A selection of memories: 2000s

Performing in Bruce House play with Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall in the front row.

Sneaking into my Housemistresses kitchen one Saturday and stealing a bottle of her wine, then sitting by the lake with friends and consuming it feeling very rebellious!

Being involved backstage for the fashion show for Chloe Delevingne and Annabelle Chute, which was featured in the Daily Mail.

Fishing on the Oxford water and watching the fire engines go over the humpback bridge to put out the fire in Bruce

We were getting a telling off from Mr Cotton and receiving our punishments. There was about eight of us in his office. We were trying not to laugh when one of the guys, who was trying so hard not to laugh he got a nosebleed!

Sneaking up to the main South Front roof with a partner in crime to hang a painted bedsheet wishing Jeremy Nicholls a “Happy 60th Birthday” from the top of the building. It hung there for most of the day. Fortunately, we were never caught, despite my sports clothes being inexplicably covered in blue paint!

I have so many fond memories of Stowe. I vividly remember ‘Jerusalem’ belting out of the organ on a Sunday morning bringing broad smiles to everyone’s faces. The Corkscrew Society was an experience of wonder and so many opportunities for dressing up for various themed balls and parties in the State Rooms. We often tested the nerves of our Housemistress Mrs Fox by climbing out of windows after dark, swimming in the lake and visits to the Chinese ‘all you can eat and drink’ in Buckingham, to name a few!

Upon reaching 18 years old, every pupil with a birthday in the last couple of weeks would be invited to the Headmaster’s house (Jeremy Nichols) for some champagne tasting and to learn how to open a bottle – crucially ‘twisting the bottle not the cork!’

Mrs Laura Gaze-Elmore (née Gaze, Nugent 03)

I remember the time I turned 18 and the Headmaster (Jeremy Nichols) invited me to his house, along with a few others, to celebrate. He offered us advice and gave us champagne, saying at the time one of the most important lessons you will learn in life is how to open a bottle of champagne. I still remember what he taught us today! Thank you Mr Nichols, this has helped on many occasions.

Jeremy Nicholls defined my time at Stowe by being a mentor, inspiration, guide and all-round ‘great egg’.

My absolute favourite memory was the one parent/teacher meeting between my parents and the wonderful Mr Farquhar when ‘Farqs’ told my parents that even though I drove him round the bend and never managed to hand my prep in on time, there was nobody he would rather go for a picnic with! So, a failed student but a perfect picnic companion!

Getting lost as new boys from somewhere about 5 miles from Stowe back to the School. We had to ask another school and their minibus to drive us back as we had completely lost our bearings! Prior to us getting lost Jeremy Nichols had driven alongside all of the walkers shouting unhelpful words of encouragement in his vintage car (like Toad of Toad Hall!).

I was in Temple and enjoyed going up into the roof and looking out onto the North Front. Also at my Leavers Ball, I enjoyed a cigar with my Housemaster Tony Lewis.

Winning the Breaststroke Trophy in Upper Sixth was a particular highlight – it took my entire time at Stowe to achieve it!

Walking the beagles and my dog first thing in the morning around the lakes – amazing!

When I was in Upper Sixth, I was Captain of Nugent’s Coldstream Cup team. We beat Lyttleton on every aspect of the competition save for the run and the ironing! We were bitter losers and blasted Queen’s ‘We are the Champions’ from my room which overlooked South Front.

Sneaking out of Lyttelton’s downstairs bathroom with two other girls (no snitching!) to go gallivanting. We nearly got stuck in the very tiny window (a la Winnie the Pooh) but managed to make it back with seconds to spare before the alarm being sounded! We then trekked outside with the rest of the House looking equally bleary eyed and irritated at whatever culprits got us all out of bed with their midnight shenanigans…

As one of the first Sixth Form boarders in Queen’s, and having been a Music Scholar at Stowe, I got to sing for the Queen when she visited Stowe to celebrate the opening of Queen’s House. I’m very proud to say that I entertained the Queen herself and feel truly privileged to have done that.

Being caught by my Housemaster (Craig Sutton) when running around Bruce with other Prefects terrorising the younger years with a ’10-million candle’ torch at midnight.

I used to brew my own wine under the Roxburgh Theatre stage as I was entrusted with a set of keys!