The schools aim not only to prepare pupils for examinations but also to provide them with the skills needed to succeed and thrive in the wider world. The high achievements of past pupils across such a wide selection of careers, we believe, reflects the well-rounded education on offer and demonstrates how we help to develop each pupil’s individual talents and strengths. Amongst the schools’ alumni are those with outstanding careers in the arts, academia, sports, the media, the Armed Forces, retail, the Church, politics and the Civil Service.
There are close links in place with past pupils and opportunities for them to keep in touch with the schools and one another. Attendance at school events and the number of alumni who are now themselves parents or even grandparents bears testament to the deep and lasting attachment forged between the schools and their pupils, past and present.
We have listed just a small cross-section of alumni to highlight the diverse and inspiring career paths they have chosen.
Alex Lodge
Julian Stevens
Prof Jane Glover CBE
Hannah Tilley
Hallam Amos
Scoring a try for Wales in the Autumn Internationals
Monmouth School for Boys Alumni
This list is ever-expanding, and is by no means exhaustive, but gives a flavour of the wide range achievements of our many distinguished alumni.
POLITICS, GOVERNMENT
Sir John Beddington
Retired Chief Government Scientific Officer
Sir Frank Davies CBE
Former Chairman, Health & Safety Commission
Derek Ezra, Lord Ezra
Liberal Democrat peer, former chairman of the National Coal Board. For an obituary, please click here
Brian Strong
Chairman of Monmouthshire County Council.
Geoff Hughes
Penal Expert, Former Prison Governor and International Prisons Consultant
THE ARMED FORCES
Angus Buchanan VC (1894-1944)
Awarded the Victoria Cross during World War I. More detailed biography here
Lt. Col. Simon Butt
Commanding Officer, HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Corps
Colonel John Chaston MC (1916-2010)
OBE, CBE, MC, Deputy Lieutenant of Monmouthshire. For an obituary, please click here
Flt Lt. William Clifford Townsend CGM DFM (1921-1991)
RAF pilot; awarded Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for part played in the ‘Dambusters’ raid during WWII; later businessman and civil servant
THE CHURCH
Tom Collings
Bishop of Keewatin, Canada, 1991-1996
Christopher Herbert
Bishop of St Albans 1995-2009
ACADEMIA
Prof Richard Carwardine
President, Corpus Christi College, Oxford; Professor of American History; Fellow of the British Academy; Governor, Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools
Professor of Christianity & the Arts, King’s College, London
Dr Will Sutherland
Professor of Astronomy at St Mary’s London
SCIENCE, DESIGN & ENGINEERING
Robin Herd
Engineer, designer and businessman. Senior Scientific Officer on the Concorde Project, distinguished career in developing F1 racing cars. Former chairman, Oxford United Football Club
Dr Mike Tunstall (1928-2011)
Doctor, inventor of Entonox, better know as ‘gas and air’. For obituary, click here
Prof Julian Stevens
Leading Eye Surgeon, Moorfields Hospital
BUSINESS
Simon Cartmell OBE
Healthcare and LifeScience company entrepreneur, Chairman Aske’s Board, Elstree and Member of the Court of Assistants, Haberdashers Company
Bob Blake
Pharmaceuticals and Benefactor Lincoln College Oxford and Monmouth School for Boys
Warren East CBE
CEO of Rolls-Royce Holdings plc, Engineer and Philanthropist.
World and Olympic rowing coach; coached Heather Stanning and Helen Glover to gold medal in women’s coxless pair in London 2012 Olympics; former GB rowing international and medallist
British Actor and award winning Voice Artist grew up in South Wales. Trained at Webber Douglas Academy. Best known in Uk as Eddie in the award winning musical ‘Blood Brothers’ on the first Uk National Tour, and then later in the West End London.
Grant Nicholas
Lead singer and guitarist of rock band ‘Feeder’
Victor Spinetti (1929 – 2012)
Actor, comedian and producer (click here for obituary)
Medical Director for Clinical Effectiveness at NHS England. For two years from 2014 she was the NHS England Director for reducing premature mortality, and in 2016 became the Medical Director for Clinical Effectiveness. She was awarded an MBE in 2013 for services to the NHS. Celia is also the interim National Director of Patient Safety at NHS Improvement.
Emeritus Professor and former Head of the School of Education. International mathematics educator who promoted social justice in the digital age More details
BUSINESS
Natalie Sandercock
Barrister and Deputy District Judge
Jane Hoyal
Jane was co-founder of 1 Pump Court Chambers way back in 1978. She specialises in public and private family law, and is known for taking on cases that others would not touch. Jane won legal aid barrister of the year in 2013.
Head of Institutional Client Business for the USA and Canada at BlackRock
Jackie Ballard
Chief Executive at Alcohol Concern
Irene Barclay
Britain’s first female surveyor
Rachel Carnac
Managing Director of Metal Events which received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in April 2013 www.metalevents.com
Emily Webb
Inventor of the ‘Webway’ handle, an ergonomically designed rowing handle, now patented in 5 countries. Owner of Oarsome Potential – won Young Enterprise of the Year at the South Wales Business Awards 2012.
Alexandra Butler
Executive Headteacher, Head of Hamsptead Norreys CE Primary School and The Willows School
