50 Years everythingago changed 50 Years everythingago changed
For the first 407 years of its life, St Edmund’s existed as a seminary for training Catholic priests alongside a boys’ school. All that changed in 1975. Find out more inside!
A popular fixture in the alumni calendar, the London drinks event took place at The Astronomer in Liverpool Street and was a complete sell-out.
Major biography of controversial bishop called “one of the most intelligent men in England”
+ Brasserie Blanc + OE News + In Memoriam + College News and much more
I suspect all of you share my love of our motto Avita Pro Fide. ‘For the Faith of our Forebears’. It describes exactly why the English College at Douai was created in 1568 and the ongoing mission of the College when it became St Edmund’s College in 1793. But what if we had never had this motto? I imagine we might, like many other ancient schools, have ended up with something along the lines of ‘Floreat Edmundia’. Dull, perhaps, but in many ways just as fitting a title for this magazine. ‘May Edmundia Flourish’. And indeed it is. When you have finished devouring the articles in this publication, you might perhaps enjoy reading College Life, the termly magazine which can be found on the website. There you will see your Edmundian successors living life to the full and thriving in every imaginable area.
And the same, it seems to me, is true of the Old Edmundian community. I have hugely enjoyed all of the various reunions and gatherings which have taken place over the last year, and it has been especially uplifting to see attendance at these go up and up – in particular, dare I say it, amongst the ‘younger’ generations of OEs! I have met so many fascinating people, all of whom have proved to be as good company as they are interesting and loyal to their alma mater. As with our current pupils, our alumni too are living life to the full and thriving in every imaginable area.
This latest edition of Avita Pro Fide is testament to that. I hope you enjoy it, and look forward, as always, to seeing many of you at the various events of the year to come.
Matthew
Mostyn,
HEADMASTER
Our day together at our alma mater was a truely memorable and moving experience for each one of us.
We were on an emotional rollercoaster. On arrival as we drove through the College main gates, we proudly sang aloud in Latin our traditional Edmundian song. Throughout our visit we were impressed with the College's investment in its infrastructure and its carefully constructed facilities. The atmosphere was full of dignity, unity and fun. Everybody was
industrious, set within a supportive and friendly environment which promotes a conducive academic life. We were pleased to see the College's Christian backbone remains strongly embedded within its community. We felt the successful blend of modern and traditional values are in keeping with the complicated pressures of our constantly evolving world. St Ed's is punching within its weight.
We were at home, roaming the corridors and the grounds merrily intoxicated by our
nostalgic reminiscences. We departed oozing with positivity, assured and proud that our College continues to thrive for the benefit of current and future generations of Edmundians.
Thank you to the countless number of its 'guardians', many of whom we had the privilege of meeting wherever we roamed. Long may you all reign over Old Hall Green, which makes St Edmund's so very special.
Hi everyone,
It has been a truly fantastic year for our alumni community. We have welcomed hundreds of new sign-ups to the alumni portal which has allowed us to reconnect with so many more Edmundians from across the generations.
Our events have gone from strength to strength with wonderful turnouts throughout the year. St Edmund’s Sunday in November was a great success with numbers back up and a warm celebratory atmosphere. The London Dinner brought together alumni from every era for a memorable evening, while Exhibition Day was a relaxed and joyful family occasion with College tours, delicious food and drink and glorious sunshine.
Our London Drinks proved so popular that we were oversubscribed and even had a waiting list. Next year we will be looking at larger venues so that everyone can join in the fun.
Looking ahead, the coming year promises to be even bigger and better. If you know anyone who has not yet signed up to hear about upcoming events please encourage them to join the alumni portal so they do not miss out.
We look forward to seeing many of you at our 2025 and 2026 gatherings and to continuing to grow this wonderful community.
Megan Roberts Senior Marketing Executive
President Michael Mason
Treasurer Peter Amtram
Alumni Officer Liz Beaumont
College Liaison Officer Emma-Louise Harvey
Representative Henryk Klocek
Representative Kishan Patel
Representative Fionnuala Marshall
Headmaster Matthew Mostyn
Prep Headmaster Steven Cartwright
President Emeritus and Archivist David Kay
We would welcome more representatives, so if you are interested in joining the committee please email alumni@stedmundscollege.org
Heather and I had a wonderful visit to St Edmund’s and what to me will always be St Hugh’s! We had popped up to Norfolk from the Bath area for a few days in early August and I noticed that our route home a few days later would take us pretty close to the College - I had not been back since I left in 1968!
On the slim off chance I might be able to have a ‘drive by’ and see and show Heather what had been such a big part of the formative stage of my life I emailed the general College enquiries address. 30 minutes later I was rung by Neil who insisted that we come for a visit and a tour of both parts of the school on our drive back to Bath. Neil met us and spent the next 2 hours or so taking us around - talk about a walk down memory lane! Really terrific and at times very moving.
At the Prep School we met Steven Cartwright who although busy could not have been more kind. He had an old - but in immaculate condition - school blazer which had recently been donated by the sisters of a contemporary of mine. Stobbs - or Stobbo as he was always known. The blazer almost fit - I have the photo to prove it! Prior to departure Neil gave me some printouts of my 9 years there including prizes awarded and teams played in. All round a great day.
As for what I have been up to! 8 weeks after leaving St Edmund’s in 1968 I entered the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth and the Royal Navy - my home for the next 22 years!
In that time I was fortunate enough to serve in the Royal Yacht, then in the Fleet Air Arm where I flew fighters, mainly the Sea Harrier, from aircraft carriers including operations from the carrier HMS HERMES during the Falklands War in 1982. After commanding 899 Naval Air Squadron (Sea Harriers) in the mid 80s I was given command of HMS ACHILLES, a Leander class frigate. Rather than fly a desk after that, I left the Navy and then for 7 years flew the Hawk with British Aerospace in the Middle East.
Coming to the conclusion that perhaps it was a bit safer to have two engines under me than just the one Heather and I came back to the UK in the late 90s where I joined the airline world. I left that as a Training Captain in 2006 when we went to live in Cyprus for 12 happy years. We have been living near Bath ever since not too far from children and grandchildren. Lucky us!
Edmund Hewson (1970-1977 Douglass House) Awarded Doctorate by Leeds Beckett University for his PhD thesis on 'Porosity, Agency & Religious Gazes in British 19th Century travel accounts.
Jose Dominguez (2 years at Junior House) has shared that he has recently been promoted to Director of Large Enterprise Account Management Team at PayPal Iberia, congratulations Jose!
Ken Allen (Challoner House 1951-56)
Writes to tell us that he has written a book, some of which relates to his time at St Edmund's. The book is an autobiographical ramble concerning his school, student and subsequent business career over seventy four years.
Dr Simon Thompson (Junior House and Douglass House 1988-1995 - Deputy head boy and house captain)
Simon is the leading knee surgeon at the Lister Hospital in London in full time private practice. He has had several OE’s come to observe him operating on elite level sports men and women in theatre who want to go into medicine or are in training. He has visitors from all over the world come to watch him perform ACL reconstructions.
Sarah-Jane Platt (1993-1998 Pole House) Changed careers from publishing to something completely different! I am now a registered adult nurse, graduated with a First nearly 4 years ago.
Worked in A&E for 3 years, then became a government (DWP) approved Functional Assessor, using my nursing knowledge to assess claims for Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
This role gets a lot of bad press but personally I always assess fairly and I use balanced evidence to make my recommendations. I would have liked to continue A&E nursing but unfortunately physical health made that nonviable. However I am happy with the role I have now and it is proof that there is always a way forward, whatever obstacles may cross one’s path.
Penelope Dixon (First and last Housemistress of Stapleton 1991-1996)
I went to Douai in mid-May for the AGM of the William Allen Association. Ushaw and Douai Abbey were represented.
There were great memories of the St Edmund Weekend in Douai and of the Battlefields Tour organised by the Old Edmundians. A walk around recusing English sites in Douai took place and we saw a new mosaic installed near where St John Southworth’s body was found before it was brought back to England to rest in our chapel before being transferred to its permanent resting place in Westminster Cathedral.
It is interesting to note that he is now referred to in various Westminster articles as ‘our saint’.
Tom Staton (1998-2010 Douglas) and fellow Edmundian Florence Chandler (2000-2012 Talbot) got married in December 2024 and are expecting their first baby in December 2025. Congratulations Tom and Florence! Thomas Pecha (2017, Poynter House) After leaving St Ed’s I went on to study at the University of Dallas and the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. I am now working as a resident neurology physician at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.
Thank you to everyone who contributes to our OE News section, it’s great to hear about all of your successes and developments in your life and your careers.
If you have some exciting news, whether it be a wedding or birth announcement, an exciting career move or even an impromptu get together with other OEs we would love to hear about it, please send details to:
Alumni Officer
St Edmund's College, Old Hall Green, Ware, Herts SG11 1DS Telephone: 01920 824283
Email: alumni@stedmundscollege.org
The London Drinks event took place in August at The Astronomer in Liverpool Street and was a complete sell-out. Now in its second year, the gathering has quickly established itself as a popular fixture in the alumni calendar, and we are already looking forward to its third instalment in 2026.
The evening attracted alumni from a wide range of year groups, ensuring strong attendance and good representation across different generations of Old Edmundians. The relaxed setting provided the ideal backdrop for alumni to catch up informally, while
also offering a valuable networking opportunity for those working in London and further afield.
This year we were especially pleased to welcome several fresh leavers, who were invited to join the event the day after their A Level results. It was a pleasure to see them engaging with the wider Edmundian community so soon after leaving.
Last year’s inaugural London Drinks was held at the London Bus, but this year’s venue proved such a success that we are considering a return to The
Astronomer in 2026, we shall let you all know shortly!
The success of this year’s event also reflects the impact of the College’s recent alumni outreach programme, which has seen over 350 new signups to the Edmundian network. This renewed contact has clearly contributed to the strength of our events, and it has been particularly rewarding to reconnect with those with whom links had been lost in recent years due to GDPR.
Hello everyone,
My name is Liz Beaumont, I am delighted to introduce myself to you all, I am the new Alumni Officer, taking over from Megan Roberts,
I completely understand I will have large shoes to fill! (not literally). So, I would like to start by saying a huge thank you to Megan for her help since the start of the Michaelmas Term guiding me on all things Alumni. I hope to be able to live up to her high standards and wish her well in her new role as Senior Marketing Executive.
Some of you might already know me, as I have been at St Edmund’s since 2018, when I joined as Steven Cartwright’s PA. I “retired” at the end of 2020 but then never left – does anyone ever really leave St
Edmund’s! Since then I have worked on an ad hoc basis in many different departments as an extra pair of hands but mainly in the Prep office for the last two years.
I live in Braughing and have two married children and one granddaughter. My husband and I like to play golf, tennis, walk our dog and look after our granddaughter.
I look forward to meeting you at the various Alumni events throughout the year and hearing some of your stories from when you were at St Edmund’s.
If in the meantime you have any exciting news, want to share memories of your time here, or would be interested in featuring in our next ‘Life After the College’ piece, where we interview you about your career, your achievements and your time at the College, please get in touch at alumni@stedmundscollege.org
Avita Pro
Fide
Previous GDPR changes meant we lost connection with a lot of Alumni, so please remember to sign up to our alumni portal.
On the website you will be able to find upcoming events, reunions, fellow alumni, college news, and more. If you are aware of any alumni that may have lost contact, please share this information with them.
To join our alumni portal, simply scan the QR code to reconnect and explore.
If you want to keep up to date with all the latest news and information from the College and Prep as well as details of any events, the best way to do that is to make sure you follow us on our social media channels.
We have detailed below what to search for on each of the platforms so we should be easy to find!
Facebook: @StEdmundsCollegeandPrep @stedmundscollegealumni
Instagram: @StEdmundsCollegeandPrep @alumnistedmunds
LinkedIn: Alumni Officer
Back in the Trinity term we held our production of Fiddler on the Roof, a story set in a Jewish village in Czarist Russia in the early nineteenth century.
The students began learning the music right from the beginning of the Michaelmas term and had a rigorous audition process. As well as being strong singers, the principal roles demanded emotion, strong characterisation and very well-timed dialogue. Once the casting was complete, we began the process of bringing this incredible story to life.
Students rehearsed twice a week for nearly three hours each time and by February the whole cast were there all the time. The cast excelled themselves and to see their joy as they danced in the performances was wonderful.
The transformation of the Douay Hall into a theatre space with flooring,
wings, scaffolding, giant screen, a high-rise platform and sloping ramp was done by a fantastic tech team – WLX productions. They brought in multiple lights, forty headset mics and a large sound and lighting desk. The lights were operated masterfully by Ben from Year 10.
It was an emotional show – not least due to the subject matter. The script is beautifully written – both funny and poignant and, by the end, heart-wrenching as we watch the Jewish villagers forced from their homes. There were some wonderful performances from our principals, including five Rhetoric 2 students for whom this was their final production and the culmination of many years of performance at St Edmund’s.
As I watched the cast perform and delight the audiences, I was filled with such pride at what we had achieved together and how they had embraced this beautiful story and told it so well. I hope its message will stay with them all their lives.
Jenny Boot College Production Director and Producer
Ago-1975-2025
For the first 407 years of its life, St Edmund’s existed as a seminary for training Catholic priests alongside a boys’ school. All that changed exactly fifty years ago.
In 1968 it was announced that the seminary was actively seeking a new home in order to be nearer to the London parishes and universities. The new position of Rector was created, and the aim was he should oversee a move that would be accomplished by 1970.
There were many objections to this change and various new locations were suggested. The favoured option became a vacant convent in Beaufort Street, Chelsea, which was close to the centre of London. The great move did not take place until the summer of 1975. One seminarian recorded ‘genuine “last” historic events occurred – last exams at St Edmund’s, no more school to squash us in, no more of the College favourite meals of soya bean, meat and beef burgers! No more walks over the country fields, no more quiet country lanes to bike down.’
About 650 empty tea chests appeared one afternoon in two Pickford vans. Volunteers had been asked for, and people turned up to help form a chain gang to move the boxes. The ‘migration’ of Allen Hall not only allowed the seminarians to enjoy closer contact with London’s parochial and intellectual life but also, crucially, allowed the school to expand and flourish.
The entire south wing of the College, known then as it is now as Allen Hall, was vacated and the school expanded into the newly-available space. Poynter House moved into the first floor, and the second floor was partly occupied by Challoner House. A new House called Stapleton was created and it occupied part of the second and third floors.
From 1974, girls came to St Edmund’s to study in Rhetoric, and the vacating of Allen Hall enabled their number to increase. Hence a further new House called Margaret Pole was established, exclusively for the girls, of whom there were initially nine students; they also occupied part of the third floor.
On the ground floor, lecture rooms and a chapel became classrooms, and a large common room was sub-divided to form three further classrooms.
Major biography of controversial bishop called “one of the most intelligent men in England”
Christopher Butler: Monk, Theologian, Bishop by Peter Phillips (Weldon Press, 2024)
Bishop Christopher Butler (1902-1986), after whom the Butler Hall is named, was the twenty-second President of St Edmund’s (from 1968 until 1986) and the last to reside in the College. He was also the first Chairman of Governors. Now, nearly forty years after his death, a major biography of him has been written by Father Peter Phillips, a priest of Shrewsbury diocese. Butler was above all a scholar who made a vast contribution to theology, philosophy, spirituality, ecumenism and biblical scholarship in eleven learned books and hundreds of articles, reviews and talks.
Born in 1902, he was a prodigy who was found reading Dickens at the age of three and won a scholarship to Reading School at nine, three years younger than the conventional entry age. By fifteen, he was reading St John’s Gospel in Ancient Greek, an experience which he described as one of the spiritual high points of his life. At the age of seventeen, he won a scholarship to Oxford. Though he was a near contemporary of Evelyn Waugh, there was nothing of the Brideshead Revisited lifestyle in his student years. Butler was definitely what was called a reading man, gaining a Triple First in Classics (“Mods” and “Greats”) and Theology. After much intellectual searching, he was received into the Catholic Church and became a Benedictine monk at Downside Abbey in Somerset in 1929, taking the name Christopher.
After ordination, he taught Classics in Downside School and was fond of his pupils; he would read fiction and saints’ lives aloud in the dormitory and the students clamoured for more. In 1940, he was appointed Headmaster but was not seen as authoritarian. As a prank, students would steal his canes. As Head, he had to lead the school after the trauma of a low-flying RAF plane crashing into the cricket pavilion, killing nine boys.
When he was elected abbot in 1946, he missed the school and the boys (“I was devoted to them”) and hoped he would not “make myself a nuisance to everybody”. He was increasingly involved in the public arena, giving talks, leading retreats and featuring in radio and television discussion programmes. On one occasion, he caused much laughter by asking, “Who is Diana Dors?”, having never heard of the famous “blonde bombshell” actress and singer. Robin Day, the well-known presenter, described Abbot Butler as one of the most intelligent men in England.
In 1961, he was elected Abbot President of the English Benedictines, in which capacity he attended the four sessions of the Second Vatican Council (“Vatican II”) between 1962 and 1965. An Ecumenical Council, a rare event in the life of the Church, is a gathering of all the world’s bishops, summoned by the Pope, to discuss matters of importance. Pope St John XXIII in his homely way said the Council’s task was to let fresh air into the Church, not changing doctrine but proclaiming it with “new zeal” to make the Gospel more intelligible and relevant to the modern world.
The Council’s proceedings were conducted in Latin, in which Butler was fluent, speaking sometimes extempore in an Oxford accent that could be challenging to those accustomed to Church Latin. He addressed the assembly of 2,500 bishops and observers from other denominations frequently, emerging as perhaps the leading English-speaking participant. He spoke forthrightly against the possession of nuclear weapons, as well as on matters in his own fields of scripture and revelation. He was insistent that the Council create no additional barriers to good relations with non-Catholics.
Butler’s name had also been mentioned for Westminster, but by then he was 73 and the papal nuncio to Great Britain had remarked ungraciously that he could not recommend a bishop “who wore his lunch on his shirtfront”.
These views placed him firmly in the progressive camp in the Council (though he described his position as “the extreme centre”) and debates
were sometimes acrimonious. Far from being an unworldly monk, he could use guile and humour to make his points. When on a doctrinal commission with two of the foremost conservative cardinals, he won them over by quoting to them in Latin a verse from “The Hunting of the Snark” (Lewis Carroll’s nonsense poem). “That was a great success. They loved it,” he reported with glee.
He was imbued with the optimism of the 1960s and hoped that the Council, if properly implemented, would lead to “a great Christian renaissance”. After the Council ended in 1965, he engaged in introducing its work to the people of Britain and elsewhere in a major series of talks and articles. For most Catholics, the major impact of the Council was that the Mass was no longer in Latin, but Butler hoped it would lead to a much greater openness to the non-Catholic world: “a fellowship of humanity to which we all belong and from which we have much to learn”. In 1966 he was appointed an auxiliary bishop of Westminster, serving as the first bishop for Hertfordshire.
Controversial bishop
The 1960s were a turbulent time for the Catholic Church. Bishop Butler had hoped that the Council would herald a “basic renovation” of the Church and was dismayed when in 1968 Pope St Paul VI in his encyclical letter Humanae Vitae – courageously in a permissive age – reaffirmed the Church’s traditional teaching against contraception. There was a worldwide furore. Butler was “profoundly distressed” by the encyclical and accused the Pope of being an autocrat. As a result, he became, as he put it, “a pin-up bishop for liberal priests”.
He was exasperated by what he saw as conservatism in the Church and was delighted by Abbot Basil Hume’s appointment as Archbishop of Westminster in 1976. Butler’s name had also been mentioned for Westminster, but by then he was 73 and the papal nuncio claimed he “wore his lunch on his shirtfront”. Two years later, Butler was far less enthusiastic about the election of the more conservative Pope St John Paul II. He wrote to his brother in 1980: “I find our present Pope quite alarming; he seems to be taking us back to the bad old days before Vatican II… I wish I could give him a very straight talking to.”
After his retirement as an active bishop, he continued his work for ecumenism and remained at St Edmund’s. He did not want to return to Downside, preferring, as he said, not to live with those he had misruled. He spent his time reading, writing, meditating, playing chess and smoking his pipe. When his memory began to fail, he was cared for by the school infirmary nurses until he had to be admitted to St John and Elizabeth’s Hospital in London, where he died on 20 September 1986.
Christopher Butler was a man of towering intellect but his almost boyish enthusiasm for the Second Vatican Council may now seem misplaced. Surveying the Church sixty years after it, a prominent bishop recently wrote a book with the dispiriting title The Springtime that Never Came Spiritual guide
As a spiritual guide, Christopher Butler was less controversial. He would recommend a book which he said he had lived off for sixty years: SelfAbandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade, an eighteenth-century Jesuit. Certainly, the serenity which the bishop radiated indicated that he lived de Caussade’s teaching about “the sacrament of the present moment”, what we might call “spiritual mindfulness”. It consists in seeing the loving will of God constantly in all
the multifarious circumstances and duties of life, pleasant or unpleasant, and saying with faith and trust at every moment, “This is God. All goes well.”
Many Edmundians will treasure their memories of him: serving his earlymorning Mass in his chapel on President’s Gallery; seeing him strolling in the grounds; his presiding at Speech Days and Confirmation Masses; his cheerful greeting that seemed part-wave and part-blessing when he entered the staff common room for coffee after lunch, or tea in the afternoon; his wise counsel; his friendly interactions with the school community. Though controversial, he was certainly one of the most gifted men of his time and St Edmund’s was privileged to enjoy his distinguished company for eighteen years.
Written by John Hayes
It has been another fantastic academic year, with noteable successes across all areas of the College.
Our Football programme led by Mr Bowers has had some real highlights!
None more impressive than our U15s who capped off a remarkable season with a string of brilliant performances, culminating in their triumph in the ISFA Shield Final against LVS Ascot. Over the course of the year, the team showcased their prowess with a commanding record of 17 wins from 26 matches, underscoring their dominance on the pitch.
In the ISFA Shield Final we played LVS Ascot at Burnham FC. We started the match with intent, dictating play from the outset and
capitalising on early opportunities to lead 1-0 at halftime. A spirited second-half effort saw them extend their lead, sealing a comprehensive 3-0 victory with goals from Daniel J and Ethan B.
Mr Evans managerial acumen and player dedication were evident throughout. The triumph in the ISFA Shield Final not only signifies a crowning achievement but also sets a promising trajectory for those players transitioning to senior football in the coming academic year.
On a lively Friday evening, a packed church was treated to a remarkable concert from our pupils. The eclectic programme had something for everyone: movements from concertos and sonatas, choral works, music theatre numbers, and spirited performances from the Jazz Band to close the night.
Headmaster, Matthew Mostyn, commented: "Music at St Edmund’s is particularly strong at the moment and we are blessed with some exceptionally talented musicians. It was lovely to see them perform to such a packed and appreciative audience on Friday. Being at the heart of this wonderful local community means a great deal to us, and having the opportunity to be a part of tremendous local initiatives such as Buntingford Live is a real joy."
As ever, if you would like to join the OE Committee, we would love to have you.
Since Fionnuala and Kishan have joined, it's been fantastic to gain insights into the younger generation's perspective on alumni activities and how we can bring everyone together.
To register your interest please email alumni@stedmundscollege.org
The annual London Dinner took place at Brasserie Blanc, welcoming a wide cross-section of Old Edmundians from across the years.
After the disappointment of having to cancel the previous year’s dinner due to low numbers, it was especially encouraging to see such strong attendance this year, both in terms of sign-ups and the range of year groups represented.
Guests enjoyed the chance to reconnect and strengthen their ties with the College, while dining in the fantastic setting of Brasserie Blanc in central London.
The London Dinner remains a key part of the College’s alumni programme, providing a formal yet convivial occasion for Old Edmundians to gather.
Plans are already in place for the event to return in April 2026.
St Edmund’s Sunday 16 November 2025
Join us for this year’s St Edmund’s Sunday – a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with old friends, enjoy the College atmosphere and celebrate our shared Edmundian spirit.
Timetable
9.30am – Coffee in the Ambulacrum
10.30am – High Mass in the College Chapel 12.00pm – Welcome drinks in the Ambulacrum
12.30pm – Buffet lunch in Douay Hall
1.30pm – Coffee/tea in the Ambulacrum
2.00pm – College tours (departing from the Ambulacrum)
Tickets: £15 per person | Children eat free Please book in advance via the QR code to secure your place for lunch & tours.
We would love for you to join us at our upcoming alumni events – with a variety of options and several different dates to choose from, it presents a wonderful opportunity for you to reconnect with everyone and reminisce about your time at St Ed’s.
Sunday16th November 2025
St Edmund’s Sunday - All welcome!
This is always a special occasion, and we hope to see even more of you than last year.
19th November 2025
Carmina Burana Autumn Concert
- All welcome!
March 2026
Wizard of Oz School Production
- All welcome!
April 2026 TBC
London Dinner - All welcome!
June 2026 TBC
Exhibition Day - All welcome!
August 2026 TBC
London Drinks - All welcome!
Now in it’s third year this popular event will be a casual gathering, held in central London (venue TBC), allowing alumni of all generations to meet, network, and reminisce.
November 2026 TBC
St Edmund’s Sunday - All welcome!
All Edmundians are welcome to attend any of these events.
We have learned of the deaths of the following Edmundians since the last edition:
Michael Boakes (Talbot 1956-63) died on 7 May 2023 aged 78
Andrew Brown (Talbot 1959-63) died in October 2023 aged 77
Justin Bull (St Hugh’s & Douglass 1972-82)
died on 30 April 2025 aged 60
Allan Cole (St Hugh’s 1943-45) died on 3 March 2023 aged 89
Keith Coleman (Bursarial Staff 2004-15) died in the spring of 2025 aged 74
Laurence de Frietas (St Hugh’s & Talbot 1955-62) died on 15 May 2025 aged 80
Peter de Rosa (Allen Hall 1950-56 & Academic Staff 1960-65) died on 4 November 2024 aged 91
Michael Doolan (St Hugh’s 1954-56) died on 22 February 2025 aged 81
Elizabeth Dowsett (Infirmarian 2008-13) died on 13 March 2025 aged 84
Myles Hampton-Chubb (formerly Hodgetts) (Challoner 1949-53) died on 24 January 2025 aged 88
Andrew Langer (St Hugh’s 1953-55) died on 5 December 2024 aged 81
Donald Lynch (Douglass 1943-47) died on 24 April 2023 aged 92
John MacNaughton (Douglass 1949-50) died on 29 December 2023 aged 90
Anthony McManus (Junior House & Douglass 1945-50) died on 17 April 2024 aged 90
Adrian Morris (St Hugh’s & Challoner 1952-59) died on 17 March 2024 aged 82
Ralph Nicol (St Hugh’s, Junior House & Challoner 1946-54) died on 23 February 2024 aged 86
Alison Sandford (Margaret Pole 1976-78) died on 29 July 2025 aged 65
Gary Sandilands (Challoner 1971-74) died on 23 March 2022 aged 66
Canon Bernard Scholes (Allen Hall 1954-60) died on 16 March 2025 aged 88
Anthony Shiell (St Hugh’s & Junior House 1945-49)
died on 6 August 2023 aged 87
Paul Stobbs (St Hugh’s & Douglass 1958-65) died on 10 August 2024 aged 74
Michael Vincent (Challoner 1947-53) died on 2 August 2024 aged 89
Fr John Wiley (Allen Hall 1970-75) died on 24 May 2025 aged 78 May they rest in peace.
For more information or to book your place at any of our upcoming alumni events, simply scan the QR code and it will take you to the alumni events page.
Alternatively, login to the alumni portal and look at the events section or email alumni@stedmundscollege.org