A selection of memories: 2010s

Mr James Knight (Chatham 10)

Playing football on the Chatham lawn during the summer.

Mr Edward Borland (Temple 10)

Having to count the windows on the Gothic Temple at 6.00am as a punishment for being late to evening prep

Miss Lucinda Finlay (Nugent 10)

Walking to the Queen’s Temple in the dark and rain to get to my flute lessons certainly engrained the beauty of the landscape in my heart forever.

Mr Thomas Haynes (Temple 10)

The Queen coming to open Queen’s House was something very special to be a part of.

Mr Matthew Lockyer (Chandos 10)

In Third Form at 11pm, we had flipped over lots of chairs to form a barricade from the Fourth Form, who had earlier forewarned us of an impending pillow fight. We stood ready with our pillowcases filled with books. Our Housemaster Barney Durrant opened the door, comes in and tells us to go to bed. Being dark he only heard us. He didn’t see us or the barricade. He leaves. Two minutes later the door opens, and we attack the Fourth Form coming in. However, it turns out our Housemaster never left and had been hiding behind the door. I remember hitting him with a pillow, but he never found out it was me!

Mr Charles Toler (Grenville 10)

Talking to Prince Michael of Kent about his time driving Centurion Tanks.

Mr Sam Anderson (Chatham 11)

Blowing through a slab of shotgun cartridges with a friend to release post-exam stress

Mr Will Shires (Temple 11)

I remember fondly the Rugby 1st XV team director, Alan Hughes’ training sessions. The simple relentless barking order of “TACKLE! TACKLE! TACKLE!” I think we became one of the best defensive teams in the country!

Mrs Pippa Clarke (née Farr, Lyttelton 12)

A friend ended up in a mobility scooter for a short time due to a skiing accident. The scooter was usually left somewhere outside the main House when we went in for meals and every time we came out to collect it, it had moved. One of the scooters most notable new positions was on one of the plinths where the Medici Lions now sit on either side of the South Front steps!

Mr Guillermo Ordorica Shkurovich (Bruce 12)

Meeting the Queen when she opened Queen’s House in 2007. I was lucky enough to be chosen to present the School’s gift to Her Majesty during the Chapel service.

Mr Nick Paine (Chatham 13)

Turning all the chapel chairs around and being banned from Sports Day for it. Sports Day was then rained off and re-arranged for the next weekend. I then competed and Chatham won the whole thing! I even achieved the School high jump record!

Mr Freddie Taylor (Grenville 13)

Splitting my forehead open during my first ever hockey session and receiving several stitches in the san.

Miss Lucy-May Wallis (Nugent 13)

My first day at Stowe was also the first day that I would live away from home. I was extremely nervous walking into the Nugent Common Room but seeing the other girls made me realise I wasn’t alone. The warm and inviting atmosphere settled my nerves. I began to realise all the hard work to get in had been worth it and Stowe was where I was meant to be.

Miss Lily Comyn (Queen’s 14)

Running three miles (including across a river and making it into the next-door village) from the Beadle to avoid being caught smoking.

Miss Harriett French (Nugent 14)

I fell in the Dining Hall during supper in front of everyone.

Miss Nombuso Madela (Stanhope 14)

Being part of the Branson Scholar Exchange program in 2010-2011

Miss Lydia Madumo (Stanhope 14)

When the 2010 – 2011 Branson Scholar girls got to star in a play called ‘The Maids’, which was directed by Mr Bayley. That was my first time on stage, and I quite enjoyed it. We also got to meet Sir Richard Branson

Mr Christopher Parsonson (Chatham 14)

Winning the Myles Henry Travel Scholarship to travel with a friend to a children’s orphanage in South Africa when I was 17. It was an eye-opening experience that I will never forget

Mr Ryan Eveleigh (Temple 15)

A teacher who has been instrumental in the ways I now view life; “Focus on what you CAN control, not what you CANNOT” Alan Hughes.

Mr Henry Sylvester (Grenville 15)

I broke my wrist during my first week at Stowe. It was during the Rugby trials – Mr Hughes thought I had been in the ‘A’ Team at my Prep School when I actually said the ‘E’ team. The first time I got the ball I got tackled and broke my wrist!

Mr Sam Flint (Grenville 18)

Winning House Song out of the boys’ Houses (2018) with a House of boys dressed as Britney Spears, that will always be something that stays in my mind!

Mr Ayrton Patel (Cobham 18)

Being a part of the 1st VIII that qualified and rowed at Henley Royal Regatta in the Princess Elizabeth Cup in July 2018. This happened in my last year at Stowe, making it very memorable. All the training was midway through my A-Levels!

Mr Gabriel Armstrong (Chandos 19)

Winning the 1,500 metres in 2014 on Sports Day

Miss Cleo Leather (West 19)

The last Sixth Form club and everyone storming South Front. Such a rush.

Mr Peter Entwisle (Temple 19)

The ‘House Shout’ in 2017 when the Temple Upper Sixth ripped off their trousers to the chorus of ‘It’s Raining Men’.