities for which I will be forever grateful. Through volunteering, shows, and interacting with the younger years, I learnt so many invaluable life lessons; least of all to check my emails!

As for the future, after I finish my course and finally showcase my skills in my 3rd year shows, I hope to find an agency that I will enjoy being a part of and begin working professionally - on both stage and screen!

We wish all of our leavers the very best as they move into the next stage of their lives, and welcome them to the Old Dauntseian community. Please do stay in touch!

LEAVERS’ DESTINATIONS 2025

Of 130 applicants over 98% took up places at their chosen universities, 73% of places were at Russell Group or Sutton Top 30.

OXFORD

Bidding farewell to staff

It is always hard to say goodbye to those who have contributed so much to the Dauntsey's community. It does, however, allow us the opportunity to look back on their time with the school and to remember and reflect on their commitment and dedication.

In the last 12 months, we bid farewell to the following staff including write-ups for a number of our longer serving members.

Valete

Veryan Nield

Veryan Nield joined the board of Governors at Dauntsey’s in 2014, having already been associated with the school for a decade as a parent. In August 2018, Veryan became the Nominated Safeguarding Governor, serving in that role until July 2022. In August 2022, she became Chair of Governors (in succession to Lucy Walsh Waring), serving in that role until June 2025, when she stepped down from the Board.

Having known several Chairs of Governors across multiple schools, I can say with some certainty that Veryan is one of the most engaged and compassionate school governors I have ever met. I will, of course, forever be grateful that she led a recruitment process that selected me to

be Head Master of Dauntsey’s but more importantly I remember her as someone who showed such kindness and empathy to me in an exciting but bewildering first year leading the school. Whatever success I had in my first year in post, the truth is that I would have struggled without Veryan’s steady guidance and constant support.

"She always made me feel comfortable that I could be authentically myself"

Veryan has many fine qualities that made her an outstanding Chair: she is calm under pressure, diplomatic, warm and yet fiercely astute, caring but with very high expectations. Above all else, she believes and understands that the heart of any human enterprise, and in particular great schooling, is people. Veryan knew the school and knew the individuals that made the school – her care and attention for staff at all levels, both academic and bursarial, was constant. She also had a firm focus on the development of people, championing coaching and professional development as an essential strategy to build long-term capacity and leadership at all levels.

Having served as our Safeguarding Governor, Veryan understood well that the primary responsibility of any school is to ensure that children are safe, happy and known. Her meticulous attention to detail was borne out of the understanding that effective governance is the foundation of effective

safeguarding, and that there could be no more important act than keeping children safe.

As a former parent, she also believed passionately in the values of the school. She loves Dauntsey’s and everything we stand for. She insisted, rightly, that we must articulate our vision in clear and precise language. This was no sentimental act, rather a deep understanding that in a challenging commercial landscape postVAT, it was essential that the school knew who it was. Veryan knew that strength of identity married with strategic focus would see Dauntsey’s successfully through a difficult period, and she was right.

Most of all, I remember fondly the many conversations where we would laugh about bizarre incidents that seem unique to school environments. She always made me feel comfortable that I could be authentically myself which, in my view, is the very essence of outstanding and transformational leadership.

As only the second woman to hold the post of Chair of Governors at Dauntsey’s, her legacy will always be one of conscientious, compassionate, and focused leadership, guiding the school through a potentially tumultuous period with steadiness and joy.

We are grateful for her service over many years to Dauntsey’s and we look forward to many more years of ongoing friendship.

John Davies Head Master

Angus Barker

Angus has enjoyed an extensive teaching career spanning all age groups. From his early days as a primary school teacher and Headmaster, to his time in language schools, and most recently as a valued EAL teacher at Dauntsey’s, where he has been a cornerstone of the department for the past eleven years.

Both students and colleagues have come to appreciate Angus’s calm, steady presence. His kindness, support, wealth of experience, and deep knowledge have left a lasting impact. His expertise as an IELTS examiner has been especially valuable, enriching the department through many insightful CPD sessions.

Beyond the classroom, Angus’s strong Christian faith shines through his genuine care for others. He consistently looks out for the welfare of those around him, often going out of his way to offer support.

As he steps into retirement, Angus looks forward to spending precious time with family both here and with his wife’s relatives in South America. He will also enjoy pursuing his passions – birdwatching (with binoculars and walking boots always at the ready), sailing, and wandering down the garden to his studio to paint watercolours inspired by his travels.

We wish Angus every happiness and fulfilment in this exciting new chapter of his life. May his retirement be long, joyful, and richly rewarding.

Cathryn Shakeshaft EAL

Mark Braby

Mark joined us from Marlborough College 20 years ago as IT Network Manager, helping to transform IT provision across the School. More recently, he brought quiet efficiency and positive change to the running of the School Stores – improving logistics and reducing traffic through the heart of the campus.

Andrew Bretherton

In two busy years, Andrew has overseen major facilities projects – from the new Astro and netball courts to improved site safety. Whether managing event logistics or daily bus runs, he has ensured the smooth running of operations while championing his team throughout. We thank him sincerely.

Steve Chick

Steve retired in April after 30 years at Dauntsey’s, working in roles from carpenter to Facilities Manager. He worked tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the School running – from managing cleaning teams to setting up for major events. His contribution was unassuming but vital.

Mike Mayland

A pupil here in the 1970s, and member of staff for nearly 30 years, Mike has served as Clerk of Works, overseeing everything from roof repairs to major developments, always ensuring the estate is safe, well maintained, and future-ready. A fount of knowledge and quiet dedication, he leaves with our thanks and admiration.

Philip Nokes

Philip exemplifies the finest qualities of an Old Dauntseian.

His association with the school began as a pupil in 1964 (1964-70), has extended over six decades, and remains ongoing. Although he has recently stepped down as Clerk to the Governors after 20 years of dedicated service, Philip continues with his role as archivist, a position he has held since 2015. His humility would not result in him enjoying the limelight of this piece, but he considers school publications to be an essential part of those archives, and it is on that basis I am entrusted to write it.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and note the significant and enduring contributions that Philip has made to Dauntsey’s in various capacities: as Secretary to the Old Dauntseians’ Association (1987-97), a Governor (199397) and Clerk to the Governors (200525). He was only the fifth Clerk since the School’s refoundation in the 1890s, succeeding from Peter Wyles who had served for 33 years.

He was asked at times what motivated him to dedicate so much time and effort to his duties as Clerk to the Governors and as the school’s archivist. His explanation was that the school had provided him with a first-class education for which he was tremendously grateful and that he wanted to repay that debt. After over 30 years of service in his various roles, Philip has undoubtably repaid that debt many times of over.

During his tenure as Clerk to the Governors he worked with four different Chairs, three Head Masters, four Bursars and more than sixty different Governors. It is a testament to Philip and his

character (and he would say, the people at Dauntsey’s) that he believes he has never had an unpleasant encounter with anyone. It is his ability to work with so many different characters, keeping us all in order in the process, that contributed to his success as our Clerk.

One of the many other attributes that have been mentioned by those who had the pleasure to work with him has been the quality of his minute taking – a skill that can be very underestimated. They were always a perfect balance of concision and information (having distilled and made sense of sometimes lengthy discussions) and always accurate (many hours have been spent by many people in the fruitless exercise of trying to spot an error). From personal experience, I know his presence by the side of the Chair in meetings was a source of great reassurance; you would know that governors would be gently kept in order, and that the correct and important protocols would be followed. Though Philip modestly described himself as the servant of the Governing Body, his quiet guidance, counsel and leadership were invaluable.

Philip’s contributions have been further enhanced by his breadth of knowledge, intellectual curiosity and love of literature – all of which he would say had their seeds sown and grown as a pupil at Dauntsey’s. We were the beneficiaries of these on multiple occasions, in meetings, conversations and in entertaining e-mails often with classical or literary references. The school also benefited materially from Philip’s passion for books when a former pupil, Mr Bryant, bequeathed an extensive collection of books to the school. When laid out, this collection covered a significant proportion of the Dining Hall. A labour of love, but nonetheless a labour, Philip spent a summer cataloguing the entire collection, sub-dividing it into lots and then inviting specialist collectors to the school to place their bids. The auction raised a healthy sum of money for the school. The remaining books reside in the Head Master’s office (which Mark Lascelles humorously maintained had the benefit of making him look more educated than he is).

He will be missed as the Clerk, but I am delighted that Philip is continuing to be an active part of Dauntsey’s life, including some restoration work and clearing at the Manor’s Victorian walled kitchen garden, and will now have more time to devote to his many other interests.

As observed by one person, but echoed unanimously, ‘He is an exemplar of

everything good about Dauntsey’s and is someone that the school is surely proud to call an OD.’

Veryan Nield Chair of Governors

Jayne Roberts

For two decades, Nurse Jayne has quietly and faithfully ensured that every pupil received the best care. She retires with our deep thanks and affection – she will be greatly missed by her team at the medical centre and pupils alike.

Cathryn Shakeshaft

Working with Cathryn for 7 years in EAL has been great! Without fail she has arrived in the mornings full of enthusiasm and a real love for the job – even after the sometimes hazardous trip from Marlborough on her electric bike. Her aim has always been to give the pupils the best experience: using her great imagination, she always comes up with creative ways to deliver learning in English language and loves to try new ideas. As a result, she has readily taken to developments in digital learning. She is a naturally caring person, delighting in seeing her pupils progress.

Having raised her own four children with her husband Greg, Cathryn still has plenty of energy to support other young people. As a real team-player, she has always enjoyed and benefited from our meetings as a department and loved to share work ideas and plan together. Cathryn is always friendly and fun –

happy to laugh at herself. Now she is retiring – with masses of energy left – to enjoy adventures in life with Greg. She has plenty of outside-work interests: as a part-time shepherdess / chicken farmer / potter. But I’m sure she will get involved with some English language teaching along the way.

Andrew Brown

Head

of English

Cathryn has been a fantastic tutor in Rendell. She is a kind, caring and compassionate human being who always puts the interests of her tutees at the centre of all she does. Her current Third Form tutor group have been well looked after and are grateful for all she has done for them. Cathryn has been a fun member of the Rendell team, and she has a fantastic sense of humour. Her tutees and the Rendell tutors are all very grateful for the support and commitment she has shown over the years. We wish her all the very best in the future.

Marcus

Olsen

Director of Sport

Cathryn is a huge amount of fun! You can always count on her greeting you with a warm smile and an ability to look at a situation with a great sense of humour. The recent staff ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ competition showed her at her absolute best. As she cartwheeled, pirouetted and box stepped her way around the dance floor you’d be forgiven for thinking she was in the first year of her career rather than her last.

Cathryn’s energy and warmth will be sorely missed from Dauntsey’s, but I hope that retirement brings her lots more time having fun on the dance floor!

Huw Thomas Deputy Head (Pastoral)

Sam Tabor

Sam started at Dauntsey’s in the Spring Term of 2014; initially as an interim Business cover teacher for an absent colleague. From day one, it was clear that she was a talented addition to the Economics and Business Department, and we were delighted to welcome her as a permanent member of the team from September 2014. She remained integral to the department’s success until her retirement in July 2025.

Originally teaching Business, Sam soon developed an aptitude for Microeconomics and spearheaded the resourcing and delivery of the new A Level Micro and Business specifications introduced from 2015. She possessed an innate talent for creating structured, engaging resources that both scaffolded students’ learning and challenged them to achieve their best. In doing so, she helped to foster a culture of resource sharing that improved both departmental efficiency and the overall quality of teaching.

Sam’s lessons were consistently wellplanned, interactive and purposeful. Students were welcomed into a supportive environment, but she set high expectations with firm boundaries and expected them to come prepared and contribute fully. As many former pupils will attest, you did not mess with Mrs Tabor - but they also knew they were deeply supported by a teacher who cared profoundly about their progress and wellbeing.

She also taught Money Management as part of the General Studies programme for a number of years, ensuring that every Sixth Former left Dauntsey’s with a strong grounding in practical financial understanding - a contribution that has undoubtedly benefited many well beyond their school years.

As a colleague, Sam was kind, considerate and exceptionally professional. Her organisational skills were the envy of many, and her nononsense approach to administration and marking meant that tasks were completed in record time. She consistently brought clarity, integrity and rigour to every responsibility, setting a benchmark for both colleagues and students.

Beyond her professional excellence, Sam brought warmth and humour to the life of the school. Her sharp wit and keen sense of humour made classrooms and common rooms more enjoyable places, helping to build rapport and make challenging subjects feel approachable without ever losing focus or purpose.

Sam also made a significant contribution to the wider school community. She tutored in Lambert House from 2016 to 2019, where she was a steady, trusted and highly respected presence, supporting her tutees with honesty, care and high expectations. She also ran the extra-curricular Business in Action enterprise programme.

We thank Sam sincerely for her many years of dedication and outstanding contribution to Dauntsey’s and wish her every happiness and fulfilment in her well-earned retirement.

Adrian

Poole

Head of Economics and Business 2011–2023

Eleni Conidaris Deputy Head, Lower School

Cathryn Shakeshaft winning votes at the staff Strictly Come Dancing fundraiser

Kerry Vaughan

Kerry’s journey with Dauntsey’s began as a pupil, and in 2010 she returned to the school to share her passion for music as a violin teacher. Over the years, she became a cornerstone of the department, leading string ensembles and chamber music with warmth, precision, and a deep love for her craft.

In 2019, Kerry was appointed Head of Instrumental Music, and in 2022 she stepped into the role of Director of Music (Instrumental & Performance). In this shared leadership role, Kerry helped to shape significant changes in the department, including instigating the return of the Christmas Concert back into the calendar, adding in extras to concerts such as glitter cannons, snow machines and balloon arches, and broadening the breadth and depth of music-making across the school by increasing the number of ensembles which rehearse weekly to over thirty.

Kerry is a warm and encouraging teacher, known for her ability to make those around her feel heard, appreciated, and special. Her care for pupils of all abilities

has made her a well-loved classroom teacher and tutor in Jeanne, and her violin pupils, in particular, have adored her thoughtful guidance and infectious enthusiasm.

Her legacy at Dauntsey’s is one of compassion, creativity, and excellence. She leaves us to take up the role of Director of Music at Hatherop Castle, and while we will miss her dearly, we know they are incredibly lucky to have her.

We wish Kerry all the very best in this exciting new chapter.

Alison Jury Director of Music

Sue Walton-Knight

Sue joined us at Dauntsey’s in September 2008 and, over the following 16 years, made an enormous contribution to both the Languages Department and the wider life of the school. Arriving initially to teach French, she quickly established

a reputation as a first-class teacher, and I was delighted when she agreed to teach German as well in her second year. She was a key member of our MFL Team –a brilliant colleague, valued sounding board and true friend to us all. She was also a great ambassador for the value of Modern Languages and inspired many Dauntseians to continue with them at A Level, at university and beyond.

I have tried to count the number of School trips that Sue ran or accompanied; it must be well over 20. In her first halfterm she stepped in at very short notice to join the Morocco trip, and that was followed by trips to the battlefields of Northern France and Belgium, Normandy, Nice, Granada, the Rhineland, Lindau and Bamberg. A wonderful travel companion, trips with Sue were always lots of fun; I think I have probably spent more time abroad with her than my family over the last 16 years!

‘Mrs-Walton-Knight-Pace’ became an official measure of speed on our shared trips, and one which proved invaluable when leading 30+ teenagers through city centres and up mountains – who knew such little legs could walk so fast? And the First Form pupils on the 2009 Rhineland trip were still talking about her synchronised swimming demonstration when they were in the Upper Sixth! Iceskating in Lindau one December was not such a success, when her invitation to the pupils to watch her perform a pirouette resulted in an evening in hospital and an arm in a (very Christmassy) red plaster cast.

Sue’s commitment to pastoral care was unrivalled, and I think she would say that this was the part of the job she loved most. After tutoring in Lambert and then Forbes, she served as House Mistress in Scott for three years, before moving back into the Upper School in 2020 to take on the role of House Mistress of KingReynolds. Efficient, warm, approachable and always fair, she was respected, admired and loved by her KR girls, who knew she would always have time for them, and would always have their back. But, despite a lot of quizzing, I don’t think they ever did find out exactly how many dresses she had in her wardrobe!

Kerry Vaughan conducting at the Spring Concert 2025

Feeling the need for a new challenge, Sue decided to take her pastoral expertise in a new direction in January, and has since retrained as an Educational Mental Health Practitioner with the NHS. This role is taking her into multiple schools and allowing her to support pupils of all ages with the same warmth, dedication and professionalism that she gave to so many here at Dauntsey’s. We will miss her enormously, but wish her every success and happiness in this new chapter.

Tori Wilks Senior Academic Mentor Head of German

Will Walker

Will joined Dauntsey’s in September 2022 into the newly created role of Head of Middle School and took responsibility for the overall pupil experience as they moved through Fourth and Fifth Form.

Will quickly built excellent relationships and gained the trust of everyone associated with Middle School, adopting a caring, personable and positive approach with everything he did. Pupils and colleagues alike came to know him as someone who they could turn to for support, advice and understanding – no matter what the situation, Will would act with integrity and compassion.

Will set very high expectations for the pupils in terms of their engagement and behaviour, but did so with warmth, good humour and positive energy. He threw himself into everything that life at Dauntsey’s had to offer during his three years at the school – he was a muchvalued member of the co-curricular life

In addition, in 2025 we said farewell to...

Grace Atkinson (PE)

Abi Baker (English)

Bill Blumson (Library)

Zani Bretherton (Business & Economics)

Gaynor Bush-Alsop (Medical Centre)

Jamie Brown (Cleaner)

Sam Croft (English)

Ben Dyer (Catering)

Julian Facer (Driver)

Nick Fisk (Governor)

Adrian Goss (Maintenance)

Kate Hanon (Learning Support)

Andrew Henwood (DT)

Paige Hobbs (Catering)

Molly House (Catering)

of the school, taking Rugby, Hockey and Cricket teams, and ensuring that the pupils enjoyed their sporting commitments.

Will supported the pupils and his colleagues with all Music, Drama and Dance productions, taking every opportunity to encourage the celebration of success as a community. His performance in staff Strictly Come Dancing and his rendition of Pink Pony Club at Live at the Pavilion offer perfect examples of the can-do and positive attitude that he constantly adopted, and will live long in everyone’s memory.

Entirely in keeping with his skills, expertise and desire to see his colleagues and pupils thrive, Will took the role of Mental Health Lead and – as well as several other initiatives – inspired a great number of colleagues to train as Mental Health First Aiders. His work with the Mercers’ Company around funding for mental

Blaize Hughs (Catering)

Euan Jarvis (English)

Muthita Jones (Cleaner)

Persham Jones (Head of IT)

Philip Lough (Governor)

Emilia Mai (Catering)

Jairo Mejia Sanchez (Cleaner)

Paddy Newton (IT)

Holly Sampson (English)

Samantha Philips (English)

Ben Phillipson (Mathematics)

Billie Watson (IT)

Jan Winstone-Barnes (Music)

health provision should also be mentioned as a good example of the way in which he sought to raise the profile of mental health and make sure it is prioritised within the community.

Will shall be missed by a great number of people of Dauntsey’s – all of whom would join me in wishing him the best of luck as he, Sarah, Lily and Paddy start the next chapter of their lives, as he takes up the position of Deputy Head Pastoral at Sutton Valence School in Kent.

David Noble

Deputy Head Academic

IN PARTNERSHIP Education beyond the classroom

At Dauntsey’s, our educational partnerships are not about grand gestures, but about building relationships rooted in kindness, joy, and consistency. What makes our programme special is its deeply personal, inclusive nature. Every school and organisation we work with knows they will receive a warm welcome, thoughtful planning, and unwavering support.

Our guiding principle –“Start small and do it well” – has enabled us to grow a programme that is broad in reach and meaningful in impact. We work with over 30 local schools and organisations, delivering curriculum enrichment from science and sport to the arts and outdoor education. Pupils experience hands-on learning, from Woodland Adventures to sailing on Jolie Brise

What sets us apart is accessibility. We work with whole year groups, not select individuals, ensuring that all children

benefit equally and every activity is offered free of charge.

These partnerships also transform our own pupils. Sixth Form volunteers return from primary school classrooms more confident, compassionate, and selfaware. This reciprocal model of learning builds bridges between generations and schools – and that is what makes it so powerful.

...every

activity is offered free of charge

Community partnership is central to our school’s identity. Every week, many of our Sixth Form are involved in volunteering – from reading with Year 1 pupils to supporting in charity shops and care homes.

And, our own pupils grow immensely through these experiences. Sixth Formers learn patience, leadership, and empathy – skills that are essential for adulthood in today’s complex world. They begin to understand their place in society and the importance of giving back. Scan the QR code over leaf to hear two of our Sixth Form students discuss the Partnership Programme on the Dauntsey's Pulse Podcast.

Hear from...

GAY BUTTERWORTH: Community & Partnerships Lead

At Dauntsey’s our education goes way beyond the classroom, and our ‘Partnerships and Service’ programme is growing each year. It really is a ‘winwin’ because not only do we offer opportunities to the local community to use our facilities and benefit from our wonderful site but, this also gives our own young people a fantastic learning experience - working with younger pupils, recognising how lucky we are, and learning to ‘give back’.

In the last year, Dauntsey’s has offered a multitude of experiences to both children and adults in our local community. The activities ranged from sports sessions and coaching; tournaments and events;

swimming; Science sessions for Year 6; Art lessons with Year 3; Woodland Adventure for Reception classes; Primary School Dance Shows; helping at Swindon Food bank; entertaining residents in the Alzheimer’s day centre; working the till in the British Heart Foundation charity shop and much, much more!

We are extremely grateful for the funding which the Mercers' Company has provided. Over the course of the last year, this has enabled over 4,250 local children and adults to experience one or more activities from within our programme.

A huge part of the success of the programme has been our amazing group of Sixth Form volunteers. The Lower Sixth, in particular, took advantage of the programmes on offer and got involved in every way possible. Service can teach young people very important life skills for the future. It can also bring the best out of our students, enhancing their confidence as well as giving insight into

future opportunities and even careers. 75+ members of the Lower Sixth were involved in some sort of service in the last year. The goal is for all Dauntsey’s pupils to have the chance to be involved in this programme at somepoint throughout their time at school."

In 2024–25 we pushed ourselves to find new and engaging ways to work with other schools in our community – one such initiative was the hugely successful Snowman concert, which saw our orchestra come together with a huge number of primary school singers – a joyful celebration of music and community. We also held our very popular annual Dance Showcase with local primary schools.

The impact of our programme is felt far beyond the school gates. Primary teachers tell us that our volunteers raise aspirations and spark confidence in their pupils. Many schools return again and again – not because we offer flashy events, but because we listen, adapt, and care.

By fostering a culture of service, we endeavour to prepare our pupils to be thoughtful, responsible citizens. Our partnerships are not just an initiative –they are a lived expression of our values. We look forward to continuing to grow our Partnership Programme over the coming years.

We are very grateful to have been able to build our relationship with Dauntsey’s. It is hugely beneficial to our children, and we hope that this will continue in the future. In these tough economic times, the fact these sessions are still offered makes a huge difference to our pupils, especially, those who are most disadvantaged. Your student volunteers are incredible and are inspirational for our pupils. Long may it continue and can we come to the dance show next year?"

-

Primary School Head- Local Primary School Teacher

Hear Sixth Formers Gigi and Elis discuss their involvement in the school's Partnership Programme on the Dauntsey's Pulse Podcast.

A Culture of SUSTAINABILITY

Back in 2021, more than 22,000 young people aged 15–35 were surveyed about their views on climate change. One of the key findings was that 90% believed climate change and environmental degradation to be the most serious problems facing the world.

It is therefore no surprise that this same generation is often driving the call for change, challenging organisations, corporations and indeed schools to think carefully about the decisions they make and the actions they take.

Dauntsey’s has long fostered a culture of wanting to make a difference - whether through volunteering, mentoring or initiating change to further a cause or initiative. In 2008, pupils established The Big Green Thing (BGT), a society created to raise awareness of environmental issues and encourage the School to work towards becoming carbon neutral. Seventeen years on, the BGT is still going strong - proud of the progress made and excited by plans for the future.

Sixth Formers, Lily and Esme reflect on their experiences of being part of the BGT.

ESME:

Lower Sixth Student

Since joining the BGT in September 2025, Esme has been closely involved in group discussions, sharing ideas to improve the school’s environmental impact, and working with the marketing team to promote BGT initiatives through social media and the termly ‘Green Corner’ feature.

What has been your favourite part of being a member of the BGT?

My favourite part of being in BGT is that everyone shares a common passion and a common goal: we all want to help protect the environment and reduce the impact Dauntsey’s has on the world around us. You can really feel that passion during our weekly meetings, particularly from the Lower School, which I think is what makes the group so enjoyable.

Why

is the BGT

important?

BGT is important because it gives young people the chance to learn about the environment outside of a traditional classroom, and to decide for themselves how they want to help the planet. Climate change is a global issue that isn’t going away any time soon, so it’s really important that school-aged pupils are able to make a positive difference, while also developing valuable skills through taking part.

What are the current projects that you are involved with?

Currently we are gathering the data from the food waste collection week, which we will use to see where we can improve and cut-down. Similarly, this term we want to also focus on recycling and making sure that all Dauntsey’s pupils know what goes in what bin, so that it can be recycled and disposed of in the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly way possible.

What new initiatives or projects would you like to see implemented at Dauntsey's?

I think that at Dauntsey’s we need to encourage pupils to be more mindful about what they are throwing away, considering whether items can be

reused or recycled. It’s also important that students understand the negative impact their actions - such as putting something in the wrong bin - can have on the environment.

What do you think are the most pressing environmental challenges that we face at Dauntsey's, and as a nation?

I think that, as a nation, the most pressing environmental challenge we face is the impact on human health. For example, air pollution from vehicles can cause serious cardiovascular and respiratory problems, while extreme weather, such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall, can be potentially life-threatening. At Dauntsey’s, I think the most pressing environmental challenge is waste and how we manage it. If we reduced the

“It is a privilege watching the energy and passion that our BGT pupils have for driving sustainability forward at Dauntsey’s. Our hope is that we can fuel this passion, empowering them to drive forward change at the school, whilst also providing them with a platform to engage with the school community - staff, parents and pupils – to promote their projects.

This past year we have worked to reduce food waste within our community, we have visited recycling sorting centres and seen an aerobic digester at work, and we have used our handicraft skills to make sustainable

Christmas presents to sell at the Christmas Fair – helping to both raise awareness for BGT and fundraise for future projects.

This growing interest in sustainability is not limited to the BGT community though and the 2026/27 academic year we plan to introduce academic courses around sustainability into Upper School. There is certainly momentum around this cause at Dauntsey’s and I am excited help drive projects forward.”

Kay Layden (OD 92) Teacher of Chemistry and BGT Lead

amount of waste we produce, or ensured that rubbish is put into the correct bins, the school’s environmental impact could be significantly reduced.

How important do you think it is to educate others about sustainability?

I think it is incredibly important to educate others about sustainability, particularly school aged children as climate change and global warming will affect them the most. I also think it is important to raise awareness of the impact on the animals which we share the planet with, as many species will soon become extinct. Furthermore, I think it is important for people to understand that, whilst in the United Kingdom we may not drastically feel the affects of climate change, there are many places around the world where the affects of climate change will be and already are detrimental to livelihoods.

LILY:

Lower Sixth Student

Having been involved in the BGT since Third Form, Lily has supported a number of practical sustainability projects, including clothing swaps, Switch-Off Fortnight, the Bikathon and helping to introduce a new food waste initiative through a school assembly.

What has been your favourite part of being a member of the BGT?

I have loved meeting everyone in the team and making new friends, and organising events that get the whole school involved.

What inspired you to join the BGT?

I started an environmental society at my old school and was really excited to join BGT when I joined Dauntseys’s. My extended family all work in sustainability in many different areas and it has always been a huge part of my life, because my parents have been doing so much work and have shown me how important it is.

Why is the BGT important?

I think for our future as a society, the younger generations having an interest in sustainability, as well as an understanding of its importance, is key. BGT not only allows students to have an opportunity to make a real difference in the school, but it also helps us raise awareness of the importance of having sustainability at the heart of our actions and plans for the future.

What new initiatives or projects would you like to see implemented at Dauntsey's?

I would love to see more projects focused on education. There are so many small actions that can make a huge difference when we all choose to do them. It can be frustrating to see overconsumption, particularly around fast fashion and shopping, and I wish people better understood the consequences of their actions. I also think a local litter-picking initiative could be really effective, bringing people together, discouraging littering and highlighting the importance of keeping our communities clean.

How important do you think it is to educate others about sustainability?

I think a lack of education is a key reason why people have a lack of motivation to help. Without motivation and education people do not understand the importance of our actions and change. For the future of our nation, all schools must teach us what climate change is, why we must help, and how we can help.

What are your aspirations for the future, either personally or for Dauntsey's?

I know I will always have an interest in sustainability, and that will stay with me no matter what I do in the future. I hope we can help create more annual events like the Bikeathon which will help cement the BGT for years to come.

Over leaf, left: Biogas facility, Codford showing the digesters (green tanks) and pasteurisers (silver tanks)

Above: BGT Clothing Swap

Previous page: Bikeathon 2025 - over 24hrs, pupils cycle 668km - the same distance that the school buses drive each day. This event raises money to carbon offset bus journeys for a year.

A Short History of our Houses

And they shall build houses and inhabit them - Isaiah 65, 21

The usual tripartite division of Dauntsey’s in modern times falls rather differently when it comes to a history of the houses: G W Olive’s long headmastership (1919-55), the Forbes era (1956-69), and that of the next two head masters (1969-97). Although physically and otherwise not a great deal now remains of Olive’s Dauntsey’s, it was a remarkable creation - almost ex nihilo - and is well recorded in his own account, A School’s Adventure (1951).

The First Phase

When Olive arrived at Easter 1919 he found a school of 67 boys – 55 boarders and 12 day boys – and no division of the School into houses. The Dauntseian for Midsummer 1921 contains the first reference to houses, for sporting events. Those three houses are Dauntsey, Fitzmaurice and Mercers. And although from its inception in 1904 The Dauntseian had contained a list of pupils, it is not until March 1931 that the list is divided into houses. Olive had been a housemaster at Oundle. Was his aversion to houses influenced by his experience there? Jim Hodges suggests this may have been the case, writing in How Does Your Garden Grow (1992): “Knowing of the worst excesses of the normal house system in a boarding school, with the parochial attitudes it engendered, George Olive had resisted this kind of organisation, especially in a school as small as Dauntsey’s.” Was Olive also keen to avoid the problem, seen often enough elsewhere, of powerful housemasters playing the part of medieval barons? Olive says in A School’s Adventure: “It should at this point be made clear that at Dauntsey’s the division of boys into ‘houses’ is not decided by any place of residence but by an arrangement peculiar to the School which only groups them for the purpose of inter-house competitions. Previously there had been three such ‘activity’ houses, Dauntsey, Fitzmaurice and Mercers, but now the increasing number called for a fourth, and so 1934 saw the foundation of Farmer House.”

What lay behind the choice of names?

DAUNTSEY (1919) William Dauntesey [c.1480-1543] came from a Wiltshire family which had settled in West Lavington in the early 15th century. In the mid 1490s he was in London and apprenticed to William Lambert, Mercer. He played an active part in the Mercers’ Company, serving as Master 1531-32, and becoming also an Alderman of the City of London. His will established a small village charity school and almshouses at West Lavington.

FITZMAURICE (1919) named after Lord (Edmond) Fitzmaurice [1846-1935], a younger son of the 4th Marquess of Lansdowne. A liberal politician of high ability and public servant at both national and county level, he was a governor from 1893 to 1915. Living at Bradford on Avon, he showed a keen interest in the school, of which he was also a benefactor.

MERCERS (1919) The Mercers’ Company, the premier livery company of the City of London, has been associated with the School ever since its foundation by William Dauntesey, and playing a key

role in the School’s 1890s refoundation. It has been a generous and supportive benefactor, and nominates six of the School’s eighteen governors.

FARMER (1934) named after Samuel William Farmer [1847-1926]. Born at Market Lavington, he became a remarkably successful farmer, at one time controlling the management of 25,000 acres. He served as a governor from the School’s 1891 refoundation until his death in 1926. He was also a generous benefactor - as were the Farmer Trustees after his death, greatly assisting with much of the School’s building between the wars.

In 1929 the Manor estate had been purchased for £4,800: it was said the only other bidder was interested solely in the salvage value of materials. In an interesting departure from Olive’s general policy, it was to be occupied by the (then) three houses, each being installed for one term during the school year. Accordingly, it was first occupied in Autumn 1929 with Dauntsey house in residence, Fitzmaurice in Spring 1930, and Mercers to be there in Summer 1930. This rotation of houses proved a short lived arrangement, the 1939 prospectus stating that boys below 14-15 years of age resided at the Manor and senior boys at School House. There matters remained for the duration of Olive’s reign, residence in dormitories throughout the School being determined solely by age, and houses intruding only for competitive activities.

Mention in passing should be made of out-boarding. In Olive’s own words. “By 1939 the accommodation had once again become unequal to the demand and so the system of out-boarding was instituted. Boys who had left the Manor House were found sleeping accommodation for a few terms in the houses of members of staff until beds could be assigned to them in School House itself.” The scheme was later extended to other local households. The place where an out-boarder was allocated sleeping quarters was something of a lottery – with good or bad results, for pupil and householder alike. This arrangement survived until the 1970s. During the period 1957-70 the number of out-boarders at the beginning of the school year fluctuated between 40 and 55.

The Second Phase

With Olive’s retirement in December 1955, at the age of 70, a long and honourable phase in the development of the School had come to an end. Si monumentum requiris circumspice one might then have quipped. It may be appropriate to say here something about accommodation, for that is inextricably linked to the history of the houses. It also needs to be borne in mind that for a long time Dauntsey’s was principally a boarding school. On arrival in September 1964 I was one of 322 boarders alongside 58 day boys. It

would not be until the mid 1980s that the number of day pupils exceeded that of boarders. The School’s original building (the north-south range at the end of the main drive) opened in May 1895 and contained two first floor dormitories, one either side of the entrance. A third was added in 1923-24 and a fourth in 1936-37, both extending westward behind the principal range.

Olive’s successor, the 34 year old Donald Forbes, arriving the following month, must have been anxious about the response from all quarters (governors, staff, pupils, parents, and Old Dauntseians) to any changes he might want to make. Perhaps most of all from Olive’s loyal lieutenants, veterans who had been with him almost from the start: Batten (1920), Reynolds (1924), Barron (1925); Creek (1923) had left in 1954 for an appointment with the Football Association. There was a double irony: Forbes had been a boy at Oundle; also, whereas Olive’s vision was radical, his was essentially a conservative temperament. Nevertheless he saw the need for change. The Dauntseian for September 1956 carried the following notice:

House System: This term a more segregated house system has been introduced to School House. The School buildings do not lend themselves to a system of this kind, but despite the difficulties the four houses have been divided into separate dormitories and rooms, each house with its own housemaster.

Each of the four large dormitories was allocated to a house, with provision for overspill dormitory accommodation in other rooms. Coupled with this were the four classrooms in the 1895 range becoming house rooms. The first housemasters were chosen. Jim Hodges, appointed to Fitzmaurice at the age of 26, witnessed the change at first hand and was later stoutly to defend the pragmatism of this departure from the ancien régime. “With numbers growing, it was essential that the needs of each boy should demand one fiftieth rather than one two-hundredth of a housemaster’s attention. This was therefore a decision made for the purposes of organisation and not for rejection of a principle.” The principal dormitories were arranged as follows: Fitzmaurice to occupy the southern 1895 dormitory (now the William Dauntsey Room); Dauntsey the northern dormitory (now English Rooms N10-N11); Mercers the double 1923-24 dormitory (now Rooms IT1-2); and Farmer the 1936-37 dormitory (now English Rooms N5-9). They were designated respectively E, D, B/C, and A. Various smaller rooms throughout School House were also pressed into service.

This arrangement continued throughout the Forbes period. At the western end of the Mercers and Farmer dormitories the housemasters had their respective quarters; at the southern end of Fitzmaurice, the housemasters of both Fitzmaurice and Dauntsey had theirs. In the early days they were resident bachelors. Dormitories being out of bounds during the day, boarders and day pupils would mix in their house rooms – or, for those in the Upper Sixth, in their studies on the first floor of the 1950s New Building (now, in its new incarnation, the Olive Building). For those at the Manor it remained very

much the Olive model of a base for boarders and day pupils alike, with dormitories ordered only according to age: the eldest in the first floor room in the south east corner, the youngest in the second floor room high above the small entrance hall. Some lesser changes followed. In 1967 the Olive Block (the building now occupied by Fitzmaurice) was opened. Its bedsitters accommodated members of the Upper Sixth from all four houses. The Lower Sixth then took over the studies in the New Building, releasing for Fifth Form use of the Central Studies Block - the notorious Casbah, as Jim Hodges delighted to call it.

In 1968 Dauntsey house was split into Dauntsey A and Dauntsey H – named after housemasters Howard Allen and Ted Hickford. That division was formalised four years later, with one half continuing to be called Dauntsey and the other named HEMENS, after the redoubtable Arthur Hemens [1903-93], Old Dauntseian (1917-19) and Chairman of Governors (1965-82).

The Third Phase

Donald Forbes was succeeded as Head Master in 1969 by Guy KingReynolds. Change was in the air. September 1971 saw the first six girls, admitted into the Lower Sixth Form. Only two were boarders and they were accommodated as out-boarders with Bill and Annie Parish. For five years Sixth Form entry was the pattern. Jim Hodges again: “In 1976 the steps towards full co-education began, as girls were admitted into the First Form in more or less equal proportion to the boys. It was to take five years for these to reach the Sixth Form.” Before that process

had reached fruition it was decided to create in 1978 a girls’ boarding house, JEANNE, named after the Head Master’s wife, Jeanne KingReynolds [1931-2024]. The house status of boarding girls prior to 1978 and day girls prior to 1980 is unclear. Were they nominally attached to one of the four historic houses – honorary members, as it were – or altogether apart?

Another 1970s initiative, relatively short lived, was the creation of School House bedsitters carved out of most of the dormitories on the first floor of the central block and including also the Chapel and the Awdry Room (before 1967 the Awdry Library). These somewhat inelegant conversions are best seen now as a makeshift transition before replacement by the present arrangements.

The 1980s saw a flurry of changes. The first, relating to the Upper School (School House) was heralded by Guy King-Reynolds in his address at the October 1979 Speeches and Prizegiving. It was driven in large part by the increase in day pupil numbers and recognition that their needs were different from those of boarders.

From September 1980 there were to be three self-contained boarding houses (Mercers and Fitzmaurice for boys, Jeanne for girls) and three day houses (Farmer and Hemens for boys, Dauntsey for girls).

The second tranche of changes, relating to the Lower School, was implemented by Christopher Evans (Head Master 1985-97) at the end of the decade. The MANOR became a boarding house in its own right, not simply a physical location accommodating junior members of other houses. Although not part of the formal house system, there had already been a degree of separate pastoral oversight of Manor day pupils. S J Edgoose and later S G Hiscox had been two such day pupil masters. But now three mixed day houses were created:

FORBES (1989) named after Donald Forbes [1921-2006], Head Master 1956-69.

SCOTT (1986) named after John Scott [1906-98], Teacher at Dauntsey’s 1934-69.

RENDELL (1986) named after Leslie Rendell [1924-2005], Teacher at Dauntsey’s 1949-86, and longest serving Manor housemaster, 1959-75. Thereafter the pace of change slowed somewhat and was less radical, largely the result of the girls attaining broad numerical parity with the boys. In 1992 Dauntsey, which had been a girls’ day house since 1980, was divided into two houses: KING REYNOLDS, named after Guy KingReynolds [1923-2018], Head Master 1969-85; and LAMBERT named after Agnes Lambert (née Tenacres), wife of William Dauntsey. A similar division of the girls’ boarding house came shortly afterwards when, in 1996, a new girls’ boarding house was created as a result of dividing Jeanne. This was EVANS, named after Christopher Evans.

Where are the present houses based in the School? Of the senior boys’ boarding houses, Mercers occupies a 1991 purpose built block, having spent the previous decade in the converted former Farmer A dormitory; Fitzmaurice for more than four decades has occupied the converted and extended 1966/67 Olive Block. Of the senior girls’ boarding houses, Evans since 2004 has occupied purpose built accommodation alongside the Medical Centre – leaving Jeanne in sole possession of the converted and much extended former sanatorium. Senior boys’ day houses Hemens and Farmer occupy the converted biology laboratories backing onto the Cheverell Road; senior days’ girl houses Lambert and King- Reynolds occupy 2010 purpose built accommodation south of the Memorial Hall. The converted woodwork and engineering workshops backing onto the Cheverell Road provide a Lower School Day Centre – for both Manor pupils and the lower school day houses.

Philip Nokes (OD 70 and School Archivist)

HOUSES AND THEIR HOUSEMASTERS AND HOUSEMISTRESSES

Dauntsey (1919 - 1992)

From 1968 to 1972 divided into Dauntsey A (under H W Allen) and Dauntsey H (Under E E Hickford). In 1972 Dauntsey H became the new Hemens house. In 1980 Dauntsey became a girls’ day house. In 1992 it ceased to exist, being divided into the new KingReynolds and Lambert houses.

1956 - 59 N C B Creek

1959 - 63 I D Procter

1963 - 66 J Sims

1966 - 68 H W Allen

1968 - 72 H W Allen [A]

1968 - 72 E E Hickford [H]

1972 - 76 H W Allen

1976 - 92 J P Rushworth

Evans (1996)

A girls’ boarding house, created as a result of dividing Jeanne in 1996

1996 - 2017 N J Yates

2017 - E M Crozier

Farmer (1934)

After 1980 a boys’ day house

1956 P A M Russell

1956 - 57 H T Lubbock

1957 - 80 M Osborn

1980 - 82 M B Ritchley

1982 - 85 D E Glover

1982 - 95 R D M Dunn

1995 - 98 D C R Baker

1998 - 2002 J F O’Hanlon

2002 - 09 R A Reid

2009 - 13 J F O’Hanlon

2013 - W P J Whyte

Fitzmaurice (1919)

After 1980 a boys’ boarding house

1956 - 69 H J Hodges

1969 - 75 C W Parish

1975 - 85 F A Porter

1985 - 91 R G D Price

1991 - 2002 A J Hatcher

2002 - 09 J F O’Hanlon

2009 - 11 R A Reid

2011 - 16 J A Spencer

2016 - 22 D R D Darwall

2022 - D A Fulling

Hemens (1972)

Created as a result of dividing Dauntsey, but previously E E Hickford had been housemaster of Dauntsey H from 1968 to 1972.

After 1980 a boys’ day house

1972 - 75 E E Hickford

1975 - 87 R B Ellway

1987 - 89 W J Corke

1989 - 94 J I Brennan

1994 - 96 C J Burrows

1996 - 2004 R G D Price

2004 - 09 P J Thomas

2009 - 13 E S Conidaris

2013 - 15 S J Hardman

2015 - 19 V A H Wilks

2019 - 21 C D J Tonkiss

2021 - 22 D S Benedict

2022 - 24 D A J Bell

2024 - J Devney

Jeanne (1978)

A girls’ boarding house

1978 - 95 P C Norfolk Brown

1995 - 2003 R D M Dunn

2003 - 17 A L Jackson

2017 - 22 A L Evans

2022 - E J M Marris

King - Reynolds (1992)

A girls’ day house

1992 - 2005 S M Nethercott

2005 - 17 E M Crozier

2017 - 20 G S Ward

2020 - 25 S K Walton - Knight

2025 - E Braby-Leman

Lambert (1992)

A girls’ day house

1992 - 2007 K M Stuart-Nash (later Phipps)

2007 - 10 P E Clear

2010 - 11 A Willis

2011 - 12 E J Stockdale

2012 - 19 K S Clark

2019 - 23 E C Gardiner

2023 - C E Saville

Mercers (1919)

After 1980 a boys’ boarding house

1956 - 57 W H Percival

1957 - 82 D D Burgess

1982 - 94 M B Ritchley

1994 - 2009 S J Hardman

2009 - 15 P J Thomas

2015 - 19 A J Sheffield

2019 - 24 D M Kinder

2024 - D A J Bell

The Manor (1929)

1929 - 31 F N S Creek & W T D Harris

1931/32 - 43 R S Barron

1943 - 45 J F Scott

1945 - 54 F N S Creek

1954 - 58 F H Brown

1959 - 75 L C Rendell

1975 - 80 P J Hewitt

1980 - 86 A S Whitney

1986 - 92 M A C Neve

1992 - 2000 J P Rushworth

2000 - 03 B A M Vessey

2003 - 11 D H Messenger

2011 - 15 T W Butterworth

2015 - 17 A M P Hurst

2017 - 22 A E Sampson

2020 - 21 P C Guile

2021 - 22 A E Sampson

2022 - 23 E S Conidaris/A E Sampson

2023 - E L Jolly

Forbes (1989)

1989 - 92 H M Rushworth

1992 - 96 C V Wakefield

1996 - 99 L Lloyd-Jukes

1999 - 2009 J P Plews

2009 - 19 E C Gardiner

2019 - J D Holmes

Scott (1986)

1986 - 92 B J R Green

1992 - 95 A M Lees

1995 - 2003 S J Corke

2003 - 06 M Akakios

2006 - 18 G S Ward

2018 - 20 S K Walton-Knight

2020 - P J Minter

Rendell (1986)

1986 - 89 A S Whitney

1989 - 2004 A K Smith

2004 - M J Olsen

The Women Sparking Change

From Rosalind Franklin’s DNA breakthroughs to NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson’s moon-landing calculations, women have long been at the heart of scientific progress - even when history overlooked them. Today, these Dauntsey’s alumnae are breaking boundaries in STEM, from space exploration to life-saving medical advances and cutting-edge product development. Ready to be inspired? Read on, to hear their stories...

"I’m building the future"

NATALIE:

From defence strategies to artificial intelligence and even climate change, today’s engineers are developing cutting-edge solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues. Among them is OD Natalie Wu, who is making her mark in the manufacturing industry.

At just 23, engineer Natalie is already working at the forefront of her field.

A graduate of Imperial College, London with a Masters in Materials Science and Engineering, she now works at Alloyed, a high-tech metals specialist that’s pushing boundaries with its 3D metal printing.

“I started at Alloyed in 2022, when I did an internship during my engineering degree at Imperial,” she explains. “Afterwards, I stayed on part-time, juggling the job with my studies. The business even sponsored my thesis, which we’re hoping to publish soon.”

Natalie joined Alloyed full time when she graduated with first-class honours last year, and she has already led projects to streamline the production of 3D-printed metal components. These parts are usually highly complex, able to withstand extreme temperatures and used in anything from cars to planes and even rockets. “No two days are the same,” she adds. “I get to combine software, process engineering and design. I’m never bored, and it’s exciting that we’re able to make things nobody else can.”

Her work has taken her from Alloyed’s base in Oxford to Shanghai and Shenzhen, liaising with clients and collaborators. “I’ve had the chance to lead meetings and visit business partners abroad,” she says. “It’s been a huge learning curve.”

Natalie credits her love of STEM to her time at Dauntsey’s, where her science teachers first encouraged her to explore

engineering. “Seeing female teachers who were brilliant at science made a big difference,” she says. “They showed me what was possible.”

Other inspiration came from the school’s involvement with the CERN Beamline project, an international physics competition. “It was a lightbulb moment, because it exposed me to proper scientific research,” says Natalie. “It opened my eyes to the way physics could be applied beyond the text book and into the real world. Astronaut Helen Sharman has also been a huge inspiration to me – we met through a festival at Imperial and she advised me to believe in myself and always stay curious. That really stuck with me.”

The hardest barrier can be the voice in your head...

So, what advice would Natalie give to today’s budding engineers? “Grow your confidence by getting hands-on experience in engineering projects,” she says. “That might be through internships, extracurricular clubs or hackathons, where programmers and designers collaborate to create a new product. It’s all great experience and it’ll really set you apart when you apply for jobs. Above all, believe in yourself. The hardest barrier can be the voice in your head saying you can’t do it. You absolutely can.”

Opposite: Natalie in the field

Below: Natalie with Astronaut Helen Sharman

"My project will orbit the moon"

LILY:

Whether she’s overseeing a rocket launch in India or working on the

Lunar Pathfinder

mission,

Systems Engineer Lily Forward is at the forefront of the next era of space discovery – and she credits her Dauntsey’s roots for giving her the courage to aim high.

Many of us struggle to know whether we’re watching a star, planet or satellite twinkle in the night sky, but Systems Engineer Lily Forward has no such problem. She works at the forefront of space exploration, in the satellite sector, and counts a rocket launch amongst her career highlights.

“It was an incredible moment,” says Lily, who travelled to Chennai in India as part of a project to release two satellites into space. “Satellites are carried into space on powerful rockets, before being released into orbit,” she explains. “I was involved with preparing the spacecraft,

which gave me an opportunity to be at the launch site. Watching it take off was unforgettable.”

While Lily counted physics amongst her favourite subjects at Dauntsey’s, it was astronaut Tim Peake’s return from the International Space Station that ignited her passion for the industry. And she credits her success to the school’s ‘have a go’ ethos, which gave her the courage to chase her dream.

“When astronaut Tim Peake touched down from the ISS in 2016, I went to see it televised at the Science Museum in London,” says Lily, who had recently graduated in mechanical engineering. “It was in that moment that I decided I wanted to be in the industry.”

Astronaut Helen Sharman was commentating at the event and Lily, 32, later plucked up the courage to ask her how she could get involved. “I channelled the “just try it” ethos I’d picked up at school,” she recalls. “Dauntey’s taught me to always ask the question – the worst that can happen is that someone will say no.”

Sure enough, Helen was only too happy to pass on advice, and Lily started applying for roles. Now, eight years on, she hasn’t looked back. In fact, she’s now working at the vanguard of space exploration at Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, where she’s heavily involved with building the Lunar Pathfinder spacecraft. This groundbreaking satellite will enable communication between earth and spacecraft on the far side of the moon, enabling more ambitious robotic and crewed lunar exploration.

“The project could support missions that transform our understanding of space,” adds Lily. “It could even enable Nobel Prize-winning discoveries about the universe. When I’m walking my dog at night, I look up and think ‘I’m designing a project that will orbit the moon.’ That keeps me going through the tough times.”

Despite her stellar success, Lily insists she’s still learning every day. “In the engineering world, you have to think on your feet when things get tough,” she says. “But so many aspects of my school life gave me that resilience. Whether I was competing in a sports team or taking on the Devizes to Westminster canoe race, I developed an ability to keep going when you’re up against it.

“To anyone who is interested in engineering I’d say, don’t be afraid to fail. I’ve failed plenty of times in my career and encountered numerous problems on projects, but Dauntsey’s gave me a love for a challenge. Just pick yourself up and go again.”

"Dauntsey’s taught me to be fearless"

HENRIETTA:

From arriving in Wiltshire as a homesick teenager to becoming a world-leading psychiatrist and government advisor, Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones has dedicated her career to transforming the way behavioural addiction is treated.

When Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones moved from Italy to Dauntsey’s in 1977, aged just 13, she spoke very limited English. Fast forward nearly 50 years, and she has an OBE to her name, a doctorate in neuroscience from Imperial College and has been named Psychiatrist of the Year by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. This formidable trailblazer has dedicated her life to addiction medicine, and saved thousands of lives in the process.

Above: Lily Forward with Hannah Ramsay (OD 11)

Left: Lily with her team in India

It's an impressive trajectory, especially from someone who was uprooted from her home country at such a young age. “I’m half British, but I grew up in Milan and hardly spoke English when I came to Dauntsey’s,” recalls Henrietta. “I missed everything about Italy at first, especially my family and the food, but the school community embraced me. I remember one kind dinner lady saying, ‘Oh Henrietta look what I bought you,’ and pouring a can of cold spaghetti onto my plate. It was 1970s Wiltshire after all, but everyone tried so hard to make me feel at home!”

By the time she left Dauntsey’s, Henrietta had three languages and an appetite for biochemistry and psychology under her belt. A medical degree in Italy ensued, then Senior House Officer training and Higher training in psychiatry at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. An Imperial College young researcher award followed and, over time, a Doctorate and full-time research fellowship.

“Dauntsey’s had ignited my enquiring mind,” she says. “School inspired me to pursue my intellectual interests to a degree I hadn’t encountered before, which was empowering. Competition was encouraged, both in sport and academia, and when I competed for medical prizes years later, I realised how much that had taught me.

“In the 1970’s, I was one of very few girls at Dauntsey’s, and that really shaped my working life. I knew how to work amongst male colleagues in a field that was very male dominated, especially at the top. I was never intimidated, and for that I have school to thank.

“Dauntsey’s also gave me the confidence to pursue my Imperial College doctorate. Despite struggling with the language initially, the masters made me feel that I had a lot to offer intellectually and that I could make it if I wanted to. That recognition was the spark which fuelled me over my medical career. When I was interviewed by Radio 3 for Private Passions many years later, some of the masters even contacted me to say how proud and happy my success had made them.”

As an addiction psychiatrist, Henrietta spent years working on the medical frontline, helping homeless patients in central London. Not one to rest on her laurels, she founded the UK’s first ever clinic to treat gambling disorders in 2008. In parallel, she also pursued an academic career, which led to her advising government on expanding the availability of services.

Above and right:

Henrietta recieves her OBE from Prince WIlliam

Now, she serves as the government’s National Advisor on Gambling Harms, and 15 NHS clinics replicating hers have been set up all over the country. It’s certainly an impressive track record, and her remarkable contribution was recognised when she was awarded an OBE for services to addiction treatment and research in the 2019 New Year's Honours.

“I’ll never forget standing in my office and opening the letter about my OBE,” says Henrietta. “I could hardly believe it, and had to ask my colleagues to check it wasn’t a joke. For years, when I advocated for the rights of people with gambling disorders people would say, ‘Oh, Henrietta’s always shouting about something.’ But I had to shout to be heard. The moment I had OBE after my name, that changed. Since then, I haven’t had to shout about a single thing. Recognition doesn’t just make you feel good for doing a good job, it shows that society recognises your contribution.”

With the clinics set up and free, evidence-based treatment available, Henrietta now uses her expertise to drive change - advising government, leading research, seeing patients and speaking to the media. She was until recently Vice President of the Royal Society of Medicine, and continues with her WHO expert advisory group role amongst many others. In 2023, she was also appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London to serve the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

A passionate advocate for women in medicine, Henrietta is also a Past President of the Medical Women's

Federation. Above all, she champions ambition and confidence in future generations. “I want to encourage women to be ambitious, to be confident and to aim high,” she says. “But it’s also down to educators to foster that sense of possibility. I’m so grateful to Dauntsey’s, because it gave me confidence and taught me to be fearless. That influence helped me push through all sorts of barriers."

If Walls Could Talk LIFE AT THE MANOR

If walls could talk, the panelled corridors of The Manor would no doubt have a tale or two to tell. Since the 1920s, thousands of students have passed through this handsome Victorian building, enjoying adventures and escapades. Thanks to its home-from-home atmosphere and bucolic grounds, it holds a very special place in many an Old Dauntseian’s heart.

Mark Neve, Gerry Marsh, Eleni Conidaris and Emma Jolly have had the privilege of getting to know The Manor better than most. Former Housemaster Mark was at the helm from 1986 to 1992, while Eleni spent eight years in residence as a Senior Tutor. Gerry Marsh has kept the fires blazing and hot chocolate brewing since 1999, and Emma is enjoying life as the current Housemistress. Here they recall some of their favourite stories, from fake fire alarms to secret passageways and even an explosion.

“I made a citizen’s arrest”

MARK:

Mark first walked up the Dauntsey’s drive in 1978, and retired from the school 44 years later, in 2022. His impressive tenure included six eventful years as Manor Housemaster, in the mid 1980s.

He says, “I loved every minute of my years at The Manor, although it was definitely a young person’s job – can you imagine cajoling 106 boys and girls into brushing their teeth, let alone showering? It was like having one enormous family, and I treated every child like my own sons, James and Jonny.

“After a long school day, the children couldn’t wait to get back to The Manor. They’d drop their bags and wolf down one of Clive’s jam donuts, then flood outside for a game of football or cricket. I’d usually play with them and one afternoon, a boy smashed a window with a particularly powerful whack of a cricket ball. I had to sweet-talk our groundsman into repairing it, but the very next afternoon someone else sent a ball sailing through the very same window. He called me some choice words when I confessed!

“There was always a great sense of fun at The Manor and we had many fantastic adventures. I discovered a way to block-

book £5 tickets for Wembley, so we took busloads of children up to watch the football several times. We even built a nine-hole golf course in the grounds, and enjoyed hotly-contested tournaments.

“Sometimes, we’d give the children a night off their prep session as a treat. If anyone had urgent homework, us staff would join forces in our sitting room and we’d do it on their behalf. As a maths teacher, the arithmetic was always passed to me. The camaraderie amongst the tutors was always fantastic, and the housekeeping team treated us to steak and chips in the staff dining room every Saturday night. If I ever called a ‘staff meeting’ after 10pm, everyone knew we were really in for a fierce battle of Trivial Pursuit.

“There was no bus when I started at The Manor, and one day a boy arrived home in tears because he’d been punched by a local lad while walking back from school. I was so furious, that when he told me his assailant was wearing a bright orange jacket, I set off in pursuit. When I found the boy out on the street, I told him I was making a citizen’s arrest and marched him

rang the police. They duly arrived, had a stern word with him, and we never had any trouble again.

“The Manor is a beautiful building and, in the late 80s, the BBC used it as the school in a spy series, The Mountain and the Molehill. The filming crew spent two weeks onsite, and every afternoon the children cajoled the catering van into handing over burgers after tea. Four or five students even won parts as extras, and we flocked to the balcony every afternoon to watch the drama - which even included an ‘explosion’ - unfold.

“I finally moved on from The Manor in 1992, but my life has been firmly entwined with Dauntsey’s ever since. I later became Director of Studies, then led fundraising for the Foundation for several years. I finally retired in 2022 after 44 years, but I still pop into The Manor from time to time, and recently organised a whole-school table tennis tournament for 64 students. Thankfully, the windows survived.”

“We kept donkeys”

ELENI:

Deputy

Head (Lower School)

Eleni Conidaris spent eight years living at The Manor, as a Senior Tutor. She says, ‘With tennis courts, lawns for football and acres of woodland for den building, The Manor is the perfect playground for our young boarders. Its position, a short drive from the main school, means they get to shrug off the school day and experience a sense of coming ‘home.’

“Ilived in The Manor from 1990 to 1998, and I have wonderful memories of the annual bonfire night, fancy dress parties and snow days, when boarders would sledge down the hill on dining room trays. We even had two resident donkeys, and children took it in turns to feed them, brush them and walk them round the grounds.

“Today, a bell keeps everyone to time, but back then us tutors all carried whistles. We’d blow them to wake up the children in the morning, to announce breakfast and to tell them it was time to hop on the bus to school.

“Of course, fire drills were taken very seriously and one year the boarders tricked us into a false alarm in the middle of the night. It turned out they’d recorded the siren from a song by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, but we feared the worst and promptly got everyone out of bed.

“In over 35 years at Dauntsey’s, I can safely say I’ve never seen the Grey Lady, who is rumoured to haunt The Manor at night. However, I have watched this beautiful building evolve over the years. Dormitories have been converted into extra bathrooms and showers, while wooden floors have been softened with carpets. When the towering, ancient chimneys needed significant repairs in the early 90s, it was no mean feat. A colony

of bats was discovered, which delayed the work, and we had to relocate all 106 students until it was complete. For two weeks they were bussed back and forth to The Holiday Inn in Swindon, which was a great adventure.

“The Manor is a wonderful place, and it gives our pupils more than a place to live. It gives them a home, a family and experiences that stay with them long after they've moved on. For many children, it’s their first taste of independence, as they learn to forge their own way and become part of a close-knit community. The laughter, games, traditions and funny stories create a unique bond and a sense of belonging, which shapes who they become. It's often where some of their happiest childhood memories are made.”

Emma says "when we moved into The Manor in August 2022, my daughters Dora and Greta couldn’t believe their eyes. We had relocated from the Middle East and after years in the desert, the woods and greenery were the stuff of dreams. Sammy and Mackerel, our cats, were in heaven too and soon honed their stalking powers amongst the long grasses.

“The Manor is a wonderland of birds, deer, rabbits and squirrels, and we soon increased the animal population with Hester the Springer Spaniel. She is now very much part of house life and is always looking for a Manorite to throw her a ball (or drop a sneaky sausage). Luckily both balls and willing children are in abundance! The grounds around The Manor are always filled with boarders playing rugby, tennis and football, and I’m sure if we stripped back the bushes, we’d find thousands of balls.

“Mischief is popular!”

EMMA:

Emma Jolly is Housemistress at The Manor, where she lives with

her husband David and two daughters. For her, this bucolic spot is

a welcome respite after years living abroad.

“The Manor is a very special place for Dauntsey’s and it’s almost a rite of passage for staff to begin school life as a resident tutor here. Everyone has a fantastic story to tell, and rumour has it that there’s even an underground passage connecting rooms. Sadly, I’ve never found it! The old cold-water swimming pool is another Manor legend. It was fed by the river in the woodland and I’m told a zipline once ran from the house, right down into the water.

“That pool has since been swapped for a warmer version in the sports hall, but water remains a love for our boarders. At every opportunity they’ll grab their swimsuits and towels, and play in

the stream in the woods. One of our favourite summer events is the slip and slide, when Manorites whizz down plastic sheeting covered in soapy water.

“David and I are now in our fourth year here, and we love it. There’s certainly never a dull moment, from the Manor Marathon, a 26-mile bike ride from Bath, to the Spring Bake Off and Jam Club, complete with electric guitars and bagpipes. Last year, we surprised the Third Form leavers with a camp-out in the woods on their final night.

“Mischief is of course a favourite pastime for our boarders. Our giant wheely laundry bins are padlocked to the wall for good reason, and I’m told children used to climb out the windows and onto the roof. They are sealed shut now, but the clock tower bears decades of signatures from boarders who snuck up inside. Our recent leavers called their mischief ‘shenanigans,’ and students often invent code words to alert each other when they’re up to something and a tutor is on the prowl. The current favourite is ‘crab!’

“The Manor is a house that needs to be filled, and it soon feels cavernous and lonely when students go home. When term starts again it returns to life, with the grand fire roaring and the sound of laughter, ping pong balls and pianos echoing off the walls.”

Toasting marshmallows in the Manor woods 2015

“I keep the fire blazing”

GERRY:

The Manor is a home-fromhome, and Housekeeper Gerry Marsh has been keeping it shipshape for 27 years. She says, “From whipping up my famous hot chocolate to digging out lost kit and taking new boarders under my wing, I’ve enjoyed helping thousands of children settle into life at Dauntsey’s.

“I

joined The Manor in February 1999, and I’ve never looked back. Whether I’m sorting laundry, getting 80 children through breakfast, organising bonfire night or cheering on our little First Formers at the cross country, no two days are ever the same.

‘Every day, I’m there to welcome the children back from school with a hot

chocolate and snack by the fire. I’m one of the first faces our boarders see in the morning and the last at night, and I can tell instantly what kind of day they’ve had. In Gerry’s world, no question is a silly question, and I always tell them not to worry about a thing. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll find someone who does.

“One summer afternoon, I opened the door to find seven children standing there in sopping wet cricket whites. The heavens had opened during their match and they were soaked through, but they had another game the very next day. So, once they’d warmed up with a hot chocolate, I gathered in their kit, then took it back to my home in Devizes to wash and dry. I’m always happy to go the extra mile to help, and if my son or daughter was at The Manor, I’d like to think someone else would do the same. During term time this is their home, after all.

“The Manor is a special place, and I love seeing all our children bonding, growing in confidence and making friends. After school, the boys and girls all pour outside together and get stuck into games of football, or head into the woods to build dens. It’s a safe haven, where they can play, toast marshmallows and enjoy their own little community away from ‘big school.’ I must be doing something right, because even the Sixth Form prefects sneak back down for one of ‘Gerry’s hot chocolates’ once in a while!”

A FORGOTTEN DAUNTSEIAN

Klaus Cassirer

The School’s records of pupils between the two world wars are sparse, sometimes hardly existing. Klaus Cassirer is such a case. However, I was able to establish that Cassirer, son of Prague resident Fritz Cassirer, had entered Dauntsey’s in January 1937 and left in March 1938. A year later The Dauntseian reported that he was in Paris but hoping to enter a business firm in England. Then came this sombre report in the following issue:

"K W Kassirer [sic] would much appreciate some letters. He was in France when war broke, and is at present interned in a concentration camp in that country. The Headmaster would be glad to give his address."

Thereafter complete silence: no further mention of Cassirer in The Dauntseian or any subsequent OD membership list. I feared the worst, but then further research happily revealed that he had survived the war. Klaus Wolfgang Cassirer had been born in Berlin in 1921 to Fritz and Eva Cassirer, members of a prominent German-Jewish family which included the Kantian philosopher Ernst Cassirer and the publisher Bruno Cassirer. Klaus later went to an English school in Prague but, amidst growing levels of antisemitism and with his father’s support, he took up the chance to go on a school trip England. Deemed unwise to return, his relations Barbara and Werner Falk helped him come to Dauntsey’s and during the holidays he would stay with them in Oxford, where Werner Falk was teaching philosophy at New College. Managing to get released from internment Cassirer made his way from France to Casablanca and then to the United States: shades of Victor Laszlo. There he remained for the rest of his life working as a photographer, dying in California in 2011 and having changed his name to Claude when he was naturalised as a US citizen. He spent much time and effort in his family’s attempt, so far unsuccessful, to recover an impressionist painting which his grandmother had been forced to surrender to the Nazis. This was Pissarro’s Rue St Honoré , AprèsMidi , EffetdePluie , a Parisian street scene, now to be found in a museum in Spain.

Philip Nokes (OD 70 and Dauntsey's Archivist)

Pissarro’s RueStHonoré , Après-Midi , EffetdePluie: Wikipedia

Humans of Dauntsey’s

We have always felt that our school is unique, one that is more about the people than just the place. Humans of Dauntsey’s is a window into the many varied people who make up our community. It’s a little glimpse into the lives of those who make our environment such a happy and inclusive place; people who have been part of our community in the past, and those who are still with us.

It has been nothing short of a privilege to interview our ‘humans’. They have shared personal stories, wisdom and advice and I am hugely grateful to everyone who has allowed us a glimpse into their lives.

I look forward to sharing many more stories in the years to come.

Justine Wall TeacherofEnglish

Kathie Smart

Head of Learning Support

I remember being asked to choose four words to describe me in my interview for Dauntsey’s many years ago. I know that I said ‘smiley’ and then instantly regretted it, thinking that it was a bit of a cliché. I think what I meant was ‘positive’ and I would like to think that others would see that too. I think I am patient; I get told that I must be patient to do my job. I think that’s true, with regards to working with pupils for whom I do have endless patience, but my family would probably disagree because when it comes to other aspects of my life, I tend to just want to get things done as fast as possible… I don’t tend to read instructions, for example!

I am driven. I am quite a determined person; I don’t shy away from hard work and when I set my mind

to something I will work until it’s done. I decided I was going to make a brick path in the garden one Easter because we had some spare bricks; it was so much harder than I thought, but once I had started, I had to finish. At a previous school, I was told I was a ‘completer finisher’, which made me laugh.

And I think I am kind. I would hope that people would think I am kind; it is certainly something I strive to be. Not much else matters really, apart from kindness.

I suppose a challenging aspect of my life has been my hearing loss. I was told that I needed hearing aids when I was pregnant with my youngest son, Tom. I had always had a slight hearing loss, but pregnancy hormones exacerbated this issue somehow. My father has a hearing loss, so it wasn’t a huge surprise

but was very hard to adapt to. Wearing hearing aids isn’t like wearing glasses. It doesn’t instantly make things better. They actually amplify all noise… and hearing my newborn baby and toddler amplified was not something I needed! It took me years to get used to wearing them. I have now worn hearing aids for around 15 years and can’t really manage without them. I lipread to a large extent, but there are some occasions when I don’t hear people and that can feel awkward, or sometimes funny: I once spent five minutes in a meeting wondering why we were discussing a ‘frying pan’ and then realised people had been saying ‘fire plan’! I chuckled quietly to myself. School can be a challenging hearing environment sometimes and the moves that I have taken from being a mainstream English teacher to a specialist one-to-one teacher have meant I can keep doing what I love. I really do love teaching. I have a feeling that experiencing my own disability has probably given me a deeper understanding of how to be empathetic, which helps me with my role as Head of Learning Support. It was when I started investigating how children with hearing loss are educated that I began my fascination with special needs support. First, I learnt British Sign Language, then I completed a diploma in teaching hearing impaired pupils. Next, I studied dyslexia and inclusion; in total I spent seven years studying for various qualifications, mostly with the University of Birmingham – distance learning. It kept my brain busy while my children were young, and I was working part time.

I remember my summer holidays as a child so fondly. My parents were both teachers so we had the full six weeks with them which was incredible. We’d just drive to Europe and wing it from there. I got on really well with my brother, who’s three years older than me. We are still very close. I still love camping and getting back to nature, which I am fascinated by.

My husband Simon introduced me to the beauty of nature. He is an environmental consultant, and we met at university when he was studying Zoology. I was brought up in quite an urban environment and I absolutely loved the world that he introduced me to and discovered that I could watch and enjoy wildlife for hours on end. When we were in our twenties, we would try to photograph insects and spend a

whole day trying to capture the perfect shot of a dragonfly. We also volunteered to stay on an RSPB reserve on an island with no electricity or running water – we just had to count the birds, which Simon was much better at than me! These days, we are lucky enough to take our teenage boys with us to adventurous natural places; we love going to the Lake District, climbing mountains, cycling back down them, canoeing or just sitting around a campfire. We also do festivals in the summer but I must say that I have been known to pay for VIP loos!

Apart from spending time with my boys in the summer, I am just enjoying the last few years with them before they all head off. We are currently watching Ted Lasso together; having those opportunities as a family is so important.

I have been at Dauntsey’s for over eight years now and, honestly, on a daily basis, feel very fortunate to be part of a community of such lovely people in such a fantastic location. I arrive and breathe in the beautiful backdrop of Salisbury Plain and then within minutes, the pupils make me smile. I work one-toone with students, and I suppose I get to actually see the difference teaching can make. My students often open up and tell me about their day and share how they are feeling; it’s a privilege to be part of their journey.

Pete Mobbs

Head of Maths

I can immediately say what the most challenging time of my life has been, and it’s been a recent event. Our grandson Sam, now two, was born in December 2020 to my son and daughter-in-law. In the early days, things were, as they often are, quite difficult. He struggled to feed and there was just something not right. At 12 weeks Sam was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with a heart condition –for the medically minded, it’s called Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage. Basically, it means that his heart was wired up wrong. He was admitted to Bristol Children’s Hospital where they operated and reconnected everything. I remember it was the most dreadful day, the day of the op. It was in total lockdown too, so we were not allowed in the hospital. The operation took seven hours, and there was just nothing to distract us; every shop and café was closed and there was nothing to do but wander round Bristol on what was a cold and drizzly day. It was really, really tough. The NHS are just phenomenal though. Many experts from all over the country pored over his scans (on Teams of course!) to come up with a plan of action. For the operation, they took Sam’s temperature down to 19 degrees so that his heart wasn’t beating. Then at the end of the operation, they gradually brought his temperature up again, and the heart just automatically starts beating again! The human body is incredible! The staff at the hospital were amazing – only one of my son and daughter-in-law could be with him at a time, because of the Covid guidelines, so they took it in turns to be with him over the three weeks he was there, and they got brilliant support from the staff. My wife and I were in their “bubble” so we were able to be with them and act as the support team – meals, laundry, etc. Sam is just on annual checks now – and you wouldn’t ever believe anything was ever wrong. He is such a joy, and has such a great sense of humour. They live in Wales, but it’s actually not that far from us so we see them as often as we can. My three children are scattered around – one daughter works in London for a translation and marketing agency and my other daughter lives in Greece teaching English to refugees. We see them as often as we can so we do quite a bit of travelling!

If I were to be able to give my 12 year old self advice it would be: be kind. I really like our Headteacher’s mantra here of being kind, and thinking of others, and I think we do that well at Dauntsey’s. But I was quite an arrogant and selfish teenager. What I did have, though, was a really good group of friends. One of those friends introduced me to Christianity

and at eighteen I became a Christian, and I think I did change – I realised that the world didn’t revolve around me, and I became more aware of different perspectives on life.

I absolutely love nature, and getting out into the countryside. I grew up in rural Norfolk, which is “really bootiful!”. I love how it changes constantly. You can do the same walk and every time it’s different- in Winter, you just can’t imagine that in Summer the trees will be full of leaves – I love that. I also, of course, love Mathematics. I love the links with philosophy – for example, is Maths created or discovered? I think Maths has such a wonderfully rich structure that, for the most part, I come down on the side of discovered more than created. It is the ultimate universal language – according to Galileo, ‘Maths is the language in which God has created the universe.’ I find new links all the time, and so do the students. With some students, it’s wonderful to see how it all just ‘clicks’ with them; they almost don’t need teaching. It’s equally wonderful when you have less mathematically-minded students who then do finally ‘get it’. You can almost hear the penny drop!

I also love books and films – ones with good characters. I think one of the reasons that I enjoy good characters is that I’m an introvert. Susan Cain’s book Quiet was actually really influential for me – it was like it gave me permission to be myself. I do like being around people- I grew up as part of a very big extended family, but I think where extroverts recharge by being with others, I recharge by being on my own. I’ve read a lot of Anne Tyler – not a lot happens in her books really but I like them for the wonderful characters she creates. I’ve also just read Rebecca Lowe’s Slow Road to Tehran which was wonderful. She cycles all around the Middle East and the main message of the book is that, even in very troubled parts of the world, people are overwhelmingly kind – she is showered with hospitality, food and spare bike parts at every turn.

I am also an Independent Visitor for Wiltshire Council, and we work with children in care. Sometimes they have so much transience in their lives, with different people phasing in and out of their lives, that it’s important to provide some stability for them, and the role of an Independent Visitor does that. I have been matched with a sporty, outdoorsy young man, and we meet up and play, for example, badminton or crazy golf together, and have plenty of time for chat. There is training involved in being an Independent Visitor, and the matching

process of adult to child is very rigorous so that you get matched with someone with similar interests. It’s so rewarding and very good fun.

My perfect day would be an unstructured one. Because our days, as teachers, are so planned and structured minute by minute, I really like the idea of being able to do anything, whenever, or to just do something spur of the moment. It would definitely involve my wife and family, and I think I’d like it to be in and around Annecy, which is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to.

Education is so important. I became a teacher at 36, after I had seen how important it was for my kids. Being part of the supportive environment we have here at Dauntsey’s is amazing; it’s such a rounded, warm and friendly place to work in – the staff and pupils here are wonderful. I love it when visitors comment on that, and it’s very rewarding to feel part of that positive, nurturing environment.

Polly

Lower School Pupil

Every year we go to the same place on holiday; a place that my mum has gone to for 30 years or so. It’s a place that always brings happy memories. It’s tucked away in the Scottish Highlands, and the village only has about ten houses in it. It’s one of those lucky places that has coast and countryside and mountains, so everything really!

We usually go with the same family. They’ve got a girl the same age as me and her mum and my mum have been friends for a very long time. We’re more relaxed there, I think, and we all get on. I think I like these holidays because of the surroundings, not just because of the people. You have wildlife, Highland Coos and seals. If you really watch carefully, you can see the seals on the rocks. I love them. Their eyes are so big, it’s like when you wear glasses with really big lenses; that’s what they look like.

My family said that if they were to describe me, they'd say I’m smiley, caring, enthusiastic and loyal. When I asked my brother though he also added in annoying, which I suppose I can be sometimes because I am a bit chatty!

When I thought about the challenges I've gone through, there were a few different things but the most recent is joining Dauntsey’s which was a bit difficult. I came from a tiny school; only 18 in my year. So, it all felt very big and very different to me. I’m used to it now but at first it was hard.

I enjoy the sports here a lot. Yesterday we did discus and I’ve never done that before, so I really enjoyed that.

In the future, I’d like to do something with animals. When my sister came back from visiting universities, she said to me that she’d found the perfect job for me- an animal physiotherapist! I’ve always wanted to be a vet or work with animals but I’m also a bit squeamish so maybe physiotherapy is better. Not so much blood! I also think that it's so cool to be

around animals all day long. Even better is that when you stroke an animal, they increase our endorphins, so they’re sort of like therapy.

I’ll never get bored of animals. I love how they adapt, how they’ve learned to survive, and I love how they can teach us so much. I watch a lot of David Attenborough too. I feel so strongly about things; I once went on a rant at my dad for about an hour about rewilding wolves in Switzerland. I really believe that humans should be equal to and not above animals.

I do eat meat, but I will always remember one incident that made me think. I was eating ribs, and something in my head made me stop. They’re quite distinctive things, ribs! It made me think very carefully and there are certain things I won’t eat now.

You’re never going to get a perfect world, but we all need to work on the small things. We need to live

alongside, not above animals, and we need to smile more, give support and do things that will make people feel good about themselves. I remember when the Rev showed us the trailer for the Navalny film in service one morning and it really made me think. I want to watch the whole documentary now. It gives the message for us all not to be selfish, and to put others first.

My perfect day would be spent with one of my old friends on the beach surfing. My parents and Nala my dog would probably be with us. We’d have ice-

cream obviously, and coronation chicken sandwiches. I love surfing, and the sea, but there’s also something sinister about the depths. Last time I went surfing, I wore the wetsuit and the surf shoes. I’m not taking any chances with those jellyfish.

All of the teachers here at Dauntsey’s are supportive and good at teaching their subjects, but the most important thing I think is they trust us. And that means they allow us a bit of freedom which I really, really like.

More Humans of Dauntsey’s can be found on our website

www.dauntseys.org/humans-of-dauntseys

Looking back at a SOCIAL YEAR

50 YEAR REUNION DINNER

Saturday 7 June 2025

Thank goodness for name badges! However, the initial shock of the ravages of time was soon displaced, and handshakes rapidly became warm hugs between 16 enthusiastic 1975 Leavers - plus wives, partners and one kilted son - who returned to the school for a Black Tie dinner in the splendid new Pavilion. We rekindled friendships, reminisced and laughed a lot.

Huge thanks to Mel and the whole catering team, Mike the minibus driver, our Sixth Form tour guides Lily and Ellie, Head Master John Davies for taking the time to greet us at the very busy end of his first year and above all to Stephanie at the Foundation Office for making it possible for us to enjoy Dauntsey’s again after all these intervening years.

So successful was the reunion that it continued into the small hours at The Bear & even extended to an impromptu Sunday Lunch at The Castle where several of those travelling from as far afield as Luxembourg, France & Northumberland had been staying. The inevitable WhatsApp group was formed and if you would like to join us on it, please email me at erlestokeann@gmail.com

We’d love to hear from you before the next reunion whenever that might be.

HONOR DEO

Ann Phillips (OD 75)

40 year reunion

On Friday 23 May, 2025, 34 slightly apprehensive Old Dauntseians gathered together for the first time in 40 years. What would it be like to see people who were once your closest friends at such a formative time? We knew we would all have changed a great deal, but would those connections still be there? There was palpable excitement in the build-up to the black tie event, enabled by a rapidly expanding WhatsApp group. The event was held in the New Sports Pavilion and included a sit-down dinner, official photos, speeches and karaoke. Looking around the room, seeing everyone engrossed in conversation, was heart-warming. Everyone seemed to be just picking up where they left off 40 years earlier! A guided tour the following day of the main campus and the Manor House was a highlight for many and brought back many memories as we all wistfully marvelled at the changes to the school’s facilities. As Woodrow Wilson once said, “Friendship is the only

cement that will ever hold the world together”. How true this is in these times of world conflict and social media. Making those reconnections has been meaningful and a delight for us all. The WhatsApp group started at just 12 members and has now swelled to 48, as the tentacles of networking reach more people. As we all approach our 60th birthdays, we have found an easy excuse to repeat the experience, and plan to hold an event at the Mercers’ Hall in London in early 2027. If you left the Upper Sixth in 1984 and wish to join us on the journey of rediscovering old friends, please reach out to the school who will put you in touch. A huge thank you to Stephanie Cadwgan in the Dauntsey’s Foundation Office for facilitating this event.

Pip Robertshaw (née Leary) (OD 84)

30 year reunion

Ah 1995...Hazy days and definitely a lot of hazy memories!

A vintage and most memorable of years, by all accounts. It was the hottest summer since 1976, we stood on the cusp of the internet age, and a pint of beer cost only £1.98. But we were also a country at war! Against the bucolic backdrop of West Lavington, as we bid farewell to our school days, The Battle of Britpop raged…

30 years later, as we gathered under glorious sunny skies, with excitement and in earnest, at the highly impressive new (to us at least) school Sports Pavillion, I’m pleased to report there were plenty of heroes, lots of war stories, and certainly no fighting from the Class of 95. Like the reds of that year, those in attendance were deep, complex, elegant and ‘great aging.’ There were even a few old and familiar faces from the teaching staff – it was a delight to see you Coni and Mr and Mrs Yates!

I had a somewhat chequered and rollercoaster school career. A bit love/

hate. From running away on my first day, prize winning student in the 4th year, via a skirmish with cancer, to two suspensions, countless smoking fines, and ‘occasioning considerable disquiet’. In movie terms The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Somehow, I emerged at the end with a decent set of A Level results having been through a truly foundational experience.

I am deeply proud and fond of my time at Dauntsey’s; the values it taught me, the horizons it broadened for our cohort and most importantly the friendships which remain a strong and steadfast source of joy, inspiration and support. I hope you are too, my fellow ODs.

Finally, a massive thank you to Steph for organising a wonderful event. You curated a marvellous evening, full of fun and laughter. The custodianship and development of the OD experience and network is in very capable hands!

James Chalmers-Smith (né Smith, “Smithy”) (OD 95)

20 year reunion

There was laughter, warmth, and a touch of nostalgia in the air as thirty ODs of 2005, representing every school house, returned to Dauntsey’s for our 20-year reunion. Having travelled from quite literally every end of the country, there was such a joyful buzz as we caught up, some people having not spoken since A Level results day!

From the moment we wandered up the drive towards the famous (and thankfully, still) green doors, it was clear time had changed much, and yet simultaneously very little.

Gathering in the impressive new Pavilion, there were a few more grey hairs, some impressive career progression and very many new offspring to boot but the relaxed spirit and Dauntsey’s community was as evident as ever amongst us all… even with the slightly scary passage of time!

Our year group was always known for its friendliness and genuine camaraderie.

The year was well-liked by staff and other years alike, and it was a great joy to see many staff, like Coni, Toby and Mr Yates popping in to say hello and share fond recollections.

The evening was a brilliant celebration of the years gone by, many enduring friendships (one marriage!) and innumerate shared stories. Old photos sparked much hilarity and happy memories…of Ten Tors, DW, Team Lank vs 1st Team netball match (we think this was the start of the boys vs girls netball match that is still played…!) and of course many 17 Club parties.

It was wonderful to see how far everyone has come, yet how quickly we all picked up again catching up over school days past. The reunion reminded us that Dauntsey’s is more than just a school - it’s lifelong friendships, a very special community, and a happy home to return to even two decades later.

There were apologies sent from as far

afield as New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong and Mexico but we were heartened to see pictures more recently from the Headmaster’s trip to Hong Kong including some wonderful ODs from our year.

Perhaps our 30-year reunion will have a fully international guest list reuniting even more of us from across the globe.

So here’s to the Class of 2005 and another twenty years of success founded in these hallowed grounds of West Lavington.

Cat Auden (OD 05)

5 YEAR REUNION

On the 11 October, the class of 2020 had their five-year reunion and what a roaring success it was.

With well over half our year group in attendance, the entire evening was overflowing with memories, laughter and reminiscing. Old Dauntseians travelled from China to a stone’s throw down the road to attend the evening’s events (the reunion followed by an obligatory trip to the pub), which was a testament to the friendships and connections we forged during our time at school.

It was at once a hello and a goodbye. Being the 2020 leavers, our last year was derailed by Covid; no Summer Ball, no A-Levels, no goodbyes, as we were under the assumption we would only be

apart for two weeks. Returning to school allowed so many of us to finally say a proper goodbye, making our return all the more bittersweet.

Five years have passed, yet it feels as if it has only been a heartbeat. But now, those who you were in a hockey team with are doctors, those who you got an extra token off of at a 17 Club party are working in finance and many of us have traded the comforts of the countryside for bustling London and beyond. We’ve all become adults.

It is a blessing that social media exists; we are able to stay up to date with each other’s lives at a distance. But what an incredible experience it was to have everyone in the same room, hugging,

shaking hands and taking pictures. Seeing the housemasters and housemistresses, the catering staff, the teachers, our old haunts was such a pleasure.

I am already looking forward to the next one.

Abi Baker (OD 20)

2025 Hong Kong Reunion dinner

On 15 October 2025, the Hong Kong Old Dauntseians were delighted to gather for a splendid reunion at the prestigious Hong Kong Football Club overlooking the Happy Valley Racecourse. It was an evening filled with warm camaraderie and joyful laughter.

We were thrilled to see a strong turnout of over 25 ODs, including leavers from the 1980s all the way to more recent years. Any formalities were soon at ease as the drinks began to flow and stories spread around the room with laughter and exuberance, creating a wonderful atmosphere of connection and shared history.

The Head Master provided a fascinating presentation on the latest school news and exciting developments at Dauntsey's. He shared inspiring updates from the school and presented the ambitious plan

to redevelop the historical memorial hall, a project that promises to be a significant new chapter in the school's history.

The event was a perfect blend of cherished nostalgia and a bright outlook for the future. The conversations continued into the evening long after dinner, a testament to the strong and enduring bond we share as ODs. The event was a great success all round and proved a brilliant opportunity to relive old times and make new connection with other ODs that span generations.

A sincere thank you to John, Zoe and Helen for making the journey from Wiltshire to Hong Kong, and to Paul Kam (OD 1982) who helped organise the event with me. Last but not least, thank you to everyone who attended for making it such a memorable and successful evening.

We look forward to seeing more of you next year as we continue to grow the HK ODs network! Don’t miss out on the annual reunion and stay in touch for future news by joining our HK ODs Whatsapp group.

Vincent Lau (OD 10)

OD Football, Match Report

Saturday 22 March 2025

Game #1: Dauntsey’s 2nd XI (1) vs Old Dauntseians XI (3)

Game #2: Dauntsey’s 1st XI (1) vs Old Dauntseians XI (0)

A change of match format for 2025 saw the OD team return in back-toback fixtures against both the current 2nd XI and 1st XI teams. El Estadio was perfectly manicured, and with a positively balmy 9 degrees, no breeze, and a little sunshine, the team were welcomed back for an afternoon of first-class football. The assembled OD team covered seven different leaver age groups over thirty years (1994 - 2024).

Game 1 saw the ODs up against the current 2nd XI, in a good quality opening contest. The 2nd XI started strongly, but the ODs held much of the first half possession whilst they found their feet and learnt to play together. Just before half time, the 2nd XI broke away and scored a lovely opening goal, sending the ODs in at half time 1-0 down.

After a rallying half time team talk the ODs returned to the pitch with some additional fire and quickly equalised before going on to win the game 3-1 after goals from Ali Eddington, Tom Gates and Matt Bark-Churchill. With the wind back in the OD’s sails the final whistle came too soon for many, as the midfield had found their feet with Jesse Allison-James, Tom Gates, Toby Zino, Sam Ferguson and Jordan Hills starting to move the ball around very well. The first three points of the afternoon to the ODs.

After a short break, Game 2 kicked off. The ODs were up against a strong and confident 1st XI, with many of the players still warm from winning the U18 Continental School Plate with the 1st XV rugby team. The opening salvas from both teams were fairly even, but as the first half progressed the 1st XI took on more of the possession and kept the OD’s pinned back in their own half. Jamie Green earned man of the match status for some incredible saves which kept the ODs in the game. Our defensive unit of Adrian Blythe, Ben Jones, Toby Mallinson, Jack Zino and Sam Gardiner worked their socks off. Half time came with the game still finely poised at 0-0.

The second half was largely attacking football from the 1st XI, with short periods of OD break outs and a few promising attacks up the pitch. The ODs continued to defend hard and once again a series of impressive and athletic saves from Jamie Green in the OD goal kept the score sheet at zero. At one stage the 1st XI let rip with a phenomenal shot, heading into the top left-hand corner of the OD goal, when JJ Gordon flew through the air like superman and intercepted the shot like a human shield, deflecting it out for a corner. The 1st XI had some great free kick opportunities which were closed out by a strong OD defensive display. At the other end of the pitch, Rob Herrett, Ali Eddington and Matt Bark-Churchill worked hard but were unable to find a way through the 1st XI defence. In the last ninety seconds of regular time, the 1st XI found a way through the flagging OD defences and scored a lovely goal after three of four

cutting passes and a high-speed break. The game ended 1-0 to the 1st XI for a well-deserved victory.

Overall, the ODs had a lovely afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed two well played games with the current 1st and 2nd XI football teams, finishing the day with one win and one loss [Does that mean we won over the two legs on goals scored!!??!!].

Thank you to Dr Rob Lewis, David Noble and Marcus Olsen for inviting us back. Our thanks to FA referees Darren O’Neill and Iain MacDonald who officiated the fixtures so professionally. Finally, congratulations to the 1st and 2nd XI boys for playing so well today. Same again next year?

Rob Herrett (OD 21)

Back Row L-R: Jesse Allison-James (OD 20), Jamie Green (OD 24), JJ Gordon (OD 24), Ben Jones (OD 23), Sam Gardiner (OD 23), Matt Bark-Churchill (OD 21), Rob Herrett (OD 21), Ali Eddington (OD 21), Adrian Blythe (OD 94).

Front Row L-R: Jordan Hill (OD 20), Sam Ferguson (OD 19), Tom Gates (OD 24), Jack Zino (OD 24), Toby Mallinson (OD 22), Toby Zino (OD 22).

ODDay

The 2025 iteration of this long-standing and much anticipated fixture took place on 15th June on a gloriously sunny day in front of a huge crowd, swelled by those attending new pupils’ day. Will Whyte (OD 95) had worked his usual magic to raise a very competitive team, which almost reached the dizzy heights of 12 before the late withdrawal of Nick Warde (OD 02) through injury.

ODs won the toss and predictably, given the weather and the dishevelled state of some of the team, chose to bat. Ben Locking (OD 24), Fraser Moore (OD 24) and Alex Ayers (OD 19) all fell cheaply leaving the score 45-3 after 10 overs and the team in need of a captain’s innings from Oliver Smith (OD 01). Not for the first time in his illustrious Dauntsey’s career, he obliged, scoring 61 with a flurry of 4s towards the end of his knock after a cautious and slightly rusty start. He built a partnership with another former captain of cricket, Chris Mortimer (OD 99), taking the score to 101 before falling to Oliver L. Chris started painfully slowly, scoring just 11 singles from his first 34 balls before a few lusty blows at the end took him to an undefeated 32. His stand with Theo Malik (OD 24) was worth 38, of which Theo scored 24 in 14 balls. Nick

Jephson (OD 87) kept Chris company to the end of the allotted 30 overs and a score of 157-5. Tigre B the most successful bowler taking 2-43.

The tea interval gave your correspondent (and umpire) a chance to catch up with some of those on the boundary and he was especially pleased to chat with Jim Paget (long time 1st XI umpire), Chris Warde (OD 00), another former captain of cricket and with another injury, and Robin Latham (Staff 05), attending new pupil day with his daughter. The perceived wisdom of these assembled scholars of the game was that the ODs had not scored enough. They were quite correct; the 1st XI knocked off the runs quite comfortably in under 27 overs, losing only 4 wickets. Skipper Tom C top scored with 39* off 38 balls, ably supported by Ollie B with 30, and 25s from Alex H, Ted P, and Extras. The OD bowling was pretty wayward and, in all honesty, not very threatening. There were some expensive overs with 15 wides between them, three of the bowlers conceded runs at a rate of more than 6/over, including Alex Ayers, who at least had 2 wickets to show for his efforts. Oliver Jones (OD 22), former captain Jack Grant (OD 20) and Fraser Moore were only marginally less

expensive. Chris Mortimer toiled manfully but fruitlessly. Josh Sullivan (OD 22) was the only blameless member of the OD team, having neither batted nor bowled.

Post-match drinks at the Pavilion were a highlight of the day, with speeches, the presentation of the Phil Hough Trophy and a further chance for some enjoyable socialising; the OD XI were rather better at the latter than they were at cricket.

Many thanks to the School for hosting the occasion and to all those who attended. Particular thanks are due to Tim Butterworth, stepping down as Head of Cricket, having succeeded me 6 seasons ago. Tim has worked tirelessly during a very difficult time for independent school cricket, with the huge disruptions of Covid and with the game now seeming to be of less importance than it was in many of our local competitor schools. Despite these challenges, Tim has ensured that this is not the case at Dauntsey’s, as evidenced by the excellent performance of the XI on the day. We can look forward to the next fixture in 2026 being under the management of Tim’s successor, Jack Mynott (OD 13).

Andy Palmer (Staff 1995-2019)

LONDON Carol Service

The Dauntsey’s Carol Service at St Lawrence Jewry next Guildhall was a joyful evening. Reading during the service felt familiar and meaningful, made even more special by the magnificent setting and company.

Before the service began, I enjoyed catching up with Eleni Conidaris and meeting students, teachers and other members of the school community. What stayed with me was the warmth with which people described their time at Dauntsey’s, reflected in my conversations with Elis and Isobel, two current Sixth Formers whose enthusiasm for school life spoke volumes. After a short practice run, I sat in the pews and took a moment to absorb the atmosphere in the Church. Pupils were chatting and laughing, Old Dauntseians were greeting one another, and a shared sense of occasion was gradually settling in.

warmth, and the beauty of the carols - In the Bleak Midwinter, Gabriel’s Message, O Holy Night, with its beautiful soloists - lay not only in their sound but in the tradition they carried. Music has long played an important role at Dauntsey’s, and it was wonderful to see that this continues to be the case.

Equally memorable was the reflection given by Reverend Barnes. Drawing on family tradition and the oxymoronic title of the film ‘Christmas Karma’, it offered a thoughtful perspective that bridged different faiths and experiences, exploring ideas, kindness and consequence in an engaging and contemporary way.

The Carol Service was an occasion of reunion, reflection and connection. The warmth, spirit and community of Dauntsey’s were as present as ever, and it was a privilege to be part of an

A day out on the Jolie Brise

Just as I was finishing my time at Dauntsey’s (1972), Bill Parish was buying a yacht for the school. The first boat broke its mooring and was wrecked. Happily, this provided sufficient insurance money for the school to buy the Jolie Brise. What a blessing!

I have followed the fortunes of the Jolie Brise with a mix of envy and admiration. She is an ex pilot cutter built in northern France. These boats were built for speed. First to an incoming ship in the western approaches got the job as pilot. She has a colourful history. She was bought by a Port making family and used as a sail trainer. Post-revolution and threatened with a wealth tax, the family took Jolie Brise out for a test sail and sailed to St Catherine Dock in London instead. Wanting her to continue being for the benefit of young people, the family sold it to Bill Parish for a bargain price. If ever she stops in Lisbon, the family still visit, bringing bottles of port. She is also sufficiently famous that you can buy a wooden scale model of her. For years my left thumbs wrestled unsuccessfully with this. So, when I saw, in the ODyssey magazine, the offer of a day out, I wasted no time in booking a place. My brother Alan (1974) is a greater sailor than me, having gone round the world on a BT Challenge race, so I persuaded him to come along too.

Jolie Brise’s home mooring is in the Hamble. The school recommended an excellent B&B within walking distance, so we were on the dock at 9am on a glorious sunny day to get our first proper sighting of Jolie Brise

She is a beautiful craft. Black hulled and teak decked. In lovely condition. Ropes, masts, blocks, hatches in every direction. Tree trunk mast with similar boom and bowsprit. Varnished rails and polished brass, all a joy to behold. And below, a large galley (no shortage of coffee etc) and bunk-style beds for a crew of 12 or so, all neat as a pin.

We were greeted by the skipper Toby (can you believe it’s his full time job!) and his two full-time crew, both young ODs. All Dauntsey’s pupils get the chance, early in their time at the school, to spend a few days and nights on board. If they

like it, there are opportunities to spend summers sailing the north Atlantic to Classic yacht races (Norway, the US etc). If they don’t like it, there is no pressure to continue.

With our fellow day-crew we were about 12 in number. It turned out they were all contemporaries of Alan. They had decided at a reunion the previous autumn to come as a group, so there was much reminiscing and companionable catching up to be done.

In the 1920s, Jolie Brise was spotted and bought from a French harbour. Her owner initiated and then won (3 times) the famous Fastnet race with her. The winner lifts the Jolie Brise Cup to this day. The race begins from the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes, so it was to there that we sailed, the reddish-brown sails, with their traditional gaff rig, attracting attention from all we passed. We enjoyed lunch in the sunshine on the terrace, with Jolie Brise blackly gleaming at her mooring below us.

We were all given the chance to take the helm (holding the 6 foot tiller) and help with hoisting sails (I only tried that once – it was hard work). Otherwise, we spent a balmy day chatting and enjoying the frothing sound of the bow cutting smoothly through the waters of the Solent. We motored and sailed from the Hamble to Cowes, had lunch, and then sailed and motored back, leaving the boat at about 5pm.

A truly lovely day out.

Martin Sandbrook (OD 72)

Very 'umble on the 'amble

As rum's read the sea...

Water rubs in beads

Over ocum leaked from Naval seals

Sparkling as the sun laps apered o'er gaps

Inverted images shimmering

Turquoise platelets skim serene

As skin creamed above

A seagull warp n wefts to weave

In a golden haze

A breeze picks up

A white yacht literally a swan gleams

It glides upstream passed past an outward

Bound tailed and stretched ploughing

Jolie brise

Up in my garret(b&b) stares out wan

I hear a shout from a night before... 'Thats life my son!'..Stills

In a dream...the theme...the sea

Now

Water karma

Calmer than the Dalai Lama

Mark Whelehan (OD 74)

Dates For Your Diary

JOIN US IN 2026

APR 25

Class of 2006 20 year reunion

The Pavilion, Dauntsey’s Open to all 2006 leavers.

An informal evening of drinks, a buffet supper and catching up with old school pals!

MAY 12

Olive Society Lunch

The Pavilion, Dauntsey’s Open to members of the Olive Society. This event is by invitation only.

MAY 16

Class of 1996 30 year reunion

The Pavilion, Dauntsey’s Open to all 1996 leavers.

An informal evening of drinks, a buffet supper and catching up with old school pals!

JUNE 13

Class of 2001 25 year reunion

The Pavilion, Dauntsey’s Open to all 2001 leavers.

An informal evening of drinks, a buffet supper and catching up with old school pals!

JUNE 14

Old Dauntseian Day

Dauntsey’s

All ODs and Staff are invited to Dauntsey’s for OD Day.

A relaxed afternoon of fun and cricket.

JUNE 18

Jolie Brise Day Cruise

The Hamble, Hampshire

A leisurely cruise over to Cowes, Isle of Wight, with lunch at the Royal Ocean Racing Club.

OCT 10

Class of 2021 5 year reunion

The Pavilion, Dauntsey’s

An informal evening of drinks, a buffet supper and catching up with old school pals!

DEC 7

London Carol Service

Wren Church of St Lawrence Jewry next Guildhall

Open to all with a current or past association with Dauntsey's - whether current parent, former pupil, Governor or former teacher, you are very welcome.

In addition, all ODs are welcome to join us at many of our school events and productions, details can be found at www.dauntseys.org/events. Further details will be sent via email as the event nears and bookings can be made online at www.dauntseys.org/od-events or scan the QR code, or by contacting Stephanie Cadwgan.

The Value of the OD COMMUNITY - 2026

It has been another busy year, and the Old Dauntseian community continues to grow and thrive. Bringing together Dauntseians past and present is what keeps the community alivesharing stories, passing on wisdom, and supporting the school as it looks to the future.

There are many ways to become more involved in the OD community, requiring as little or as much time as you have. You might attend an event, offer mentoring or support to a current pupil, reconnect with old friends, or help support future developments at Dauntsey’s.

Support

Financial support from our Old Dauntseian network offers the school the opportunity to further three key areas.

Bursary programme - this long running programme has offered countless pupils the opportunity to experience a Dauntsey’s education –something they otherwise would not have been able to access.

Partnership work - in 2025 the programme was nominated for an industry award, recognising the strength of our offering. We now support over 300 children a week, as well as providing opportunities for our pupils to positively and actively contribute to their local community.

Development - ensuring we offer the best possible experience to our current pupils. This year saw the completion of a number of new developments, and our plans for a refurbished Memorial Hall and improved theatre facilities are developing at pace. www.dauntseys.org/ od-support

Community & Events

Reunions, professional networking, and social gatherings - our OD events calendar is always growing. Whether you want to reconnect with old classmates, expand your network, or simply enjoy an evening reminiscing, we offer opportunities to come together. If you have an idea for an event or would like to organise a reunion with the school’s support, the Foundation Office would love to hear from you.

www.dauntseys.org/ od-events

Heritage & Memories

Dauntsey’s holds a special place in the hearts of our alumni. Whether it’s walking the familiar corridors on a tour, sharing your stories in ODyssey, or picking up a memento from our online shop, there are plenty of ways to stay connected. We welcome ODs back to school to relive their memories and see how Dauntsey’s continues to evolve while preserving its traditions. If you would like to contribute to a future edition of ODyssey and share some of your memories, please get in touch.

www.dauntseys.org/ od-memories

Careers & Mentoring

The OD network is a powerful resource. Whether you’re seeking career guidance, looking to mentor a recent school leaver, or keen to share your experiences, there are many opportunities to connect.

Our Futures Department, together with the Foundation Office have strong and growing links with the OD community, allowing us to draw on this collective expertise and offer support where it is most needed.

We plan to host multiple networking events across the UK this year and look forward to sharing further details in due course. These events provide valuable opportunities to meet like-minded ODs and to forge both professional and social connections.

www.dauntseys.org/ od-network

Notices and Updates

Thank you to all those who sent in their news and updates, please keep them coming for future editions! Updates can be either emailed to Stephanie at s.cadwgan@dauntseys.org or submitted using the online form at www.dauntseys.org/ods

Vernon Godden (OD 54)

I would be glad to hear of any who were among those 49 who arrived at the Manor in 1946.

OD 74 Golf meet up

MARTY'S ROYLE TEE PARTY

Few swings and shouts

Of clods from clouts

Flying in the autumn air

No holes dug... Just n easy atmosphere

Only a whisper in the hair told of Winter on its way and true

The sky was a sorta marbled blue

Very little caused a stir on the Round about today

No O. D.s.... self-intering... ODing

Self centering no having to

No need of raucous profanity you see

Everyone is... or nearing seventy Bitagrub... Bitofadrink... No strain Banter sharing

Then...Too soon... Over... Off home again

Mark Whelehan (OD 74)

Nigel Poole (OD 70)

Recently started his third life after leaving Dauntsey's, the first two having been (a) an accidentally extended period from the 1970s to the 1990s playing piano on cruise ships and tropical resorts, and (b) working in web programming and database management in Canberra, Australia, during the first two decades of the new millennium. Finally, Nigel completed his Bachelor of Music in 2022, which has triggered the start of his third life as a composer, church organist and choirmaster. His music is now published by Wirripang (australiancomposers.com.au) and he is eternally grateful to his music teachers at Dauntsey's, John Weeks and Prabhu Singh, for setting him along this most fulfilling path.

Andrew Miller (OD 79)

The author of The Land in Winter, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2025.

His other novels include Ingenious Pain, Casanova, Oxygen, The Optimists, One Morning Like a Bird, Pure, The Crossing, Now We Shall Be Entirely Free and The Slowworm’s Song

Dr Stephen Cole (OD 82)

Dr Stephen Cole was delighted to be awarded an OBE in the late Queens final Birthday Honours for: “Services to the NHS and Covid 19 Pandemic”

Stephen is an NHS Consultant working in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine at Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, Dundee, Scotland

Helen Cooper (OD 99)

Helen was elected Fellow of The Institution of Mechanical Engineers in July 2025. Helen attended Dauntsey’s for Sixth Form, leaving in 1999 to study Systems based Engineering at Brunel. She has been working with Transport for London for 21 years and applied for Fellowship by highlighting her skills and experience across Engineering, Asset Management & Strategy, particularly in applying Systems thinking.

Becoming a Fellow is recognition that you're a professional engineer working in a senior role with significant autonomy and responsibility. It is the highest level of membership and demonstrates your wealth of experience, commitment and contribution to engineering.

Lewis Jackson (OD 19)

Lewis is appearing as Demetrius in Headlong’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, Shakespeare’s Globe.

The production will be going on tour in February to Shakespeare North Playhouse, Leeds Playhouse, Bristol Old Vic and Oxford Playhouse.

Hollie Marriot (OD 25)

After spending five years at Dauntsey’s, I have gone on to Loughborough University to study the Art and Design Foundation Diploma, from which I will go on to study Fine Art. Despite having lectures from 9:00 to 16:00, Monday to Friday, I genuinely love what I’m doing and now understand the importance of studying something you're passionate about.

Looking back, I have a great appreciation for my time at Dauntsey’s. Through the support and encouragement of my wonderful teachers, career advisor, and tutors, I was able to explore my many interests and decide on a future path.

Studying Art throughout my school journey, alongside like-minded peers and the incredibly creative art department staff, was the highlight of my school career. As I was a boarder, I felt that this department truly was a home away from home, and I will always remember the joy and laughter it brought so many of us.

Since starting university, I’ve discovered just how many opportunities there are to get involved in outside of academics, and I really admire how Dauntsey’s offers the same through its clubs and sports. I’ve recently joined the creative writing society, applied for the Army Officer Training Corps, and am most proud to have been accepted into the AU Muay Thai & Kickboxing sports team.

Looking ahead, I plan to make the most of every opportunity available. During my final year at Dauntsey’s, I was awarded the DSPA Travel Scholarship, which I will use to travel to Vietnam for a month to work with disabled children and young adults at the end of this academic year. In the years to come, I hope to gain experience in a variety of roles at companies like Burberry (fashion), David Collins (interior design), and others, to discover where I thrive most. I am very excited to see what the future has to offer!

Chaplain to the Bishop of Salisbury joined us for our Commemoration Day service on Monday 9 March.

Commissioned into the British Army in December 2025. Jodie has joined the Royal Lancers and Alice has joined the Royal Engineers.

Jodie was selected to be ‘Stick Orderly’ for the commissioning parade, leading the parade out onto the parade ground and accompanying Princess Anne around the inspection.

The first female officer in the Royal Lancers was an Old Dauntseian, Harriet Colquhoun (OD 13).

Channel Swim

My decision to swim The English Channel stems way back to 2011/12 when in my final year at Loughborough University. However, being a broke student, at the time I did not have the funds to embark on such a challenge and thus chose to try my hand at triathlon instead.

After completing an Iron Man event in 2019, I really enjoyed the swimming part of it and had reached a point where (my ever long suffering wife) granted me permission to start training for The English Channel in 2023.

My training initially consisted of 1-2 sessions a week up to 80 lengths. I often had to rest after every 10 lengths to catch my breath in those early days!

Under the tutelage of firstly Omnia Performance and later Red Top Swim, my coaches took my swimming up to another level.

I attended two Croatia swim camps in 2024 and 2025, clocking up 110km between them. I swam Windemere one way (in a wetsuit) in 2023 and later 2 way in 2024 (in skins – no wetsuit) with temperature averaging 14 degrees! In the run up to the main event, I also completed a 32km 2 person swim of Lake Zurich, numerous 6 hour solo swims and even a channel relay in a team of 4 in July of this year.

We had 5 false starts with very tempestuous weather for the latter half of summer. On the 6th window, I got away. My team and I, with nothing more than a small fishing vessel, an unholy amount of Vaseline, pair of goggles, hat and budgie smugglers set off at 1:50am in the morning.

It took us 12hrs 25mins to get across. I was stung twice by a jelly fish. Freaked myself out that I saw a shark once. Burnt approximately 13,000 kcals and almost tore my elbow tendon. But we made it. Although I was the swimmer; I could not have done it without the support of my coach and amazing team both on and off the boat. My wife (Victoria Wilkinson OD), mum and son travelled to France to see me arrive!

Alex Carter (OD 07)

Teddy Bear

A soft plush teddy bear standing 18cm high and sporting a Dauntsey's t-shirt.

£7.00

Full

£12.00

Designed and made by Manyatta Belts. Each belt is made to order, hand beaded in Kenya.

£85.00

Mug Full of History

Bone china mug, wrapped in Dauntsey's history, hand-made in Stoke-on-Trent.

£27.50

Navy peaked cap

Fashion peaked cap with velcro fastening.

£18.00

Navy and natural square jute bag with soft luxury handles 30cm high x 30 cm wide x 23cm deep.

£5.00

Commemorative Paper Weight

Limited edition paper weight with timber stand cut from the mast of the Jolie Brise

£45.00

A School's Adventure

Hardback, by George Olive, published in 1951. A treasure trove of Dauntsey's history.

£10.00

All of these products can be found on our website at www.dauntseys.org/gift-shop or use the QR code below

Southwick Revival

D-DAY & OPERATION OVERLORD

There is an annual fundraising event in the village of Southwick, Hampshire, which commemorates D-Day and Operation Overlord. In the months leading up to 6 June 1944, Southwick House, the Georgian mansion just north of Portsmouth which had been requisitioned for the war effort, was the operational headquarters of the Supreme Commanders under General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Included were General Sir Bernard Montgomery, Commander 21st Army Group; Admiral Sir Bernard Ramsay, Commander Allied Naval Expeditionary Force and Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, Deputy Supreme Commander. Following many hours of consultation and deliberation, at 04:15 hours on 5 June 1944, accepting that there was a weather window approaching, Ike made the decision to launch D-Day, saying simply “OK, Let’s Go!”

For the 80th Anniversary of D-Day in June 2024, the chairman of the Southwick Revival, OD Martin Bazeley, BEM, launched his own quest, which was to gather the descendants of the Supreme Commanders in Southwick and recreate the iconic photograph of 1944 in the D-Day Map Room in Southwick House, now the regimental home of the Royal Military Police. Starting with Viscount Henry Montgomery, grandson of Monty, President of the Spirit of Normandy Trust, he then moved on to Will Ramsay, grandson of the Admiral, who had also masterminded Dunkirk. With both men receptive to the idea of travelling to Southwick, Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter, was easy to persuade to join them from across the Pond. Never before had they been together in each other’s company, whilst each in their own way is involved in D-Day Commemorations.

Only Tedder was missing, until Martin recalled that there was a Dauntsey’s connection. Perhaps the Air Chief Marshal’s name had been on a board in the Dining Hall? Stephanie, in the Foundation Office, sent an email on Martin’s behalf to OD Tedders, and Richard Tedder responded.

Over the weekend of 7th and 8th June 2024 the four descendants and members of their families were hosted by the Southwick Revival, given a tour of the sites of their forebear’s billets and photographed in the Map Room. Spending time together over that weekend began an association which will endure for many years. For Susan Eisenhower it was especially poignant as her mother had often told her that one day she should meet Richard Tedder, whose godfather was General, later President, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Ike held Tedder in such high esteem that he ignored many other recommendations for Deputy Supreme Commander in order to have Sir Arthur as his right-hand man.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder was the primary signatory for the Western Allies at the final, formal signing of the German Instrument of Surrender in Berlin on May 8, 1945. The surrender was also signed by Soviet Marshal Georgy Zhukov on behalf of the Soviet High Command, officially ending World War II in Europe.

A couple of OD 75 contemporaries of Martin’s now join a small army of 150 volunteers to help stage the Revival weekend. Jonathan Stokes leads groups on visits to the Underground Headquarters deep below Portsdown Hill while Martin and Sue Alford manned the ticket office in ‘Café Gondree’, just across the stream from ‘Pegasus Bridge’.

Almost £100,000 was raised last year, all of which is distributed to military charities and local causes such as Rowans Hospice. www.southwickrevival.co.uk

Martin Bazeley, BEM (OD 75)

PS – Martin is correct, he had seen Air Chief Marshal’s name on a board in the Dining Hall. Air Chief Marshal was Chair of Governors at Dauntsey’s from 1949-1965.

Hollie Berrie

It is with mixed feelings that our much-loved non-human family member Hollie Berrie died peacefully on March 4, 2025.

She was a therapy dog for over 12 years and her last day at work was on the 28 February, where she sat and was cuddled by a young person who was missing their own dog. Miss HB gave comfort to others right up until the end of her life.

Hollie, a black and white Cavapoo, loved people. and was with someone all day every day, usually on a lap or being carried despite having four fully functioning legs. The only real times she was alone were if we were in a supermarket or in the shower - she did not like water, and could not understand other dogs wanting to play in the sea. Indeed, she became quite distressed, wanting us to do something when she saw a labrador swimming in a lake, having the time of its life. Play was strictly a dry event!

There are too many lovely memories to mention but underpinning her life was a lot of love, joy and forgiveness (on her part).

Dogs enrich our lives and even though it is hard when they die, they are a wordless sermon of how to love and be loved.

Thank you, Hollie!

Carole Coupe School Counsellor

MEMORIES Shared

Memories from our Old Dauntseians help keep the history of Dauntsey's alive: your close calls, escapades, friendships and musings. We have printed a few which we hope you will find entertaining.

If you have a memory to share please email Stephanie s.cadwagan@dauntseys.org, we would love to hear from you.

Rationing, Fuel Shortages & the Manor Ghost

Iwas one of 49 new boys (no girls then) to arrive at the Manor House in September 1946 to be met by Norman Creek and Mary Olive, who were the resident staff, along with Mrs Jago and Miss Robins the Manor matrons. I was taken to dormitory 12, a small room on the second floor in which there were 6 beds where on the wall was a faint outline of a hand said to be that of Jane, the Manor ghost. Rationing meant that each of us was given 2 oz of butter a week, 4 oz margarine and the same of sugar. In the extremely cold weather of early 1947, fuel was so short that boys collected wood for open fires in some of the main school classrooms.

John Fricker who was the youngest boy in the school was chosen to light the Manor House November 5th bonfire in the field beyond the tennis courts.

My seven years at Dauntsey’s were among the happiest of my life and I am so grateful to my parents who gave me the opportunity.

I would be glad to hear of any who were among those 49 of ‘46. Vernon Godden (OD 54)

Editor’s note:

I asked Vernon for more detail about the Manor ghost and here is his reply:

Soon after the Manor was built, Jane was jilted by her lover. In a fit of rage, at dead of night, she left the house, mounted her horse using the stone steps which were by the triangle of yew trees near the back door (removed some years ago) and raced off down the drive. However, in the darkness, horse and rider plunged into the sunken lane and were killed. Since then, she has sought revenge and on one occasion she left her hand mark on the wall of what was dormitory 12. A chilling story to help make an 11 year old new boy feel at home in his new surroundings.

London to Tripoli

Andrew Reed (OD 60) and Chris Bridgett (OD 60) remember their 1960 motorcycle trip to Tripoli, Libya. After school finished for the summer in 1960 we set off from Hampton, London to Siracusa, Sicily on 2 August on our smart 1958 Francis Barnet Plover in British Racing Green livery, with an economical - but to prove somewhat underpowered - 147cc Villiers two-stroke engine. We had room to carry camping kit and clothes only - still quite a load. By the time we arrived to catch the ferry across the Mediterranean, 17 days later, Andrew’s excellent diary now reveals we had had one collision with a horse in Naples, two punctures, a wrecked back sprocket and two broken suspension springs. Our road trip involved about 1700 miles. We averaged just over 100 miles a day, and despite everything we enjoyed beautiful scenery, wonderful swimming, and delightful, very helpful and generous local people along the way - including two excellent motorcycle Polizia Stradale, who gave us a final outrider escort into the ferry terminal at Siracusa.

...one collision, two punctures, a wrecked back sprocket and two broken suspension springs.

On 24 August we were welcomed by Chris’s relieved parents in Giorgimpopoli, Tripoli, and went on to enjoy two weeks Libyan R. & R.swimming and snorkelling, sight-seeing and sailing. On our last day at an Arab tea party our hosts insisted we donned local dress - to keep cool!

On 8 September we were reunited with our reluctant steed, waiting for us in safe storage in Siracusa, where our RAC ordered spare parts had arrived and were swiftly fitted by a mechanic. So off we went, back to Blighty. Needless to say we soon realised we were running late if Chris was to get back on time for his last term at school: Andrew was due to start University a while later.

We parted company south of Pisa so Chris could hitch-hike ahead - in those days a frequent and useful way of getting about. Andrew arrived home in Hampton on 19th September - to be met by somewhat startled parents. “What have you done with Chris?” was the first question they asked!

We had had a great adventure. A friendship started at Dauntsey’s had been cemented by a shared epic experience, and since then has happily continued until today.

A Shrine to WALTER RALEIGH

In the 1960s and early 1970s the attics above the Farmer Hall were very much the private fiefdom of the Stage Staff – a group of boys who in return for assisting with the many productions on the main stage at the west end awarded themselves certain unofficial privileges. These included the right of exclusive occupation of the attics, free from the unwelcome attention of snooping masters. There they could safely smoke and engage in any other nefarious activities that took their fancy. But all that came to an end in the mid 1970s when, with the creation of the Memorial Hall, the Farmer Hall was

Senior Service (dark blue)

Senior Service (red tipped)

Nelson (tipped)

Players Navy Cut

Players Navy Cut Gold Leaf (tipped)

Players Navy Cut Medium

handed over to the Music department. The western and central parts were divided into smaller rooms, leaving the eastern end and its music stage to become what is now known as the Old Hall.

A recent foray by the Archivist into the attic space yielded a rich archival harvest: a haul of some 62 cigarette packets – which in their day would have held more than 700 cigarettes: only two survived unsmoked. Close analysis revealed a fairly catholic variety of brands:

Embassy (tipped)

Benson and Hedges Special Filter

Buckingham (tipped)

Woodbine

Woodbine (tipped)

Craven “A” (tipped)

Philip Nokes (OD 70 and Dauntsey's Archivist)

Kensitas (tipped)

Perfectos (tipped)

Sobranie Virginia

Lucky Strike

Musings

I'm in my 80th year now, nearly in my 9th decade, and whilst I hope to have more ahead of me, it is not an unsuitable time to reflect on the lives of boys who were at Pud's Coll, in the late 50's and 60's.

In my adult life my best mentor was a probationary year Cambridge grad by the name of Bill Kirby, who was subsequently a house master. That was in Olive's term of office as Head Master. The masters, as Bill recalled, were obliged to wear shorts and open neck shirts, the same as the boys. There may only have been 100 boys there then.

The Late Ron Barron, a science master in our time, was known to get his knock

knees out and long fawn socks, and fawn shirt, on special occasions, known only to him. "The" Proctor was a fine Chemistry teacher who taught my brother well, and Russell, whose nickname I do remember... P.A.M. his initials told it all. His son became a highly regarded professor of Maths at Leicester University.

I need to tell you now, that whereas I arrived at the school with a cursory knowledge of adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing, by the time I left, I could do none of it. I don’t know what it was about the nearby woods and a packet of cigarettes which held such an allure. That is not to say that I did not learn.

I had a first-rate language teacher by the name of Brian Steel, whom I met again after about 50 years, after he had retired from teaching.

I send my most sincere affection to all those living, whom I have mentioned here. I am an Oblate Cistercian, and Companion of the (TSSF) Society of St Francis, in Hermitage, which is good discipline for an older, if not downright old, generation.

Gareth Howell (OD 64)

Not All The King's Horses Nor All The King's Men...But The State Of The Reunion Put (Humpty Dumpty) Puds 74 Back Up On The Wall And Together Again!

No electoral dysfunction or Judas kiss as we all amalgamated into one big, something like this... a hum of nostalgic bliss.

Gentle persuasion imbued by Steph, Merle and Phil without feud or bicker.... nudged a swaying horde of 20 or so reunited O.D.s, n wives, one labrador and huge wolfhound, on its inexorable, directional, suggested path with only the promise of grub at a pub washed down by just a modicum of liquor.

With respect paid to absent friends.

This bunch of actual and nearly 70 year olds, banter swaying into, out of, a pub did polar wend. Meandered on to School house end then

After evocative smells and memories of old dormitories, studies classroom n music cells .... dissippated with heart warming cries of not goodbye, but au revoir and meaning it...

And a 50 year shock soothed by ensuing online after school club, Jolie Brise romp and Golf excursion plus various smaller re'get-togethers have later proved!

And what could possibly surpass?

All those laughs and laughs shared on WhatsApp n wading through when opened from a shoe box of old Dauntsey memorabilia...our fading school photographs.

Mark Whelehan (OD 74)

In Memory

With sadness, Dauntsey’s reports on the passing of the following Old Dauntseians and staff. This list details all those we have been notified about.

John Whittome (OD 46)

Bruce Gent (OD 50)

John Parker (OD 50)

Hugh Leader (OD52)

John Margetts (OD 52)

Richard Derry (OD 55)

Roland Button (OD 62)

John King (OD 62)

Peter Batten (OD 63)

Dr John Fox (OD 64)

Mick Biegel (OD 63)

Dave Barron (OD 74)

Howard Davies (OD 56) 1938 – 2026

Born on 1 October 1938 into Pembrokeshire farming stock, Howard Davies was never likely to be mistaken for a quiet academic. He attended Dauntsey’s between the years of 1952 and 1956 alongside a small contingent of fellow Pembrokeshire farmers’ sons, quickly earning the nickname “Cheeky Davies”.

Howard’s approach to school life leaned more towards enjoyment than scholarly application, though his interests were wide-ranging and genuine: history, the performing arts, and sport chief among them.

He was an accomplished cricketer and rugby player, and never lost a schoolboy boxing match.

He was taught by Dauntsey stalwarts such as Jim Rendell and Jim Hodges, who would later also teach his son Mark, and who remembered Howard well.

“Cheeky Davies” was remembered for some of his pranks. Most famously, upon returning from a surreptitious trip to a local pub, he borrowed the music teacher’s car (allegedly with too much fuel in the wrong tank), drove it around the rugby pitch, and succeeded in crashing it into the rugby posts. On leaving Dauntsey’s, he marked his departure by stealing the Matron’s underpants, hoisting them to the top of the flagpole, and then rapidly departed for a quieter life back in Pembrokeshire.

Tom Rayner (OD 87)

Sam Coveney (OD 24)

Lady Mary Milverton (staff)

Chris Walford (staff)

Howard is survived by his wife Helga, his daughter Monika, and his son Mark, who will remember him with affection, amusement, and deep love.

Mark Davies (OD 85)

Ted Hickford (staff)

1940-2025

Ted Hickford, who died in October 2025, joined the teaching staff in September 1964 – along with Mike Elmitt (Economics 1964-68) and Ray Taylor (Geography 1964-71). He had been appointed by Donald Forbes to the biology department to assist Keith Thomas, freshly returned from a year’s secondment to the Nuffield Foundation. When Keith left in 1968, to join the New University of Ulster at Coleraine, Ted took over as head of biology. He was with us for eleven years, leaving in 1975 for Suffolk to become Head of Sixth Form at Orwell High School, Felixstowe. His final post was as headmaster of Midhurst Grammar School from 1983 to 2001.

Edward Ernest Hickford had been born in Baldock and attended St Albans County Grammar School, representing his school in athletics, basketball, cross country and tennis: he was school tennis captain and as a junior represented Hertfordshire. After studying Zoology at Queen Mary College, London he went on to King’s College, Cambridge for his Certificate of Education, after which he came to Dauntsey’s, his first teaching post. He

Peter Langley (OD 40) 1924-2025

In June 1945 the School published a slim booklet entitled List of Old Dauntseians serving in His Majesty’s Forces. Peter John Langley, who died on 3 July 2025 at the age of 100, was almost certainly the last survivor of the 320 or so names on that list. He was born in Shanghai on 24 October 1924, the family returning to England five years later. He entered Dauntsey’s in May 1937 and left in July 1940. Joining the RAF, he completed his pilot training in Canada and the United States in early 1944, after which he served in England, India and Burma, and Europe

Rory McIntosh (OD 72) 1955 -2025

Roderick Lachlan McIntosh, known to all as Rory, died in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan on 20 August 2025, aged 69. Born in 1955, he came from a naval family: his Australian born father, a decorated wartime submarine commander, was later to carry out the 1969 General Inspection of the School’s CCF. From his Sussex prep school Rory arrived at Dauntsey’s in 1969, following in the footsteps of his elder brother James (1966-70). A person of great affability and friendliness, Rory was perhaps an instance of the School not succeeding in bringing out a pupil’s natural gifts, as sometimes happens. He was to blossom later when he emigrated to Canada – the country where his mother had

was active outside the classroom. Although Ted had no prior military experience, he joined the CCF and later succeeded David Burgess as officer in charge of the naval contingent. He was a housemaster 1968-75 (Dauntsey H, renamed Hemens in 1972). Guy King-Reynolds was to describe him as a housemaster of sound judgment and zeal, and meticulous in the organisation of his department and unstinting in the time given to it. On the introduction of girls in 1971 Ted, greatly assisted by his wife Sybil (who died in 2022), was responsible for girl boarders. He was also master in charge of squash and tennis. And there was the beekeeping.

Philip Nokes (OD 70 and Dauntsey's Archivist)

Roland Salmon (OD 70) writes:

Ted Hickford and Keith Thomas are part of a strong tradition, present at that time and possibly still present, of teaching biology at Dauntsey’s in a progressive manner that linked it to ecology and psychology. This stretched back at least to “Buttercup” (Ian Hamilton, staff 1931-48) and produced, amongst others, Desmond (Naked Ape) Morris (1941-45) and Richard Sandbrook (1959-64) one of the founders of Friends of the Earth.

before demobilisation in 1946. The next few years were spent in a variety of jobs in Bahrain and England. Then at the start of the Korean War he rejoined the RAF. During the Malayan Emergency he flew some 126 operational missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross “in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in Malaya”. Leaving the RAF for a second time in 1966, he spent the next 18 years in civil aviation with airlines based in the United States and the Far East. Although he had acquired US citizenship, on retirement in 1984 he moved to Spain, energetically establishing himself in expatriate and local communities.

Philip Nokes (OD 70 and Dauntsey's Archivist)

been born, although her childhood was to be spent in pre-war China. In Canada Rory discovered his life’s work as a respected entomologist, working for 25 years in the Forest Service Branch of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment. Committed to education (and by this stage he had acquired a doctorate) he was often seen in classrooms sharing his passion for insects. Nature and the outdoors were a great love, with a particular fondness for fishing. Alongside this was a passion for playing and watching many sports. Over a long period he was involved with the Prince Albert Youth Soccer Association as president, a coach, and a referee. Rory leaves a wife, Julie, and sons Thomas (Logan) and Duncan. His brother James has lived in Freiburg, Germany for many years. I last saw Rory at his father’s funeral in 2003 and can remember as if yesterday how very warmly this good man greeted me.

Philip Nokes (OD 70 and Dauntsey's Archivist)

‘Jim’ Paget 1944 - 2026

Although his given names were the rather grand-sounding Ralph Montgomery, he was known to all family and friends simply as Jim. He was one of relatively few people to have played a significant part in Dauntsey’s life without being a pupil or an employee of the school.

I first met Jim in 1995 when I joined the staff and taught his son, Nick (OD 96), in my A Level Geography class. Conversations at parents’ evenings often ended in discussions about cricket rather than geography. Jim and wife Ginny also had two daughters who attended the school, Kathryn (OD 98) and Victoria (OD 02). Having been a decent footballer and a very keen cricketer in his younger days he was keen to encourage his children to play sport, and they did so with great support from their parents on the sidelines. They were regulars at fixtures at home and away and watched music and drama productions as well as being a frequent presence in the pool at the staff and parents swimming sessions.

At that time Nick was a 1st XI cricketer and being keen to both watch his son and support the sport, Jim volunteered his services to my predecessor as Head of Cricket, David Baker, as an umpire. David quickly, and wisely, accepted the offer and so Jim umpired many of the 1st XI matches. Being keen to do the job properly, he undertook an umpiring course and gained his qualification. A couple of years later, when Nick had left the school, David moved onto pastures new and I was appointed to his role. I had expected Jim to give up umpiring when Nick was no longer playing, but he continued and I was delighted to have him as our official.

Extraordinarily, he did so for a total of 20 years before illhealth led him to stop. During that time, we became very good friends, and I greatly valued not only the fact that he removed the burden of umpiring, or of finding other officials, from me but also the camaraderie and support that he always provided. He joined us on many of our tours to the West Indies and in 2000 he had the honour and privilege of umpiring on the test match ground, Kensington Oval, in Barbados. He also umpired our Summer Puddings (staff) matches, some junior team fixtures and even house matches; he was highly respected by all for his fairness and calmness on the field. Sadly, I can’t determine exactly how many matches he umpired for the school, but my best guess is that it is approaching 500.

Jim suffered from Parkinson’s disease and although it was generally well managed and he was relatively stable, he gradually had to stop umpiring and playing golf as things deteriorated. He died peacefully in his sleep at home in Devizes on 19th February 2026 at the age of 81. He will be greatly missed by family, friends and many ODs.

Andy Palmer (Staff 1995-2019)

Peter Sandbrook (OD 63) 1945-2025

Peter Sandbrook sadly died on 26 September 2025. Born in Bath in June 1945 Peter went to Ravenscroft Prep School in Beckington near Frome before joining Dauntsey's in 1958. At the school he met, among others, a Nigerian student named Bello who later introduced him to the international overseas student community in London while Peter was studying Civil

Chris Walford (staff)

1973 - 2025

Chris worked at Dauntsey's as part of the groundskeeping staff, he took great pride in his work, and was always particular about the stripes in the lawn and the carefully maintained cricket pitch. Chris passed away on the 18th May 2025 after a 3 year battle with cancer, not that it stopped him from completing in a 70.3 Iron man in 2022, after completing his full Iron Man in Barcelona, in October 2021.

Chris was a dedicated man, spending his time training for Iron Man triathlons, playing darts or golf and keeping up with Moto GP. He is loved as a husband, father and son and missed dearly. The staff at Dauntsey's have been kind enough to plant a tree in his memory, which can now be found resting peacefully on Mercers' Field, overlooking the grounds he cared for.

Jo, Mia and Tom Walford

Engineering at Imperial College. With Bello's introductions he spent time in Nigeria working with VSO. On his return he went back to Bath to work with Earnest Ireland Engineering overseeing work on the Avon Street multi storey car park in Bath, construction of a new local swimming pool and a longer period working on the laying of the North Sea gas pipeline across Britain with a particularly challenging project to lay this across the River Exe estuary in Devon. At the same time, he volunteered the survey work of a landslip on the Kennet and Avon Canal at Avoncliff outside Bath. Peter went on to study for an MBA at Manchester Business School and then worked for, among others, British Nuclear Fuels. He later studied accountancy and combined all his training as a consultant. Peter had a long time partner in Alexandra di Stefano and they shared many activities together.

He would work hard at his enthusiasms. He learned to ski, under Alexandra’s expert eye; and there was a famous period when he just couldn’t do enough roller-blading. He loved music, singing in choirs all his life. Tennis was an important part of his life; he enjoyed playing it and he particularly enjoyed watching it. He was a keen dinghy sailor and also sailed in the Mediterranean many times.

Alan Sandbrook (OD 74)

Hatti Webster (OD 11) 1993-2025

On 7 February 2025, we received the devastating news that Hatti had died suddenly, having contracted dengue fever while on a surfing trip in Indonesia. Alongside her family, we remember her here with deep love and sadness, whilst also hoping to raise awareness of the risks of dengue fever in popular travel destinations such as Bali and Lombok.

It was a very excited Hatti who joined Dauntsey’s School in 2004, following in the footsteps of her sister, Jessy, who had started two years earlier. From day one, she threw herself into every aspect of school life, thriving both in and out of the classroom.

A natural athlete, she proudly represented the school in all the sports she loved, playing first team hockey, netball, and tennis during every academic year. Her fierce competitiveness with her doubles partner and friend Becky Rickman was always a joy to watch. And of course, she relished the chance to battle for Forbes and Lambert in those all-important inter-house competitions.

But ask her later, and Hatti would say the most precious thing she took from those years were the lifelong friendships she made. Her ‘Dauntsey girls’: Alice Kenneth, Katie Alexander, Dulcie Jones and Rosie Lewis to name but a few, were a constant source of love, support, and laughter, no matter where she roamed.

After school came a winter season in the Alps, followed by travels through Europe and the Americas, cementing a quiet but determined commitment to live her life in the places that made her happiest.

After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Marine Geography, along with a divemaster qualification and a deep love for the ocean, Hatti moved to Bristol to gain professional experience and learn the grit of the working world before setting off on a freelance path.

Over the next five years, she lived as a digital nomad, forging a life that allowed her to pursue her passions whilst staying fully engaged in her career. Whether ski touring and snowboarding in the high mountains, downhill mountain-biking through steep forested trails,

or chasing waves along the wild Atlantic coasts of France, Spain and Portugal, Hatti built a life around adventure, nature, and joy.

Eventually, the pull of those waves carried her on to Australia and then Indonesia.

Everywhere she went, Hatti built friendships that mattered. Her kindness, humility and light touched everyone she met. She had an innate ability to see the best in people and in the world around her. But it’s those first, foundational friendships, the ones formed at Dauntsey’s, that remained her compass. Lifelong, unshakable, and full of love. It is in this spirit that we remember her.

Roy Webster