Rokeby Preparatory School

Wimbledon (1877–1966)

"Helmsley", Wimbledon – the site where the school first stood (1877–79)

The school was founded in Wimbledon on 18 September 1877 originally at "Helmsley" (no. 47, Woodhayes Road) by Charles Olive, an Oxford graduate. The Helmsley site is just across the road from the current location of KCS, Wimbledon, which at the time of Rokeby's founding had yet to move from its central London campus. In the first term, however, not a single pupil appeared. In the second term the first boy enrolled (Charles J. Saunders), who later won a scholarship to Merchant Taylors' and continued onto St John's, Oxford. By the end of the first year there were 15 boys attending the school. A year later numbers had increased sufficiently to warrant a larger premises, so the school was moved to another house known as "Rokeby" (at no. 17, The Downs) in 1879 – a site now occupied by Hall School Wimbledon.

"Rokeby", No. 17 The Downs, Wimbledon (1879–1966)

When the Association of Preparatory Schools was founded in 1892 (a precursor to the current IAPS), Rokeby was one of the first members.

Kingston (1966–present)

"Rokeby", Kingston: the school's current site (1966–present)

Rokeby, Kingston: the school's current site (1966–present)

In 1965 the then owner of the school stated his intent to close it, and a group of parents decided that it should be rescued. Rokeby Educational Trust Limited, a charity, was set up in 1966 to establish a successor school on its current site in George Road Kingston.^[2] The George Road building (formerly known as "Coombe Croft") was one of a number of houses on George Road that had been owned by the Galsworthy family (whose members included John Galsworthy, author of The Forsyte Saga). Although by this date it was no longer residential, the buildings were still largely laid out as a country house. Over the years, significant investments have been made. First, there was major conversion work in the main house, then the building of the hall and science block, and a kitchen. The 1990s saw the rebuilding of the pre-prep accommodation, followed by the art wing and improved music facilities at the beginning of this decade. There has also been a significant refurbishment of the library, dining room and office accommodation, and a major investment in enhancing IT capabilities in recent years.^[3] The new Lower School Building comprising 6 classrooms, a performing arts hall and outdoor play space for the junior boys was officially opened by HRH Princess Alexandra on 16 October 2013.

For many years, the school made use of external sports facilities that were hired from year to year. After nearly 10 years of searching, the school bought its own sports fields in Worcester Park in 2003, some 10 minutes from the school, where a new pavilion was built. The motto of the school is "Smart, Skilful and Kind", which was coined by headmaster Jason Peck when he took over in 2007. Peck had been deputy headmaster to Michael Siegel, who authored a textbook, Latin: A Fresh Approach. There are four houses to which students belong: Bazelgette, Galsworthy, Moody and Olive.^[3]

A book by Peter Wicker, headmaster 1968–85, charting the history of the school's first 125 years (1877–2002), was published in late 2009: Rokeby: the first 125 years.

Latin

In urbe iuxta fluvium
Qui nomen habet Tamesis,
Illustri fama praedita
Clara schola Rokebeia stat.
Per saecula discipuli
Honores magnos ceperunt.
Una voce omnes clamant
Rokebeia floreat!

O di, si vestrum est opus,
Schola, quae olim in clivo
Parviis initiis orta,
Centum abhinc annos stabat,
Iuventu docili probos
Mores date, benevoli,
Ut omnes etiam clament
Rokebeia floreat!

Nunc fidem, pacem, honorem,
Virtutem priscam, pudorem,
Praebeant omnes pueri,
Qui iam in schola studere,
Rem Rokebeiam in alterum
Lustrum proroget saeculum.
Una voce omnes clament:
Rokebeia floreat!

English translation

In a city by a river
Which is called the Thames,
The renowned school of Rokeby stands,
With its distinguished reputation.
For many years the pupils
Have obtained great honours.
With one voice they all proclaim:
May Rokeby flourish!

O gods, if the school is your work,
Which rose one hundred ago
From small beginnings,
Standing on a hillside,
Give to our kindly and receptive
Children worthy qualities,
So that all may proclaim:
May Rokeby flourish!

May all the boys who now study
In the school show loyalty,
Grace, honour, modesty
And old-fashioned virtues,
And continue in the Rokeby manner
For many years to come.
Let everyone with one voice proclaim:
May Rokeby flourish!

Governors of Rokeby

• Prof. Kenneth V. Jones, British composer and a former governor of the school

Military

• Ian Willoughby Bazalgette, posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery in World War II; great-grandson of Sir Joseph Bazalgette
• Malcolm Munthe, British soldier, writer and curator; son of Dr Axel Munthe
• Colonel George Digby Thompson, MC, TD, CBE
• Mark Urban, military historian and BBC military correspondent

Science and Academia

• Prof. George Coulouris, computer scientist; son of actor George Coulouris
• Prof. Ben Pimlott, British historian and political biographer
• Prof. Brad Blitz, Professor of International Politics and Deputy Dean of Middlesex University Law School

Law

• Sir Nigel George Davidson, CBE (1873–1961), Judge of the High Court, Sudan; also Deputy Chairman of Governing Body of Charterhouse School

Politics/Government

• George Bridges, Baron Bridges of Headley, MBE, government minister, former head of Quiller Consultants (an influential Conservative Party lobbying firm); grandson of Edward Ettingdene Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges, and great-grandson of Robert Bridges
• Sir Victor Goodhew, British politician
• Sir Henry Monck-Mason Moore, GCMG Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief, Ceylon (1948–49)
• Madron Seligman, Member of the European Parliament (Conservative)
• Stian Westlake, special advisor to Jo Johnson and co-author of Capitalism without Capital: The Rise of the Intangible Economy

Education

• Sir Claude Aurelius Elliott, Headmaster of Eton College, 1933–1949; only child of Sir Charles Alfred Elliott, Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal
• Herbert Lionel Rogers, (1871-1950), Headmaster of King's College School, Wimbledon, 1910–1934 and author of Roman home life and religion; a reader (Oxford, The Clarendon Press, 1923) amongst other books.^[7]
• Tim Gardam, Principal of St Anne's College, Oxford, 2004–2016 ^[8]

Literature

• Robert Graves, novelist and poet; son of Alfred Perceval Graves, Anglo-Irish poet, songwriter and school inspector (HMI); grandson of Bishop Charles Graves^[9]
• Charles Patrick Graves, journalist and writer
• Nick Taussig, novelist and film producer

Theology

• The Reverend Canon Dr Gavin Ashenden, theologian, author, broadcaster and columnist. Former Chaplain to HM The Queen^[10]

Performing arts/media

• Richard Briers, English television actor
• Patrick Marber, English comedian, playwright, director, puppeteer, actor and screenwriter
• James Marriott (author), film critic and writer
• Oliver Reed (né Robert Oliver Reed), actor; grandson of actor and stage manager Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree^[11]
• Simon Treves, English actor, director and writer; son of Frederick Treves (actor) and great-great nephew of Sir Frederick Treves, surgeon to King Edward VII
• Stuart Urban, film/television director
• Alex Bilmes, journalist

Art

• Robert Hugh Buxton, English painter and illustrator

Music

• Inglis Gundry, English composer, novelist, musicologist, music pedagogue and writer

Sport

• Shiggy Konno, OBE, Chairman of the Japan Rugby Football Union (1972–94)
• Dominic Shabbo, London Welsh rugby union player
• Harry Glover, England sevens rugby player^[12]
• Reginald Edward Hawke (Buzzer) Hadingham, Chairman of the All England Club, (1984–89)^[13][14]

Medicine

• Prof. Digby Tantam, British psychiatrist and professor of psychotherapy

Archaeology

• Sir Max Mallowan (1904–78), archaeologist and husband of Dame Agatha Christie. He said of Rokeby in his memoirs, "I do not think that I received a better education anywhere and spent at least two years marking time at my public school thereafter."

City of London

• Geoffrey Mark Powell, Master of Haberdashers' Company
• Sir Harry Twyford, Lord Mayor of London (1937–38)