Some of our Alumni...

Stowe has a tradition of producing outstanding achievers in all walks of life, with a breadth of talent at least comparable to any other major independent school. Did you know that all of the following are Old Stoics?

Anthony Bolton

Legendary Investment Fund Manager with Fidelity International
Anthony Bolton has managed the Special Situations Fund for Fidelity International since its launch in 1979 and is widely regarded in the City as the best in the business.

Sir Richard Branson

Founder and Chairman of the Virgin Group, Entrepreneur and Adventurer
Sir Richard started and ran his first business, the magazine “Student”, from a public phone box while still at Stowe.

Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent, KCB, CBE

Commander-in-Chief Fleet and Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom
Sir James has spent his whole career in the Royal Navy and became one of its youngest admirals in 1999; he is currently second-in-charge of the RN.

Group Captain the Lord Cheshire, VC, OM, DSO, DFC

War Hero and Founder of the Leonard Cheshire Homes
As a pilot in the RAF, Leonard Cheshire had an outstanding war record and was awarded the VC in 1944, unusually, for a period of sustained courage and outstanding effort, rather than a single act of valour. After the war he devoted his life to charitable works, founding The Cheshire Foundation Homes for the Sick in 1948.

Simon Clegg, CBE

Chief Executive of the British Olympic Association
After a career in the Army, Simon Clegg joined the BOA in 1989 and became its Chief Executive in 1997. He had an instrumental role in securing the London Olympics for 2012.

Howard Goodall

Composer and Broadcaster
A music scholar at Stowe, Howard Goodall’s many compositions include the themes to ‘‘Black Adder”, ‘‘Red Dwarf’” and ‘‘The Vicar of Dibley’”. He has presented several television series, including ‘‘Howard Goodall’s Big Bangs” and ‘‘How Music Works”. He was recently appointed Ambassador for the Government’s Music Manifesto.

Sir Jack Hayward, OBE

Owner and Life President of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC
Until recently Sir Jack was also Chairman of Wolves FC. He was knighted in 1986 for services to charity.

Roger Hodgson

Singer, songwriter and Founder Member of Supertramp
A talented musician from an early age, Roger Hodgson founded the progressive rock band Supertramp in 1969, just a year after leaving Stowe, and wrote many of its hit songs. Since leaving the band in 1983 he has had a critically acclaimed solo career, based in the USA.

Lord Lyell of Markyate

Former Attorney General
Lord Lyell combined successful careers in Parliament and Law. After 20 years at the Bar he was appointed Solicitor-General from 1987 to 1992 under Margaret Thatcher, and Attorney General under John Major from 1992 to 1997. He was also an MP from 1979 to 2001. Lord Lyell was created a life peer in 2005 and was Chairman of Governors at Stowe School from 2001 to June 2007.

George Melly

Jazz Singer, Author and Raconteur
Still performing when in his 80s, George was a seminal figure in the post-war London jazz scene and was also a respected TV critic and presenter.

George Monbiot

Environmental Campaigner, Author and Journalist
An internationally recognised campaigner for the environment for the last 20 years, in 1995 Nelson Mandela presented him with a United Nations Global 500 Award for outstanding environmental achievement. George Monbiot is currently visiting professor of planning at Oxford Brookes University and writes a regular column for The Guardian newspaper.

Anthony Negus

Coach and Conductor of the Welsh National Opera
Anthony Negus is an internationally recognised expert on Wagner and guest conductor with orchestras around the world.

David Niven

Actor
With a career spanning 50 years, interrupted only by his army service during the war, David Niven was one of best-loved English film stars. He won an Oscar for Best Actor in 1958 for his performance in “Separate Tables”. The first volume of his memoirs, “The Moon’s A Balloon”, describes his time a Stowe with great fondness.

Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover

President of J Sainsbury plc
Lord Sainsbury was Chairman of the J Sainsbury supermarket chain until his retirement in 1992 and is credited with leading the company to become the UK's then most successful supermarket chain, as well as overseeing its flotation in 1973.

David Shepherd, OBE

Wildlife Artist and Conservationist
Internationally recognised as one of the world’s leading wildlife artists, David Shepherd founded the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation in 1984 and has raised several millions of pounds for wildlife conservation in Africa.

Matthew Vaughn

Film Producer and Director
Following success as a producer (his credits include ‘‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”) Matthew turned to film direction. His recent film ‘‘Layer Cake” starred Daniel Craig, the new James Bond.

Michael Ventris

Brilliant Linguist who deciphered the Cretan Script, Linear B
Discovered by the archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans in the early 20th Century, the Linear B tablets from Knossos, Crete, baffled scholars until Michael Ventris deciphered them from 1951-53.

Sir Peregrine Worsthorne

Journalist, Author and Broadcaster
Sir Peregrine spent the largest part of his career with the Telegraph newspaper titles, eventually becoming editor of The Sunday Telegraph from 1986-89. He left the newspaper in 1997, but remains an active contributor to various publications, including his "Kind of Blue" opinion column for the online daily magazine The First Post.

Our tradition of outstanding achievers continues today. A glance at the Old Stoic News section in the latest issue of our newsletter, The Column, reveals a snapshot of what the new generation of Old Stoics have achieved over the last few months:

Sport – Mark Nelson and Graeme White played for the England Under-19 Cricket team in the World Cup Series Summer 2006

Drama – Henry Cavill, who left in 2001, had a role in the movie ‘Stardust’, directed by another Old Stoic, Matthew Vaughn

Art – Hugo Wilson, who left on 2000, is a successful portrait artist and recently held his first solo show in London

Literature – Jesse Childs, who left in 1995, recently had her first book published by Jonathan Cape