OA Newsletter - Autumn 2025 - FINAL

Events & Visits Welcoming You Back

OA Reunion Day, 20 Sept 2025 2

What a fantastic OA Day! It was a joy to welcome Old Alfredians of all generations back to KAS, seeing everyone reconnect, share stories, and explore the school.

Among the many returning OAs, we were delighted to meet Johnny Posner (OA 1960s), who left KAS in the 1960s and hadn’t returned in 30 years! A career pharmacologist and visiting professor at King’s College, Johnny has developed life-changing medications, including treatments for epilepsy. A truly inspiring reminder of the extraordinary journeys our OAs take.

The day was also a trip down memory lane with whole class photos, Alfredian covers from years past, and an archival recording of students performing Sweeney Todd Generations mingled effortlessly, including Sebastian Cody (OA 1974), Anthony Meacock (OA 2005) and Peter York (OA 1962), who enjoyed a lively chat. Anthony and Peter both participated in our Creative Industries Forum two years ago, so they had a lot to discuss.

The Class of 2015 brought such energy to celebrate their 10th anniversary, diving into table tennis, taking a group photo in the Amphitheatre, and exploring The Farm. Class of 2015, thank you for coming back to school. We love to see how connected your year group remains.

Thank you to every Old Alfredian who joined us. Your stories, energy and memories made the day truly special.

Just wanted to say how amazing Saturday was! It was wonderful to spend time with everyone again - thank you so much for organising! Liam Michaels (OA 2015)

Farewell to Kara and Sarah at KAStonbury 2025

Thanks to all our Old Alfredians, former staff, past parents and friends of KAS who joined us in July for the Reunion Lunch at KAStonbury. It was a truly special occasion, filled with warmth, reflection, and celebration of the spirit that makes the KAS community unique

A heartfelt thank you to Annabel Cody, our new KASS President, for sharing her experience working with Kara Conti and Sarah Philips over the years. Her reflections captured the dedication and care that come from people who believe in the KAS ethos. There is no doubt that as the Society President, Annabel will continue this spirit of thoughtful, committed leadership

Thank you, Kara and Sarah, for your years of generous service, guidance and care. Your dedication to KAS and its community has left a lasting impact, and we’re deeply grateful for all you’ve given as leaders, collaborators and champions of the school.

As the gathering came to a close, we had the pleasure of watching the KAStonbury performances on the Main Stage from our marquee. The students’ energy, creativity, and confidence were on full display, offering a vibrant glimpse into the spirit of KAS. It was a wonderful way to end our gathering

Remembering John Peisley

Thank you for joining us in May to remember and celebrate the life of John Peisley, former Head of Science at KAS.

It was deeply moving to see so many of you, Old Alfredians, former and current staff, and members of the wider KAS community, gather in the Main Hall and out on the field to honour John’s memory. Your presence, your stories, and your warmth helped create a truly special evening, filled with memories of John, our kind-hearted trailblazer, a brilliant and benevolent force

From the display of John’s cherished boats to the unveiling of the bench in his name to the collection of photos everyone helped gather to all the words shared, every moment was made more meaningful by the community that surrounded him throughout his life. We hope you found comfort and inspiration in the company of others who knew and loved John.

Tamlyn Worrall from our OA office commented: “I've been to many reunion events where alumni share the impact their former teachers had on their lives. Rarely have the stories been as varied and as heart-warming as those told by our Old Alfredians in memory of John Peisley, who taught at KAS for 37 years.

From physics experiments involving exploding microwaves on the school field, to designing and building the school's three sailing boats with the students, to the most important quality of all - instilling kindness. John was a true KAS legend!”

Many guests requested to see all the photos of the evening, as well as photos of John collected from the community. Please go to KASconnected.org to view the photos and upload any that you may have taken or have found of John. >>

Welcoming You Back Events & Visits

Remembering Greg Mitchell (OA 1964)

Following Greg’s untimely death over the summer, his sister, Juliet (OA 1958), got in touch to request a small gathering to take place at school, for his friends and family to share memories of Greg.

We gathered in the Main Hall on Saturday 13 September for an informal yet poignant couple of hours to tell stories of Greg’s childhood, school days and his work as Head of Art at Lewes Old Grammar School.

“Thank you very much for looking after our small memorial group so kindly and so well,” said Lucy (OA). “There were not a

lot of people, but enough to make it a moving shared experience to be there ”

A full obituary follows on page 39.

Sam Ibrahim (OA 1980) visits KAS for the first time in 45 years

Sam and Tamlyn in our Development Office have spoken many times on the phone in recent years, so it was a pleasure to welcome him back to KAS for the first time since he left school.

A full tour of the school grounds followed, and Sam particularly enjoyed the touches of creativity found throughout the Lower School buildings and outdoor areas. Our archivist Sheila Hanlon opened the KAS Archive for Sam to view the whole school photos from his era (he was able to name his whole class and most of his teachers!), and the boxes from his years at KAS.

Popping into Lower School classrooms to chat to students and teachers, Sam was struck by how familiar the environment felt, in spite of the newer buildings.

Left: Sam’s class in the Whole School photo, 1977

Right: Sam’s birthday party

After a catch up with Lucy Hall, Head of Drama, the highlight was undoubtedly exploring the costume room. Sam’s love

Molly Sydee (OA 2014) of textiles and fabric began at KAS, and he followed his passion into costume design and supplying vintage clothing for film and television. They could have talked for many hours!

We were delighted to welcome back Molly Sydee (OA 2014) and her husband Tom to KAS in September. After more than a year of travelling through Asia and Australia, they are now settling back in the UK.

Their visit was full of energy, with time spent in the Art and Photography departments where Molly had spent so many hours as a student. She reconnected with old teachers, including Will Lewer and Cliff Bevan. Cliff even brought out her old photography book,

filled with the work she created during her time here. Thank you, Molly and Tom, for visiting us. It was lovely to hear you share your memories and see you back at KAS.

Welcoming You Back Events & Visits

Peter Seglow (OA 1952)

Tamlyn recently had the pleasure of visiting Peter and his partner, Shafika, to deliver a small gift from KAS in honour of his 90th birthday: a wooden board made by KAS students and Old Alfredian Felix Ronneberger (OA 2021). The wood for the board came from the old oak tree that used to hang over the Amphitheatre, so it has special KAS history. Peter and Tamlyn chatted about his school days and he shared his memoir, including these wonderful photos.

Dear Tamlyn,

A very belated but real bigthank you for the lovely board. I had not before noticed that my name is printed on the bottom along with the KAS stamp.

Classes of 1940s and 1950s

The board is much too nice to use for chopping or cheese, etc I'm goingto keep it in my living room to remind me of my happy days at KAS. Really very pleased to have it Thanks again. I well remember the old oak tree under which we had morning assembly all those years ago.

Your gift actually provoked me to look up King Alfred on Google - something I could/should have done longlong ago as should all children coming to KAS as well, of course as their parent(s) I had not realised that of all English monarchs, he alone is known as 'The Great' Given his achievements its certainly appropriate

It would be nice to come to a school event again.

All good wishes, Peter

page from Peter’s memoir, showing his class in 1951

OAs & Staff vs Sixth Form Football Match

At the start of the summer term, we hosted our annual OAs & Staff v KAS Sixth Formers friendly football match.

The Sixth Formers came in strong this year and gave the ‘grown ups’ team a run for their money, with a final score of 14-8 to the students.

It was all good fun, and everyone stayed on to keep playing even longer than planned. Thank you everyone for joining!

Are you interested in returning to KAS for a match? Email us on oa@kingalfred.org.uk and we’ll be in touch.

Lara visited KAS all the way from Brazil with her mum, Fernanda, in September.

They chose a warm, sunny Friday afternoon, and the school was buzzing! She spent time in the Lower School, revisiting the places that shaped her earliest memories of KAS.

Lara was delighted to see Sophie, one of her former teachers, during her visit.

Thank you for stopping by, Lara!

Catching up with OAs Beyond KAS

Louis Zecevic-John (OA 2026)

KAS is delighted to celebrate Louis ZecevicJohn (OA 2026), who left KAS last year after signing a professional contract with Arsenal Football Club. Louis’s family and our Head of Sport, Tom Franklin, joined him for the occasion.

Louis put pen to paper at the Sobha Realty Training Centre, having joined the club’s academy in December 2020. As he told Arsenal.com at the time, he’s using the success of recent graduates Myles LewisSkelly and Ethan Nwaneri to inspire his own pathway to success.

“They're only a few years above me... now they’re starting for Arsenal,” he told the website. “I think Ethan and Myles are huge inspirations to hopefully follow their tracks to the first team.”

Louis’ journey began five years ago when a chance meeting with Head of Academy, Per Mertesacker, led to a trial “One day, Per saw me playing quite well. He took it upon himself to message my mum about the whole system, and the whole trialling and all that stuff. I was quite lucky, but I'm grateful.

“Now I've got the opportunity to not only showcase my talent but also show my family how much hard work I've put in, which they don't usually see in the training sessions, more so in the matches.”

As per the Arsenal.com report, Louis is “an exciting dribbler with an eye for a goal” who contributed seven goals and seven assists in 2024/25 for the under-18s side.

The ambitious youngster has clear goals for the current season, saying: “I want to set a very strict 20 goal involvement this season.

His time at KAS shone through when he added: “I’m hard-working, committed for my team, for my career. Everything that I love.”

Anneliese MacMillan (OA 1942)

Anne MacMillan (OA 1942) celebrated her 100 birthday in June, and the school honoured her big birthday with a very special project. Lower School students collaborated to design 100 individual cards, as well as a large card from Year 4 teacher Sophie. Each card represented a year from 1925 to 2025. Students researched and included a world fact from that year in the card, as well as a birthday wish th

Anne joined KAS in 1936 and experienced firsthand one of the most pivotal moments in the school’s history when it evacuated from London to Royston during World War II. Her centenary is not only a celebration of her remarkable life, but also a reflection on the resilience and spirit of the KAS community.

Anne sent a thank-you letter to the students (right), noting she enjoyed receiving the KAS cards more than her card from King Charles!

Her daughter, Frankie, also got in touch, writing: “We want to thank you very much for the cards that the children had made such an effort to send for Anne's 100th Birthday We had a lovely celebration with the family and a few friends.”

To mark the occasion, Anne shared her memories of her time at The King Alfred School with us, which you can read on the next page.

Catching up with OAs Beyond KAS

My King Alfred School Memories

By Anneliese MacMillan (OA 1942)

“After we came to England from Germany my brother and I started as day pupils at The King Alfred School, North End Road in Golders Green, on September 1936 This was a progressive school chosen by my mother. One of their strong beliefs was that there was no religion at the school, as it was seen as a means of dividing children, and our morning assembly was in the open air under cover with no prayers or hymns.

I was very happy at The King Alfred School and made some good friends. I attended day school here until the war started in 1939 Then the whole school was evacuated to a farm in Royston, Hertfordshire. The farm had been bought earlier by the far-sighted headmistress, Ms V.A. Hyatt, because war was imminent. A large sum of money had to be paid to the school by my parents to make the farm school suitable, but my parents did not pay it until the war started, when my father managed to pay the £80 per child needed so that we could go.

I remember my father driving us to Royston and stopping at a pub on the way to hear the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, broadcasting live on the radio, saying we were now at war I was terrified and thought we were all going to be shot at in trenches as had happened in World War One.

I was really happy at Royston We lived in wooden World War One army huts, about 12 girls of mixed ages to a hut. The window above my bed was always open, and I remember snow on my pillow in winter. It was thought that fresh air was good for you There was no heating, so it was extremely cold, and I got the most

awful chilblains, so my mother had to buy me woollen bedroom slippers to go to school as I could not manoeuvre my feet into shoes. I think they must have been caused by cold, poor circulation and poor diet due to food rationing. I have not had chilblains since!

Lessons were in a stone barn with a school room at each end, and a long, narrow room in the middle. There were no windows, and the only light came in through an open door in the middle When it was very cold, the door had to be shut, and the only light came from a paraffin lamp. Sometimes, if we were very cold, we were allowed to go for a run around the field to get warm.

Two classes were always on simultaneously, one at each end of the long room, so we had to concentrate hard on listening only to ours. Education there was somewhat limited, but Deanna Levin was a very good Maths and French teacher, and our headteacher, who taught History and English, was also very good.

There was no laboratory, so there were no science lessons. After a year, we persuaded our junior schoolteacher, Miss Gillet, to teach us biology from a book which she did at the rate of one chapter a week. Biology then was only descriptive of animals and plants, and there was very little physiology. I still went on to study Biology at university

The headmaster, Mr Birkett, was semiretired and became estate manager, so our afternoons were spent working on the farm estate or playing games. There was no tennis or netball court, and there were not enough boys to make two cricket teams, so the girls were drafted in to make up numbers. I was completely useless and spent most of the game as a fielder in the far corner so that I never had to come near the ball, but at least I learnt the rules!

There was an air raid shelter in a deep trench underground. It was cold and damp. Thankfully, we only had to go in there on the rare occasions that the sirens sounded

I was at The King Alfred School in Royston for three years, from 1939 - 1942. The last two years, I was elected school captain, a position shared with a boy. Our main duties were to ring bells between lessons and chair the School Council. It looked very good on my CV when applying for jobs, but I didn’t let on that there were only three girls of the right age who were eligible!

My best friend at school was called Yvonne; she was blonde and tall. We made a funny pair, with me being short with dark hair!

Nico Parker (OA 2023)

Congratulations to Nico Parker (OA 2023) for her role in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy released in February 2025.

Nico plays Chloe, Bridget’s nanny, who swoops in and seems to care for Bridget’s little ones with effortless insight and is completely on top of every detail. We’re excited to see Nico’s talent shine on screen and can’t wait to see what she does next.

“Off-campus” OA reunions

The Old Alfredian network is strong!

Beyond our regular reunions, OAs often organise additional reunions. Here, classes from the 1950s and 1960s reunited for a meal at the Oak & Poppy in Hampstead last December.

Have you organised a reunion lately? Send your photos to oa@kingalfred.org.uk.

Catching up with OAs Beyond KAS

Jonah Kaplan (OA 2015)

After delivering a captivating Connections Talk to Year 12s in 2023, we are delighted to see Jonah Kaplan (OA 2015) continue his brilliant career path. He shared this update on his trip to South Korea:

“In May, I visited Seoul ahead of the South Korean presidential election on June 3. I was fortunate to hold several meetings with scholars and think tanks researching South Korean politics and East Asian geopolitics. As part of the trip, I attended the 2025 Overseas Security Advisory Council PanAsia 2025 summit on behalf of the geopolitical risk consultancy Sibylline.

A few impressions:

1

The political scene was vibrant and active ahead of the polls. There were posters and loudspeaker broadcasts across Seoul. The tension and anticipation were palpable The victory of the Democratic Party’s Lee Jae-myung will potentially herald a change in South Korea’s foreign policy vis-à-vis China and Japan.

Arnab Banerjee (OA 1987)

Arnab shared news of an exciting summer adventure, involving an epic trail run in Sweden – and a new string to his bow.

“The Icebug Xperience is a 77km trail running race over three days (25 + 31 + 21) across rocks, through forests, up and down hills ... a great experience.” (Editor's note: The scenery looks spectacular, and the challenge clearly understated by Arnab!)

In addition to running, Arnab has been dabbling in film “I took some acting lessons earlier this year, having done some extras work last year. I have appeared in a short film, By Blood, am on track for

2

Seoul is alive and exciting. No surprises that the food is delicious and the night markets are bustling. The streets are clean even though a bin cannot be found anywhere. Despite the political polarisation and instability, things remained peaceful as people continued to work hard and pursue their personal ambitions.

I am impressed by Seoul and would love to come back at the earliest opportunity!”

3

another ” So, all you film-makers out there, if you need some multi-lingual, racket sports playing, balding, grey-beard gravitas, give @ab3age a call! (Instragram handle inspired by Naomi Hull’s University of the 3rd Age!)

Saul Lehrfreund MBE (OA 1985)

The Old Alfredian Office is proud to share that Saul Lehrfreund MBE (OA 1985) was recently nominated for the ‘Making a Difference Globally Award’ at the University of Oxford’s Vice-Chancellor’s Awards.

The nomination, made jointly with the Death Penalty Research Unit, recognises their collaborative work in supporting the abolition of the death penalty across Africa. This important initiative reflects a growing continental movement towards abolition To date, thirty African countries have abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes or for all crimes. Zimbabwe became the most recent country to take this step in December 2024

Saul is the Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of The Death Penalty Project, based at the London law firm Simons Muirhead Burton. For more than three decades, he has specialised in representing individuals facing the death penalty around the world at the appellate level and before international bodies. He has unrivalled experience before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in criminal and constitutional matters and in applications to international tribunals, including the United Nations Human Rights Committee.

A recognised expert on the death penalty and human rights, Saul has led and participated in international delegations throughout the Commonwealth, Caribbean, Africa and countries within Asia. He has appeared before parliamentary committees throughout the Commonwealth and, working with local-led organisations, has advised governments on criminal justice reform to abolish the death penalty.

He has also lectured and published extensively on capital punishment and related human rights issues, and has conducted training and capacity building

programmes for judges, prosecutors, criminal defence lawyers and mental health professionals.

Saul is a visiting Professor of Law at the University of Reading, where he was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Law in 2009. In 2000, Saul was awarded an MBE for services to international human rights.

To learn more about what abolition looks like in practice, you can read the team’s recent article in The Conversation UK, detailing their collaboration with Veritas Zimbabwe on the country’s journey toward abolition: theconversation com/zimbabwe-scrapsthe-death-penalty-tracking-the-path-toabolition-237782

More about Saul

Saul’s life story, fighting the death penalty and injustice, provides a unique insight into the time the process takes to restrict and abolish capital punishment and the sustained effort that is required to achieve lasting change. It also highlights the value of long-term commitment – in Saul’s case 33 years of devotion and hard work for the poor, the marginalised, and the vulnerable. >>

Catching up with OAs Beyond KAS

>> His lifetime of public interest work has recently come to fruition. Over the past five years, Saul has been at the forefront of national and international efforts to end the death penalty in Sierra Leone (2021) and Ghana (2023). Without his indefatigable energy and persistence, and without his sound advice and guidance, Sierra Leone and Ghana would probably not have achieved abolition.

With Saul's recent interventions, Nigeria is seriously considering abolishing the death penalty at a federal and state level. In a matter of months, Saul has made Nigeria’s political elites reassess their use of the death penalty. He has harnessed a range of local actors into one powerful voice and is shaping new conversations at a time when many people thought this was simply impossible given the context of insecurity, fundamental religious opinion, and political uncertainty.

Over his legal career, Saul is responsible for a raft of seminal constitutional decisions throughout the Commonwealth restricting the imposition and application of the death penalty and harmonising domestic and international legal standards. He has successfully challenged the death row phenomenon, the mandatory death penalty

and opened clemency procedures to judicial review. In short there are people living today who owe their very lives to Saul and his work.

He is the foremost litigant before international tribunals on behalf of people facing the death penalty. He has succeeded in more individual complaints than any other lawyer.

Critically, he has provided a legal lifeline to people who have been abandoned on death row by both the mainstream legal profession and society. All his work has been conducted on a pro bono basis and he has literally saved thousands of people from the psychological torture of death row and the inhumanity of execution.

Looking Back Memories in Motion

Julian Berrisford (OA 1951)

In May, Tamlyn visited Julian Berrisford (OA 1951) at his home in Reading. Now 91 years old, Julian shared his memories of KAS and life in his era, along with a collection of priceless photos from his school days. Julian also had copies of the school magazines, which were printed at the school and kindly gave these to us for the KAS Archives.

Julian loved his time at Royston; it taught him how to live away from his parents, and he never looked back.

As former captain of the KAS cricket and hockey teams (and wicketkeeper of the latter), sport is important to Julian. His grandparents used to give him cricket coaching lessons as a gift every year, and he remembers camping overnight to buy tickets to see Don Bradman play. Lyford Cross’s Dad used to ferry everyone around for their matches.

Talented on all fronts, Julian also performed in Renée Soskin’s plays, sometimes as her leading man He travelled from Barnes to Hampstead every day by bicycle. Tamlyn showed Julian the film of The Treetop School, which he hadn't seen in his school days. In the now-famous Alfredian photo of the Treehouse, it is Julian climbing up the ladder!

In November 2024, Julian was interviewed by the BBC to capture his memories of the war, recalling two planes battling above his garden on "a very nice sunny day".

"I watched as these two fighters flew towards one another, and they ended up having a collision," he said. "The wreckage of the planes ended up a couple of fields away from where I was standing "

After the wreckage was recovered, he went "scouring in the field" and found some live ammunition, which he then took to school. “[We] got into trouble because we were throwing them at one another and they were still live."

Performances

Hetty Ethelberta Claremont (OA

1910)

& Margaret

Mary

Basden

(OA 1904)

in the Royal College of Surgeons Archive

We are delighted to share that two remarkable Old Alfredians, Hetty Ethelberta Claremont (1892–1924) and Margaret Mary Basden (1886–1974), are being celebrated by the Royal College of Surgeons through their archive, Plarr’s Lives of the Fellows

Plarr’s Lives is a unique collection of biographies of deceased fellows of the College, charting the history of surgery from its foundation in 1843 to the present day. In recent years, the College has been adding images to these biographies, bringing to life the stories of the pioneering surgeons they honour.

In 1919, Hetty became only the second woman ever to be awarded an FRCS, a remarkable achievement for her time. Margaret followed soon after, becoming a fellow in 1920. Both began their educational journeys at KAS, and their inclusion in Plarr’s Lives is a testament not only to their individual brilliance but also to

Village Project 1995

Hayley Fornara (OA 1995) shared this photo of herself and her classmates piled in one of their DIY tents during The Village Project in 1995.

the education and spirit of determination that have long been hallmarks of our school

The Royal College of Surgeons recently reached out to request permission to use Hetty’s photograph, first shared in an Old Alfredians newsletter, and is also searching for a photo of Margaret Basden. If any Old Alfredians have information or images that could help enrich Margaret’s story, we would be eager to hear from you.

You can explore the stories of Hetty, Margaret and others online: livesonline. rcseng.ac.uk/client/en GB/lives.

Every year, Year 8 students and staff create and maintain a liveable space on our Manor Wood estate – ‘The Village’. Students live, work and play on the grounds for one week, sleeping in huts they make themselves. It’s lovely to see memories of this tradition, as well as the spaces in KAS being used for community.

Book celebrating Stella Magarshack’s art

Past parent Saskia Willis wrote in over the summer:

“My friend is the nephew of Stella Magarshack, who taught art at KAS The family have just published the most beautiful book of all her wonderful work, including some text that mentions her time at the school.

“Whilst I never knew Stella, I recall reading her KAS obituary and being blown away by her work. It is phenomenal; she painted like one of the great Masters, yet went totally under the radar, dedicating her life to KAS and her family

We were delighted when Saskia dropped off two books to add to our collection; one is now proudly displayed in Robert’s office, and the other can be enjoyed by students in Art Thank you, Saskia and Bertie

Peter Rutland (OA 1973)

KAS school trips certainly run the gamut In 1967, KAS students enjoyed a trip to the Mount Pleasant Sorting Office. Thanks to Peter Rutland (OA 1973), we can share a photo from this trip. Do you remember a special KAS trip? Please do share any photos you have: oa@kingalfred.org.uk.

Letter from Silvia Beevers, Former School Nurse

Artworks by Stella, including a self-portrait

“Thank you both so much for sending me a paper copy of the latest Alfredian magazine.

“You have no idea how much I love to read it and to see all the photos.

“You are amazing with its production and make it all so interesting.”

Silvia Beevers

Former School Nurse, 1985-1999, 93 years old (turning 94 in January)

Esmond Harris (OA 1945) My King Alfred School memories...

Dear Alfredians,

I was most interested in Richard Thomas's recollections of The King Alfred School in 1953, because I have very pleasant memories too, though mine go back much further.

After a few years at a small, privately run primary school, I started at King Alfred in 1937 and life really began! My early interests had been stimulated in trees and shrubs on Sunday afternoon walks in the Chilterns – my father, as a doctor, was one of the few people who had a car. After Sunday morning visits to his patients in hospital, he was free for the only time in the week to leave any urgent calls on alternate Sundays to a colleague doctor, standing in for his colleague on the next Sunday.

Father had worked on the land in the First War as a Conscientious Objector who refused to fight, and so had a good knowledge of the countryside. Whilst my sister learnt about wildflowers, I learnt about trees and shrubs, as my interest was in woodwork. At KAS, unlike most schools, the individual buildings were scattered, and there were trees planted around the grounds with name labels on them. What a sensible idea, as any child interested could learn the names of the trees as I did - much more interesting than Mr Shepard's maths lessons!

because it resisted spilt acid. I had to test this, and so one Friday afternoon I surreptitiously poured a little acid on the bench behind one of the Bunsen burners as an experiment! On Monday morning, the acid was still there; the only effect on the bench was that the wood was now clean, so Mrs Barber was right and went up in my estimation!

In the two summers before the war, Mrs Barber took us camping at Flint Hall Farm near Royston, where we slept in tents There was a wood beyond the field, and one day we went exploring. In the group was Sheila Bathurst, who liked to make things exciting, so she declared that we were explorers! Damien Parsons, who drew wonderful cartoons, must have drawn one of us exploring the wood because when my wife and I visited Sheila many years later, Damien's drawing was hanging in her kitchen!

There was a recently erected Biology lab (pictured) occupied by Mrs Barber, which apparently had special glass in the windows appropriate for growing children. Would that be to cut out the ultraviolet light? This oval-shaped teaching lab had benches all around under the windows, which we were told were teak wood

Then: "Which was the way back to camp?" I was surprised that the others did not know, and thereby discovered a strong sense of direction which often proved useful in my life later on as a forester (This facility must be inherited, because one of my daughters has a strong sense of direction too, whilst her sister lacks this completely.) >>

>> One of my happiest memories of KAS was in the woodwork shop beyond Squirrel Hall, the outside assembly area where we started school in the morning. Mr Morish, who was also the caretaker and lived in the lodge at the school gates, taught woodwork. I had played around with wood at home using the few tools my Father had, but now it was the real thing. Mr Morrish, recognising my interest in woodwork, encouraged me in various projects and even let me use the workshop on Saturdays This and Mrs Barber's biology eventually led to my lifelong profession of forestry.

The Headmistress was Miss Hyatt, who I think was part-owner of the school together with the Headmaster, Mr Birkett The latter had a printing press in a building behind the Library, where I enjoyed helping to set the type for the school magazine and learnt the origin of the terms "upper case" and "lower case", because the individual letters were lined up to form words in "sticks" which held them in the press for printing. Sometimes Mr Birkett took on outside work, and I enjoyed going in on Saturdays to help set up the type. This was then put in an enormous press, and the

type was pressed down onto paper sheets. Illustrations were cut out in lino in the art room by the more artistic children and inserted in the press.

The School Secretary, whose name I think was Miss Hibbert, was a friend of Miss Hyatt and had the most extraordinary hair that stood out in all directions!

After only two very happy years at KAS, the Munich crisis was upon us when Hitler invaded Austria and war threatened. The school was to be evacuated to Flint Hall Farm near Royston in view of the expected air raids on London, but my parents doubted the viability of schooling at the farm - wrongly as it turned out - so I was evacuated to an unpleasant prep school in Bath which did not compare with KAS.

Such a happy time when we learnt much more than ordinary schoolwork. It is wonderful to know that the school is still educating young people in the broadest sense of the word 'education'. In my late 90s now, I appreciate that KAS provided much more that 'school' education, perhaps it can be called "a way of life".

Head’s Message

Last year, we commissioned the Schools Enterprise Association (SEA) to advise us on how to navigate the post-VAT landscape. One morning, a shrewd, clear-thinking consultant turned up at 8:30 am and observed the comings and goings at the front of the school Later that day, she fed back her thoughts. “Robert”, she said, looking me intensely in the eye, “I have been to dozens of schools and I can tell you when I stood at the gate this morning, I have never seen anything like it”. I did a silent gulp. “What you have here”, she said, “is very special indeed”.

What she put her finger on is something that I had come to accept as ‘normal’, assuming it was the case everywhere: the community spirit that pervades our school. She reminded me that this is something unique.

When I track it back, this spirit started with our founders – who, after all, were seven parents in 1898 They encoded into our DNA a special kind of relationship between staff, children and parents. This is evident in events such as KAStonbury and Fireworks/Bonfire Night, and in projects such as the construction of the sailing boats and the digging of the pond. Perhaps most powerfully, however, we also experience it in the myriad of interactions that happen every day.

It is this same spirit, alive in every generation of Alfredians, that connects you as alumni to the students here today. Whether you left last summer or many decades ago, you are part of this thread of community that continues to define KAS.

Much has changed during our 127 years, not least the way we communicate When I first became a Head 18 years ago, I would regularly receive and write actual physical letters – typed, signed with a fountain pen, and posted. Nowadays, almost everything is by email, which can be incredibly efficient but also presents challenges. Many of you receive our OA newsletters by email, but we do continue to post hard copies to those who prefer a physical magazine to read. However, nothing is a substitute for human connection, and one of the great pleasures I have had at our OA reunions and events is seeing Alfredians from age 25 to 85 talking, sharing memories and engaging with each other. That community spirit on display.

And yet, despite all the change, what has endured is that sense of belonging and purpose which began with our founders and is carried forward by each of you. This is why I want to take a moment to highlight Your Legacy Legacy giving has become a thoughtful and powerful way for Old Alfredians to safeguard the independence of KAS and enable the school to continue innovating for future generations. I hope you take some time to read about it in this newsletter (page 25) and, if you feel able, consider joining those Old Alfredians who have already pledged their support. Your gift, no matter the size, ensures that the spirit recognised at the school gates continues long into the future.

Wishing you all the very best,

Looking Back Memories in Motion

OA runs Year 7 art workshop

Jake Elwes (OA 2012) hosted a workshop with the Year 7 students in the Amphitheatre for their ongoing project called Young Souls and Futures, “a collective drawing and sound project about souls, futures, and hope.”

Clara Cowan (OA 2004), KAS photography teacher, who is also involved in the project, shared: “Jake is an Old Alfredian, Slade alumni and contemporary artist who has exhibited internationally. They have been making art exploring the aesthetics and ethics of machine learning systems since the very first generative AI models in 2016. In 2023, their project The Zizi Show - A Deepfake Drag Cabaret was exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum and did its rounds globally. “

“In Jake’s Year 7 workshop, students were asked to create short, fun, automatic drawings that depicted their inner self, future self and future technological society. The idea was to get students to picture themselves in a utopian technological future rather than the dystopian one we appear to be currently facing.

“Students who opted in were then interviewed about what their drawings meant, and the drawings and interviews will be put together as part of a data set of how young people feel about the future.

“Jake aims to do this project with Year 4, 7 and 12 KAS students, along with other schools across the country, and we are so excited to see where this project goes.

“The idea for the project first came to Jake during their time at KAS, and they created a rougher version as a middle school student some 15 years ago, with their friend Makena Lohr (OA 2012), working with Lower School students.”

You can see their Middle School work on YouTube by clicking or scanning the QR code.

TEDxTheKingAlfredSchool 2025

In May, the fifth TEDxTheKingAlfredSchool event took place at the school.

This annual event brings brave students, parents, Old Alfredians and staff members to the stage to speak on topics they are passionate about. This year’s topics ranged from engineering and culture shocks to wars and Shakespeare.

Among the 15 speakers was Peter York (OA 1962). His talk centred on current culture wars and how they are distracting from the problems around us.

Peter is an author, journalist, broadcaster, management consultant and former President of The Media Society. Over the last 30-plus years, he has written a wealth of articles for the likes of Harpers & Queen and broadsheets, particularly The Independent, in addition to thirteen books, including the 1980s best-selling trade book,

Your Legacy booklet

The King Alfred School is pleased to introduce Your Legacy to Old Alfredians Legacy giving is a thoughtful and widely embraced way to support a school whose values you care about, and many in the KAS community have meaningfully chosen to support us in this way.

As former KASS President Kara Conti writes in our new Legacy booklet (pictured right): "Your legacy will help protect the independence of KAS and ensure that the school continues to innovate and push the educational boundaries for future Alfredians."

The booklet outlines KAS’s history of giving since its founding in 1898, and has been mailed to Old Alfredians. It features beautiful hand-sketched illustrations by

The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook. His latest book, A Dead Cat On Your Table, was published in 2024 by Byline.

TEDx is masterminded by Kara Conti, former President of The King Alfred School Society, and supported by the Society Committee.

Your Legacy cover and a page from the booklet

KAS Art teacher Nic Bevers, whilst fellow teacher Anna Harrison lent her talent in designing the booklet – our thanks to both.

The entire KAS community is invited to get involved. If you’d like more information, please visit kingalfred.org.uk/your-legacy or contact the Development Office via 0208 457 5265 or development@kingalfred.org.uk.

Sister Act Jr

In May, Alex Talwar (OA 2017) lent his expertise and skill to the Year 7, 8 and 9 performance of Sister Act Jr as Lighting Designer. Year 12 students also supported the show, taking on roles covering everything from choreography to costumes and backstage crew.

Reviews of the show were resoundingly stellar, with audience members comparing it to West End productions The stunning show highlights the power of our KAS community from staff to students to Old Alfredians coming together to create something special.

Bravo to the entire team for their incredible work!

London Schools Film Awards 2025

In May, KAS Year 12s and Old Alfredians attended the London Schools Film Awards in Mill Hill, accompanied by Nuray Jemil, KAS Head of Film

Additionally, Maeve Lock (OA 2024) and Jake Cossey (OA 2024) joined the ceremony in support of Year 12s on their special evening

Eva Mitchell (OA 2024) took home awards for Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography, and was runner-up for Best Film.

Many fellow KAS student films were shortlisted in other categories, including Best Music, Best Sound Editing, Best SFX/VFX, Best Actor, Best Ensemble Acting and Most Memorable Scene

The quality of work produced by KAS student filmmakers remains extremely high, and we’re so proud to see them shine!

Return of the Flying Fox

After a little downtime, the beloved Flying Fox is back! A treasured part of KAS for decades, this zip-line on our Manor Wood field holds memories for generations of Alfredians. Having been out of action for a while, it was recently replaced and has been in use again since the Easter break.

Do you remember the Flying Fox at KAS? Share your memories: oa@kingalfred.org.uk.

Connections Talk with Preeyus Patel (OA 2009)

Preeyus Patel (OA 2009) impressed KAS students last term during his Connections Talk. As a professional in Environment and Sustainability, Preeyus manages Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for major projects across the UK, Europe, and beyond EIAs evaluate the environmental and social implications of large-scale developments.

Students were excited to learn that there isn’t a linear path to working in this industry. In fact, perspectives from various disciplines, such as science, communications, and economics, are all highly valued.

Preeyus stayed on at KAS after the talk with his family, and even ran into his former Maths teacher, Jeff Harlow. Thank you, Preeyus, for sharing your insights!

Donation to KAS

We are delighted to share news of a generous £50,000 donation to the school Like all independent schools, KAS operates as a charity and relies on contributions beyond school fees to uphold our unique ethos and continue enhancing our grounds and facilities This remarkable gift will directly

support our ongoing efforts to enrich the learning environment, helping us maintain a progressive, nurturing and inclusive educational experience. We are deeply grateful for this contribution, which reflects a shared commitment to the values and vision that make KAS such a special place

Year 13 graduation

This June we celebrated the Class of 2025 as they officially became Old Alfredians at the Year 13 Graduation and Prom.

Arthur Awenat (OA 2025) gave a heartfelt speech on behalf of his year group, joined by words from Head Robert, Head of Sixth Form Eleanor as well as Form Tutors who all shared reflections and encouragement for the future.

Congratulations to the Class of 2025! We can’t wait to see all the amazing things you go on to do, and we’ll always be ready to welcome you back to KAS.

Fionn’s moving farewell speech

At the end of Summer Term, KAS said goodbye to a few members of staff. Warm celebrations always take place to wish our leavers well on their new paths, and during these celebrations, leavers often share a few words.

Our now former Maths teacher, Fionn Kennedy, made a speech that truly stuck a chord with staff. He was able to beautifully capture the KAS spirit of building meaningful connections with students while helping them grow. Enjoy this excerpt from his speech:

“Now, you’ll have to permit me a little philosophy. This job is fun primarily, I think, because we get to teach human beings rather than mere students

“I know we have jobs to do, and GCSE grades to achieve, and value added to add, and you all do all of these things exceptionally well But it is a special privilege to be able to interact with children without an agenda - without something we’re trying to get them to do.

“Such opportunities are sometimes fleeting (like morning registration) and other times week-long (like The Village). Pure human interaction uncoloured by an agenda. That these things are part of an educational offering, is a minor miracle, one that I intend to treasure and do my best to replicate as I leave this school.

“But this goes both ways. I think our most important duty is to ensure that these students see us for what we are; human beings too.

“I have tried to teach some Maths here, but I’ve also done my best to see to it that these children see others - not just their peers but their elders, and the strangers they walk past - as human beings, kind and inspiring and moody and tired, warts and all.

“I really believe that the future depends on these young people remembering that those they interact with, as well as those on the other side of the world whom these students will never meet, are human too.

“Humane education, in the richest sense, requires us to take every opportunity to be profoundly human in the classroom, and at breaktime too.

A level certificates collection

Exams Officer, Shyama Chandrasekhar, writes...

We would like to remind you that there are uncollected

GCSE and A Level certificates from 2020 onwards available for collection from the exams office

Please be aware that the school is only required to retain these certificates for one year. After this period, any uncollected certificates can be securely disposed of by the school.

If you need a certificate later, the exam board will not provide a duplicate copy. You will need to order and pay for a certifying statement of results, which can be a time-consuming and costly process.

“To this end, I’d respectfully ask that even if you’re not on duty, get off Wordle at the end of lunch break and go play football with the Year 9 boys instead. Plan your lessons, but also, go drink your coffee in the Sixth Form Study Area. Consider competing in Sports Day, or staying late for (or perhaps even performing in) Axe Monsters.

Play backgammon with Henry Heath Walker. Gossip with Year 8 girls. It’s fun, and more importantly, it’s humane It shines light in exactly the direction that light needs shining.

“There we go. That’s my piece of philosophy Thank you for indulging me, and thanks for all your kindness. Keep doing it.”

Your certificates are official and valuable documents that are often required for university applications, job interviews, and future career opportunities. Organisations are increasingly asking for copies of these during the recruitment process

As a reminder, the school's policy is to retain student data for a period of seven years before it is permanently deleted. We urge you to collect your certificates at your earliest convenience since we are in the process of shredding uncollected certificates.

Please email exams@kingalfred.org.uk with your full name and the year that you completed your studies when making any enquiries.

Saying Goodbye

Gillian Lacey (OA 1960), 1943-2021

Gillian’s daughter, Emma Lacey, got in touch following contact from Development Director Tamlyn...

“Thank you for your kind words. I remember Mum always saying how radical it was that her folks sent her to The King Alfred School, given she was the daughter of the Rabbi Leslie Edgar and her pretty, conservative mum, Dorothy Edgar. I have (somewhere) some of her paintings from school, which were great! Sadly, in those days, secretarial college was more encouraged, so she never pursued the arts. I did, though, and was always encouraged to do so (you can see my work here: emmalacey.com).

“Saying that, Mum worked tirelessly for others in social work and later spent over 35 years as manager of Haringey Council's Adult Services. Everyone thought she was brilliant; he really impacted people’s lives with her trong head and diligent attention to detail, her humility and reputation for treating everyone equally. The service users and her taff held her in such high regard.

Mum was diagnosed with early-onset dementia. The last 10 years of her life were hard – ironically, she was institutionalised for he final five, and not always given the care hat she would have made sure was in place or the vulnerable adults she was responsible or.

Anyway, here’s the order of service from her funeral [two pages and pictures from the booklet feature here], which includes some gorgeous pics of Mum (Gillian Edgar, later married as Gillian Lacey). I’m still in ouch with Liz, her best friend from chool and can find hem in the wonderful chool pictures from KAS.”

Hon. Bruce Michael David Pitt (OA 1963), 1945-2023

Hon. Bruce Michael David Pitt, beloved son of Lord and Lady Pitt of Hampstead, passed away on Sunday, 3 September 2023, in Hampstead, London, at the age of 77.

Left to cherish his memories are his sisters, Professor Emerita Phyllis Pitt-Miller (OA 1964) and the Hon. Amanda Pitt (OA).

Phyllis shared the following eulogy for her brother:

“Bruce Michael David Pitt was born in Trinidad and Tobago on 18 June 1945 to Dorothy and David. Bruce was a typical little boy, curious and cheeky, and he was always getting into some pickle or other, much to the chagrin of his mother.

“Bruce wore many hats, literally and figuratively: he was an excellent artist, and even though he never pursued his passion professionally, our home in Trinidad is all the more beautiful because of his paintings.

“As a teenager, Bruce, like many English lads, fell in love with rock and roll. He had taken piano lessons as a child and loved playing hits from Chuck Berry to Ray Charles and from Elvis to the Beatles. He had an incredible ear for music and eventually formed a rock band with some of his friends He dreamed of making a go of it in the music business, but Daddy encouraged him to pursue something more solid.

“As talented as he was, it was unmatched by his intellect. He became keenly interested in the law and, as much as he enjoyed being a barrister, he truly enjoyed being a judge. He often proudly proclaimed that during his career, which spanned several decades, he was overturned only once

Hon. Bruce Pitt

“When he wasn't mulling over briefs, Bruce was mulling over a cricket match in which our beloved West Indies had either underperformed or hit them for six. I have so many fond memories of watching matches with him at Lords and The Oval. Bruce became a lifelong member of the MCC and his love for cricket was well known amongst his friends.

“He visited many places, including his birth country of Trinidad and other Caribbean countries, but no city captivated his heart quite like Paris. He would visit Paris many times throughout his life.

“He was always the most generous and loving brother to Amanda and to me and my family. I hope Bruce is now happily reunited with our Mom and Dad and seated at a piano somewhere up above playing and singing to his heart's content.”

Lyford Cross (OA 1955), 1935-2023

John Lyford Cross passed away at Basingstoke Hospital on 15 December 2023, aged 87 years. A loving and much loved stepfather to Andrew and Louise and cousin to the Cross family

Hannah Loizos (OA 1997), 1979-2024

Edited from the words of celebrant James Duke at Hannah’s funeral service on 6 November 2024...

“I was kindly invited round to Highbury Hill to help Gill and Daniel (Hannah’s mother and brother) create this ceremony. There was a tangible sadness to what we were doing but there was also a recognition of just how important Hannah’s life has been to so many people; how principled she was and remains; and, in so many ways, what an inspiration she was to others.

“I then left the house and walked around the familiar streets of Highbury for a short time. While doing so, I noticed in an estate agent’s window a small banner which proudly displayed the slogan, ‘North London rules.’

“It brought a smile to my face because, barely an hour had gone by since Daniel told me what a proud North Londoner Hannah was. Hailing from a longestablished London family she remained true to where she grew up and was fiercely loyal to those who shared that passion.

“And passion was something else that figured hugely in our chat that day. Hannah was passionate about so many things She was a feminist to her core, and her views on justice were something that she was proud to hold too. And Hannah was like this

Hannah performing stand-up

from the start. She studied Human Geography and Development Studies at Sussex University, and regularly campaigned for Amnesty International during her time there.

“But even that was not the very beginning. At the age of 11, along with a friend, Hannah was volunteering at Edenhall, the Marie Curie Hospice in Hampstead, sitting with, reassuring and holding the hands of the people whose lives were coming to an end.

“Hannah was, to put it simply, an example to us all Her work in Urban Planning and Housing took her to a job with the London Borough of Hackney and, in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics, she was employed to discuss and plan legacy issues afterwards. It mattered to her how East London was going to benefit once all the hullabaloo had died down and the gold medals had been won.

“Slowly, her work became compromised by the pain she was beginning to experience, and she decided to choose a new career where she could avoid trying to work on computers. So, in 2013, she went to Barcelona to teach English as a foreign language. Europe meant a lot to her. Brexit was a painful nadir and, with [her brother] Daniel, and through their Greek Cypriot granddad, she managed to obtain an EU passport. She loved her years in Spain and, despite growing physical pain, was heavily

involved in stand-up comedy among Barcelona’s expats. And she performed with those friends at the Edinburgh Fringe.

“She also joined a disability group there where, until almost completely disabled herself, she offered advice and support to those newly afflicted by her illnesses: Fibromyalgia and ME/chronic fatigue syndrome.

“If I took anything away from my meeting, it was the photo I saw of Hannah, doing

John Pegram (OA 1950), 1933-2025

Edited from the Obituary on Turner & Porter Funerals site...

“With profound sadness, we announce the passing of John Pegram. Born in Potters Bar, London, to Eric Pegram and Doris Finch, John enjoyed a happy early childhood. That changed with the outbreak of World War II, when his family was forced to move several times due to bomb damage to their home.

“As a young man, John enjoyed and flourished at The King Alfred School. After graduating at 17, he began working in a polymer lab at ICI. Over the next eight years, while simultaneously working, he earned his degree in Polymer Chemistry

“An active young man, he was involved in Scouts, played field hockey, and took up spelunking in Somerset. He often returned late at night on his motorcycle after weekends exploring underground caves –much to his mother’s despair.

“In 1959, John arrived in Montreal, Canada, with a letter of introduction to Dow Chemicals Instead, he took a train to Shawinigan, Quebec, and joined Shawinigan Chemicals, where he worked for eight years as a plant supervisor.

her stand-up act There’s a focus to it Any stand-up will tell you that comedy is a serious business and it’s there in her face. I know from what I was told that she nailed it that night, and that Hannah was very good at making people laugh. What’s more, as I understand it, comedy also comes from truthfulness. Hannah was honest to her core and just as she faced up to life squarely, so did she face death in the same way. As Daniel remarked, ‘she was a warrior to the last, and we should salute that’.”

“In 1967, John moved to Montreal to work in research and to find the love of his life, which didn’t take long. In March 1968, he met Diana at a maple sugar party, and by April 1969, they were married.

“John also gave tirelessly to his community for over 45 years. He volunteered as a Scout leader, flooded the community ice hockey rink, contributed to the Homeowners’ Association, worked to improve local air quality, and helped preserve the character of Clarkson. As a board member of the Friends of the Museums of Mississauga, he proudly played a key role in relocating the historic Log House from Port Credit to its home at the Bradley Museum site

“John’s warm smile, intelligence, sense of humour, level-headed thinking, and deep care for his family and community will be greatly missed ”

Andrea Haddad née Savitt (OA 1970), 1949-2025

Andy’s brother, Jonathan Savitt (OA 1972), writes…

“During her time at KAS from 1959 to 1970, Andy was a cherished member of the school community and will be fondly remembered for her enthusiastic sense of fashion and her fun, kind heart. Whether it was her sense of humour or leadership skills, her class friends always said she made the school a better place for them.

“Andy was involved in many school projects. She always offered advice when called upon and was famous for her Sixth Form teaching day lecture!

“Upon leaving school, she went to live in Jerusalem, Israel, where she completed her university degree After marrying in Israel, she gave birth to her first daughter, Orit. She eventually returned to the UK, where she gave birth to her second daughter, Emma, and subsequently became a grandmother to three, spending a great deal of her time enjoying their company.

“Andy’s main interest was her love for the

Gay Galsworthy (OA 1951), 1932-2024

Gay was a painter, illustrator, designer and sculptor. After leaving The King Alfred School, he attended Hammersmith Art School for a year when his parents moved to outside Waltham Abbey. Gay transferred to South-West Essex Technical College and School of Art in Walthamstow, where he spent five years, ending up with a National Diploma of Design in Painting and Lithography.

He then did two years in the Royal Army Education Corps as a National Serviceman. When demobbed, he spent a year teaching

Andy Haddad

theatre and travelling widely in the latter periods of her life before suffering serious illness. She will be badly missed and always loved by all the family and those who were fortunate enough to know her.”

Andy’s family let us know of her death earlier this year. In her name, they are raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, and asked us to share details of the JustGiving page: justgiving.com/team/emmaandorit.

at a school in Ponders End He then teamed up with two mural painters, working on various commissions until deciding to go on his own doing book jackets and illustration. For many years, Gay worked for Macmillan publishers, illustrating schoolbooks for African countries.

He also worked on a variety of commissions for Parliament including sculpture posters and exhibition work. The last was a life-size bronze of John Clare, the poet, now standing in a museum devoted to him in his old cottage at Helpstone near Peterborough.

Simon Ryder-Smith (OA 1953) 1935-2022

Simon started at The King Alfred School in the war, when the school had moved to Flint Hall Farm near Royston, Hertfordshire. He lived with his mother, Rosalind (known as Ros), who was a teacher at the school, and his younger sister, Jocelyn, in an old gypsy caravan.

The farm had two large barns; the larger of which was called Big Barn. When Simon was about eight, the school was assembled in Big Barn when the sound of a flying bomb was heard overhead, and the engine cut out. As everyone knew, this meant it would come down to land. Everyone dived for cover – all except Simon, who remained standing alone in the middle of Big Barn. He was calm enough to remember that when the engine cut out, the bomb would glide downwards and land somewhere else.

After the war, the family moved to London, and both children came to KAS. Simon was clever and inventive, and in his teens, without anyone teaching him how to do it, he built the family’s first television set – and

it worked! Jocelyn can remember him later making a radio for her to take to university.

After Simon left KAS, he attended Queen Mary College, part of the University of London, and earned a degree in Electrical Engineering. He then worked for an electronics company when transistors were an innovation, and he was greatly amused when someone contacted the company, referring to a radio as simply ‘a transistor’. He later worked for NEDDY, the National Economic Development Council.

Simon loved to travel and had a special love for India, Sri Lanka and the Scottish Islands. He developed his skills as a photographer during his travels. He was also inventive and created practical and original ideas; for instance, a clever foldable high chair. He was witty, intelligent, caring and unassuming, and is much missed by his family.

Simon had three children by his first marriage. His son, Toby, died aged 23. Simon leaves daughters Jessica and Cassia and grandchildren Lissy, Meg and Tilly. He also leaves Helen, with whom he had a happy second marriage, and his sister Jocelyn. Simon was born on 12 August 1935 and died on 6 August 2022.

Naomi Hull née Elkan (OA 1951 and former teacher), 1933-2025

It was with great sadness that we heard from Nick, Bea and Greg that their beloved mother, Naomi Hull (OA 1951), had passed away in July. Tamlyn had visited Naomi several times at her home in Gloucestershire, talking KAS, books and gardens, and knows how much she will be missed by her family and friends.

In early August, Tamlyn went to a gathering in celebration of her life. During the pandemic, Tamlyn had recorded Naomi reading poems by her pupils from the school magazine. Naomi kept every one of those magazines, which she edited for many years until she retired from teaching at KAS. Naomi was deeply connected to her pupils and their work, and her humour in reading these poems and her voice were an incredibly poignant start to the gathering to remember her She remembered all the Old Alfredians she taught, and remained in touch with many over the years. As an OA herself, who came to KAS aged four, this was a special place for her.

Her children wrote to say: “Naomi was born in Hamburg in 1933. The family were non-practising Jews, and her father, Edward, was a well-respected doctor. That year, after several beatings and arrests by the SS, Edward left Germany, and after first being interned on the Isle of Man, he settled in the UK.

“Two years later, Naomi’s mother, Lottie, brought baby Naomi and her older sister Lilith to the UK, staying with Lottie’s cousin and her extended family in a large house in Golders Green.

“Luckily, the two girls were given refugee places at The King Alfred School, which was – and still is – a forward-thinking school near their home. Naomi thrived

there and went on to study English at Bristol University, after which she got a teaching job in Cambridge, where she met our father, David. They moved to Wembley in the late 1950s, where they had four children. We later moved to a wonderful house in Highgate, where we grew up.

“Naomi went back to teaching when we were of school age and was able to return to her old school, King Alfred, where she taught O and A level English. She was happy there for many years.

“In 1970, David moved on and was smoothly replaced by the incredible Michael Hull, who conveniently lived three doors down, and didn’t seem to flinch at taking on four step-children, despite saying that he never wanted children of his own.

“One hobby, which turned into an obsession, was collecting milk bottles. This began when Malcolm, our milkman in Highgate, started to deliver unusual milk bottles from small dairies which had been taken over by giant United Dairies. Fearing that the history of these small

dairies would die out, they started to go to bottle shows, antique shops and most often, lay-bys, where they would spend many hours looking for old discarded bottles. They ended up with thousands of bottles, and together they produced and edited the Milk Bottle News, a quarterly publication which was well loved by its subscribers. They talked about their collection on Blue Peter and we were delighted when they featured as the guest publication on Have I Got News For You.

“What a retirement Michael and Naomi had. They moved to Stonemasons in Burleigh where they gardened obsessively. They regularly went to concerts and plays in London and locally. They visited all four children, in Wales, Cambridge, London, and Spain. They travelled to Russia, China and India, as well as making frequent visits to Europe

“Shortly after their move to Stroud, a local branch of The University of the Third Age (U3A) was formed and Naomi and Michael were among the founder members. The U3A is a social and educational association for the over 50s. Naomi ran a book group, poetry group and conversational French, too.

“Both Naomi and Michael were passionate believers in social justice and human rights. They supported countless charities including Medecins Sans Frontieres, Free Tibet, UNHCR, Medical Aid for Palestinians, Wateraid and many others

“Around 1980, they received a flyer about Passang, a seven-year-old Tibetan refugee boy living in India, whose father had been struck and killed by a hit and run driver. His mother was asking for someone to pay for his education, and Naomi and Mike did this and more, all through his schooling and university. They always kept in touch and loved hearing

how Passang was doing – and enjoyed his ever-improving English! He eventually moved to the US, where he is now a successful journalist, working until recently for Free Tibet Radio, covering the Tibetan story, as well as following the Dalai Lama on his tours. Naomi and Passang finally met last year, after over 40 years, when he came to the UK on a special trip with his wife and two daughters

“Naomi was devastated by the untimely and cruel death of our sister, Selene, 11 years ago. She and Selene shared so many interests and ‘spoke the same language’ Mum loved going to concerts that Selene had either organised or was performing in. A big bit of mum died when Selene died –she found it unbearable to listen to music and never reconciled to her death.

“Mum adored her grandchildren, although she showed this in odd ways at times. I remember bringing my daughter, Megan, to Stonemasons when she was a tiny baby, and Mum pretty much said, “Bring her back when she’s five and a bit more interesting”.

“Mum’s two great-grandsons were a complete delight to her, too,. She loved pictures of the boys together, particularly when there was a book involved!

“We helped her to move from Stonemasons to Stuart Court a couple of years after Michael died, and after the awful Covid years.

“Thankfully, her final days were relatively brief, after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Mum had a terrible fear of losing her mind. By the end, we were relieved that she was released from the body and mind that she was trapped in. So we celebrate the mum we had throughout our lives.”

Anthony Phillips (OA 1963), 1945-2024

Edited from the obituary written by

Harry Williams-Bulkeley for the Silver Society Journal...

"In an age when five years in a job is seen as a long time, the career of the international silver and object-of-vertu expert Anthony Phillips appears all the more extraordinary: he worked for the same company, the international fine art auctioneers Christie’s, for over fifty-six years.

“In 1967, despite having just completed a Geography degree, he chose to join Christie’s, initially working on the front desk for the princely sum of £5 a week. His calm and studious manner caught the eye of the legendary Arthur Grimwade, Director of the Silver Department...

“Anthony’s great break came in 1976 when he was chosen as one of five experts sent to open Christie’s first saleroom in New York. He had an early piece of luck, combined with an expert hunch, in an extraordinary Charles I wine cup that he traced back to William Bradford (15901657), the Mayflower pilgrim and first governor of the Plymouth colony, Massachusetts.

“His curiosity and love for the subject expanded his knowledge well beyond the confines of British silversmithing. He was at his happiest unravelling the history behind fifteenth-century reliquaries, an obscure German hallmark or a Spanish chalice.

“He eventually oversaw the auction of silver, objets de vertu, and Russian works of art in New York, London, Geneva, Rome, Amsterdam and Paris. His fear of flying, acquired from his mother, had to be overcome to allow visits to clients and auctions on four continents,

Anthony Phillips

his nerves unassuaged by occasionally sharing a pair of first-class seats with an Imperial Fabergé egg or medieval reliquary.

“Many of the great silver collectors of the late 20th century looked to him for advice, including the late Audrey Love, neé Guggenheim, whose collection he catalogued and published as Antiquity Revisited: English and French Silver-Gilt from the Collection of Audrey Love (1997) with his friend and colleague Jeanne Sloane. At the age of 100, Mrs Love had donated her Napoleonic silver to the French state, with Anthony and Jeanne organising the sale of her magnificent Regency silver at Christie’s after her death.

“His greatest sale took place in 2009. Held at the Grand Palais in Paris, Anthony sold the magnificent silver from the Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé Collection. The public viewing lasted from early morning until well beyond midnight, with crowds queuing for hours in the Parisian winter The silver section alone totalled a record-breaking €19.8 million, in a sale of over €370 million.

“Born in Hampstead in 1945 Anthony was the second son of Eric Phillips, a senior civil servant, and the celebrated artist and illustrator, Phyllis Bray, a prominent

Gregory Mitchell, (OA 1964)

Prof. Juliet Mitchell (OA 1958), Emeritus Professor at the University of Cambridge and UCL, writes...

“Sadly, following a stroke, my younger brother, Gregory Mitchell, died on 24 July 2025.

“Greg was a quietly successful artist until a few weeks before his death. He had been Head of Art at the Grammar School in Lewes, a school and town he deeply loved.

“Greg was a kind and generous person with an immovable smile and a wry sense of humour. With good reason, he was popular and much liked by his many friends An outstanding all-round sportsman, a superb and very active tennis player; he was also a well-known frequenter of Lewes library, where they generously gave him the facilities to write a Master's degree on the history of the railways in Lewes. In my opinion, at the time and now, this thesis is of a quality to be published. He was selftaught as a successful gardener.

I was not, of course, taught by Greg, but I remember how his highly idiosyncratic teaching style was warmly remembered by students even long after he had retired. It is, however, his art on which I wish to focus This was strongly encouraged by his art teachers at The King Alfred School, which he attended throughout his schooldays; he was singled out by the Hampstead and Highgate Express when he showed his work at the weekend exhibitions in Heath St His local success led to his attending Hornsey College of Art

member of the pre-war East London Group and post-war London Group of artists. He is survived by his wife Sara, son Luke and daughter Isabel.”

in the Sixties, its most radical days, and then Corsham College, where he specialised in photographic backgrounds to painting.

Greg’s art appeared to have multiple and various styles.

Paradoxically, this was part of its unique quality, which lay in the ways he referenced different artists and played with his considerable knowledge of each of them. Greg’s dominant style was abstract. A series of geometric paintings play on Constructivism; another is a beautiful tribute to early Modernism.

I have several of Greg’s paintings looking out from the large windows of my study onto Midsummer Common in Cambridge. Passers-by stop and stare and drop me appreciative notes.

Greg lives on in his art, his kindness and our memories.

Betty Lyons (OA)

We have been notified of the passing of Betty Lyons. If you have any memories of Betty (or would like to share details of any other late OAs), please email oa@kingalfred.org.uk.

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WED 7 JAN

OA Reunion at KAS Bonfire Night

KASS Honorary and Life Members Festive Tea

OA Reunion in Sydney, Australia Recent Leavers Drinks

A Level Certificate Presentation for Class of 2025 and Drinks Reception SAT 15

WED 7 JAN

WED 11 FEB

FRI 24 APR

Old Alfredian Lunch (1940s-1960s)

OA Football Tournament

Tamlyn Worrall Development & Alumni Relations Director

Deborah Castillo OA & Development Officer

The King Alfred School, 149 North End Road, London NW11 7HY

0208 457 5186

thekingalfredschool.org.uk

oa@kingalfred.org.uk

@oldalfredians The King Alfred School