St Albans School (Hertfordshire)
Encyclopedia
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in the city of St Albans
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, in the East of England
East of England
The East of England is one of the nine official regions of England. It was created in 1994 and was adopted for statistics from 1999. It includes the ceremonial counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Essex has the highest population in the region.Its...
. Entry before Sixth Form is for boys only, and co-educational thereafter. Founded in 948 by Wulsin (Abbot Ulsinus)
Wulsin (Abbot Ulsinus)
Wulsin was a tenth century Abbot of St Albans Abbey, England, and, according to the 13th century chronicler Matthew Paris, founded St Albans School there in 948 which is still active...
, St Albans School is not only the oldest school in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
but also one of the oldest in the world. The Good Schools Guide describes St Albans as a "traditional public school, with a rich history.".
History
By c.1100 the School had built for itself such a reputation that the Norman scholar Geoffrey de GorhamGeoffrey de Gorham
Geoffrey de Gorham , sometimes called Geoffrey of Dunstable or of Le Mans , was a Norman scholar who became Abbot of St Albans Abbey, 1119 to 1146.-Life:...
applied for the post of Master. He was later to become Abbot of St Albans, and the School then remained under the control of the Abbot until the dissolution
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
of the Abbey in 1539.
In 1549, the last Abbot was granted the right to establish a Grammar School by a private Act of Parliament. In 1553 the Abbey Church was sold to the town for £400 and became a Protestant parish church for the new Borough of St Albans; the Lady Chapel at the east end was used as the schoolroom and maintained by the Mayor and burgesses. In 1570 Sir Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal
Lord Keeper of the Great Seal
The Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England, and later of Great Britain, was formerly an officer of the English Crown charged with physical custody of the Great Seal of England. This evolved into one of the Great Officers of State....
and then living at nearby Gorhambury
Old Gorhambury House
Old Gorhambury House located near St Albans, Hertfordshire, England is an Elizabethan mansion, built in 1563-8 by Sir Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper, and visited a number of times by Queen Elizabeth....
, put the financing of the School on a firmer footing through a Wine Charter.
In 1871, the school moved into the Abbey Gateway
Abbey Gateway, St. Albans
The Abbey Gateway, St. Albans was built in 1365 and is the last remaining building of the Benedictine Monastery at St. Albans, Hertfordshire....
(which had been built in 1365 and, following the dissolution, had been used as a prison for 300 years). Since the 19th century there have been many additions to the school site, which now comprises a very interesting architectural mixture of buildings dating from the 14th century to the 1990s. The Woollam Playing Fields, a couple of miles away to the north of the city, provides an extensive, modern, outdoor sports facility for the School and the Old Albanian Sports Club. The site was officially opened in October 2002 by Prince Richard, The Duke of Gloucester
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester is a member of the British Royal Family. Prince Richard is the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary. He has been Duke of Gloucester since his father's death in 1974. He is currently 20th in the line of succession...
.
The school still maintains strong links with the Abbey
St Albans Cathedral
St Albans Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral church at St Albans, England. At , its nave is the longest of any cathedral in England...
. Services are held there every Monday and Friday morning, and special events held there include the annual Founders' Day and carol services. In addition the school's music staff are usually linked with the Abbey's musical staff. Andrew Parnell
Andrew Parnell
Andrew Parnell is an organist and harpsichordist.As a boy Parnell was a choral scholar at Southwell Minster, where he began organ studies under Kenneth Beard. He won the Organ Scholarship at Christ's College, Cambridge aged 19 and studied under Nicolas Kynaston...
, organist and harpsichordist, was assistant master of music at the Abbey as well as being master of music and choirmaster at the school from 1976 to 2001. Simon Lindley
Simon Lindley
Simon Lindley is a British organist, choirmaster, conductor and composer. He has been organist at Leeds Town Hall since 1976 and Master of the Music and organist of Leeds Parish Church since 1975. Senior Lecturer in Music at Leeds Polytechnic from 1976 to 1987, Lindley held the post of Senior...
had also held these posts; John Rutter
John Rutter
John Milford Rutter CBE is a British composer, conductor, editor, arranger and record producer, mainly of choral music.-Biography:Born in London, Rutter was educated at Highgate School, where a fellow pupil was John Tavener. He read music at Clare College, Cambridge, where he was a member of the...
's 1974 carol Jesus Child bears a dedication "for Simon Lindley and the choir of St Albans School".
On 7 January 2010, the Herts Advertiser ran an article reporting a loan of £1000 at the rate of 6% p.a. given by the school to the city of St Albans
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
in 1722. Accordingly, the amount of money owed by the city to the school stands (as of 2010) somewhere in the region of £16 billion. However, St Albans City and District Council, though it acknowledges the loan, has not made any repayments on it.
School arms
The school coat of armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
comprises the cross of Saint Alban
Saint Alban
Saint Alban was the first British Christian martyr. Along with his fellow saints Julius and Aaron, Alban is one of three martyrs remembered from Roman Britain. Alban is listed in the Church of England calendar for 22 June and he continues to be venerated in the Anglican, Catholic, and Orthodox...
together with the School motto.
The cross of Saint Alban is a gold saltire
Saltire
A saltire, or Saint Andrew's Cross, is a heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross or letter ex . Saint Andrew is said to have been martyred on such a cross....
(a cross, signifying that Alban was martyred, but diagonal, as he was beheaded, not crucified) on a blue field (or, in heraldic terms, Azure, a saltire Or).
The current school motto is Non nobis nati ("Born not for ourselves"). This dates back to the family of the twelfth century Geoffrey de Gorham (Master and subsequently Abbot of St Albans), and was introduced in 1994, thereby establishing a link between the School before and after the dissolution of the monastery in 1539.
Non nobis nati replaced the previous motto Mediocria firma ("Moderate things are surest"), the motto of the Bacon family at Gorhambury (including Sir Nicholas and Sir Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Albans, KC was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, author and pioneer of the scientific method. He served both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England...
). This formed part of the Bacon coat of arms, which for instance can still be seen outside the Verulam Arms public house in nearby Welclose Street and inside St Mary's Church, Redbourn
Redbourn
Redbourn is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, lying on Watling Street, 3 miles from Harpenden, 4 miles from St Albans and 5 miles from Hemel Hempstead. It has a population of around 6,000.-History:...
.
General information
St Albans School is predominantly a single-sex school for boys, but has accepted girls into the Sixth Form since the 1980s. In its earlier days it was known as the Free School of St Albans, City of St Alban Grammar School or St Albans Grammar School. It is often (erroneously) referred to as "The Boys' School", "St Albans Boys" and "The Abbey School" (thereby causing confusion with The Abbey C of E Primary School nearby which is almost always referred to as "The Abbey School", and the adjacent but now defunct Abbey National Boys' School, a name which is still borne by a building in nearby Spicer Street). The school has around 780 pupils, of which around 50 are female.The school operates a house system. The current system, which came into use in September 1996, assigns all members of the school to one of four houses. These are named after notable former pupils and staff: Hawking, Renfrew, Hampson and Marsh. Previously the house names were Abbey, Breakespeare, Debenham, Pemberton, Shirley, Woollams and School House. School House, the last remaining boarding
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
house, closed at the end of the Summer Term 1956 and those boys in School House were integrated into other houses.
In 1967 the School acquired what was then a derelict hill farm in the Brecon Beacons
Brecon Beacons
The Brecon Beacons is a mountain range in South Wales. In a narrow sense, the name refers to the range of popular peaks south of Brecon, including South Wales' highest mountain, Pen y Fan, and which together form the central section of the Brecon Beacons National Park...
. The property, Pen Arthur, was fully restored and is now a well-equipped Field Studies Centre. Academic departments use Pen Arthur for field trips and study weekends throughout the year, and it plays a key part as a base for outdoor activities organised by the CCF
Combined Cadet Force
The Combined Cadet Force is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. Its aim is to "provide a disciplined organisation in a school so that pupils may develop powers of leadership by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance,...
and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award , is a programme of activities that can be undertaken by anyone aged 14 to 24, regardless of personal ability....
. During their first year at the school, pupils go to Pen Arthur for a week, during which time they participate in many "outward-bound" activities such as caving, hiking and even visiting a Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
gold mine
Dolaucothi Gold Mines
The Dolaucothi Gold Mines , also known as the Ogofau Gold Mine, are Roman surface and deep mines located in the valley of the River Cothi, near Pumsaint, Carmarthenshire, Wales...
.
James Shirley
James Shirley
James Shirley was an English dramatist.He belonged to the great period of English dramatic literature, but, in Lamb's words, he "claims a place among the worthies of this period, not so much for any transcendent genius in himself, as that he was the last of a great race, all of whom spoke nearly...
is the best known former headmaster. See also list of headmasters at St Albans School.
Notable teachers
- Bruce Balden (b. 1957), mathematician and participant in TV series Seven Up!Seven Up!The Up Series is a series of documentary films produced by Granada Television that have followed the lives of fourteen British children since 1964, when they were seven years old. The documentary has had seven episodes spanning 49 years and the documentary has been broadcast on both ITV and BBC...
- Noel Cassidy, International Education Consultant
- Vivien Graveson, writer
- Geoffrey de GorhamGeoffrey de GorhamGeoffrey de Gorham , sometimes called Geoffrey of Dunstable or of Le Mans , was a Norman scholar who became Abbot of St Albans Abbey, 1119 to 1146.-Life:...
(d. 1146), scholar, Abbot of St Albans Abbey 1119-1146 - Alexander NeckamAlexander NeckamAlexander Neckam was an English scholar and teacher.-Biography:Born at St Albans, Hertfordshire, England, Neckam's mother, Hodierna, nursed the prince with her own son, who thus became Richard's foster-brother...
(1157–1217), scientist and teacher - Tommy Hampson (1907–1965), middle distance runner (800m Gold Medal at the 1932 Summer Olympics1932 Summer OlympicsThe 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
in Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
) - David FranklinDavid Franklin (broadcaster)David Franklin was a British opera singer and broadcaster.Born in London in 1908, David Franklin originally trained as a schoolteacher. A bass singing in amateur productions, he was discovered in 1934 by John Christie, the founder of the Glyndebourne festival...
, broadcaster - Eric James Logan, founding member of the 80's pop band The MoodThe MoodThe Mood were a British pop band from 1981 to 1984, based in York. It consisted of members John Moore, Mark James and Eric James .-Career:...
- John Mole (b. 1941), poet, critic and jazz clarinettist. City of LondonCity of LondonThe City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
Poet In Residence since 1998 (under the Poetry SocietyPoetry SocietyThe Poetry Society is a membership organisation, open to all, whose stated aim is "to promote the study, use and enjoyment of poetry".The Society was founded in London in February 1909 as the Poetry Recital Society, becoming the Poetry Society in 1912...
's Poet in the City scheme) - Jennifer Higgins (b.1963), mathematician and cornerstone of the school choir
- Herbert Edward PalmerHerbert Edward PalmerHerbert Edward Palmer was an English poet and critic.He was born in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire and educated at Woodhouse Grove School, Birmingham University and Bonn University...
(1880–1961), poet - James ShirleyJames ShirleyJames Shirley was an English dramatist.He belonged to the great period of English dramatic literature, but, in Lamb's words, he "claims a place among the worthies of this period, not so much for any transcendent genius in himself, as that he was the last of a great race, all of whom spoke nearly...
(1596–1666), playwright - Dikran TahtaDikran TahtaDikran "Dick" Tahta was a British-Armenian mathematician, teacher and author.-Biography:Dikran Tahta is a descendant of Ottoman Armenian family who settled in Manchester after the First World War...
(1955–1961), mathematician and inspiration to Stephen Hawking - Andrew ParnellAndrew ParnellAndrew Parnell is an organist and harpsichordist.As a boy Parnell was a choral scholar at Southwell Minster, where he began organ studies under Kenneth Beard. He won the Organ Scholarship at Christ's College, Cambridge aged 19 and studied under Nicolas Kynaston...
(1976–2001), organist. - Peter HurfordPeter HurfordPeter Hurford OBE is a British organist, born St Cecilia's day 1930 in Minehead, Somerset.Educated at Blundell's School, he later studied both music and law at Jesus College, Cambridge, graduating with dual degrees, subsequently obtaining an enviable reputation for both musical scholarship and...
Organist
Charles Bloxham (1915–2010), who was a master at the school for 43 years, played rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
for Oxford (62 Varsity caps in four years as a blue) and Blackheath, was in the Warwickshire county championship winning side and a reserve England forward against Ireland in 1939 and was tipped for the full England squad but went to war instead, after which he returned to teach at St. Albans. A brief obituary was broadcast on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
.
12th Century
- Cardinal Boso (d. c. 1181), third English Cardinal
- Nicholas Breakspear (c.1100-1159), who became Pope Adrian IVPope Adrian IVPope Adrian IV , born Nicholas Breakspear or Breakspeare, was Pope from 1154 to 1159.Adrian IV is the only Englishman who has occupied the papal chair...
(1154–1159) - Alexander NeckamAlexander NeckamAlexander Neckam was an English scholar and teacher.-Biography:Born at St Albans, Hertfordshire, England, Neckam's mother, Hodierna, nursed the prince with her own son, who thus became Richard's foster-brother...
(1157–1217), scientist and teacher (became Master of the school in later life)
15th Century
- John WhethamstedeJohn WhethamstedeJohn Whethamstede , English abbot, was a son of Hugh Bostock, and was born at Wheathampstead in Hertfordshire, owing his name, the Latin form of which is Frumenlarius, to this circumstance....
(or Bostock) (c. 1392-1465), scholar, writer and Abbot of St Albans AbbeySt Albans CathedralSt Albans Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral church at St Albans, England. At , its nave is the longest of any cathedral in England...
16th Century
- Walter CurleWalter CurleWalter Curle was an English bishop, a close supporter of William Laud. Born in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, he was educated at St Albans School and at Christ's College, Cambridge , transferring to Peterhouse , of which college he later was elected Fellow.He was bishop of Winchester from 1632 to 1647...
(1575–1647), Bishop of Winchester - Robert WrightRobert Wright (bishop)-Life:Wright was born of humble parentage in St Albans, Hertfordshire, in 1560, and probably attended the refounded free school there , where preference was given to poor scholars of the borough. He matriculated at Trinity College, Oxford in 1574 at the age of 14, was elected to a scholarship in...
(1560–1643), first Warden of Wadham College, OxfordWadham College, OxfordWadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, located at the southern end of Parks Road in central Oxford. It was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, wealthy Somerset landowners, during the reign of King James I...
and Bishop of Lichfield & CoventryBishop of LichfieldThe Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 4,516 km² of the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed...
17th Century
- Sir Henry BlountHenry BlountSir Henry Blount was a 17th century English landowner, traveller and author.-Life:He was the third son of Sir Thomas Pope Blount of Blount's Hall, Staffordshire and Tyttenhanger, Hertfordshire and was educated at St Albans Free School and Trinity College, Oxford...
(1602–1682), traveller and writer - William Cowper, 1st Earl CowperWilliam Cowper, 1st Earl CowperWilliam Cowper, 1st Earl Cowper PC KC FRS was an English politician who became the first Lord Chancellor of Great Britain. Cowper was the son of Sir William Cowper, 2nd Baronet, of Ratling Court, Kent, a Whig member of parliament of some mark in the two last Stuart reigns...
(c.1665-1723), Lord ChancellorLord ChancellorThe Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
of Great Britain, grandfather of William CowperWilliam CowperWilliam Cowper was an English poet and hymnodist. One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th century nature poetry by writing of everyday life and scenes of the English countryside. In many ways, he was one of the forerunners of Romantic poetry...
, poet and hymnodist - William DobsonWilliam DobsonWilliam Dobson was a portraitist and one of the first notable English painters, praised by his contemporary John Aubrey as "the most excellent painter that England has yet bred"....
(1611–1646), painter to King Charles I - Major-General John HillJohn Hill (courtier)Major-General John "Jack" Hill was a British army officer and courtier during the reign of Queen Anne. While of no particular military ability, his family connections brought him promotion and office until the end of Anne's reign....
(?c. 1680-1735), M.P., army officer, politician and courtier - Sir John King, K.C. (1639–77), lawyer
- Sir Francis PembertonFrancis PembertonSir Francis Pemberton was an English judge and briefly Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench in the course of a turbulent career.-Early life:...
(1624–1697), Lord Chief Justice
18th Century
- Sir William DomvilleWilliam DomvilleWilliam Domville was a leading Irish politician and barrister of the Restoration era. Due to the great trust which the Crown had in his ability, he remained Attorney General for Ireland throughout the reign of Charles II, and it has been argued that it was in his term of office that the Attorney...
, Bt (1742–1833), Lord Mayor of London 1813 - Thomas WalshThomas Walsh (UK bishop)Bishop Thomas Walsh was a Roman Catholic clergyman and Vicar Apostolic who served the Midlands area of the United Kingdom. He was born in London on 3 October 1776, and ordained priest on 19 September 1801...
(1776–1849), Roman Catholic Bishop and Vicar Apostolic, Midlands and London Districts
19th Century
- Colonel Sir Hildred Carlile, 1st Bt, M.P. (1852–1942), army officer, politician and philanthropist
- Sir Alfred Faulkner (1882–1963), civil servant - Permanent Under-Secretary for Mines
- Henry Montague Grover (1791–1866), writer and theologian
- Brigadier-General Reginald Kentish (1876–1956), founder National Playing Fields AssociationNational Playing Fields AssociationThe National Playing Fields Association , from 2007 rebranded as Fields in Trust , was founded in 1925 and granted a Royal Charter in 1933...
, Member IOCInternational Olympic CommitteeThe International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president... - Coulson KernahanCoulson KernahanCoulson Kernahan was an English novelist, born at Ilfracombe, Devon, and educated privately by his father and at St Albans School. He was associated with Frederick Locker-Lampson on a new edition of Lyra Elegantiarum, contributed to many periodicals, wrote humorous verse, and gained wide...
(1858–1943), essayist, novelist and editor - Henry Leach (1836–79), mercantile marine physician and author
- Sir Max PembertonMax PembertonSir Max Pemberton was a popular British novelist, working mainly in the adventure and mystery genres. He was educated at St Albans School, Merchant Taylors' School, and Caius College, Cambridge...
(1863–1950), novelist and editor - Major-General Sir Herbert Aveling Raitt (1858–1935)
- Aubrey George SpencerAubrey George SpencerBishop Aubrey George Spencer was the first bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Newfoundland and Bermuda . He was also bishop of Jamaica.-Life:George Spencer was born at London, England...
(1795–1872), first Anglican Bishop of Newfoundland - Colonel F. A. M. Webster (1886–1949), English javelin champion (1911, 1923), Olympic coach and author
- Sir Thomas Spencer WellsThomas Spencer WellsSir Thomas Spencer Wells, 1st Baronet was surgeon to Queen Victoria, a medical professor and president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.-Early life:...
(1818–1897), surgeon - William Whitaker, F.R.S. (1836–1925), geologist
- Charles WilliamsCharles Williams (UK writer)Charles Walter Stansby Williams was a British poet, novelist, theologian, literary critic, and member of the Inklings.- Biography :...
(1886–1945), poet, novelist, publisher and theological writer
20th Century
- Rod ArgentRod ArgentRod Argent is an English rock musician and a founding member of the 1960s English pop group The Zombies and the 1970s band Argent....
(b. 1945), musician, founder member of The ZombiesThe ZombiesThe Zombies are an English rock band, formed in 1961 in St Albans and led by Rod Argent, on piano and keyboards, and vocalist Colin Blunstone. The group scored a UK and US hit in 1964 with "She's Not There"... - Professor Keith M. AshmanKeith M. AshmanKeith M. Ashman, is a British theoretical astrophysicist, educated at St. Albans School, Hertfordshire, and Queen Mary College , University of London . He was a professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and has worked as a professor at the University of Kansas, and Baker University....
(b. 1963), theoretical physicist and globular clusters expert - Professor Colin CherryColin CherryEdward Colin Cherry was a British cognitive scientist whose main contributions were in focused auditory attention, specifically regarding the cocktail party problem. This concerns the problem of following only one conversation while many other conversations are going on around us...
(1914–1975), cognitive scientist - Ralph ChubbRalph ChubbRalph Nicholas Chubb was an English poet, printer, and artist. Heavily influenced by Whitman, Blake, and the Romantics, his work was the creation of a highly intricate personal mythology, one that was anti-materialist and sexually revolutionary.-Life:Ralph Chubb was born in Harpenden, Hertfordshire...
(1892–1960), poet, printer and artist - Rogers Covey-Crump (b. 1944), singer (tenor), member of The Hilliard Ensemble
- Graham DowGraham DowGeoffrey Graham Dow was the Anglican Bishop of Carlisle from 2000-2009, the 66th holder of the office. He is a well-known Evangelical.-Early life:...
(b. 1942), Bishop of CarlisleBishop of CarlisleThe Bishop of Carlisle is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Carlisle in the Province of York.The diocese covers the County of Cumbria except for Alston Moor and the former Sedbergh Rural District... - Chris DuffieldChris DuffieldChris Duffield is the current Town Clerk of London and Chief Executive of the Corporation of the City of London.-Education:He was privately educated at St Albans School, Hertfordshire and Newcastle University.-Local government work:...
, Town Clerk and Chief Executive of the Corporation Of the City of London 2003- - Larry ElliottLarry ElliottLarry Elliott is a British journalist and author focusing on economic issues. He is currently Economics editor at The Guardian, and has published four books on related issues, often in partnership with Dan Atkinson.-Education:Elliott was educated at St...
, Economics Editor of the Guardian - Dave GibbonsDave GibbonsDave Gibbons is an English comic book artist, writer and sometime letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries Watchmen and the Superman story "For the Man Who Has Everything"...
(b.1949), Kirby AwardKirby AwardThe Jack Kirby Award for achievement in comic books was presented from 1985-1987 by Amazing Heroes magazine, and managed by Fantagraphics employee Dave Olbrich...
winning comic book artist and co-creator of WatchmenWatchmenWatchmen is a twelve-issue comic book limited series created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colourist John Higgins. The series was published by DC Comics during 1986 and 1987, and has been subsequently reprinted in collected form... - Professor Sir Jack GoodyJack GoodySir John Rankine Goody is a British social anthropologist. He has been a prominent teacher at Cambridge University, he was elected Fellow of the British Academy in 1976, and he is an associate of the US National Academy of Sciences...
, FBABritish AcademyThe British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
(b. 1919), social anthropologist - Professor Emeritus Ian GrantIan GrantIan Grant is a British physicist and a Fellow of the Royal Society.He was a founding member of University of Oxford's Department of Theoretical Chemistry in 1972....
(b. 1930), mathematical physicist - David GrossmanDavid Grossman (journalist)David Grossman is a British journalist who is currently political correspondent for Newsnight, a BBC current affairs programme.He was educated at St Albans School and at the University of East Anglia where he graduated with a degree in politics in 1987...
, political correspondent for NewsnightNewsnightNewsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades.... - Patrick Burnet HarrisPatrick Burnet HarrisPatrick Burnet Harris is a retired Church of England bishop who served in two episcopal positions.He was born on 30 September 1934 and educated at St Albans School and Keble College, Oxford. He was ordained in 1961 and his first post was as a curate at St Ebbes' Oxford after which he became a...
(b. 1934), former Bishop of Southwell - Tim HartTim HartTim Hart was an English folk singer and multi-instrumentalist, best known as a founding member of electric folk band, Steeleye Span.-Early years:...
(1948–2009), musician, founder member of electric folk band Steeleye SpanSteeleye SpanSteeleye Span are an English folk-rock band, formed in 1969 and remaining active today. Along with Fairport Convention they are amongst the best known acts of the British folk revival, and were among the most commercially successful, thanks to their hit singles "Gaudete" and "All Around My Hat".... - Professor Stephen HawkingStephen HawkingStephen William Hawking, CH, CBE, FRS, FRSA is an English theoretical physicist and cosmologist, whose scientific books and public appearances have made him an academic celebrity...
(b. 1942), cosmologist and theoretical physicist - Tony HendraTony HendraTony Hendra is an English satirist and writer who has worked mostly in the United States. Educated at St Albans School and Cambridge University, he was a member of the Cambridge University Footlights revue in 1962, alongside John Cleese, Graham Chapman and Tim Brooke-Taylor.-Career:In 1964 Hendra...
(b. 1941), satirist and writer - Major-General Sir Richard 'swagger-stick' Lawson (b. 1927), Congo hero and C-in-C Allied Forces, Northern Europe, 1982-6
- Gregory Paul MartinGregory Paul MartinGregory Paul Martin, , is a British writer/producer. The eldest son of Beatles producer Sir George Martin, he studied at Britain's oldest school, St...
(b. 1957), actor and writer - Herbert MundinHerbert MundinHerbert Mundin was an English-born Hollywood character actor. He was frequently typecast in films as an older cheeky eccentric, a type helped by his jowled features and cheerful disposition....
(1898–1939), Hollywood character actor - Ed Macfarlane, Jack Savidge and Ed Gibson, members of the St Albans based Indie band Friendly FiresFriendly FiresFriendly Fires are an English band from St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. They are currently signed to XL Recordings. Their self-titled debut album was released on 1 September 2008 and was announced as one of the shortlisted twelve for the 2009 Mercury Prize on 21 July 2009.-History:Friendly Fires...
- Beatloafe, electronica musician on L2S Records
- Mike NewellMike Newell (director)Michael Cormac "Mike" Newell is an English director and producer of motion pictures for the screen and for television. After the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005, Newell became the third most commercially successful British director in recent years, behind Christopher Nolan...
(b. 1942), film director - Professor Ray PahlRay PahlRaymond Edward Pahl was a British sociologist, best known for his studies of social interaction, polarisation, work and friendship in suburban and post-industrial communities.-Life and career:...
(1935–2011), sociologist - Tony PenikettTony PenikettAntony David John Penikett is a mediator and negotiator and former politician in Yukon, Canada.-Life and work:An activist with the New Democratic Party , Penikett was campaign manager in 1972 for Wally Firth, the first indigenous northern MP ever elected to the House of Commons...
, writer, mediator/ negotiator and former Canadian politician - Sir Charles PereiraCharles PereiraSir Charles Pereira, tropical hydrologist, was born on May 12 1913 in London. He spent his early years in Saskatchewan on an Indian Reservation. He was educated there, then at St Albans School and the University of London, where he graduated in mathematics and physics. After postgraduate research...
, F.R.S. (1913–2004), tropical agriculturist and hydrologist - Justin PollardJustin PollardJustin David Pollard is a British historian, television producer and writer.-Biography:Pollard is a popular historian and screenwriter working in the field of feature films, television and print...
(b. 1968), writer and historian - Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn (b. 1937), archaeologist
- Sir Tim RiceTim RiceSir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
(b. 1944), lyricist - Adrian Shum, attorney and polemist
- Sir Harry SolomonHarry Solomon (businessman)Sir Harry Solomon is the founder of Hillsdown Holdings, one of the United Kingdom's largest food businesses.-Career:Educated at St Albans School in Hertfordshire, Harry Solomon qualified as a solicitor in 1960 and went on to practise law...
(b. 1937), leading businessman - Sir Philip WatsonPhilip WatsonSir Philip Alexander Watson KBE, LVO was an officer of the Royal Navy, rising to the rank of vice-admiral....
(b. 1919), Vice-Admiral R.N., Chief Naval Engineer Officer, 1974–77, and chairman of Marconi Radar Systems, 1981–85, 88. - Nicholas TarlingNicholas TarlingNicholas Tarling is a historian, academic, and author. He specializes in Southeast Asian history, and has written on eighteenth and nineteenth century Malaysia; North Borneo; Philippines; Laos, especially foreign involvement in these countries....
Historian - Professor Christopher BuddChristopher BuddChristopher Budd is a British mathematician known especially for his contribution to non-linear differential equations and their applications in industry....
Mathematician - Ernest GellnerErnest GellnerErnest André Gellner was a philosopher and social anthropologist, described by The Daily Telegraph when he died as one of the world's most vigorous intellectuals and by The Independent as a "one-man crusade for critical rationalism."His first book, Words and Things —famously, and uniquely...
In popular culture
- Some scenes, including the opening croquet game, of the BBC comedy All Gas and GaitersAll Gas and GaitersAll Gas and Gaiters was a British television ecclesiastical sitcom which aired on BBC1 from 1966 to 1971. It was written by Pauline Devaney and Edwin Apps, a husband-and-wife team who used the pseudonym of "John Wraith" when writing the pilot...
were filmed at the school. - The school was used as a site of part of the film IncendiaryIncendiary (film)Incendiary is a 2008 British drama film portraying the aftermath of a terrorist attack at a football match. It is directed by Sharon Maguire and stars Michelle Williams, Ewan McGregor, and Matthew Macfadyen. It is about an adulterous woman's life that is torn apart when her husband and...
(2008). - The school was mentioned in the 2004 film AlfieAlfie (2004 film)Alfie is a 2004 British/American comedy-drama film based on the 1966 British film of the same name, starring Jude Law as the title character, originally played by Michael Caine. The film was written, directed and produced by Charles Shyer.-Plot:...
. - The School featured in episode of Anneka Rice's show Treasure HuntTreasure Hunt (UK game show)Treasure Hunt was a popular UK game show, based on the format of the French show La Chasse au Trésor, created by Jacques Antoine. It appeared on Channel 4 between 28 December 1982 and 18 May 1989 and was revived by BBC Two between 16 December 2002 and 2 August 2003.-The game:A team of two...
- The School and areas around it featured in an episode of MorseInspector Morse (TV series)Inspector Morse is a detective drama based on Colin Dexter's series of Chief Inspector Morse novels. The series starred John Thaw as Chief Inspector Morse and Kevin Whately as Sergeant Lewis. Dexter makes a cameo appearance in all but three of the episodes....