List of Old Abingdonians

Old Abingdonians are former pupils of Abingdon School or, in some cases, Honorary Old Abingdonians who have been awarded the status based on service to the School. The Old Abingdonians also run the Old Abingdonian Club (OA club) which is an organisation hosted by the school. It was founded in 1743.[1]

The Old Abingdonian ties (Griffen and Stripes)

Born in the 12th century

• St Edmund Rich (St Edmund of Abingdon) (c.1174–1240), Archbishop of Canterbury, 1233–1240 (may have attended Abingdon)

Born in the 16th century

John Roysse

• John Roysse (1500–1571), mercer, re-endowed Abingdon School in 1563
• Sir John Mason (1502–1566), diplomat, spy, and Chancellor of Oxford University
• Thomas Tesdale (1547–1610), maltster and benefactor, established the Tesdale Ushership
• John Blacknall (1583-1625), Land and mill owner and founder of Blacknall bequest
• Sir John Bennet (1552–1627), Chancellor of the Diocese of York, Judge and politician
• William Bennet (1553-1609), MP and founder of the Bennet scholarship
• Sir Thomas Smith, (1556?–1609), Judge and Member of Parliament
• John Bennet (c 1571), composer
• Christopher Tesdale (1592–1655), member of the Westminster Assembly, of Divines
• Robert Payne (1596–1651), English cleric and academic

Born in the 17th century

Sir Edward Turnour

• Clement Barksdale (1609–1687), religious author, polymath and Anglican priest
• Henry Langley (1610–1679), nonconformist minister and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford
• Walter Dayrell (1610–1684), Archdeacon of Winchester
• Sir Edward Turnour (1617–1686), Speaker of the House of Commons
• Sir John Holt (1642–1710), Lord Chief Justice
• Walter Harte (1650–1735) Prebendary of Bath and Wells and a principal pillar of the Nonjuring schism cause
• Colonel James Bringfeild, (1656-1706), equerry to Prince George of Denmark and Aide-de-camp to the Duke of Marlborough
• Colwell Brickenden (1663–1714), Clergyman and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford
• William Hunt (1669–1733), Archdeacon of Bath
• James Jennings (1670–1739), MP and Landowner
• Matthew Panting (1682–1739), Master of Pembroke College, Oxford
• Joseph Cox (1697–1753), High Sheriff of Berkshire
• Phanuel Bacon (1699–1783), playwright, poet and author

Born in the 18th century

Sir James Dashwood

Edward Morant

Thomas Fosbroke

Clement Hue

• Philip Morant (1700–1770), historian
• John Ratcliffe (1700–1775), Clergyman and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford
• Francis Ayscough (1701–1763), courtier, and Dean of Bristol
• Richard Brickenden (1701–1779), Archdeacon of Wiltshire
• Sir John D'Oyly, 4th Baronet (1702–1773), 4th baronet of Chislehampton
• William Walker (1704–1761), Principal of New Inn Hall
• John Nourse (1705–1780), bookseller
• William Adams (1706–1789), Master of Pembroke College, Oxford
• William Horton (c.1708–1749), leading military aide and builder of Horton House
• Lord James Beauclerk (1709–1787), Bishop of Hereford, 1746-1787
• Daniel Dumaresq (1712–1805), St Petersburg Academy of Sciences, educationalist
• John Howe (1714–1762), 2nd Baron Chedworth
• James Dashwood (1715–1779), politician
• Sir Thomas Head (1715–1779), High Sheriff of Berkshire
• Richard Graves (1715–1804), clergyman, writer and translator
• John Morton (c. 1716–1780), MP
• Henry Howe (1716–1781), 3rd Baron Chedworth
• Thomas Whorwood of Holton (1718–1771), High Sheriff of Oxfordshire.
• Philip Wenman, 6th Viscount Wenman (1719–1760), politician
• Sir Robert Jenkinson, 5th Baronet (1720–1766), 5th Baronet of Walcot and Hawkesbury
• James Dawkins (1722–1757), antiquary and Jacobite
• John Tracy (1722–1793), Viscount and Warden of All Souls College
• William Hawkins (1722–1801), clergyman, poet and dramatist
• Sir Charles Bagot Chester, 7th Baronet (1724–1755), 7th Baronet of Chicheley
• Clement Saxton (1724–1810), High Sheriff of Berkshire
• John Loder (c.1726–1805), Clergyman, landowner and founder of the Old Berkshire Hunt
• Sir Henry Atkins (1726–1742), 5th Baronet of Clapham
• Sir Richard Atkins (1728–1756), 6th Baronet of Clapham & High Sheriff
• Henry Dawkins (1728-1814), Member of the Parliament
• William Newcome (1729–1800), Bishop and Archbishop of Armagh
• Edward Morant, (1730-1791), Member of the Parliament
• Sir Henry D'Anvers, 4th Baronet (1731–1758), 4th Culworth baronet
• William Huddesford (1732–1772), Keeper of the Ashmolean Museum
• Henry Leigh Tracy, 8th Viscount Tracy (1732–1797), 8th Viscount Tracy
• John Clarke (1732–1781), Provost of Oriel College, Oxford
• Sir Michael D'Anvers, 5th Baronet (1738–1776), High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
• Sir Justinian Isham, 7th Baronet (1740–1818), High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
• James Gerard (1741–1783), Warden of Wadham College, Oxford
• John Smyth (1744–1809), Clergyman and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford
• John Bush (High Sheriff) (1745–?), High Sheriff of Oxfordshire
• William Sergrove (1746–1796), Clergyman and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford
• Sir Francis Clerke, 7th Baronet (1748–1777), Baron, killed at Battles of Saratoga
• Thomas Stock (1750–1803) social reformer, established first Sunday school in England
• Sir William Clerke, 8th Baronet (1751–1818), Baron and clergyman
• George Knapp (1754–1809), British Member of Parliament for Abingdon
• William Wiseman Clarke (1759–1826), High Sheriff of Berkshire
• Thomas Dudley Fosbroke, (1770-1842), antiquary
• George William Hall (1770–1843), Master of Pembroke College, Oxford
• Major-General John Tombs (1777–1848), British East India Company and Indian Army
• Clement Hue (1779–1861), physician
• George Rowley (1782–1836), Master of University College, Oxford

Born in the 19th century

Major General Henry Tombs

Nigel Bruce

• Sir William Boxall (1800–1879), painter, director of the National Gallery
• William Alder Strange (1813–1874), headmaster and author
• Major-General Sir Henry Tombs VC KCB (1824–1874), Indian Mutiny Victoria Cross
• James Brooks (1825-1901), Gothic Revival architect
• Henry Rudge Hayward (1831-1912), Archdeacon of Cheltenham and Cirencester
• William Collinson Sawyer (1832–1868), Bishop of Grafton and Armidale, New South Wales
• Edward Ede (1834–1908), cricketer, Hampshire CCC
• George Ede (1834–1870), cricketer, captain, Hampshire CCC & Grand National winner 1868
• William Henry Richardson (1836-1909), historian
• Edward Dorrien Newbolt (1843–1889), British Army officer
• Arthur Edwin Preston (1853-1942), mayor of Abingdon, Master of Christ’s Hospital
• Colonel Lacey Robert Johnson (1858–1915), Canadian Pacific Railway pioneer
• Louis Davis (1860–1941), Arts and Crafts stained glass artist.
• Harry Redfern (1861–1950), architect
• Charles Harvey Dixon (1862–1923), politician
• Harold Gilman (1876–1919), painter, founder member of the Fitzroy Group
• Oswald Couldrey (1882–1958), author and watercolourist
• Norman Riches (1883–1975), cricketer, captain, Glamorgan CCC
• Willoughby Weaving (1885–1977), First World War poet
• John William Duncan (1885-1963), Welsh field hockey international [2]
• Richard Rice, (1886-1939), 1912 Summer Olympics athlete
• Tracy Philipps (1890–1959), intelligence officer (Arab Bureau), later colonial official and conservationist
• Thomas Malcolm Layng (1892–1958), Deputy Chaplain-General to the Forces, 1945, and Archdeacon of York
• Henry Medd (1892–1977), architect and church designer in Delhi
• Sir Michael Bruce (1894–1957), author, traveller and adventurer
• Eric Whelpton (1894–1981), author and traveller
• John Theobald Milne (1895-1917), an English fighter pilot and flying ace
• Nigel Bruce (1895–1953), actor

Born in the 20th century

Academic and Education

Chris Dobson

• Cecil Davidge (1901–1981), lawyer and academic of Keble College, Oxford
• Colin Ronan (1920–1995), British author and specialist in the history and philosophy of science
• Michael Bateman (1932–2006), journalist and author
• Sir Eric Anderson (1936–2020), Teacher and educator (Honorary)
• Frank Jeal (1937-2017), zoologist and Trinity lecturer
• Bryan Kibble (1938-2016), British physicist, inventor of the Kibble balance
• Mark Bretscher (born 1940), biological scientist, FRS
• Michael Fortescue (born 1946), professor and academic
• Sir Chris Dobson (1949–2019), professor and academic, FRS
• Roger Ainsworth (1951–2019), professor and Master of St Catherine's College, Oxford
• Sir John Hills, (born 1954) professor and academic
• Angus McPhail (born 1956), teacher and former warden of Radley College
• Nicholas Lemoine, (born 1957) professor and academic
• John Dewar, (born 1959), academic and law specialist
• Andrew Robson (born 1964), international bridge player, teacher and columnist
• Ben Macintyre (born 1963), author and journalist
• Andrew Fisher (born 1965), physicist
• Timothy Bugg (born 1965), professor and academic
• Peter Haynes (born 1974), professor and academic

Arts

David Mitchell

Toby Jones

Tom Hollander

Members of the band Radiohead

• Raymond Stross (1916-1988), film producer and director
• Michael Grigsby (1936–2013), film maker
• Tom Kempinski (born 1938), playwright and actor
• Martin Lisemore (1939-1977), television producer
• Christopher Wray (1940-2014) actor and businessman
• Nicholas Loukes (1944-1976), actor [3]
• Eddy Joseph (born 1945), sound engineer
• Anthony Fawcett (born 1948), writer, art critic, and a former personal assistant to John Lennon
• Michael Holding, (born 1958), filmmaker and director
• Thomas Dolby (born 1958), musician and producer
• Robin Kermode (born 1958), communication coach and former actor
• Russell Taylor (born 1960), writer, journalist and composer
• Simon West (born 1961), actor
• Martin Hyder (born 1961), actor & writer
• Toby Jones (born 1966), actor
• Tom Hollander (born 1967), actor
• Philip Selway (born 1967), member of Radiohead
• Ed O'Brien (born 1968), member of Radiohead
• Thom Yorke (born 1968), member of Radiohead
• Colin Greenwood (born 1969), member of Radiohead
• Jonny Greenwood (born 1971), member of Radiohead
• Nigel Powell (born 1971), musician
• Andy Yorke (born 1972), musician
• David Pringuer (born 1972), musician
• David Mitchell (born 1974), comedian and actor
• Rob Walker (born 1975), sports commentator and television presenter
• Dawson Bros., comedy writers
• Michael Bartlett (born 1980), playwright and actor
• Joseph Kennedy (born 1981), actor
• Wayne Yip (born 1981), film and TV director
• Jonny Donahoe (born 1983), comedian and writer
• Jamie Anderson (born 1985), producer
• Tim Dawson (born 1988), screenwriter
• Alex Mugnaioni (born 1988), actor
• Edward Wilson (Eddie Eyre) (born 1988), actor
• Toby Marlow (born 1994), writer and composer
• Kit Young (born 1994), actor

Business

Tim Parker

• John William Greening MBE (1922–2010), benefactor and philanthropist [4]
• Bruce Duncan Guimaraens (1935–2002), port wine maker, head of Guimaraens Taylor Fonseca, Oporto
• Sir Vivian Ramsey (born 1950), former High Court judge
• Matthew Harding (1953–1996) businessmen and vice-chairman of Chelsea Football Club
• Tim Parker (born 1955), Chairman of the National Trust
• Sir Robert Pasley (born 1965), Pasley baronets and CFO of Cell C
• James Allison (born 1968), designer, engineer, and technical director of Mercedes
• Richard Wilson (born 1968), CEO of TIGA
• Philip Johnson (born 1972), lead architect for the London Stadium for the London 2012 Olympic Games

Government

Kim Darroch

Nicholas Kay

• Hugh Lunghi (1920-2014), British military interpreter and Foreign Office
• Sir Andrew Foster (born 1944), British public servant
• John Beyer (born 1950), former government ambassador
• Sir Paul Robert Virgo Clarke KCVO (born 1953), government official
• Sir Kim Darroch KCMG (born 1954), senior British diplomat
• Sir Nicholas Kay KCMG (born 1958), British diplomat
• Richard Tauwhare (born 1959), Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands
• The Hon.Jonathan Hamberger (born 1959), government official awarded Public Service Medal (Australia) [5]
• Richard McMahon (born 1962), Bailiff of Guernsey
• Clive Alderton LVO (born 1967), British diplomat

Military

• Terence Charley (1916-2008), Japanese prisoner of war
• Brigadier Tony Clay OBE, CBE (1930-2015), British Army officer
• Major General Walter Courage MBE, CB (born 1940), retired British Army officer
• Christopher John Pickup OBE, LVO (born 1942), retired British Army officer
• Commodore David Brice (born 1942), retired Royal Navy officer
• Brigadier Christopher Winfield CBE (born 1944), retired British Army officer
• Michael Philip Westwood OBE (born 1944), retired Royal Air Force officer
• Air Vice Marshall Steven Nicholl CBE (born 1946), retired Royal Air Force officer
• Jonathan Frere MBE (born 1952), retired British Army officer
• Commodore Alistair Halliday (born 1959), Royal Navy officer
• Brigadier Robert Bowkett (1954-2002), British Army officer
• Colonel David Eccles OBE, CBE (born 1957), British Army officer
• Brigadier Nick Pond, MBE (born 1967), British Army officer

Politics

Francis Maude

• Edward Castle, Baron Castle (1907–1979), British journalist and politician
• Sir George Sinclair (1912–2005), colonial administrator and Conservative MP for Dorking
• Roger Blackmore (born 1941), political and Lord Mayor of Leicester
• Robert Hayward, Baron Hayward OBE (born 1949), Conservative MP for Kingswood
• Peter Bradley (born 1953), Labour MP for the Wrekin
• Francis Maude (born 1953), MP for North Warwickshire & Horsham, Chairman of the Conservative Party

Sporting

Robin Bourne-Taylor

• Dick Eason (1902-1978), University boat race blue
• Sir David Tanner CBE (born 1947), British Olympic rowing coach
• Michael Hill (born 1951), English cricketer
• Angus McPhail (born 1956), English cricketer
• Michael Howat (born 1958), English cricketer
• Mark Andrews (born 1959), University boat race rower
• Graham Halsey (born 1960), England U-23 and Harlequins rugby player
• Graham Scott (born 1968), Premier League referee
• Justin Frishberg (born 1972), Paralympic Games wheelchair rugby player
• Martin Haycock (born 1973), University boat race cox
• Phil Baker (born 1975), rowing world championship medallist
• Alex Greaney (born 1975), University boat race cox
• Ben Gannon (born 1975), professional cricketer
• Nicholas Drake (born 1975), England rugby sevens and London Irish
• Jon Dunbar (born 1980), international rugby union player
• Robin Bourne-Taylor (born 1981), Olympic rower
• George Whittaker (born 1981), rower
• Kieran Roche (born 1983), EHL premier division hockey player
• Nick Brodie (born 1986), University boat race cox
• Toby Roche (born 1988), EHL premier division hockey player
• Matthew Rossiter (born 1989), international and European champion rower
• Oliver Cook (born 1990), international and world champion rower
• Alex Fisher (born 1990), professional footballer
• Chris Newman (born 1990), field hockey international
• Nathaniel Watkins (born 1991), professional cricketer
• Jamie Cook (born 1992), university boat race rower
• Felix Newman (born 1993), University boat race rower
• Ian Middleton (born 1995), university boat race cox
• Theo Brophy-Clews (born 1997), rugby union player
• Will Carter Keall (born 1997), EHL premier division hockey player
• Magnus Gregory (born 1998), England international canoeist
• Charlie Quarterman (born 1998), professional cyclist

References

1. "Old Abingdonians". Abingdon School.
2. "the Abingdonian, school notes" (PDF). Abingdon School.
3. "Biography". IMDb.
4. "John Greening: Philanthropist". Oxford Mail.
5. "Public Service Medal (PSM) recipients". The Age.

See also

• Abingdon School Boat Club
• Abingdon Film Unit