Old Kingswoodian Association News 2025-26

OLD KINGSWOODIAN ASSOCIATION NEWS

HEAD’S WELCOME

Dear Old Kingswoodians,

It is a pleasure,

once again, to write a few words to introduce this year’s edition of KAN.

As I write, A Level and GCSE exams are in full flow, the school has a calm and purposeful air about it, and we are fast approaching the end of another academic year. Our pupils continue to bring an effervescent joy to school life and are achieving wonderful things, the occasional teenage bump in the road notwithstanding.

It’s fair to say that Kingswood operates today in a challenging market environment where the sector continues to reel from the taxation that is now levied on independent school fees and the removal of business rates relief from charities that are defined as independent schools. A recent national survey suggests that the sector is now shrinking in every single region of the country.

I hope you will be pleased to hear therefore that Kingswood School goes from strength to strength, bucking the national trend. We are full to capacity in The Garden nursery, in our Prep and Senior school elements, and are also enjoying good demand for boarding places. I take none of this for granted and it is a source of profound gratitude that we are in this position. My reflections about our good fortune distil into thoughts about place, people and purpose.

We are blessed indeed to live and work on the most beautiful school campus overlooking Bath. Being surrounded by giant trees, lovely gardens and grounds and an incredible sense of space, contributes, without doubt, to the wellbeing of both pupils and staff. We are indebted to Rev Cusworth who purchased this patch of land in the 1840s as the school outgrew its original site on the outskirts of Bristol. It’s a special place.

Our parents consistently describe us as a supportive and caring community, and this is certainly a fair reflection from my perspective. I am consistently bowled over by the dedication, professionalism, and generosity of our teachers and operational staff. I am sure that Kingswood’s success is down to the outstanding work that they do, and the strong sense of collegiality that pervades the common room. We have great people.

Perhaps the most important element of all is our school culture. When Wesley recruited teachers to

Kingswood back in the day, he insisted that not only should they be academically rigorous, but that they should care deeply about the children in their care. It pains me that over our history there have been times when this was not always the case, but I am sure that the main reason parents choose Kingswood today is because of our reputation for outstanding pastoral care. My most important responsibility as Principal and Headmaster is to nurture a school spirit which brings Wesley’s words to life that “an ounce of love is worth a pound of knowledge.” This is our purpose.

Our heritage, as a school for the education of the sons of Methodist ministers, means that a large proportion of the pupils who have enjoyed the benefit of a KS education over the last 278 years have had their fees paid by someone else. Today, every child at Kingswood enjoys the facilities that have only been made possible by the generosity of others. 2026 is the centenary of our biggest teaching block The Ferens, which was built entirely from a donation from a wealthy Methodist philanthropist. Look around our campus at incredible Prep School build, the Dixon refurbishment, the expanded gym, the theatre, the pavilion at the Upper; all, in part, made possible through generosity of others. Looking ahead there are a couple of capital projects that will be transformational for our pupils and for our partnerships in the wider community, and I look forward to sharing these stories with you as they develop.

My thanks to Michele Greene for her great work in compiling this magazine, in collaboration with Katie, Tim and Zoë and a whole army of Old Kingswoodians who have given us much to write about.

Please enjoy this year’s edition of KAN and do come and visit us to see our place, to meet our people and to remind yourself of our purpose.

With warmest wishes,

Andrew Gordon-Brown Headmaster and Principal of the Kingswood Foundation

EDITOR'S WELCOME

Welcome to the 2026 edition of the Old Kingswoodian Association News (KAN).

It is always a pleasure to bring this magazine together and to see, once again, the remarkable breadth of the Kingswood community. The Old Kingswoodian Association continues to grow as a lively and welcoming network for Old Kingswoodians, current and former staff, parents of past and present pupils, and friends of the School who simply enjoy staying connected.

Over the past year we have hosted a wonderful mix of dinners, drinks receptions, reunions and networking events - each one a reminder of how strong and enduring the Kingswood connection is. If you have not yet registered with us, I warmly encourage you to do so. We would love you to be part of it. Scan the code below to register.

The day-to-day running of the Association is very much a team effort. I am fortunate to work alongside Katie Calvert-Jones, our Head of Engagement, who leads the department with energy and vision. In September 2025, Tim Reeman joined us as Alumni Ambassador following his many years as Director of Sport. Working three days a week, Tim is thoroughly enjoying reconnecting with Old Kingswoodians and hearing what life has brought them since their time at School.

We are also incredibly fortunate to have Zoë Parsons, our Archivist, based in the office. Zoë’s knowledge of Kingswood’s history is invaluable, and she is always delighted to hear from anyone with photographs, memorabilia or memories to share.

If you have any questions, please contact one of our team:

• KATIE CALVERT-JONES – Head of Engagement kcalvertjones@kingswood.bath.sch.uk

• MICHELE GREENE – Alumni and Community Manager mgreene@kingswood.bath.sch.uk | Tel. 01225 734283

• ZOË PARSONS – Archivist zparsons@kingswood.bath.sch.uk

• TIM REEMAN – Alumni Ambassador treeman@kingswood.bath.sch.uk

Please scan the QR code to join the Kingswood School Community today...

“...we have hosted a wonderful mix of dinners, drinks receptions, reunions and networking events...”

This 2026 edition has been compiled and edited by me, with contributions credited throughout, and beautifully designed by Sam Dabbs-Cotton. As always, it is the stories, achievements and memories of our community that bring these pages to life.

I hope you enjoy reading this year’s magazine, and I very much look forward to staying in touchwhether at an event, through your news, or simply through the pages of the next edition.

With warmest wishes,

Michele Greene Alumni and Community Manager

SENIOR DEPUTY HEAD INTERVIEW

Mat Chataway, Senior Deputy Head and Vice Principal, joined Kingswood in September 2024, following a 16 year career spanning three schools in London.

What has characterised your Kingswood journey so far?

My Kingswood experience so far has been shaped by embracing new challenges and the joy of working with wonderful people.

From the outset, I’ve been struck by how distinctive, and how deeply cherished, this community is. Every school has its own identity, but Kingswood’s warmth, history, and shared sense of purpose are truly special. Much of my time so far has been spent listening, learning, and understanding what matters most to pupils, parents, and colleagues. It’s been a privilege to begin finding my place within something so valued, and to start contributing to a school that clearly means so much to so many.

“Kingswood is a place that genuinely lifts the spirits...”

What are you enjoying most?

Kingswood is a place that genuinely lifts the spirits. Even on the busiest days, you are given a sense of energy and purpose. A large part of that comes from the people, colleagues and pupils alike, whose warmth, humour, and generosity create a community that is both supportive and inspiring. But it’s also the setting:

the space, the views, the light, and the feeling of openness that surrounds the School. Together, the people and the place make each day feel uplifting.

What have you found the most difficult?

One of the most enjoyable challenges has been working to truly understand the School I’ve joined, in its nature, character, values, and the history that has shaped it. When you’re invited into a community, and given an opportunity to help to shape its future, there’s a real sense of responsibility. You need to be clear about what must be preserved before you begin thinking about what might evolve. Taking the time to listen, to learn, and to appreciate the depth of what already exists has been a great experience.

Have you made any changes?

The changes I’ve introduced have all been aimed at ensuring pupils continue to enjoy the best possible experience in every aspect of school life. Much of this has focused on strengthening our teaching and learning, making sure we are consistently operating at the top of our game. Alongside this, we’ve been developing our pastoral structures so that every child feels known, supported, and encouraged. We’ve also been widening and refining our extra- curricular offer to ensure there is real breadth and opportunity. Each change,

however small, is driven by the same aim: to help every pupil flourish.

What job would you have done if you had not gone into teaching?

I almost joined the police, which probably says something about the kind of work I’ve always been drawn to: roles where you serve a community and try, in whatever small way, to improve people’s lives. In the end, I went into teaching without much of a long-term plan, but more out of curiosity about where it might lead. It has turned out to be one of the most wonderfully positive surprises of my life. I still feel incredibly fortunate that the profession I “fell into” has become something so fulfilling and meaningful.

What does the future at Kingswood look like?

For me, the future at Kingswood is about holding on tightly to the magic and spirit that make the School so special, while ensuring we continue to evolve in ways that meet the needs of a changing modern world. The aim is to offer an education that remains progressive, exciting, and relevant — one that equips pupils with the skills, confidence, and character to thrive beyond school. If we can preserve what is unique about Kingswood while embracing innovation and fresh ideas, then I think the School’s next chapter will be every bit as inspiring as its past.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT IN SCHOOL SERVICES

Our Chapel and Friday services continue to invite us to reflect deeply on many issues.

Over the past year, we have been fortunate to welcome a number of engaging and inspiring speakers to Kingswood. Their visits have provided our community with valuable insights, fresh perspectives, and memorable experiences across a wide range of subjects. We are grateful for

“Chemistry experiments in the context of worship is always a joy!”

the time and expertise they have shared, which have enriched the life of the School and broadened the horizons of our pupils.

Mr Gary Best gave a challenging talk about the slave trade, enabling understanding about why ‘Black History month’ is still important, especially when racism continues today. In Holocaust Memorial week and in the context of rising reports of hate crimes, we looked at the remarkable diary of Etty Hillesum, a young Jewish woman who in spite of huge suffering utterly refused to hate, realising that we first need to change ourselves before we can change the world. Cathy James, a local expert in international development, whilst talking about the incredible work of Eagles

Malawi that puts local people in the driving seat of change, reflected on the huge impact of the loss of US and international aid.

An annual highlight for the students is our science week service, led by our Heads of Science. This years theme was ‘curiosity as the foundation of scientific and spiritual exploration’ and answered questions submitted by students. Chemistry experiments in the context of worship is always a joy!

At the end of the Spring term we commemorated the 80th anniversary of the return of Kingswood from Uppingham School which had so kindly given hospitality whilst the Admiralty took over our buildings. The students loved watching the video of that time and listening to the memories of Gary ‘Garrowby’ Watson, Bertrand ‘Bertie’ Bellis and Keith Maddox. We were all impressed by the adaptability and resilience of the staff and students of that time, their service to the local community and how they kept Kingswood values alive.

Other services have explored themes of international peace, gratitude, humility, silence, wise decision making, interconnectedness and belonging. A particular challenge by our Senior Deputy Head, Mr Chataway, was to reflect on ‘3 great things’ at the end of each day, a positive time of thanksgiving that helps to shape outlook.

All of these services are in the context of worship and prayer where hymn singing continues to ring out. Christmas and Easter services at Bath Abbey, led by the choir are a real treat.

Rev Katy Thomas Chaplain, Kingswood Foundation kthomas@kingswood.bath.sch.uk

PREP SCHOOL NEWS

It is always a privilege to contribute to the Old Kingswoodian Association Magazine.

The news from the Prep School is good. In the post-VAT-onfees landscape, over 100 private schools have closed since the current Government came into power. However, KPS is flourishing in all Year groups, with waiting lists in some. I am quite regularly asked “Why?”. The answer is that we have a fantastic team of staff across the whole school, who are daily drawing out the uniqueness of every child. Our skilled teachers have high expectations, without infecting the joy of learning with undue anxiety. The children are surrounded by positive role models within an ethos of kindness. The School weeks are packed with enriching activities. Whether it is going to Cardiff for the Cheer Team finals, to Rotherham for the ‘F1 in Schools’, national tournaments, musical theatre or gala concerts, the children are receiving a really broad and wonderful experience.

This year we have raised money for the “Make A Wish” foundation. One of the many events was a draw for two children to become Head and Deputy Head for the day. The lucky winners were Will and Araminta.

The term ended with the very sad news of Marcus Cornah’s passing. Marcus, former Headmaster of the Prep School, was loved by so many families across Kingswood.

Marcus (KS 1964-71, staff 19892011) was a former student at the Senior School, a teacher and

Deputy at Prior’s Court, before becoming Head at KPS for 7 years. He was incredibly proud of everything Kingswood stood for. Prior to my arrival at KPS, he was so helpful to me and gave me invaluable insights into the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead. He looked forward to his retirement in Scotland; below left is a photograph of us outside his house. As always, his welcome was warm and hospitable. Marcus made a positive impact on all who met him - he will be missed.

Our school is in good heart. We are currently working very hard on creating a 21st century Music Room and curriculum experience; I will report back next year on progress made.

Mr Ian Shrubsole (KPS Head of Boys' Games) and Miss Michelle Newman (KPS Head of Girls' Games) leave at the end of the academic year. Together they

“The School weeks are packed with enriching activities.”

have served the School for over 50 years - what a contribution they have both made to our school! We wish them happiness and contentment in their retirement.

As always, you are most welcome to visit KPS at any time. We love showing families around our school, so please get in touch with cbye@kingswood.bath.sch.uk

Yours,

Mark Brearey Headmaster, Kingswood Prep School

UNIVERSITY VISITS

This year we have enjoyed visiting a number of universities to meet up with Old Kingswoodians, sharing supper together and catching up on life since leaving Kingswood.

These evenings have been great fun, with plenty of conversation, laughter, and the chance to exchange news - both from our alumni and from the School.

It has been particularly encouraging to see how many Old Kingswoodians are already supporting Kingswood, whether by helping departments or offering their time and experience, with many more keen to do so in the future.

“...great fun, with plenty of conversation...”

We are looking forward to visiting more universities next term and would warmly encourage any alumni who would like to arrange a meet-up at their university to get in touch.

Please contact Tim Reeman, Alumni Ambassador, at: treeman@kingswood.bath.sch.uk

SPORT AT KINGSWOOD

The past year has seen significant achievements across all the sports Kingswood participates in.

Perhaps most impressive and revealing about sport at Kingswood, is the range of sports throughout the year and the number of teams we put out in each of our major sports.

Autumn/Winter Sport

The rugby term highlighted this with 18 teams representing the School and around 300 boys experiencing the thrill of playing rugby with your teammates. We put out 4 Senior sides and 2, occasionally 3, teams in each of the junior year groups. The 1st XV enjoyed a very strong season winning 10 of 12 matches with highlights being a 55-0 win over local rivals KES and a powerful 29-19 win against table topping Sir Thomas Rich. Perhaps a more significant indication of the strength of our rugby nowadays is the quality of the fixture list with Blundells, Sherborne, Bryanston, Cheltenham College and Monmouth replacing previous more local Schools.

Girls’ hockey faired even better with 21 teams recording over 160 fixtures and winning nearly two-thirds of these matches. The fixture list remains competitive with Marlborough, Dean Close and Cheltenham College added to our local rivals.

The Boys’ hockey season was flag shipped by an exceptional 1st XI with England U18 international Toby Day leading the side and Welsh U18 international Owen Brown a reliable deputy. It would be difficult to make the fixture list more challenging but Kingswood still recorded a nearly 80% win ratio across all 22 teams.

At the time of writing Kingswood has had 5 teams reach the National Finals – a number unmatched by any other School this year. A tremendous achievement and an indication of the strength of both Boys’ and Girls’ hockey throughout the School.

Netball fielded 25 teams and an even higher success rate which is a huge testament to the strength of the Games’ programme and the emphasis on participation at every level of the game. Again, we had representation at Regional level with the U16s representing Somerset and bodes well for next year with many of the talented U15 year group playing up.

Across the first two terms CrossCountry still thrives with a very large

contingent of talented runners who almost always outperform all their rivals and always take the largest squad of runners to far away venues such as Marlborough, Bryanston and Canford.

“most impressive and revealing... is the range of sports throughout the year...”

Summer Sport

The Summer sports are equally popular and a testament to the strength of the programme is that it continues to run through the examination period when many Schools have stopped. Girls’ cricket is emerging as a strong option to run along side tennis and athletics where we still remain very competitive.

The Boys’ cricket has several County players through the age groups and, again, fares very well with the 1st XI beating all the local opposition and our junior sides winning 75% of their matches. In Athletics we have some notable performers on both track and field with the pick of them being Ewan Sparey who recently won the English Schools Indoor 800m and the Welsh U20 Indoor Championships-definitely a name to look out for in the future.

“...core values of teamwork, resilience, leadership, courage and enjoyment...”

Boys’ and girls’ tennis retains a popular following with court spaces filled on both the Upper and Lower for regular matches at all age groups.

In other areas, our Senior football puts out 3 teams on Thursday afternoons with the 1st XI reaching the semi-finals of the local Cup competition. The Rugby Sevens programme excels with the U16s winning the Rosslyn Park

Plate competition and the 1st VII beating Abingdon in the final at the Collegiate Sevens tournament. Our Swimming teams still compete regularly with strong Schools and the equestrian team has a small but dedicated group of riders throughout the year.

Values

The overall success of our teams is based on the principle of

offering as much participation as possible for every student keen on playing sport. The core values of teamwork, resilience, leadership, courage and enjoyment are all very apparent every week. It must also be mentioned that the dedication of a hugely inspiring team of teachers enables such a diverse programme to run.

Mr Tim Reeman Alumni Ambassador

Our newest members of the Old Kingswoodian Association

LEAVERS’ DESTINATIONS 2025

University of St Andrews

Computer Science

Classics

University of Edinburgh

German & History

Chinese & History

German & Classics

Geography

Classics

Heriot-Watt University

Structural Engineering

University of Glasgow

Psychology

Queen's University Belfast Politics, Philosophy & Economics

University of Manchester

Mathematics & Physics

Pharmacology

Economics

Medicine

Modern Language and Business & Management

International Business, Finance & Economics

Manchester Metropolitan University Criminology

University of Liverpool

Business Economics

University of Staffordshire

Computer Games Programming

Loughborough University

Economics & Management

Finance

Aeronautical Engineering

University of Birmingham

Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences

Economics

Money, Banking & Finance

Psychology

Palaeontology & Geology

Business Management with Communications

Degree Apprenticeship

Sociology

University of Warwick

Design & Global

Sustainable Development

Economics

Philosophy

Cardiff University

International Relations & Politics

Politics

Civil Engineering

Criminology & Social Policy

University of Exeter

Economics & Politics

Psychology

Politics

Biomedical Sciences

Psychology

Marine Science

Biological Sciences

Falmouth University Creative Music

University of Bristol

Biomedical Sciences Medicine Veterinary Science

Trowbridge College Art Foundation

University of Bath

Biomedical

University of Aberdeen Medicine

Newcastle University

Modern Languages & Business Studies

Business Management

Computer Science

Mathematics

Geography

Durham University

International Relations

Law

University of Leeds

Modern Languages & Economics

International Development

Modern Languages & Economics

Mathematics

University of York

Physical Geography and Environment

Interactive Media

Economics & Finance

University of Sheffield

Architecture & Landscape

Medicine

University of Nottingham

Geography

Politics & International Relations

Nottingham Trent University

Sport & Exercise Science

University of Cambridge

Computer Science

Classics

University of East Anglia

Medicine

Queen Mary, University of London

Aerospace Engineering

UCL (University College London)

Philosophy, Politics & Economics

Economics

King's College, London

Physics

Music

City St George's, London

Medicine

London School of Economics

Management

Royal Holloway, London

Ancient History

University of Oxford

Biochemistry (Mollecular & Cellular)

Oxford Brookes University

Sport, Coaching & Physical Education

Law with Criminology

University of Southampton

University of Surrey

Aerospace Engineering Politics Psychology

GROWING BEYOND BORDERS

My

Journey with Kingswood and the Tazaki Foundation.

The Tazaki Foundation is a five-year scholarship programme that funds tuition and living expenses for study at a British public school and undergraduate university study to which 8-9 students are selected every year. However, the scholarship represents far more than financial support. It is built upon a powerful belief that Mr Tazaki, an old Kingswoodian and the founder of this foundation, created: that in an increasingly globalised world, young people must be equipped to contribute meaningfully on the world stage.

The conviction of building truly global citizens through studying abroad and engaging with diverse cultures, developing wide perspective, empathy and resilience lie at the heart of the Tazaki Foundation.

Unsurprisingly, its mission resonates deeply with the values of Kingswood. Wesley’s guiding principle, which all Kingswoodians have heard numerous times: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can” aligns closely with the purpose of the Tazaki Foundation. In fact, this ethos of Kingswood also reflects my own personal principle: never be satisfied with the status quo. I believe in constantly challenging myself, pushing myself beyond my comfort zone and giving 120% in everything I do.

Education in Japan and England

Having experienced education in

“To have served as Head of School, to call myself a Kingswoodian, and to be a Tazaki Scholar are honours I carry with deep gratitude.”

both Japan and England, I have come to appreciate the differences deeply.

For instance, in Japan, students clean their own school every day, a practice known as souji. There are no cleaners. Students scrub floors, clean toilets, wipe whiteboards, and teachers join in. It teaches

responsibility, teamwork, and pride in one’s studying environment. Similarly, students serve lunch to one another. These daily duties instil discipline and humility.

In England, these responsibilities are handled differently. Catering staff prepare and serve our meals; housekeepers maintain the campus. Moreover, back at home, we would study in a classroom of 30 students. Whilst here, especially Sixth Formers, have the privilege of having smaller classes, lessons that promotes deep discussion and understanding of the topic.

These contrasts have taught me gratitude. Many students may take such levels of resources for granted. Recognising this difference has been my driving force behind making the most of every opportunity here at Kingswood and appreciating the environment we are privileged to be part of.

Immersing Myself in School Life

With this mindset, I immersed myself fully into school life when I joined Kingswood in Year 12. For example, I participated in the Duke of Edinburgh award, the Ten Tors challenge, Hockey, Swimming and Cross Country, experiences that pushed me physically and mentally beyond what I thought was possible.

Challenging My Own Limitations: Applying for Head of School

However, despite my own commitment to making the most of the opportunities provided, initially, I never planned to apply for the role of Head of School. In my mind the role belonged to students who had been at the School for many years, who excelled in traditional sports such as hockey and netball, or who would fit a particular mould. As a boarder who joined in Year 12, I unconsciously limited myself. However, my House Parent Mrs Lopez encouraged

me to consider applying, even suggesting I had potential beyond Head of House. Back then, I felt both surprised and grateful. She did not see me merely as “the new boarder” but recognised my capabilities. That moment forced me to confront my own unconscious bias, the quiet assumptions I had placed upon myself.

At Kingswood teachers continually challenge us to grow. They recognise potential within us that we may not yet see in ourselves, and they care deeply not only about our academic achievement, but also our character, leadership, and everyday skills that shape who we are. I believe the strength of the pastoral support here has played a significant role in helping me develop into a more confident, resilient person.

As a boarder, a Japanese student, and someone who joined later than many of my peers, I understand how unconscious bias can limit someone, making them reluctant to step out of their comfort zone. But I also understand the growth and confidence you gain from overcoming that hesitation.

Through my role and work as Head of School, I hope I have shown younger students that nothing defines their potential, and anything is possible with strong determination and resilience.

Leadership in Action

As part of the PR team, we have worked to strengthen our school community. We have been running all Westwood, Middle, Sixth Form student councils, organised events such as Teachers’ Got Talent which was a great success, raising £770 for the DeafBlind Everest Project. We supported running the Christmas Charity Fair and the Remembrance Day commemorations; we visited

the catering department and the archives which gave us the opportunities to see the behindthe-scenes work that is essential to our community, the oftenunnoticed efforts that make our daily life possible.

I’m very grateful for Charlie Barton, Mr Head Boy, and all the deputies: Hannah, Ella, Charlie and James who have contributed immensely into the work of the PR, balancing this with all the other commitments. And of course, I sincerely thank Mr Chataway and Mr Gordon Brown for their support and finally huge gratitude to Emilie Prior, our big boss. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Final Words

Kingswood is the School that has given me countless opportunities and unforgettable memories throughout the two years that I’ve spent here.

In many ways a school is a miniature version of society. It is a place where students encounter challenges in relationships, organisation, responsibility and self-discovery. It is where we begin to understand our strengths and confront our weaknesses. Within this environment, we are able to test ourselves in preparation for the wider world, where similar challenges exist on a far greater scale.

To have served as Head of School, to call myself a Kingswoodian, and to be a Tazaki Scholar are honours I carry with deep gratitude. These identities are not simply titles, but responsibilities and reminders of the values I am proud to uphold.

If school is a stepping stone into society, then I leave it carrying not only knowledge, but with qualities I have developed here: integrity, determination, compassion, and a commitment to serving others.

And for that, I will always be thankful.

Risako Sato Head of School 2025-2026

ASSOCIATION DAY 2025

Association Day 2025 brought together the wider Old Kingswoodian community for our annual celebration and reunion day. The occasion offered alumni and friends the chance to reconnect, revisit familiar places and enjoy a shared sense of community. The day included a Chapel Service, a traditional “school lunch”, tours of the School, and sport on the Upper, all rounded off with afternoon tea.

BANGKOK ALUMNI EVENT

It was a privilege to attend the Kingswood Alumni Event in Bangkok on Friday 26th September, held at the Hansar Hotel.

The evening was filled with warmth, laughter, and fond memories as we gathered with former Kingswood students, all smiling and eager to share stories of the adventures and achievements they have enjoyed since leaving school.

We were delighted to welcome not only our alumni but also parents of these families, including the current parents of Year 9 boarder Yaimai, whose continued connection to Kingswood is so greatly valued. A particularly special moment came when we were able to send a recorded message to Joni from her former Housemistress, Miss Paver, a gesture that was warmly received.

On a personal note, it was fantastic to catch up with five former Hall House boys: Indy (2017), Korn (2019), Play (2019), Pos (2021), and Dell (2024). Their enthusiasm and affection for Kingswood was truly heartening. It was also great to have former Head of Mathematics and Assistant Head

of Middle House, Chris Redman with us. He is currently teaching in Shrewsbury School, Bangkok having left us in 2015.

The highlight of the evening was hearing captivating tales from Satit Manomaiudom (Class of 1970), who was one of the very first Thai students to board at Kingswood. Their reflections on school life in years gone by were both inspiring and deeply moving, reminding us of the lasting bonds

and shared spirit that connect all members of the Kingswood community, wherever they may be in the world.

It was truly heart-warming for Hannah Drew and I to share the evening with them all and to witness first-hand the strength of the Kingswood family across generations and continents.

Darrell Harding Head of Boarding

50 TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION

Anyone needing proof that people get better looking as they grow older only needed to be at the mid 1970’s, 50th anniversary of leaving, reunion.

Meeting in the Association Café (formerly the Creed Room) in the Dixon Building, the smiling, joyful faces that gathered were a testament to friendship and shared experience. Some hadn’t seen each other since the day they left school; others have been in close contact across those five decades. All seemed delighted to be back and interested to see Kingswood as it is today.

The day, organised brilliantly by Michele as always, started with coffee and refreshments. On a large screen Zoë Parsons, the school archivist, had prepared a rolling presentation of photos and documents relating to, what some have referred to as, ‘the Golden Age of Kingswood’. Andrew Gordon-Brown, the Headmaster, was on hand to welcome everyone and then take questions from the floor. He spoke engagingly, with passion and enthusiasm, as he answered points on matters as diverse as: VAT, Music and Drama, School Discipline, Sport and even Neurodiversity. In return, thanks were offered to the Headmaster and the School for the generosity of the welcome and hospitality

provided. Kingswood excels at recognising and welcoming, not just the current pupil body, but also the wider community. Reciprocal support, as the Headmaster joked, also very much appreciated!

Tribute was also paid to Laurie Campbell (Headmaster 1970-87) who, amongst many other achievements, succumbed to gentle persuasion and accepted that it was a good idea to allow sixth formers to travel to London to see bands like Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and David Bowie. Many did so, enjoying unforgettable nights and creating memories that have been re-told over subsequent decades. Laurie would not have known he was creating a legacy of ‘cool ‘, but he was there, at Bath Spa, every night to meet the last train and give people a lift back to School.

Special mention as well for former members of staff who attended the event. Their presence made the day for many. Always delightful to see Andrew and Sue Smith and Uli Bergmann –teaching (and nursing) legends. Tim Reeman, recently retired

Director of Sport, was also present in his new role as Alumni Relations Ambassador.

Everyone was treated to lunch in the Dining Hall – present-day styleprogressing through the servery to the long tables and benches. Returning to Kingswood gives one the feeling that everything is different yet, very much the same. You can find a real point of difference, though, in today’s excellent fare, compared to the 1970s!

After lunch there were more opportunities to chat with the Head, visit the Ferens, Dixon, the Heap Library, the Theatre and the Chapel, where Rev. Katy Thomas, the School Chaplain, talked about her role and that of the Chapel itself in current Kingswood life.

Later, some set off on their journeys home, others made their way to the Upper to catch some sport and a few others were drawn to old haunts in Bath to watch the Women’s Rugby World Cup Final. All in all, a happy and fulfilling reunion that many had, willingly, travelled a considerable distance to attend.

SUPPER GATHERING

In the evening around twenty ‘survivors’ met for dinner in a restaurant just off Milsom Street. More tales were told, updates shared and all enjoyed a lovely meal accompanied by cocktails, wine and a great deal of laughter and love.

SUNDAY MORNING, GLASTONBURY

Old friends meet up for Louis Dunford, first act of the day on the Other Stage. (L to R: Rosie Luscombe (née Cyphus) (KS 1973-75), Andy Luscombe (KS 1969-75), Mary Wimpress (KS 1977-79), Jeremy Wimpress (KS 1969-75). Note to self, it’s a bit early in the day for that can of margarita!

Jeremy Wimpress

FRIENDS REUNION

No one would have believed that a mere six months after the 50th leaving celebration some would gather again, in sadness, at the loss of Mark Broadhead. These photos come from the reception following the service to celebrate Mark’s life.

APEX BATH RECEPTION

The annual Christmas Drinks at the Apex Hotel in Bath once again provided a wonderful opportunity for the Kingswood community to come together ahead of the festive break. Particularly popular with recent leavers attending their first alumni event since leaving school, the evening also welcomed many current and former staff, making for a relaxed and lively atmosphere full of familiar faces, shared memories, and festive cheer.

As these photographs show, it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and a lovely way to celebrate the connections that continue long after leaving Kingswood. We look forward to welcoming everyone again this year.

WESLEY LUNCH

The annual Wesley Lunch, held each autumn in London, brings together members of the Old Kingswoodian community aged over 60 for an enjoyable afternoon of friendship and reminiscence. The event provides a wonderful opportunity to share memories of school days, reconnect with contemporaries, and hear updates from Kingswood. Senior members of staff also attend, leading an informal question-and-answer session and helping to strengthen the connection between past and present generations of the School community.

COMMUNITY SUPPERS

The Community Suppers continue to be a muchloved part of the Kingswood calendar, bringing together members of the wider school community four times a year for an enjoyable Friday evening in the School Dining Hall.

Started in 2006 by former DT Teacher John Allison and his wife Joyce, the suppers have now been running for 20 years and remain as popular as ever. With delicious food prepared in-house by our talented chefs, the evenings provide a relaxed and welcoming setting for conversation, friendship, and connection across generations of the Kingswood community. Former staff particularly enjoy the opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet with current members of the school community.

These photographs from the last year’s suppers capture the warm atmosphere and sense of community that make these evenings so special, and we look forward to welcoming many familiar and new faces again this year.

FUN GOLF 2026

This year, for the first time, we held a fun golf day at Lansdown Golf Club for all golfers, including beginners.

CAMBRIDGE LUNCH

It was lovely to catch up with recent (and one not so recent!) leavers amid sunny skies and a warm breeze on 9 May in Cambridge.

The Association lunch provided a nice distraction amid the stresses of coursework and examination preparation. The OKs at the University of Cambridge are incredibly generous with their time, always willing to speak to current Kingswood pupils about their own experiences, the realities of being an undergraduate at Cambridge, and offer advice as well as mock interviews. Kingswood's recent Oxbridge success is a testament to just how impactful their contributions can be.

Mr Jude Chua Mathematics Teacher Oxbridge Coordinator Kingswood Foundation

LONDON RECEPTION

In April 2026, Old Kingswoodians and friends gathered at the delightful Café du Marché for an enjoyable evening of drinks, canapés and conversation in the heart of London.

Held in the charming private room above the restaurant, the reception brought together guests from across the Old Kingswoodian community, spanning a wide range of ages and leaving plenty of opportunity to reconnect with old friends, make new connections and share memories of Kingswood.

POOLE LUNCH

Old Kingswoodians gathered in fine spirits for the recent Wyvern Lunch held in the picturesque coastal town of Poole, Dorset. Set against the backdrop of the town’s famous harbour, the occasion provided a relaxed and welcoming opportunity for friends old and new to come together once again.

Guests enjoyed a delicious two-course lunch of chicken schnitzel followed by crème brûlée, while conversation flowed easily throughout the afternoon. As always, the lunch was filled with laughter, shared memories, and stories spanning many decades of Kingswood life.

The Dorset gathering continues to be a muchloved occasion in the Old Kingswoodian calendar, particularly for those living in the South West who value the chance to reconnect with the wider Kingswood community. It was especially pleasing to welcome both familiar faces and those attending for the first time in several years.

The warm atmosphere and enduring friendships on display were a reminder of the strong bonds that continue long after school days have ended. Many guests commented on how enjoyable it was to spend time together in such a beautiful setting and expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to renew old acquaintances.

1748 SOCIETY LUNCH

The 1748 Lunch is an annual gathering held to thank and celebrate those members of the Kingswood community who have chosen to leave a gift to the School in their will. Named in honour of the year Kingswood was founded, the lunch provides an opportunity for guests to enjoy time together

while hearing updates from the Headmaster on life at Kingswood today and plans for the future. The occasion is both a celebration of lasting connection to the School and an expression of gratitude for the generosity and support that will help future generations of Kingswood pupils to flourish.

KINGSWOOD STAFF, 1959-1960

This photograph of the Kingswood staff from 1959-1960 has been shared with us, and we are grateful to Old Kingswoodian Peter Brigg (KS 195260) for helping to identify several of the individuals pictured. However, a number of faces remain unnamed. If you recognise anyone in the photograph, we would love to hear from you so that we can complete the record. Please contact us at association@ kingswood.bath.sch.uk

FROM KINGSWOOD TO THE HEART OF BATH - OPENING MY CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC!

Charlie Fry (KS 2013-21)

I’m Charlie Fry, an Old Kingswoodian, and I’m thrilled to share that I’ve recently opened Bath Chiropractic Clinic right in the heart of Bath.

At the clinic, I’m pleased to offer the local community advice, guidance, and treatment to help people stay out of pain, whether it’s back, neck, or any musculoskeletal issues My approach is hands-on and evidence-based, focusing on helping people move more comfortably, recover from injuries, and maintain an active, healthy lifestyle.

It’s been an exciting journey since my time at Kingswood, from learning and growing through school to completing a 4 year masters degree in Bournemouth to become a Chiropractor, and now having the opportunity to support the local community. I’m passionate about helping people of all ages stay mobile, prevent pain, and continue enjoying the things they love - from everyday activities to sports and hobbies.

I look forward to welcoming friends, neighbours, and fellow Old Kingswoodians to the clinic, and I’m always happy to share advice or guidance for anyone curious about looking after their spine and musculoskeletal health.

www.bathchiropracticclinic.com

Rufus Sokell Thompson (KS 2016-23)

Rufus visited the Kingswood Team at the National finals for stem racing. He was a founding member of Impetus and competed at the National finals in 2023. He's in his 3rd year at the University of Sheffield on an integrated masters in Mechanical Engineering.

INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION

Each year we invite Old Kingswoodians to support our Year 12 Careers events. Your insights could genuinely inspire our pupils as they explore their future pathways.

Volunteers speak to small groups of pupils, sharing a short overview of their career journey followed by Q&A — such as your pathway, key lessons, sector insights, or emerging opportunities.

Our aim is to give pupils exposure to a wide range of real world career stories and possibilities. This will then inform Year 12 decision making as they enter their final year at Kingswood, as well as giving them valuable networking experience. If you can offer work experience we would also love to hear from you.

If you can help with any of the above please contact Head of Careers, Debbie Longland, at: dlongland@kingswood.bath.sch.uk

Frank Percy (KS 1980-85)

He is in the folk band ‘The Coherts’ and appears regularly on the London and South East pub and club circuit with ‘The JVL Band’, a pop, rock and country covers band. He plays the double bass.

Oli Biggs (KS 2005-21)

Oli completed his four year Astrophysics MPHYs at Cardiff University this summer and not only was he awarded first class honours, he was awarded the Professor Parrott Prize This is awarded annually to the MPhys student graduating with the highest standing in the School.

An amazing achievement and his love of Physics started with some inspirational teaching staff at Kingswood.

FROM THE ROYAL MARINES TO MALAWI: DOING ALL THE GOOD WE CAN

Adrian Raisbeck (KS 1987-92)

My journey to founding mbora started long before I left Kingswood in 1992.

As a fourth-generation Malawian, my roots are deeply embedded in African soil. I grew up in the bush, learning resourcefulness from village friends—skills that, years later, proved just as vital during Royal Marines Officer training as they do today in rural development.

THE KINGSWOOD FOUNDATION

My five years at Kingswood were transformative. Beyond the rugby and cricket pitches—where I was proud to play for the 1st teams across all terms—the School’s ethos, rooted in John Wesley’s mantra to "do all the good you can," became my internal compass. Whether serving as the last Head of House for the school’s oldest boys' hostel or navigating the culture shock of moving from a State of Emergency in South Africa to the peace of Bath, the values of resilience and community stayed with me.

FROM CONFLICT TO CONNECTION

After leaving school, my career took me to the front lines of global security. As a Royal Marines Officer (1996-2002), I led the first landed mission against the Rebel United Front in Sierra Leone during Op PALLISER in 2000. This was followed by years as a security consultant and Advisor to the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, where I developed the nation’s first National Maritime Strategy.

However, a growing disenfranchisement with the "business as usual" approach of Western interests in autocratic regimes led me back to school. Between 2011 and 2015, I completed an MSc in Sustainable Development at SOAS, focusing my thesis on "An Alternative Approach to Sustainably Developing Rural African Villages." This research, fuelled by my childhood in Malawi, became the blueprint for mbora.

“...the School’s ethos, rooted in John Wesley’s mantra to “do all the good you can,” became my internal compass.”

THE BIRTH OF MBORA

The road wasn't easy. After a move to South Africa in 2013 and several tech pivots—one of which won Seedstars "Best Startup in Cape Town" in 2017—I faced a choice: return to a comfortable military role in Australia or bet everything on a vision for Malawi. I chose Malawi. In January 2020,

with $130k in pre-seed funding, we began building the first mbora Hub in Malindi. When COVID-19 hit, I stayed on the ground to protect the investment, a nine-month separation from my family that was a profound personal sacrifice.

Today, mbora is a thriving reality:

 11,000 members across three operational Hubs.

 15,000 clinic consultations delivered to remote communities.

 $500k in loans issued to village businesses (76% women-owned) with a 95% repayment rate.

A custom software platform, mboraMAX 2.0, with an even more exciting 3.0 version on the way, providing a lifeline through cyclones, droughts, and a pandemic.

JOIN THE ADVENTURE

Kingswood has been a steadfast supporter of this journey.

The School's social justice group has contributed, funding essential motorbikes for our extension workers and irrigation pumps for farming families.

Our vision is to move a million people off aid and into sustainable production over the next decade. We need a big raise to achieve that. We’re currently fundraising to scale across the region and are looking for partners and philanthropists to join this African adventure.

As Wesley said, we do all the good we can, for as long as we can. I’m proud to carry that Kingswood spark into the warm heart of Africa.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

SUPPORT OUR CAMPAIGN

Visit our "Fund a Pump, Fund a Future" GoFundMe page. Scan the QR code.

CONNECT

I would love to hear from fellow alumni interested in sustainable impact. Reach out at adrian@mbora.io

FACING LIFE'S UNEXPECTED PATH

Oscar Dennis (KS 2008-13)

When I left Kingswood, I thought I had a fairly clear idea of what my future looked like.

Sport had always been central to my life. The competitive environment, the structure of training and the camaraderie of team culture were all things I thrived on during my time at school. At the time, I didn’t fully realise that Kingswood had instilled in me not just a love of sport, but a mindset and how vital that mindset would become when life got tough.

Missing my final year of school sport due to injury was incredibly difficult to deal with. Watching from the sidelines was one of the hardest places to be, especially when schoolboy sport feels like the pinnacle of school life. I loved every part of it and the pride of representing the School with your best mates. To have that final season taken away was a real blow.

After school, rugby became my focus. I went on to represent

Kenya 7s on the HSBC World Series circuit, travelling the world and competing against the very best. In 2019, we qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. It was the culmination of years of work and a dream I had carried since I was a boy, to represent my country, my family and myself at the pinnacle of world sport. The future looked incredibly bright.

Then, in November 2020, everything changed.

The very day I returned home from winning the World 10s Series in Bermuda, I was involved in a serious motorbike accident. In a hit-and-run incident, a car T-boned me as I turned right into my road. I was rushed to hospital in Nairobi that evening for emergency surgery, before being medically evacuated to Cape Town, South Africa for more specialised treatment.

“Everyone will face setbacks. That is inevitable. What defines you is how you respond. ”

I spent six weeks in hospital and underwent seven surgeries in the first five weeks alone. Over the following months, I had a further five operations. Twice, doctors prepared me for amputation. For long periods, the question was no longer whether I would return to elite sport. It was whether I would walk again.

Recovery was slow, painful and uncertain, but I chose to treat it

as a challenge. Day by day, I focused on small wins. I was told I would be lucky to keep my foot. Then lucky to fight gravity with it. Then lucky to walk. Then lucky to run. Those words, instead of discouraging me, fuelled me.

During rehab, cycling became part of my recovery process. Little did I know that a few years later I would be standing on the start line of the Paralympic Games in Paris, competing in the tandem Para road-cycling. Standing on that start line was surreal. Four years earlier, I had been preparing for the Olympics in rugby and had seen that dream shattered. Now, I was competing at the Paralympics in a completely different sport. It wasn’t the path I had planned, but it was one I was deeply proud of.

I am now focusing on triathlon, with the goal of qualifying for the LA 2028 Paralympic Games.

I am loving this new challenge and discovering what this body can achieve after such trauma. Transitioning from years of rugby training to building an endurance athlete’s body is no easy task. But I believe endurance sport often attracts people who have experienced trauma. It becomes a way of proving to themselves that they have come back stronger.

If this next goal is successful, it would mean that I have qualified for or competed in three different sports across three Olympic and Paralympic cycles.

This journey has completely reshaped my understanding of life and success. Today, I am genuinely grateful simply to wake up and walk. That, to me, is success. From those small daily wins in hospital, I am now living a full life and pursuing goals that a younger version of myself at Kingswood could never have imagined needing to overcome.

“It has been challenging, humbling and deeply rewarding.”

To current pupils, I would say this: everyone will face setbacks. That is inevitable. What defines you is how you respond. How well you pick yourself up. How willing you are to rebuild.

The journey since leaving school has been anything but conventional. From international rugby fields, to hospital wards, to the Paralympic start line, and now onto the triathlon circuit. It has been challenging, humbling and deeply rewarding.

And in many ways, it still feels like the journey is just beginning.

Stan Wood (KS 2017-24)

Stan is on a 3 year apprentice race mechanic course for Mercedes F1 team, which he started in September.

The intention at the end is to become part of the pit crew for Mercedes. He decided not to go to University and is pleased to be spending his time doing more practical things and having opportunities like this.

The following are his thoughts on Kingswood:

The Kingswood DTE department challenges students to compete in the international F1 in Schools competition. My time on Kingswood’s first team not only taught me valuable technical skills, but also the mental resilience required to earn my role as an Apprentice Race Team Mechanic with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team.

I have been given the incredible opportunity to learn alongside some of the most talented mechanics and engineers in the world.

DTE supported me every step of the way, and I am deeply grateful for the role they played in this new chapter of my career. The department has already grown significantly since I left in 2024, and it is exciting to see what they will achieve next.

Tony Hurt (KS 1971-79)

I am retiring from my formal career in education after 44 years of teaching high school geography and history.

Much of that was in the United States, but I have taught since then in South Korea, Pakistan, and most recently Dubai in the UAE. I have also been coaching high school football during that time.

It has been a wonderful career and I have been very blessed and grateful to teach subjects that I have been passionate about since my time at Kingswood School. Throughout my years of teaching, I have been increasingly grateful for my Kingswood education. My wife and I will be moving to Cuenca, Ecuador where we are looking forward to being permanent members of the St. Christopher's Episcopal Church community, as well as volunteering in the Ecuadorian Andean region. We'll also have plenty of time to visit our four sons and their families, including our 6 grandchildren!

I was sorry to hear of the passing of John Lewis last year who was so influential in introducing me to orienteering together with helping me develop mapping skills during my time at KS.

I am attaching a couple of photographs, both from our 40th reunion a few years ago. One is with John Lewis. The other is with Tony Haines who was so instrumental in my future study and teaching of geography (I was proud to present him with a copy of a US Advanced Placement Human Geography Test Prep book that my wife and I wrote).

Best wishes, Tony

Andrew Rose (KS 1963-71)

Thanks for the recently emailed copy of the newsletter, always a good read.

Istill like to see how the Cricket XI perform each year as I have many happy memories of playing on the Upper especially cricket but also rugby (1st XV) and hockey (2nd XI).

My love of cricket really began at KS and I had three years in the 1st XI from 1969-71, captaining the side in my final two years. I have never missed a season since and am still playing at the age of 72! Latterly I have been playing for Devon Seniors in the National County Championships. After 9 years representing the Over 60s 2nd XI I have had two seasons now representing the County Over 70s side. I usually open or bat number 3. This year we qualified to play in the National Bowl competition (the best of the rest!) and won our final against Sussex in a close match played at Banbury. Though our regional matches involve a lot of travel I thoroughly enjoy the camaraderie and competitiveness of the matches. Now I have a trophy to make it all worthwhile (see photo below). Perhaps this will give inspiration to those who just staring our on their sporting careers at KS.

Having been retired from teaching for several years in my other spare time I sing in a choir with my wife, volunteer as a driver in a local food bank once a week, and am now in my 47th year as a Methodist local preacher. All of these interests stem from the education and values that I received during my time at KS. So I am forever grateful for my time in Bath.

Colin Lawrence (KS 1974-81)

For the last four years I have been Chief Executive of the amazing charity MediCinema.

MediCinema build and run fully immersive cinemas in NHS Hospitals, and deliver screening programmes for the benefit of patients, their families, and the wider hospital community.

We have been busy expanding the scope of our work, opening new cinemas at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool (see photo above) at the end of 2024, and in March this year, we launched our new service at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. The charity occupies a unique and very special place in the world of UK film and cinema and in February 2025 I was incredibly honoured to accept a BAFTA on behalf of the charity for Outstanding Contribution to British Film.

Prior to MediCinema, I spent thirty years working in media and creative sector internationally, based in both the UK, and for four years in Asia too. I left corporate life around nine years ago, then spent three years at the National Theatre as Director of Media & Commercial, leading film and digital teams.

Perhaps not surprisingly I am passionate about arts & creative learning, and as such am proud to be a Governor at Norwich University of the Arts, a TEF Triple Gold rated specialist creative University.

FULFILLING A DREAM

Laurie Canter (KS 2001-08)

I left Kingswood in 2008 with A Levels in History, Politics, and P.E.

At that point in my life, golf was a pipe dream. I had taken up the game at 13 and, by 18, showed some promise as a scratch handicap, hovering on the fringes of county representation — still a long way from representing England or reaching the level required to play professionally.

Luckily, I had a network around me who understood passion in a young person and helped me believe in myself. My mother taught Business and Economics in the Senior School at Kingswood, and my father was a surgeon in Bath who later became a visiting Professor at Oxford. With the benefit of hindsight, you realise just how much unconditional support matters when you are young and chasing a dream.

Your network — and who you spend time with — has the biggest influence on your life, and I have been incredibly fortunate to have family, friends, and during my time at Kingswood, the educational flexibility to pursue my ambitions.

Since leaving Kingswood, my journey to becoming a professional golfer was volatile and filled with constant failure. I played golf in over 30 countries, gaining experience and building my game. I repeatedly failed to progress through the process of earning my European Tour card and often questioned whether I would be able to continue professionally. It was a tough few years, but the lessons from failure were essential to my development and ultimately to breaking through.

“ you realise just how much unconditional support matters when you are young and chasing a dream. Your network — and who you spend time with — has the biggest influence on your life...”

In 2015, seven years after leaving Kingswood, I finally gained my playing card for the European Tour. Since then, I have climbed inside the world’s Top 50, played in every Major Championship — including six Open Championships and the Masters at Augusta National — and won twice on the European Tour in the past two years. I have also competed on every professional golf tour in the world.

Beyond the achievements I’m proud of, the most fulfilling part of my journey has been the ability to genuinely live out a dream and lose myself in the pursuit of improvement. I believe that’s fundamentally why past failures have never derailed me for long.

The 13-year-old boy who first picked up a club, loved practising, and became obsessed with the game is still alive in me. As I’ve grown older and started my own family, my gratitude to golf has only deepened. The lessons it’s taught me, the experiences it has given my family and me, and the people I’ve met along the way make me feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to pursue it as a career.

CONGRATULATIONS

Sarah Blackburn (KS 2004-2011) and Alex Young (KS 2004-2010)

These photographs were kindly sent to us by Clare Blackburn, Sarah’s mother.

Clare recalls that in 2002, the director of the company she was working for suggested she consider Kingswood, describing it as one of the very best boarding schools.

She tells us that Sarah loved Kingswood from the very beginning and that choosing the School was the best decision she could have made for both of her children. The friendships they formed from their very first days have become lifelong bonds.

The environment and ethos at Kingswood foster a close-knit community where pupils build relationships that truly stand the test of time — something we hear echoed time and again from our Old Kingswoodians.

Rev John Edward Stanfield (KS 1931-39)

Kingswood sends the warmest best wishes to the Rev John Edward Stanfield on his 106th Birthday!

John has very fond memories of his time boarding at Kingswood from 1931-39 when his parents were working as missionaries in China. School magazine entries attest to his sporting prowess in rugby, swimming, cross-country, athletics and cricket.

After serving as a Major in the Royal Signals during WW2, John became a Methodist Minister and served in the Gambia before serving churches in the UK. He now lives in South Oxfordshire and celebrated his birthday with family.

VISITING KINGSWOOD AS PART OF LEAVERS OF 1979, 65TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

BATH RUGBY

Tim Reeman and Garrod Musto met Old Kingswoodians, who left in 1998, at a Bath Rugby match in February 2026.

If you are having a reunion or visiting Bath Rugby please contact our Alumni Ambassador, Tim Reeman, at treeman@kingswood.bath.sch.uk as he may be able to join you.

If you are keen to play in next year's cricket day fixture, please get in touch with Euan Gordon at egordon@kingswood.bath.sch.uk

CRICKET DAY 2025

The end of the Kingswood Cricket week saw the annual match between the School 1st XI and an Old Boys team from a variety of different age groups. The School batted first and after losing early wickets they were indebted to Mathijs In Der Rieden and Archie Baker for setting a respectable 188-9. However, the Old Boys never looked in trouble and after a quickfire 56 from England rugby Sevens player Marcus Kershaw and 43 from ex-Somerset cricketer Noah Davis, they coasted to victory by 5 wickets. A great day’s cricket with lots of Old Kingswoodians visiting to enjoy the sunshine and share a drink and barbecue at the end of the game.

This year’s match is on the 19th June 2026 starting at 11.00am and all Old Kingswoodians are most welcome to visit at any time of the day.

THE ARCHIVES

VISIT OF THE PRINCE OF WALES, NOVEMBER 1926

November 10th 2026 will mark 100 years since Edward the Prince of Wales opened both the Ferens building and what was then known as the Lord Moulton Memorial Hall, now the J. O. Heap Library.

Before the Ferens building was constructed, all teaching took place within the main school building. The establishment of a purpose built teaching block, complete with modern science laboratories, marked a significant advance. It released valuable space in the existing building and enabled the School to introduce dayrooms and a dedicated assembly hall.

The summary below of the day’s events is taken largely from an article written by A. M. Bishop (KS 1937-45, Staff 1950-87, Archivist 1987-2000, Chairman of the Kingswood Association 1993-95), which appeared in the Kingswood Magazine in November 1990.

“He stepped out to a roar of applause...”

After catching the 11.15am Spa Express from Paddington, the Prince of Wales travelled in the rear coach and arrived punctually at 1pm at Bath’s G.W.R. Station. At Kingswood, boys, and staffincluding the Headmaster, Mr Wootton (Headmaster 1919-28)gathered at the front of the School to await his arrival. The boys, caps ready to wave, lined the terrace, while the masters stood on the steps in academic dress, set against the bright uniforms of the Band of the 14th/20th Royal Hussars positioned on the grass by the Moulton Hall.

The sound of cheering rose from the road, growing louder, until the Prince’s Daimler swept onto the terrace. He stepped out to a roar of applause, and the band immediately struck up the National Anthem. At his own request, the Prince lunched with the boys.

After lunch, the speeches began. The Senior Prefect, J. L. Champness, opened with an elegantly composed welcome, followed by a few remarks from the Headmaster. The Prince then gave his address, and Reverend Owen Spencer Watkins closed the programme by offering the Governors’ thanks.

“...the Prince lunched with the boys...”

The Prince’s address was widely regarded as having achieved precisely the appropriate note of inspiration. Following a further acknowledgment of T. R. Feren’s notable generosity, he proceeded to speak of Kingswood in terms that carried a singular and distinguished resonance...

"Kingswood's record in the past is one which any school in the kingdom may well take pride. Inspired by the founder's motto, boys have gone forth into the world with the idea of service as the guiding principle of their lives: the service of God, the Church and the State... You have also a reputation for scholarship and hard work... Something like 30% of those leaving Kingswood in the past have entered one of the learned professions... You inherit a great tradition and fine ideals and, with loyalty, hard work, and public service as the keynote of your lives you can carry on that tradition and add to the already great reputation of the School…”

“The Prince is reported to have said as he left: “I've had a great day and enjoyed every moment...””

After the speeches the Right Honourable Walter Runciman, M.P., formally invited the Prince to open the Lord Moulton Memorial Hall, and the architect, Mr W. A. Forsyth, asked him to accept a golden presentation key.

FROM THE ARCHIVIST…

If you have any archive items relating to your time at school (documents, letters, photographs etc.) you no longer want, I would love to re-home them in the archive here at Kingswood. Many thanks in advance.

Zoë Parsons

Mr Runciman, the Headmaster, Lord Moulton's son and the Governors, went to the Hall and there unveiled the tablet and brass to the left of the great window, briefly declaring the Hall open.

Mr Ferens then invited the Prince to formally open the building (“an extension of the School premises”) that bore his name, by unveiling a commemorative tablet in the porch. The Prince toured The Ferens, where he observed several practical scientific demonstrations being conducted in the new laboratories.

The Prince returned to the marquee to watch an “ambitious display by the School's gymnasts,” including: “progressive leapfrog, human

chains, circular skipping, pyramids.” This was followed by a swimming display. Once more, a diverse programme was presented: a relay illustrating the breaststroke, backstroke, sidestroke, and crawl; a balloon race; life saving demonstrations; and diving. Lastly, the Prince retuned to the Memorial Chapel for a “brief cup of tea.” He departed the School at 4.32pm precisely to Bristol Temple Meads, where he caught the 5.15pm London Express.

The Prince spent three and a half hours at Kingswood; the whole, meticulously worked out programme went without a hitch. The Prince is reported to have said as he left: "I've had a great day and enjoyed every moment of it.”

VISITING KINGSWOOD

Old Kingswoodians are always very welcome to return and visit the School. Whether you would simply like to walk around the grounds, see what has changed since your time here, or reconnect with the place that holds so many memories, we would be delighted to see you.

If you would like to make a visit, please just let us know a date and time that works for you. We would be very happy to arrange a tour of the School and show you some of the developments that have taken place in recent years.

And if your visit coincides with lunchtime, you are most welcome to stay and join us for school lunch — a chance to experience a familiar Kingswood tradition once again.

We always enjoy welcoming Old Kingswoodians back to Kingswood and look forward to seeing many of you in the years ahead. Please reconnect by contacting association@kingswood.bath.sch.uk

Graham and his wife MaryClare visited in December 2025

"Thank you so much for giving us such a happy and memory filled visit yesterday. We both really appreciated the time you had taken before and during our visit to make it very special."

Graham was delighted to see so many familiar places, and especially to find his name on the boarding house board! We enjoyed looking at the magazine, and the calendar pictures.

MEMORIES

Russell Keeley (KS 1936-45)

Duncan Keeley (KS 1966-72) sent us this information for his dad who was 100 on 12th May 2026.

Russell Keeley was born in Southport, Lancashire on 12th May 1926, the last day of the General Strike. His father was a Methodist Minister and he spent his early childhood with his brother and three sisters in Denton, Manchester. (He remembers being featured in the local paper there when he and his sisters had a pet lamb which they walked on a lead down Manchester Road). Later the family moved to the Isle of Wight where he remembers watching the Battle of Britain happening overhead while he was haymaking in the fields above Shanklin.

Thanks to support from a member of his father’s congregation he was able to attend Kingswood School in Bath. The School was moved to Uppingham during the second world war - Kingswood School was requisitioned by the Admiralty for designing the Mulberry Harbours used in the D Day landings. At school he excelled at rugby and got a scholarship to Trinity Hall Cambridge . He met his wife Barbara at Cambridge where she was studying Biochemistry. Barbara - also the daughter of a Methodist minster - had spent her childhood in south China near Guangzhou where her parents were missionary teachers at a school in Foshan. Barbara, who died in 2013, was involved in a wide range of community activities in the town in particular with the pre-school playgroup

movement, as well as being enormously supportive of Russell in his work.

While Russell was at Cambridge his life was very probably saved by being one of the first civilian recipients of penicillin to treat a serious infection after gashing his leg in an unwise dive into the river Cam one night. After training in medicine at Cambridge and The London Hospital Medical College, in lieu of National Service in the army he spent three years in Malaysia in the Colonial Medical Service. He was in charge of the TB hospital in Kota Bharu when they received the first shipment of streptomycin and seriously ill patients miraculously got better. He returned to the UK in 1955 to train in general practice, which had always been his career aim .

After earlier GP jobs in Woodford Green, Royston and Epsom, he arrived in Leighton Buzzard in 1960 joining Dr Brian Stephens and Dr David Tunnadine at the Leighton Road Practice. The practice then worked out of a small house in Leighton Road. In those days the GPs worked long hours in the day and then were on call for home visits one night and one weekend in three, with their wives taking the telephone calls out of hours. Many women had their babies at home and the GPs would attend the deliveries. Russell was closely involved in designing the new building into which the practice moved after

a few years and from which the practice still operates He was ahead of his time in providing family planning services from general practice and in his interest in holistic medicine and the psychological aspects of medical practice. In 1970 his family connection with the Isle of Wight and his broad musical tastes led him on a whim to turn up at the famous Isle of Wight Pop Festival. There he promptly ended up working in the makeshift medical tent when the organisers put out a call for any doctors present over the tannoy, thus missing Jimi Hendrix’s last live performance.

He worked as a GP at Leighton Road full time until his retirement in 1986 and continued in a part time capacity for several years after his retirement.

Russell still lives in his own house in Leighton Buzzard with the support of his family and carers from Home Instead. He is a lover of poetry and can still recite Shakespeare sonnets by heart.

He continues to support the Methodist Church in Leighton Buzzard but has not been a churchgoerbeing more of an open minded pantheist in his views on religion. He attributes his long life mainly to good luck, and continued love and support from family and friends - notably including Dr Mohamed Shaefi, a friend of many years who was also a GP in the town. He also says that having played a lot of rugby helps with knowing how to fall over without hurting yourself too badly. Until recently he loved to walk in Rushmere Park. He still visits the lake - of which he is particularly fond - for birdwatching and for an ice cream at the cafe in his wheelchair, accompanied by his family. From time to time he is greeted by former patients who remember him.

He will be celebrating his birthday with his four children, seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren. His message of congratulations from the King and Queen arrived in good time - but was delivered by the postman rather than by an owl.

Richard Martin (KS 1957-64)

Richard Martin visited Kingswood in October 2025 and he sent the following information on his return.

The morning after my KS visit I popped in to my favourite Bath bookshop, Topping & Company, in York Street. They pride themselves on selling first editions remarkably swiftly after publication and when I went in I was disappointed not to find Tim Curry’s memoirs, Vagabond, of which we spoke. I enquired further and the assistant was most puzzled as he recalled their delivery. He then, very swiftly, found a pile of them on the floor behind the counter waiting to be displayed. The interesting thing is that they often obtain these first editions signed by the author, but given Tim’s severe stroke I felt that was rather unlikely in this case. However, on opening up the bundle, yes we found they were indeed signed, almost recognisably. Tim was never inclined to autograph things with the neatest hand, as this photo of a Good Luck doodle he did for me back in our KS days shows and the book autograph was remarkably alike! After a swift phone call to my elder son, my Christmas present from him was agreed and purchased.

A TRIBUTE TO MARCUS CORNAH (1953–2026)

It is with a profound sense of loss that I write to inform you of the passing of Marcus Cornah

on the 19th of March 2026.

Marcus was a man whose life was woven into the very fabric of Kingswood, serving the community with unwavering devotion for decades as a pupil, a teacher, and a headmaster.

THE FULL CIRCLE: FROM PUPIL TO LEADER

Marcus’s connection to the school began long before his professional career. Born on the 7th of August 1953, he attended Kingswood as a pupil during the 1960s and early 70s. As an Old Kingswoodian, he carried the school’s Methodist values of "doing all the good you can" into his adulthood. This deep-rooted understanding of the Kingswood ethos—from the perspective of a student—allowed him to lead later in life with a unique empathy and authenticity.

THE FORMATIVE YEARS AT PRIOR’S COURT

Before he became a fixture at the Prep School in Bath, Marcus dedicated sixteen years to Prior’s Court (then the Prep School for Kingswood).

January 1989: Marcus joined Prior’s Court as Deputy Head, quickly becoming a respected pillar of the staff room and a favourite among the students.

September 1995: He stepped up as Acting Head, steering the School through a period of transition with the steady, calm hand that would become his trademark.

It was during these years at Prior's Court that Marcus truly mastered the art of preparatory education, recognising that a

“We remember Marcus today as the quintessential “Kingswoodian.””

child’s early years are the most critical for building confidence and character.

A LEGACY AT KINGSWOOD PREP

In September 1998, Marcus returned to the Bath campus as Deputy Head of Kingswood Prep School, eventually serving as Headmaster from April 2004 until his retirement in April 2011.

Under his guidance, the Prep School flourished. He didn't just manage an institution; he nurtured a family. Marcus had the rare ability to make every child

feel seen and every staff member feel valued. He was a man of immense integrity, a gentle wit, and a quiet but firm resolve.

IN REMEMBRANCE

We remember Marcus today as the quintessential "Kingswoodian." He was a man who came through our gates as a boy and spent his life ensuring that the gates remained open, welcoming, and inspiring for generations to come.

Our deepest condolences go out to his family. We have lost a great mentor, a dedicated servant to education, and a dear friend.

Marcus was at so many pillars of the Kingswood community I list a few here;

The Bridge Builder: Marcus was the key leadership figure during the transition years when the prep education moved from its traditional roots at Prior’s Court to the modern, thriving hub at the Bath campus.

The "Old Boy" Perspective: He often used his own experiences as a pupil to inform his empathy for the children. He understood the nerves of a new starter and the pride of a school leaver because he had lived them himself.

Stability and Warmth: His tenure as Headteacher (2004 – 2011) is remembered as a "Golden Era" of kindness. He navigated the complexities of school management with a gentle wit that defused tension and a moral compass that never wavered.

Mr Paul Baines Chair of Governors

Marcus Cornah, son of The Rev'd Albert and Mary Cornah, attended Kingswood School as a pupil from 1964 to 1971 and started his teaching career at Gresham’s School in Holt, Norfolk. In his 13 years there, he reached county level as a hockey player and imparted that knowledge to many school teams over the years. Then to Prior’s Court in 1989 as Deputy Head. On that School’s closure in 1998, he went to Kingswood Prep School where he continued to devote himself to school activities such as staging plays and writing a school magazine. He became Headmaster in 2004, but a stroke in 2006 resulted in early retirement to the North of Scotland. In 2022, he moved to Boston Lincolnshire to better receive the support of his brother and family.

Jeremy Cornah Brother

Marcus Cornah... He shaped young lives with true passion and dedication.

I have such fond memories of Marcus and they span over many years at different stages of my life and career and our strong connection with Kingswood. There were two most special moments that will always remain with me - one when my son was offered the kindness and support that Marcus was so well known for - having decided his choice of University (first time round) after one term, just wasn't for him. Marcus had known Alex as a young boy, growing up through the Prep and Senior Schools and seized the chance to get him to think about a teaching career, so he offered him a 'gap' student role alongside his very good friend Sam Cook - the first Prep School 'gappies' for KPS sport. I put Alex's love of his School and the final direction of his career down to that leap of faith Marcus had in him when he was so unsure of himself.

The other incredible moment in time, was to see Marcus surrounded by so many of his former pupils (many from Prior's Court) when he accompanied former Head, Simon Morris and I on a recruitment and reunion visit to Hong Kong, just before his retirement. The love and high regard that was felt for Marcus was incredible and gave us all long lasting and precious memories. God bless you dear man, you made such an impression on so many young livesyou will never be forgotten.

Angela Dudley-Warde, Director of Admissions, Marketing & Development (KS 1999-2015)

IN MEMORY OF

Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the following Old Kingswoodians and former staff whose passing was reported in the last year.

David Allner

John Attwater

Bertie Bellis

Mark Broadhead

Marcus Cornah

Alister Cox

Barrie Fleet

Ian Ford

Robert Francis-Pope

Richard Garforth

Maurice Harker

Philip Horton

Maurice R Hulton

Anthony (Sid) Liddiard

Susan Monks

Fiona Morris

Hugh Nowell

Philip Pacey

Roger Reeson

Ray Selwood

Elizabeth Thompson

KS 1939-46

KS 1948-55

KS 1937-46

KS 1970-75

KS 1964-71 and former staff

KS 1944-53

KS 1951-57

KS 1944-50

KS 1960-66

KS 1960-66 and former staff

KS 1956-64

KS 1956-66

KS 1942-53

KS 1973-80

Former Staff

KS 1980-82

KS 1940-47

KS 1957-64

KS 1999-2005, former Bursar

Former Staff

KS 2003-09

OBITUARIES

BERTIE BELLIS (KS 1937-46)

Bertram (“Bertie”) Bellis (Kingswood 1940-45) died aged 98 on 1st October 2025. Bertie, a son of the manse, joined Kingswood at the start of the Second World War, just as the School was being evacuated to Uppingham. His entire school career was spent there, becoming School Captain in his final Oxbridge term. He was greatly influenced by the headmaster at the time, A. B. Sackett, who encouraged him to consider a career as a schoolmaster.

It was no surprise, therefore, that having graduated from St John’s Cambridge (where he had been an exhibitioner in Mathematics) Bertie taught first at Rossall and then Highgate (where he was Head of Maths and a Housemaster). Thereafter he became headmaster at Daniel Stewart’s in Edinburgh and the first principal when that school combined to form Stewart’s Melville College. His successful career continued when he was appointed headmaster

of The Leys School, Cambridge in 1975 from which he retired in 1986. A respected figure in the academic community Bertie was instrumental in setting up MEI (Mathematics in Education and Industry), where he was its Founding Director. Bertie also served as President of the Mathematical Association from 1971 to 1972 and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1972.

While at St John’s he met Homerton student Joan Healey. Their marriage of over 70 years was ended on Joan’s death in May 2024. They made a formidable partnership with Joan supporting Bertie throughout his career and retirement.

ALISTER COX (KS 1944-53)

The following was written by his daughter Sarah.

The son of Methodist Minister,

Roland Cox, Alister was Head Boy at Kingswood in the same year that his brother John Cox joined the School. Murray Cox had already gone up to Cambridge.

Dad studied Classics at New College, Oxford and then became a teacher of classics at Clifton College, Bristol and Wellington College, Berkshire. He secured a Deputy Headship at Arnold School, Blackpool and then enjoyed the rest of his career as Headmaster of the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle Upon Tyne. He and Janet, my Mum, retired to Montsoreau in France for 20 years and then spent the last years of their life together in the lovely Lake District. Alister died in 2022.

Alister loved his wife and three children, loved to sing tenor, play tennis and chess and speak French. He had a passion for recording his learning, thoughts and experiences in newsletters, articles and books. He was a member of the Modern Stoicism movement and was delighted to give a lightning talk at Stoicon 2019 in Athens. A member of the Alliance Francaise, Alister spent some of his retirement delivering well attended lectures in French across the UK.

In his last decade my father, Alister Stransom Cox, wrote a small book of memoirs called ASC on ASC.

In this book he vividly describes his time at Kingswood School. He was very happy there. He was Head Boy under A.B. Sackett, who remained an inspiration to him throughout his life.

These are some of his words:

'I would be hard-pressed to identify a down-side to my early departure from a home-based life... the Kingswood I was sent to was as untypical as could be of the Public Schools I would find myself teaching in – and wishing to leave. There was for me, to say the least, a comfortable sense of familiarity about it, since the majority of my classmates had identical backgrounds to mine. For Kingswood, whose foundation goes back to John Wesley, was still dedicated above all to the sons of itinerant Methodist ministers – a reflection of socioreligious realities which had not yet been swept away. Give or take the odd aberration from which no institution is immune, I had every reason to feel thoroughly at ease in a community of recognisably like-minded youngsters within an overarching, protective and benevolent Christian atmosphere, precisely what had been lacking in my earlier schooling. Kingswood was thus to be for me, in an all too comforting a sense, a home from home.

Yet it is clear in retrospect that it also offered a sufficiently challenging education to dislodge me from those very same cosy comforts. It had within it a thought-provoking counterculture, embodied even in the wide range of religious outlooks in its leading staff. In addition to the Methodists (some ‘staunch’, some nominal) and ditto for the C-of-E, there was one enthusiast for Moral Rearmament, an exotic sprinkling of cynics and atheists, and on a remote mystical fringe

one known to us all for his rich mix of thinking and drinking. There was enough there to fascinate one like myself whose antennae were already attuned to picking up such signals. Presiding over this disparate band was a Headmaster of compelling charisma and rich eccentricity, the fondly recollected A. B. Sackett. His sermons disguised nuggets of Christian faith in convoluted speculative coils, while his prayers were often by contrast brilliantly down-to-earth paeans of praise for the wonders of life: to this day I remember his evocation of ‘the speed of the downhill bicycle’. To him we attributed various dicta in the sure knowledge that, if not authentic, they were profoundly typical. One such was his word of warning to one of the above-mentioned staff: ‘If I thought you were drinking as much as I know you are, you’d have to leave’. Typically he kept this mystic half-believer on the Chapel Committee, which was itself a classic Sackett brainchild. Its function was to ‘prepare’ each Sunday service along the lines of a chosen theme, and visiting preachers would often find their sermons pre-empted or neutralised by the service-sheet. When my turn came to prepare one such, I included in it Bertrand Russell’s stirring call to atheism from A Free Man’s Worship (‘only on the firm foundations of unyielding despair can the soul’s habitation henceforth be safely built’) – and was naively surprised that some were puzzled that it had been allowed.

Sackett had a touching faith that such free-ranging thought would lead his flock to a more considered Christianity, and in this he was no doubt mostly right, but I know that he did do battle with the Methodist hierarchs who complained that the School produced too few Ministers. Arguably I was one he took from them. ‘If he is to enter the Ministry,’ he wrote on my Lower Sixth report, ‘he should aim first for a good degree in a subject other than Theology.’

This was undoubtedly directed at my parents who had unavailingly urged the opposite. My brother John would later receive a somewhat similar put-down. After attending a Billy Graham evangelical Rally and telling Sackett of his mix of enthusiasm and doubt, he wrote home with this memorable summary of the HM’s response: (a) ‘your doubts may be right’; (b) ‘I’d rather you learn more about Maths than about God at the moment.’

If Sackett was determined that Kingswood should be no Seminary for Methodist preachers, he was not above seeing it as a forcinghouse for Oxbridge Scholarships. I was more than happy to be groomed in that direction, and because I was good at languages, was shepherded very early into specialising in the Classics. I certainly blossomed within those limits, while perhaps in some subconscious recess lodging that it’s a curricular shame to cut off intelligent youngsters like me almost totally from the sciences. I would by the Sixth Form be channelling such imagination as I had into the composition of elegant Latin and passable Greek, and converting chunks of the geniuses who wrote in those languages into English prose. Although I became good enough at it to gain the Scholarship which was expected of me, and then a First in the rigorously linguistic part 1 of the Oxford course, I have since tended to regret that I was confining my intellectual efforts to so circumscribed an area, and one so divorced from the world we live in. It did leave me embarrassingly short of general knowledge, but it was to have one fundamentally formative influence on the person I became and that process started at Kingswood. It arose from ruminations and some bookish research about the Greco-Roman pre-Christian world of my mainstream studies. I prepared for the school’s Senior Literary Association a talk which was little more than a digest of others’ ideas, but I can claim credit for its apt and provocative

title: ‘Christianity, the step-child of Paganism’. In the event it was less like a bomb-shell than a damp squib, but in me it had laid the subversive seeds of Doubt.

I did my best to concoct some paragraphs of ‘high prose’ in my final months at school. They constituted the speech on Prize Day which was expected from the Head Boy, and because the above Sackett recommended that it was best to memorise it, I can remember some bits of it to this day. In my panegyric about the joys of watching high-level sport (the nearest I got to it) was this image from the cricket field: ‘the confident nonchalance of a fine batsman taking his guard’ –a nicely constructed phrase, I still think 65 years later. The cricketer I had in mind was my good friend Hubert Moore who amongst others will have been in my mind in the following laboriously contrived peroration. ‘The veterans amongst us sometimes like to imagine that our progress through the School has been the steady climbing of some grand staircase that leads to glory. But of a sudden the perspective is widened, and we find ourselves on a diving platform, whence we must soon plunge into the cold waters of life. I hope that Kingswood will have taught me too to leave my platform gracefully.’ End of speech, descent from the stage! Sackett’s wonderful wife (a foil to him in useful ways) must have had sight of this in advance, because she congratulated me on that final flourish but added with a smile that she hoped I wouldn’t then stumble on the platform steps. My memory of that exchange has all the clarity of remembered embarrassments: I simply did not understand the comic point she was making. It’s as if my clever word-play was one jump ahead of the rather dull real me that drafted it. And what of that elaborated image of the diving platform and the ‘cold waters of life’? It worked well to make a point and I must have been proud of it, but I little understood just how perspicacious it was.

BARRIE FLEET (KS 1951-57)

Barrie Fleet, PhD, died 6 September 2025, aged eighty-seven.

Barrie was born in 1938 in Widnes. His father, Wilfred, was a Methodist minister; his mother, Doris, who had a degree in economics, dedicated herself to the duties of a minister’s wife. The young family hardly had time to settle in Northwood, London, before the war came: Wilfred was called up, Doris and the boys were put in a taxi which took them to Wales for the duration of the war.

After the war, they moved back up North. Barrie's brother Robin had been a boarder for some years, and at the age of eleven, it was Barrie’s turn. This event, so traumatic for many children, could not have come at a better time for Barrie: in the fuss of his departure no one had time to investigate the mysterious hole in his bedroom curtain – Barrie had been playing with matches.

Later on, at Kingswood School, he developed his love for music and athletics (he is still a county record holder) – and Classics. Barrie's years at Kingswood, where he developed lifelong friendships, were formative and a major influence on the direction his life took. Inspired by his brilliant Latin teacher Alec Dakin, who had been at Bletchley Park, Barrie went on to study Classics at UCL.

With a First Class Honours degree, he was well-placed to look for a career. The Foreign Office, a University job in New Zealand – or Classics master in the UK? He took the last option: first at Plymouth College, and then at Birkenhead School.

Newly married, and with his wife Hekka (Heli Ignatius-Fleet) studying at the Royal College of Music in Manchester, Barrie embarked on an MA at Liverpool University, with the Classical writer Philo as his topic. His studies completed, and with daughter Emma newly born, the family moved to Edinburgh where Barrie took up the position of Head of Classics at Daniel Stewart's and Melville College. A second daughter, Gaia, was born; and a couple of years later Barrie and his family moved to Cambridge at the behest of Bertie Bellis, who had been their Headmaster in Edinburgh and was now Headmaster of the Leys School. At the Leys, Barrie took up the position of Head of Classics.

In 1978 Barrie had a Schoolmaster Fellowship at St John’s College. This brought him into contact with classicists such as Malcolm Schofield, John Crook and Guy Lee - sowing seeds which eventually grew into a PhD.

Christopher Kelly, now Master of Corpus Christi College Cambridge, invited Barrie to help with the teaching of Classics at Corpus, which ultimately led him to take early retirement from the Leys in order to devote himself more fully to teaching Cambridge University students, and to his research on Plotinus.

During his Fellowship at Corpus, Barrie carried out extensive work of widening access, visiting schools all over the UK.

Always modest about his achievements, Barrie expressed quiet pleasure at finding his texts quoted in publications by other academics. Until quite recently he was an active contributor to the Neoplatonic Seminars in the

Cambridge Faculty of Divinity, drawing on both his expertise in Plotinus and his command of Classical Greek.

He carried many quotations in his memory: the one dearest to Hekka, so often working hard at her piano, is Browning’s “A man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”

Barrie is survived by his wife Hekka, his daughters Emma and Gaia, and four grandchildren.

IAN FORD (KS 1944-50)

My father, Ian Ford, passed away on 19 October 2025 aged 94 in Eastbourne. I have summarised some factual details about his time at Kingswood School, based on a short memoir he recorded before his death:

Ian attended Kingswood from 1944 to 1950, initially at the School’s wartime temporary location in Uppingham from 1944 to 1946, and then at the main Lansdown Bath site from 1946 onwards.

During this time, he was part of a lively cohort that included notable contemporaries such as future Labour MP Jeremy Bray and esteemed poet Anthony Thwaite OBE. The school community had a strong Methodist heritage, and Ian benefited from the

structured and supportive environment it provided.

Ian was an active student, involved in sports including the Tennis VI and second XI hockey teams. He also served as a house prefect in his later years.

Academically, he achieved decent results, attaining matriculation in six subjects and completing his Higher School Certificate with passes in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.

After leaving Kingswood in 1950, Ian completed National Service, qualified as a Chartered Accountant, and later joined the family business. Ian spoke warmly of his experiences at Kingswood, which played a significant role in shaping his character and future.

My Dad enjoyed his time at Kingswood and devoted three light-hearted chapters to it in his book. Happy to provide a free download if of further interest.

Nigel Ford (KS 1972-75) with his wife, son, daughters, son-in-law and grandchildren at the wake of Ian Ford (KS 1944-50) who passed away peacefully aged 94.

ROBERT FRANCIS-POPE (KS 1961-67)

Robert Francis-Pope was born in Bath on 24 July 1948 and was educated at Kingswood School from 1961 to 1967. He then took on an apprenticeship with British Homes Stores.

In 1973 he emigrated to South Africa where he ran his own very successful marketing company, volunteered with the police reservist, flew his own plane and represented SA in target shooting.

Robert died on 25 March 2026. He leaves behind, three daughters Tina, Roxanne and Rebecca and two grandchildren Keagan and Madison.

RICHARD GARFORTH

(KS 1960-66/ KS Staff 1973-2015)

Richard Garforth was born on 19 August 1947 and died on 6 November 2025.

Methodism and Kingswood School ran through Richard’s veins. In 1947 he was born in South India where his parents were Methodist missionaries, there having been a long line of his forebears who had been at Kingswood, so it was natural that, after an appalling tragedy when his mother was drowned in a waterfall accident, Richard should eventually become a boarder at Prior’s Court, Kingswood’s Prep School at the time. From there he settled into Westwood, then Middle House at a time when nearly all the pupils were sons of the Manse.

From Kingswood he went to Nottingham University where he graduated in Chemistry. Not being sure of where life would take him he applied to Voluntary Service Overseas and taught in Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu (S India for two years) which gave him a love of teaching, and which led him to do a post-graduate course in Education at Cambridge University which he completed in 1973. This was just the time when Kingswood were advertising for a new Chemistry teacher. He missed the deadline but pleaded with Laurie Campbell, the then Headmaster, to be allowed to

come for interview at the last minute! This was, I am certain, not the first very close shave of his life!

Unusually for the School, where there had traditionally been a very settled staff, Richard joined a large group of 8 new appointments at the School, all of whom were to leave well before Richard said his final farewell in 2015, almost breaking the school record for longevity of service. In his first years, living in Main School as a bachelor Housemaster, with a full timetable of Chemistry teaching, he coordinated various excursions to the Summer Isles Adventure Centre in Northwest Scotland, and numerous rock climbing and mountaineering trips to the Avon Gorge and North Wales as well as a kayaking/camping trip to the Gower Peninsula.

Richard met Connie, the love of his life, at a wedding where she was a bridesmaid; after a whirlwind romance across the Atlantic they married in 1977 and settled very happily into married and family life with their three daughters in Burton House. There they ran one of the first girls’ boarding houses before it was to eventually become the Medical Centre.

Richard was as fully engaged in the wider school life as could be imagined, having a full Chemistry teaching timetable, having pastoral responsibility for a house full of teenage girls, running hockey teams, performing in school musicals, involved in expeditions and Ten Tors.

After moving out of school accommodation, the family moved into a house almost as near to the school as they could; all three daughters attended the School, and are now successful in their respective careers, Emily a consultant Anaesthetist in Shrewsbury, Celia an advertising executive in Sydney, Australia, and Christine, head of religion and philosophy at Dulwich College in London. Richard was

a very devoted grandpa to his four cherished grandchildren.

After moving away from residential house-mastering Richard took responsibility for Careers guidance, making large numbers of useful contacts with former students and others, including parents who were invited into the school to meet students and speak about their work, and running a highly successful work experience week for Sixth Formers, helping numerous students to find their direction after school. However, some of the less than enthusiastic students found the ‘terrier in the careers room’ a persistent and indomitable beast, as he insisted they get their job applications and interviews completed on time.

Apart from his contribution to the success of the ‘Marsham, Dossor, Best et al. Chemistry Emporium’ this was an area that gave Richard a real sense of satisfaction. He loved meeting former students who owe their present employment and success to the efforts he had made years earlier.

Having Kingswood DNA in his system he took great delight in helping Zoë Parsons with her work as the School Archivist and in his last few years at the School he was attached to Westwood as an Assistant House Master with his own group of tutees.

On his retirement, Richard was not one to settle into passive mediocrity. He accompanied Mary Telford and me on a two-

week mountaineering expedition over all the highest passes in Switzerland, he and Connie joined friends on numerous cycling tours, including from Lands End to John O’Groats. He was a committed trustee of the Village Service Trust, supporting marginalised communities in southern India, became Vice Chair of his local Primary School in Weston Bath, and was a committed member of a team of ‘Open the Book’, bringing Bible stories to life at that same school. He and Connie were active in the Bath Cantata Group choir, and a local book club. He was a remarkably warm, sociable and outgoing man, maintaining friendships over the years and continents, latterly entertaining friends to games of table tennis in what was probably the tidiest garage in Bath. His personal organisation was next to none putting many of us to shame; he kept all his teaching notes well after his retirement, photographs and correspondence going back years were all catalogued, and, for the sake of his close family and because he realised his life was to be cut short, wrote a full illustrated account of his early life.

His last few years were plagued by the onset and treatments for cancer, but he approached these challenges with his characteristic fortitude, and, despite pain, weakness and inconvenience, his last few weeks were remarkably full of a peaceful acceptance of the inevitable. His thanksgiving service was held in a very full church (All Saints Weston) where he had been a regular member for a number of years. It was attended by all his wonderful natural family, and, as evidence of how much he was loved, many from the wider Kingswood family, some of whom had travelled long distances to say their farewells. Knowing him as I did, the one person who would have loved to have been there, surrounded by so many of his friends would have been Dickie himself. The service was led by Tom Peryer two of whose children

had been at the School. He found appropriate words for Richard after a teaching career of such variety, business and interest, in the writings of C.S. Lewis: “The term is over, the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning”. All of us who knew him are grateful for the part he has played in our lives.

This is written by his good friend Tony Haines, Kingswood Teacher 1971-2012

PHILIP HORTON (KS 1956-66)

Phil was born in Bath and lived with his parents in Lower Oldfield Park. His father had trained at Wisley College and ran a Landscape Gardening business. From age 11 to 19 he attended Kingswood School. He boarded for his final year before applying for university. Following the guidance of his Schoolmaster and his love of the natural world of plants, birds, bees, butterflies and all insects, he was successful in gaining a place to do a three year course in Botany at University College, London. Following this, he obtained a post with the then Nature Conservancy and was based in Devizes, Wiltshire. Here he covered the whole county and helped to set up various Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and was also a keen founder member of the Wiltshire Trust for

Nature Conservation. One item of great interest was the discovery, with a colleague, of a rare Wartbiter Cricket!

Meanwhile we had met and married in 1970. We bought our first home in the village of Urchfont and our children, Benjamin and Abigail, were both born at the RUH in Bath. He then moved regions to offices at Wye in Kent, York and finally to the HQ of the then renamed English Nature in Peterborough. He also took some time out to work for a private firm and after retirement, he ran his own Ecological Services Consultancy. We were then living near to Stamford in Lincolnshire for the next 35 years.

In late 2019 we took the decision to follow our daughter to live in Brittany, but also purchased a flat in Cambridge to be near to our son. In the large garden in Le Croisty, Phil cultivated his own wildflower meadow. He became even more

passionate about his interest in moths; he trapped them nightly and sent his results to a contact member of Rennes University. Bird watching was still an important ‘hobby’ with trips to places such as Extremadura in southern Spain. But he never strayed from his early childhood love of steam trains and pursued them around preserved railway lines throughout Europe. He wrote a series of published books, describing the Legacy of Dr Beeching, around the different regions of England. His model railway, based on the West Somerset line, was erected and dismantled as we moved around the country.

He is greatly missed by his many friends and former colleagues and his family.

Horton

1954-61)

Robert Glyn Kirtley, affectionately known as Bob, passed away at home on the 29 of November. Born on the 18 of December 1942 in Charleston, Nevis, during his father’s commission as a Methodist Minister in the West Indies, Bob spent his early childhood in the Caribbean alongside his brothers, Ian and Paul.

Upon returning to the United Kingdom, Bob continued his

education at Kingswood School in Bath before pursuing a degree in General Science at Manchester University. He later completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at Loughborough.

A distinguished scholar and sportsman, Bob excelled in athletics, particularly in hurdles and high jump. He was especially proud of remaining undefeated in the high jump for over six years, holding numerous records, and being crowned AAA champion in 1963.

Bob began his teaching career at Eastbourne College, where he was appointed Director of PE, in addition to this he later taught Mathematics and Chemistry. He was remembered for his engaging and eventful Chemistry lessons and his dedication and enjoyment in coaching the 2nd XV Rugby team and the regularly undefeated Athletics team. He played an active part in the CCF. On one expedition in Norway, he risked his life to save an injured climber. They spent the night in appalling conditions on an exposed mountainside thereby preventing the certain death of a team member. His bravery earned him a medal for Valour from the Armed Services—the first ever awarded to a teacher. It was at Eastbourne College that he met Pip, they were married in 1970 and with whom he had two sons, James and David.

Known for his strong convictions and spirited discussions, Bob was active in local politics. After leaving Eastbourne

College in 1995, he served as Mayor of Eastbourne the following year. He contributed to various committees, including those focused on downland preservation, sea defences, and served as Chairman of the Saffrons Sports Club. In recognition to his services to the Borough of Eastbourne he was made an Honorary Alderman.

In 2001, Bob relocated to a rural village near Chinon, France, with his wife Helen. These years were among his happiest, spent tending to their home and animals. In 2018, Bob and Helen returned to the UK, settling first in Raunds and more recently in Olney.

Bob is survived by his wife Helen, his sons James and David, and eight grandchildren.

After a short illness Mrs Pauline Martin passed away peacefully at home with her family surrounding her.

Pauline was school secretary to Laurie Campbell and Gary Best in the many happy years she spent working at Kingswood.

The photo shows Pauline with her eldest grandson. She was very proud to work at Kingswood.

SUSAN MONKS (KS Staff 1992-2002)

Susan Yarnall Monks taught music and singing at Kingswood between 1992 to 2002. Affectionately know as ‘Mummy Monks’ by many of her pupils, she was also a house mistress at Beaconsfield and Westwood.

During her time a Kingswood she was responsible for bringing many musical productions and performances to life including; ‘Oh what a lovely war!’, ‘Salad Days’ and ‘The Boyfriend.’ A great believer in bringing travel and culture to all she also lead choir trips to Prague, Austria, Paris and Cologne.

Not known to be shy of ambition or belief - perhaps her most memorable achievement was the writing and touring of the musical ‘Brass Into Gold,’ commemorating 250 years of Kingswood School. Encouraging all to take part, the musical contained songs and compositions from both staff and pupils. She took the production (including pupils, staff, band, costumes, set and lighting rig) to the US where it was toured around Methodist schools across multiple states, along with an obligatory shopping trip to New York and tour of the Empire State Building!

Not satisfied with this alone she also organised a cast record and sold CDs to many impressed parents.

Prior to becoming a full time staff member at the School she had

taught singing peripatetically, but was motivated to take a full time position so she could enable her two sons to attend the school. Spiritual from a young age she took much from the teaching, and music, of John and Charles Wesley. ‘And Can it Be That I Should Gain’ being one of the hymns sung at her funeral.

After moving away from Bath with her husband’s work, she embraced new adventures and challenges. She researched singing for the adolescent voice and was awarded a PhD from Sheffield University for her work. She worked as a vocal tutor for French Song at the University of Chichester as well as being appointed President of the European Voice Teacher’s Association. A post she held for 6 years. The position would take her to most of the 22 member countries. She also performed as the lead soloist for the Emsworth Renaissance Choir, notably singing in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain and St Peter’s in Rome. Remarkably she also found the time to become a licensed Lay Minister in the church of England, leading many sermons in her local parish.

Susan survived Cancer in 2012 but it returned later and she died in 2025 after a short illness.

She is survived by her husband Tony, her two sons Sebastain and Dominic, her sisters Elizabeth and Caroline and her seven grand children.

entitled For A Change of which I was a co-editor. His tenure ran from 1977 till his retirement, aged 70, in 1997. He was also a co-founder of the International Communications Forum, a media ethics think-tank which met in Sarajevo and elsewhere.

He might have followed his father, John, into the family’s tannery business in Runcorn, Cheshire, where Hugh was born on 6 March 1927. His mother, Margaret, had been the private tutor to the children of the Maharaja of Bangalore, where she was born.

However, Hugh’s life was profoundly influenced by the Christian conviction of his parents. His father had trained for the Methodist ministry and they had been impacted by the 1930s Christian movement The Oxford Group. One consequence was that his supply of cigarette cards—he was an avid collector—dried up.

“I learnt the practical nature of getting divine direction from God,” he said. He saw this in the way a strike was averted in the family’s factory after his father had an honest talk with the employees’ leader which transformed their relationship.

Hugh had a “significant conversation”, aged 13, with an older friend. “I accepted the call to live the way God wanted, to find his calling for me.”

Hugh Nowell, who has died aged 98 (1927-2025), was for 20 years the Chairman of Grosvenor Productions, comprising Grosvenor Books, a documentary film production unit and a bimonthly magazine

His Christian conviction was strengthened at Kingswood School, founded by John Wesley, which was evacuated from Bath to Uppingham during World War II.

At The Queen’s College, Oxford, where he studied Chemistry from 1945 to 1949, he met daily with fellow student members of the Oxford Group.

Aged 19 in July 1946, he cycled to Paris and hitch-hiked to Switzerland for the opening of the group’s international centre in Caux, under its campaigning title of “moral and spiritual rearmament” (MRA). It brought together former enemies in a spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness. On graduation he felt called to work with the group — “a 20th century monk in my mind”—rather than joining the family business.

He met Carolyn Crary from Palo Alto, California, in Caux in 1947. They were married in Mackinac Island, Michigan, in 1957.

In 1963 a colleague asked him to take on the publishing and marketing of MRA’s literature. Grosvenor Books was launched to publish a variety of Christian and non-Christian titles, including children’s books. They exhibited at the Frankfurt and Moscow book fairs and 8,000 copies of a Russian edition of For A Change magazine were distributed to universities across Russia. The Black and White Book, a handbook published in response to Chairman Mao’s Little Red Book, was published by the Blandford Press and sold 700,000 copies in 28 languages.

Hugh Nowell died in St George’s Hospital, Tooting, on 21 October 2025. His wife, Carolyn, predeceased him in 2022 and he is survived by their two sons, John and Kent.

Michael Smith

PHILIP PACEY (KS 1957-64

Librarian, editor and talented writer who viewed poetry as a ‘means of celebrating and sharing.’

My father, Philip Pacey, who has died aged 79, was a dedicated Librarian, Editor and Poet.

From 1975 until his retirement in 2007 he was an Art Librarian at Preston Polytechnic (later the University of Central Lancashire). His career began as Art Librarianship was emerging as a distinct branch in the field, and Phil was quick to get involved, becoming founding editor of the journal of the Art Libraries Society (ARLIS), editor of the Art Library Manual (1977, still a valued reference book today) and, later, chair of ARLIS.

He became a regular attendee at conferences of the International Federation of Library Associations(IFLA). The 1991 meeting took place in Moscow, and the delegates had barely gathered before the city was disrupted by the August coup attempt against Mikhail Gorbachev.

The conference continued, in solidarity with the attending Soviet librarians, and Phil – along with1,500 other delegates –returned home with extraordinary memories and a renewed sense of hope.

Throughout his life he wrote poetry, seeing it as “a tool of living,

a means of thinking, of sharing, of remembering, of celebrating” –something anyone could do.

He was encouraged by the friendship of other writers including Jeremy Hooker and BS Johnson, and won the Pernod National Young Poets prize in 1971 and a Gregory award in 1983. An anthology, Falling Into Place, was published in 2022.

Phil was born in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, the youngest of the three children of Leslie Pacey, a Methodist Minister, and Mildred (née Button), who had met in China, where Leslie was a missionary, and Mildred a Nurse and Midwife. After leaving Kingswood School, a Methodist boarding school on the outskirts of Bath, Phil went to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, to study history and fine art and architecture, then undertook postgraduate study at the College of Librarianship in Aberystwyth.

In 1970, he was appointed Tutor Librarian at St Albans School of Art, and the following year married Gill Terrill, whom he had met in Aberystwyth.

His life was always full: with music, choral singing, walking, gardening, conservation work and railways. In every aspect of his life he sought glimpses of heaven on earth. He saw love, friendship, peace and beauty as tangible evidence of the world as it might be “if we choose to cherish it”.

As a husband and father, he strove to create a loving home, infusing life with curiosity, creativity and intention – always, of course, with Gill’s support and collaboration. He relished his domestic life, seeing the role of a home-maker as equal to that of being an artist.

He is survived by Gill, their two sons, Daniel and me, his grandson, Hallam, and by his brother, Arnold.

Ben Pacey (son)

HAROLD RAY SELWOOD (KS 1948-85)

Harold Raymond Selwood (known as 'Ray') was born on 5th August 1926 in Martock, Somerset

Education: Boarder in Crediton, Devon. Teacher training at St Paul's College, Cheltenham.

National Service: Navy.

Teaching: Apart from a brief spell in Minehead at the start of his career, he spent the whole of his working life at Prior's Court School.

Family: He met his wife, Mary, at Prior's Court School when she was Matron (later Assistant Matron). They had two children, Michael (born 1951) and Helen (born 1953).

Retirement: Ray and Mary retired in 1985 and moved to Devon, living first in Seaton and later in Colyford. Mary died in 2009.

Interests: Ray loved big band music, especially Glenn Miller. He played the piano from childhood until his mid 90s. He was a sports fan and lifelong supporter of Exeter (both football and rugby) and Somerset (cricket). He also loved cats.

Ray died in Ridgeway Residential Care Home, Sidmouth on 16 May 2025 at the grand old age of 98.

A PERSONAL MESSAGE TO OLD KINGSWOODIANS

As we close this edition of the Old Kingswoodian magazine, I would like to reflect on what makes this community so special.

Thank you to everyone who has shared your stories - your memories and reflections keep the Kingswood spirit alive beyond the school gates. My sincere thanks also to Michele for her dedication in bringing these voices together, and to my wonderful colleagues, Tim Reeman, Alumni Ambassador, and Zoë Parsons, Archivist, whose work helps bring our community and its history to life.

This year has been a wonderful celebration of connection, through events, reunions, and visits to our younger Old Kingswoodians at university. Thank you also to those who have returned to Kingswood to support current students through careers talks and university pathway advice - your contribution is truly valued. It has been a privilege to meet so many of you, each encounter highlighting the strength, warmth, and generosity of this community.

Above all, what stands out is kindness, a defining thread that connects generations and continues to shape Kingswood today.

I would love to hear more from you - your stories, memories, ideas, and questions are always most gratefully received. Thank you for being such an important part of this community. I look forward to seeing many of you in the months and years ahead.

Warmest regards, Katie