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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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List Of Old Wykehamists
Old Wykehamists are former pupils of Winchester College, so called in memory of the school's founder, William of Wykeham. He was Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor of England. He used the wealth these positions gave him to establish both the school in 1382 and a university college, New College, Oxford, in 1379; both of them were set up to provide an education for 70 scholars. Winchester College opened in 1394. William of Wykeham provided that up to two pupils a year who could prove they were his descendants could attend the school at its expense; they were known as Consanguineus Fundatoris, "Founder's Kin". Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes records that the tradition ended in 1868, by which time fourteen members of his family had received a free education. At first only a small number of pupils other than scholars were admitted; by the 15th century the school had around 100 pupils in total, nominally the 70 scholars, 16 choirboys and the rest "commoners". Demand for places for commoners was high, and though at first restricted, numbers gradually rose. From the 1860s, ten boarding houses, each for up to sixty pupils, were added, greatly increasing the school's capacity. By 2020, the number of pupils had risen to 690.

The school's traditions include a 600-year-old ceremony in which the Warden, wearing the Founder's Ring, admits each new Scholar; "Illumina", an autumn celebration, in which candles are placed into niches all over the medieval walls around the playing fields; and "Morning Hills", held once a year, when all the school's pupils and teachers climb St Catherine's Hill for a roll call and prayers. The Ad Portas ("At the Gates") ceremony is held as an honour for distinguished guests and alumni; all members of the school stand in the medieval Chamber Court to hear the speeches. In 2011, nineteen alumni (and six more honoured in their absence), all Fellows of the Royal Society or Fellows of the British Academy, were welcomed Ad Portas, with speeches in Latin and English.

Among the Old Wykehamists listed here are four archbishops, including one of the school's earliest pupils, Henry Chichele; four field marshals; commanders of both Fighter Command and Bomber Command during the Second World War—Hugh Dowding and Charles Portal, respectively; and two Viceroys of India, Archibald Wavell and Frederic Thesiger. The many politicians include six Chancellors of the Exchequer: Henry Addington for the Tory Party; Robert Lowe for the Liberal Party; Stafford Cripps and Hugh Gaitskell for the Labour Party; and Geoffrey Howe and Rishi Sunak for the Conservative Party. Of these, Addington and Sunak went on to become Prime Minister.

The individuals listed are classified by decade or century of birth, with a note of how each distinguished himself. Those who won military medals are listed at the foot of the page; six Old Wykehamists have won Britain's highest military award, the Victoria Cross. Individuals are included here only if they have distinguished themselves at the highest level within their profession or achieved national recognition. Thus, for example, politicians are included only if they are members of the privy council or have a cabinet position; sportspeople, only if they have distinguished themselves in a national competition or represented their country; for soldiers, that they have reached a rank equivalent to major-general, or won a gallantry award; actors, that they have been nominated for the highest honour in the field, such as an Academy or Olivier Award; members of a profession, that they are recognised as distinguished by their profession's leading institution, such as being a fellow of the Royal Society or the Royal Academy of Music. As another example, national recognition in business means being chair or chief executive of a FTSE 100 company.

Fourteenth century

Painting of Henry Chichely, 14th century archbishop
Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury, taught by Wykeham before the College's foundation

Fifteenth century

Chiaroscuro painting of Henry Wotton, bearded, dressed in black with turned-back white cuffs and collar, seated at a desk with a silver writing box and quill pens
Henry Wotton, ambassador

Sixteenth century

Chiaroscuro painting of the traveller Thomas Coryat
Thomas Coryat, sixteenth century traveller
Painting of the roundhead politician Nathaniel Fiennes
The roundhead Nathaniel Fiennes, a descendant of William of Wykeham

Seventeenth century

Eighteenth century

Painting of James Woodforde, author of the Diary of a Country Parson
James Woodforde, author of Diary of a Country Parson
Painting of Field Marshal John Colborne in red u;niform with sash and medals
Field Marshal John Colborne

Nineteenth century

Caricature of James Edwards Sewell in top hat with wing collar and stick by Spy
James Edwards Sewell, Warden of New College, caricatured by Spy, 1894

1800–1819

Monochrome photograph of the poet Matthew Arnold with centre parting and sideburns
Matthew Arnold, poet

1820–1839

Engraving of the naturalist Frank Buckland at bust length with beard, coat and waistcoat, his tie-pin in shape of a fish
Frank Buckland, naturalist
Engraving of Major General Sir Herbert Stewart with handlebar moustache, wearing uniform jacket decorated with applique stylised foliage with sash, braided lanyard, and medals
Herbert Stewart fought in the Anglo-Zulu War, the First Boer War and the Sudan Campaign.

1840–1859

Chiaroscuro painting of David Samuel Margoliouth with moustache in academic gown and background of leather-bound books
David Samuel Margoliouth, orientalist

1860–1869

Monochrome photograph of Edward Gray in wing collar
Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon, Foreign Secretary, 1914

1870–1879

Rupert D'Oyly Carte, owner of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and Savoy Hotel
Photograph of William Sealy Gossett with round spectacles and moustache
William Sealy Gosset, statistician, inventor of Student's t-test

1880–1889

Monochrome photograph of Hugh Dowding in Air Chief Marshal's braided cap and plain uniform jacket with wings and cloth medal strip
Hugh Dowding led Fighter Command in the Battle of Britain.
Colour portrait photograph of Field Marshal Archibald Wavell in khaki uniform jacket with red collar-dogs and cloth medal strips
Archibald Wavell, Field Marshal, Viceroy of India
Monochrome portrait photograph of Apsley Cherry-Garrard in artic explorer's woollen clothing with sunburnt nose and goggle-marks
Apsley Cherry-Garrard, Antarctic explorer
Monochrome studio photograph of Charles Portal in uniform of Air Marshal with wings and cloth medal strips
Charles Portal, advocate of area bombing of cities

1890–1899

Chiaroscuro oil painting of Oswald Mosley with small moustache, white shirt and very dark tie and jacket, handkerchief in top pocket
Oswald Mosley, leader of the British Union of Fascists, by Glyn Warren Philpot, 1925

Twentieth century

1900–1909

Monochrome photograph of Anthony Asquith and friends standing in a garden
Film director Anthony Asquith (second from left) by Lady Ottoline Morrell (died 1938)
Bust-length monochrome portrait photograph of Hugh Gaitskell in dark suit
Hugh Gaitskell, Chancellor of the Exchequer, leader of the opposition

1910–1919

Photograph of bronze wall-plaque with relief sculpture of Nicholas Monsarrat and inscription
Nicholas Monsarrat, naval officer, author of The Cruel Sea
Monochrome portrait photograph of the chemist Richard Synge
Richard Synge, inventor of partition chromatography

1920–1929

Colour photograph of Paul Britten Austin holding a wineglass in front of an oil painting
Paul Britten Austin, scholar of Swedish literature
Photograph of Freeman Dyson in front of a blackboard covered in equations
Freeman Dyson, physicist
Colour photograph of Geoffrey Howe in grey suit and blue tie
Geoffrey Howe, cabinet minister

1930–1939

Colour photograph of Antony Jameson in pullover, relaxed, seated in a study with many books and papers
Antony Jameson, aeronautical engineer
Colour photograph of Richard Williamson in white and gold Bishop's regalia standing at an altar
Richard Williamson, controversial bishop

1940–1949

Colour photograph of Antony Beevor in dark jacket, without tie, speaking at a meeting
Antony Beevor, military historian
Colour photograph of Robyn Hitchcock, playing a guitar, standing and singing into a microphone with closed eyes
Robyn Hitchcock, singer-songwriter

1950–1959

Official colour portrait photograph of Richard Stagg, smiling, standing in front of elaborate stonework
Richard Stagg, ambassador
Nick Carter, Chief of the Defence Staff

1960–1969

Informal bust-length colour photograph of Joss Whedon, spectacles raised over forehead, bearded, smiling, in checked jacket
Joss Whedon, film director

1970–1979

Official colour portrait photograph of Rishi Sunak
Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister

1980–1989

Victoria Cross and George Cross holders

Formal studio sepia portrait photograph of Gustavus Hamilton Blenkinsopp Coulson in military dress uniform with checked trousers, pointed black shoes, helmet in hand, other hand on hilt of sheathed sword, standing in front of stone balustrade
Gustavus Coulson VC

Six Old Wykehamists have won the Victoria Cross (VC), four in the First World War, 1914–18 (of whom three were killed in action) and two prior to 1914. Also in the Second World War one Old Wykehamist won the George Cross and one the George Medal, both in military circumstances.

See also