Michael Houldey (M 58)
20 February 2024Michael Houldey, who has died aged 82, was a director whose documentaries for television ranged from portraits of film and music giants to insights on world issues that reflected his original ambition to become a foreign correspondent. Houldey’s early work put on screen the realities of daily life faced by those struggling in Britain. The first […]
Timothy O’Brien (Bd 47)
19 February 2024O’Brien, left, with the director Peter Hall working on the RSC production of Staircase in 1966; his set for Pericles at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in 1969. Timothy O’Brien learnt his secret of stage design – that the aim is clarity, and the enemy distraction – from Samuel Beckett, the pioneer of post-modern minimalism in […]
John Budden (L 57)
15 February 2024When the BBC organised a poll in 2014 to discover the identity of the greatest Cumbrian, the broadcaster Melvyn Bragg, the comedian Stan Laurel, Emperor Hadrian, the author Beatrix Potter, and Catherine Parr, the last of Henry VIII’s six wives, were the fancied frontrunners. There was another contender, less familiar to the outside world but […]
Sir Richard Lloyd (M 47)
12 February 2024Richard Ernest Butler Lloyd was born in 1928 in Bolton, Lancashire, where his father was involved in running textiles mills. He was one of five children to Major Guy Lloyd, a director of the textile manufacturer J&P Coats who served as a Unionist (Scottish Conservative) MP for East Renfrewshire for 20 years and was given […]
Major General James H. Short CE OBE (M 68)
19 January 2024Educated at Wellington, James was commissioned into the 9th / 12th Royal Lancers in 1970. His promising Regimental career alternated with demanding Staff appointments, including Military Assistant to Commander 1 (BR) Corps. As Commanding Officer he led the Regiment during its notably successful six month operational tour in Belfast in 1993 – 94, for which […]
James S. Delahook (C 62)
19 January 2024James Delahooke will be remembered as a “consummate horseman” as industry figures paid tribute to the distinguished bloodstock agent and stud manager, who died at the age of 77. Delahooke was born on January 7, 1945, the son of Garry and Priscilla Delahooke, owners of Adstock Manor Stud near Buckingham. He ran the stud for a […]
George Christopher Hall (O 59)
19 January 2024Christopher arrived at the College in 1955. He was brought up in Camberley, a place surrounded by the military, with the Staff College and RMA Sandhurst across the road from where he lived. In some ways, it was no surprise that he was sent to Wellington, being the local public school, although Christopher was the […]
Major Colin Gillespie MBE (43 Hl)
10 January 2024Major Colin Gillespie, who has died aged 98, was a sapper officer who saw active service in the Second World War and with the SAS in Malaya; after retiring from the Army, he became one of the West Country’s leading wine growers. Colin Leonard Beauchamp Gillespie MBE, the son of an officer in the Royal […]
Bryn S. Parry OBE (Hg 75)
10 January 2024During his time in charge of Help for Heroes, the charity Bryn Parry OBE (Hg 75) co-founded with his wife Emma, he raised £260 million and helped more than 50,000 people to recover from the trauma of combat stress and injury while fighting for their country, whether in the army, navy or air force. Bryn […]
Peter Waghorn (O 50, CR)
13 December 2023OWs will be sad to learn of the passing of Peter Waghorn (O 50, CR) in November 2023, aged 91. PDW was at the heart of Wellington life throughout a distinguished teaching career. This tribute comes from the Yearbook of 1992: “Wellington has been the framework as well as the scene of almost the whole […]
Potts’ Grand Tour 2023
13 December 2023In November 2023, Chris Potter (C 65, OW Liaison) embarked on a Grand Tour to Australia via Singapore: 13 hrs to Singapore, then a night’s long sleep was preparation for the walking tour that followed as my nephew, with whom we stayed, set a cracking pace in high humidity. Will Jelf (Hg 96) had organised […]
‘Bright the Vision’: Wellington College and Public School Missions
03 November 2023In 1885, the Wellington College Mission was founded in Walworth, South London. It was one of a number of public school ‘missions’ established in the later 19th century, as a response to the poverty and poor social conditions in England’s inner cities. Wellington’s mission, supported by both pupils and Old Wellingtonians, aimed to provide both […]
‘Tears of a Shadow’, Oliver Silver’s (Bd 08) Debut Novel
05 October 2023Largely inspired by his own life, Oliver Silver’s debut psychological thriller Tears of a Shadow asks how far you would go to get your life back on track. Born in the Middle East, Oliver attended Wellington from 2003-08, and then pursued a career as an actor. Oliver explains: “this book is directly inspired by my […]
John Mountford (A 47)
27 September 2023John Mountford, who died in June 2022 aged 93, did not enjoy the best of starts at Wellington College in 1942. First, illness then extensive damage done by German bombing around Exeter caused prolonged transport havoc, delaying our father’s arrival for his first term. Despite this beginning, he was, in later life, able to reflect […]
Macmillan Coffee Morning: Friday 29 September 2023
18 September 2023Join us for our annual Macmillan Coffee Morning, held in Waterloo hall on Friday 29th September. We are so grateful to everyone who has supported our previous ‘Coffee Mornings’; the money we have raised over the years has made an incredible difference, and we can’t thank you enough for helping us support those living with […]
Explore the College Archives!
30 August 2023Last week on OW social media, we ventured into the College’s archives to explore some fascinating pieces from our collection, chosen by our College Archivist, Caroline. From our first College photo album to Queen Victoria’s signature, we wanted to give an insight to College life in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Student Diaries The […]
Ophelia Vesely (C 22)
29 August 2023Ophelia is a recent Old Wellingtonian (C 22) and 2022 Muir Scholarship recipient, which aims to support an OW to carry out independent research addressing a contemporary global issue. Having learnt about the horrific events that are occurring in Ukraine from the relative comfort of the UK, Ophelia wanted to try and help victims of […]
Freddie Coughlin (T 22)
29 August 2023“It has just been the most incredible opportunity and I couldn’t recommend it to future OWs enough.” Freddie is a very recent Old Wellingtonian (Head of College, 2022) and 2022 Bevir recipient. After leaving College, he decided to take a gap year to gain experience and hands-on insight into different aspects of politics and international […]
Julian Dawson (M 58)
24 August 2023It is with great sadness that we announce the death, at the age of 82, of Julian Dawson, our much loved former colleague and partner. Julian was educated at Wellington College, Berkshire and in 1959, after a brief spell teaching French, he joined J.R. Thornton & Co., the Lewes cattle market auctioneers, in Garden Street, […]
Brig. David Creswell (L 60)
24 August 2023David had a lifelong connection with Wellington College. He arrived at the Lynedoch via Upcott from Old Ballard in 1955, and over 65 years later was still greatly involved with College. David was invited by Antony Bruce onto the General Committee. He served for many years, on the Executive and Finance Committee and was elected […]
Andrew “Wilki” Wilkinson, Teacher and HM
24 August 2023Wilki’s impact at Wellington College was immense. Having served in the parachute regiment before coming to teaching, he taught languages brilliantly, was an inspirational HM of the Raglan, gave so much to the CCF and the Marine Section in particular, as well as being a leading figure within the College’s Christian community, via Open Door […]
Allan Tarver (M 54)
24 August 2023Commander Allan Tarver GM, naval pilot, was born on June 29, 1938. He died of complications from Parkinson’s disease on March 23, 2023, aged 84. One morning in May 1966, Lieutenant Allan Tarver from 890 Naval Air Squadron was flying his Sea Vixen from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. They were 100 miles off the coast […]
Jonty Driver, 11th Master
15 August 2023Few Masters have had such an impact on Wellington College as Jonty Driver. Appointed in 1989 as the Eleventh Master of Wellington, he served the College with distinction until 2000, his Mastership defined by clear and brave decision-making and an unshakable belief in the potential of the school. Many would claim that it was Jonty […]
Cure DHDDS Charity Walk – Charles Dixon (A 96)
25 July 2023At the start of July, over 60 people joined OW Charles Dixon (A 96) and his family for a 50km river walk from Windsor to Mortlake to raise money for their charity, Cure DHDDS. The Dixon family set up the charity in March of this year after discovering that two of their children had the […]
Waterloo Day 2023 – OW Reunions around the World!
20 July 2023Over the past few weeks, OWs all over the world have been gathering to celebrate Waterloo Day! Waterloo Day is celebrated by some regiments of the British Army (and OWs!) on and around the 18th June to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo. OW Western Australia Gathering in Cottesloe, WA, on 18th June Our happy band […]