Bromsgrove School was founded in 1553 and re-endowed by Sir Thomas Cookes in 1693. The old ‘Cookes Room’ is where it all began. Since the 17th Century, this schoolroom is where pupils have learnt their lessons, studied their books and eaten their meals. It has served as a classroom, a dining hall, a library, a games room, and now as a meeting room.
'Old School House', now comprising of Thomas Cookes House and Hazeldene House, is considerably larger than Sir Thomas Cookes’ original plan. Dr Collis added another storey to the top and greatly elongated the East wing – now Hazeldene – to create for himself a residence worthy, in his opinion, of a great Victorian Public School Headmaster.
During WWII, the School found itself evacuated to Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales. This friendship between the town and the School saw Bromsgrove awarded with the honour of 'Freeman of the Town' in a ceremony in October 2007.
Today, the School has over 1600 pupils across four campuses – Pre-Preparatory & Nursery (Aged 3 – Year 2) in Hanbury, the Preparatory School (Years 3-8) in Old Station Road, Winterfold School in Chaddesley Corbett (Birth-Year 8) and the Senior School (Years 9-13).
Headmasters
1545-1558 William Foonys
1558-1562 Thomas Palmer
1562-1577 Robert Kymberley
1577-1597 Arnold Hancox
1597-1606 Humphrey Roe
1606-1611 Henry Duggard
1611-1616 William Binion
1616-1622 Thomas Flavell
1622-1625 James Purcell
1625-1643 John Crumpe
1643-1650 William Spicer
1650-1664 William Suthwell
1664-1665 William Broughton
1665-1667 No Headmaster
1667-1678 James Orton
1678-1679 Samuel Lloyd
1679-1687 John Barney
1687-1690 Samuel Lloyd
1690-1693 Robert Durant
1693-1721 John Barney
1721-1735 Thomas Wilmott
1735-1756 Charles Wilmott
1756-1776 John Bennett
1776-1788 John Best
1788-1799 Charles Shipley
1799-1804 Jeremiah Roberts
1804-1810 Hugh Price
1810-1812 No Headmaster
1812 Joseph Fell (Writing Master)
1813-1816 No Headmaster
1816 Thomas Davies (sent to Fleet Prison)
1817-1819 No Headmaster
1819-1832 John Topham
1832-1842 George Jacob
1842-1867 Dr John Collis
1867-1873 Dr George Blore
1873-1901 Herbert Millington
1901-1912 Frederick Hendy
1912-1931 Robert G Routh
1931-1953 David Walters
1953-1970 Lionel Carey
1970-1985 Rev Nick Earle
1986-2004 Timothy Taylor
2004-2014 Christopher Edwards
2014-2022 Peter Clague
2022- Michael Punt
Chairman of Governors
1933-1949 Viscount Cobham
1949-1951 Colonel Edlemann
1951-1957 Lord Cobham
1957-1977 Sir Noel Hall
1977-1982 Sir Adrian Cadbury
1982-1991 Geoffrey John CBE
1991-1996 Rear-Admiral Sir David Haslam
1996-2002 Norman J Birch
2002-2010 Matthew Horton
2010-2016 Stewart Towe CBE
2016-2022 Paul West QPM
2022- Michael Luckman
Presidents of the School
1973-1977 Lord Cobham
1977-1983 Colonel Sir Eric St Johnston
1983-1994 Lord Boardman
1994-2010 Geoffrey John CBE
2010-2018 Dr Vivian Anthony
2018-2020 Mr Matthew Horton
2020- Mr Stewart Towe CBE DL
Heads of School
(the year is listed as the start of the academic year)
1861 Mr Guillebaud Davis
1862 Mr John Gordon
1863 Mr William Hilton
1864 Mr John Amphlett
1865 Mr Gilbert Moor
1866 Mr Thomas de Moleyns
1867 Mr Henry Morshead
1868 Mr John Barton
1869 Mr Charles Holcroft
1870 Mr James Thomas
1871 Mr Alfred Massingham
1872 Mr Walter Coles
1873 Mr William Strawbridge
1874 Mr John James
1875 Mr Richard Bond
1876 Mr Philip Ellis
1877 Mr George Hewett
1878 Mr Arthur Cox
1879 ?
1880 Mr Herbert Chapel
1881 Mr Percy Williams
1882 Mr John Gardner
1883 Mr Richard Green
1884 Mr David Slater
1885 Mr Henry Westwood
1886 Mr Stanley Ismay
1887 Mr Frederick Williams
1888 Mr Harvey Staunton
1889 Mr Kenneth Lake
1890 Mr Carl Duignan
1891 Mr Arthur Skelton
1892 Mr Frederick Leslie-Jones
1893 Mr Richard Tangye
1894 Mr Henry Griffith
1895 Mr Percy Sparrow
1896 Mr Michael Hughes
1898 Mr Harold Coventry
1899 Mr Geoffrey Corbett
1900 Mr John Vicars
1901 Mr John Booth
1902 Mr Lancelot Barrington-Ward
1903 Mr Samuel Thompson
1904 Mr Francis Edlmann G
1905 Mr Frederick Whittall S
1906 Mr Frederick Whittall S
1907 Mr Richard Tasker G
1908 Mr John Rawlins S
1909 Mr Reginald Hartley S
1910 Mr Edward Arkell S
1911 Mr William Goodwin S
1912 Mr Frank Wearne S
1913 Mr Ronald Hall S
1914 Mr Gerald Pilcher S
1915 Mr John Head S
1916 Mr Donald Magrath S
1917 Mr Harold Lewis G
1917 Mr Norman Harley S
1917 Mr Alan Priestley G
1918 Mr George Payne S
1918 Mr Robert Thursfield G
1919 Mr Ernest Cook S
1920 Mr William Haward S
1921 Mr Richard Mosse S
1922 Mr Paul Walter S
1923 Mr Arthur Swayne G
1924 Mr John Swayne G
1925 Mr Reginald Finney G
1926 Mr Harry Hornsby S
1927 Mr Cyril Chadwick E
1927 Mr Denys Swayne G
1928 Mr Thomas St Johnston S
1929 Mr Kenneth Harper Oa
1930 Mr Frederick Oxley L
1931 Mr William Cox S
1932 Mr Dennis Hargreaves S
1932 Mr Norman Hearn S
1933 Mr William Conner G
1934 Mr Edward Brazier S
1935 Mr John Angelbeck S
1936 Mr Cedric Milburn G
1937 Mr Hugh Green Oa
1938 Mr David MacOwen E
1939 Mr Jeffrey Ellis-Williams S
1940 Mr David Watkins E
1941 Mr James Davies S
1941 Mr David Penney S
1942 Mr Edward Arliss S
1943 Mr Lionel Harrod E
1944 Mr Hugh Morris S
1944 Mr Tom Neales E
1944 Mr John Page S
1944 Mr Timothy English G
1945 Mr Arthur Dyer S
1945 Mr David Hayes G
1945 Mr Michael Walters W
1946 Mr David Reid-Smith S
1947 Mr Patrick Bunning E
1947 Mr Guthrie Higgitt S
1948 Mr John Baron S
1949 Mr Robert Spackman G
1950 Mr Arthur Clarke S
1951 Mr Ian Walker G
1952 Mr Richard Butler S
1953 Mr Charles Phelps S
1954 Mr John Kenchington G
1955 Mr Patrick Evans S
1956 Mr Raymond Way W
1957 Mr John Clayson S
1958 Mr Ian Kerr G
1959 Mr Jeremy Chadwick E
1960 Mr Ernest Snellus G
1960 Mr Robert Spence S
1961 Mr Douglas Neil
1962 Mr Robert Parsons S
1963 Mr Ian McDonald E
1964 Mr Simon Miller S
1965 Mr Roger Bowen S
1965 Mr Jonathan James-Moore L
1966 Mr Andrew Cox L
1967 Mr Peter Kennedy G
1967 Mr John Pepper L
1968 Mr Charles Bowen S
1968 Mr Nicholas Evans S
1969 Mr Andrew Field W
1970 Mr Stewart Towe L
1970 Mr Trevor Snape G
1971 Mr Allan J Morris W
1972 Mr MichaelWickstead C
1973 Mr Robert Hood C
1974 Mr Richard Eames E
1974 Mr Digby Jones Ws
1975 Mr Richard Fabricius S
1976 Mr Julian Cowley Ly
1977 Mr Jonathan Phillips S
1978 Mr Michael Brooks Ly
1979 Mr Michael Hales S
1980 Mr Malcolm Thwaites W
1980 Mr Shahib Seyfollahi G
1981 Miss Joanne Gardener L
1982 Miss Alison Griffiths
1982 Mr Humphrey Cobbold W
1983 Mr Michael Ireland Ws
1983 Miss Susan Richards MW
1984 Mr Benjamin Key G
1984 Miss Ruth Linnaker Oa
1985 Mr Andrew Dunnett L
1985 Miss Susan Rothwell Oa
1986 Miss Susan Williams Oa
1986 Mr John Reed Ly
1987 Mr Henry Longden WG
1987 Miss Helen Cooper Oa
1987 Miss Kate Holland MW
1988 Miss Clare Cooper Oa
1988 Mr Paul Duffy L
1989 Miss Penelope Bryant MW
1989 Mr Timothy Raeburn WG
1990 Mr Jeremy Hall WG
1990 Miss Lucy Raeburn Oa
1991 Mr Oliver Bryant WG
1991 Miss Sarah Durant-Lewis MW
1992 Mr Julian Court Ws
1992 Miss Katherine Jack Hz
1993 Mr Lawrence Coen S
1993 Miss Leigh Dunkels MW
1994 Miss Caroline Rossiter TC
1995 Mr Simon Bucknall S
1995 Miss Tania Taylor TC
1996 Mr Arron Browne WG
1996 Miss Christiana Burt Hz
1997 Miss Emma Sibcey Hz
1997 Mr Paul Mellor WG
1998 Miss Joanna Burley Oa
1998 Mr Alexander Walsh E
1999 Miss Kelly Warrilow Oa
1999 Mr Simon Smith Ws
2000 Miss Amy Tooze TC
2000 Mr William Newell E
2000 Mr Graham Orme E
2000 Miss Emily Horton Oa
2001 Miss Claire McCahill TC
2001 Mr AndrewEuston E
2002 Mr Harry Willetts Ws
2002 Miss Katherine Newman Hz
2003 Mr Andrew Orme E
2003 Miss Carly Taylor Hz
2003 Miss Tara Saili TC
2003 Mr Samuel Stiley Ws
2004 Mr Michael Cottrell E
2004 Miss Victoria Pile Hz
2005 Mr Ben Rymer L
2005 Miss Rosanna Lake TC
2006 Mr James Milllington Ly
2006 Miss Kathryn Perry TC
2007 Mr Simon Gummer L
2007 Miss Harriet Eales Hz
2008 Mr Alexander Harding Ly
2008 Miss Rachel Toner Hz
2009 Mr Matthew Wix L
2009 Miss Amber Capewell TC
2010 Mr Hugh Lockhart
2010 Miss C Georgina Eales
2011 Mr Daniel Young
2011 Miss Victoria Stokes
2012 Mr Jake Perryman
2012 Miss Sophie Luckman
2013 Mr Samuel Leather
2013 Miss Emily Taylor
2014 Mr Niall Hegarty
2014 Miss Emily Collie
2015 Mr William Lockhart
2015 Miss Kate Edgington
2016 Mr George Goodall
2016 Miss Olivia Bond
2017 Mr William Nadin
2017 Miss Elouise Brookes
2018 Mr Archie Holder
2018 Miss Lydia Wright
2019 Mr Sebastien Atkinson
2019 Miss Phoebe Fletcher
2020 None appointed due to COVID-19 Pandemic
2021 Mr Hamish Cross
2021 Miss Zoe Law
2022 Mr Thando Best
2022 Miss Jessica Whitlock
Visitors of the Day / Guest Speakers at Commemoration
Prior to 1900 the prizes were always given out by the Headmaster
1900 The Dean of Wells
1901 Dr Gore
1902 The Lord Bishop of Worcester
1903 Mr Herbert Millington
1904 Sir Frederick Fryer KCSI
1905 Sir Harry Vernon
1906 Admiral Bowden-Smith
1907 Dr C H Daniel Provost of Worcester College
1908 The Right Honourable Austen Chamberlain MP
1909 Sir Bluckham Sweer-Escott KCMG
1910 Viscount Cobham
1911 Mr John Amphlett
1912 Dr Russell Wakefield
1913 The Rt. Honourable Alfred Lyttelton MP
1914 The Rt. Honourable Viscount Bryce OM
1915 Ceremonies Suspended
1916 Ceremonies Suspended
1917 Ceremonies Suspended
1918 Ceremonies Suspended
1919 Sir Arthur Boscawen MP
1920 Lt.Col. The Honourable Sidney Peel DSO MP
1921 Lord Hampton DSO
1922 Sir F. Arthur Hirtzel KCB
1923 Lord Wester Wemyss
1924 Commander Hilton Young DSO
1925 Sir Michael Sadler
1926 Bishop Welldon The Dean of Durham
1927 General Sir Neville Lyttelton
1928 Viscount Cobham
1929 Field Marshall Sir Claud Jacob
1930 Sir Walter Buchanan-Riddle
1931 The Rt. Honourable Earl of Plymouh MP
1932 Brigadier General Sir Harold Harley MC FRIS
1933 Sir William Llewellen
1934 Dr F J Lys
1935 Major General The Earl of Athlone KG
1936 Mr Holland Martin
1937 General Sir Hubert Gough
1938 Mr Laurence Binyon
1939 Professor W G S Adams
1940 Suspended due to travel and war restrictions
1941 Suspended due to travel and war restriction
1942 Suspended due to travel and war restrictions
1943 Suspended due to travel and war restrictions
1944 Suspended due to travel and war restrictions
1945 Engineer Vice-Admiral Sir Reginald W Skelton
1946 Dr W T Stallybrass
1947 Mr M J Masterson
1948 Sir Lionel Whitby
1949 Air Vice-Marshall Sir Basil Embry
1950 General Lord Ismay
1951
1952 Group Captain Douglas Bader DSO DFC
1953 Sir Lionel Whitby
1954 Professor Humphrey Humphreys
1955 Mr M J Masterton
1956 The Rt Reverend Bishop of Kingston on Thames
1957 Lord Weekes
1958 Professor H R Dean MD
1959 Admiral Sir Frederick Parham GBE KCB DSO
1960 His Excellency Governor Gen. of NZ, Viscount Cobham
1961 Mr Christie
1962 Mr H E Hill
1963 Viscount Cobham
1964 The Earl of Derby
1965 Sir Roger Winn Q.C
1966 Rear Admiral I L M McGeoch CB DSC DSC
1967 Mr H G F Carey
1968 Lord Millington
1969 Dr Walter Hamilton
1970 Sir Patrick Dean
1971 Viscount Cobham
1972 The Rt. Honourable Sir George Baker PC
1973 Sir Anthony Bowlby
1974 Sir Eric Clayson FCA
1975 Sir Richard Young
1976 Mr R E Close
1977 Mr Ian Carmichael
1978 Lord Briggs
1979 Sir Charles Carter
1980 Mr John Taylor MP
1981 Dr Charles Phelps
1982 Sir Adrian Cadbury
1983 The Hon. Justice I Glidwell Q.C
1984 The Rt. Hon Peter Walker
1985 Professor Ian Nussey
1986 Professor G A H Elton DB D.Sc
1987 Baroness Warnock
1988 Professor Michael Drury
1989 Mr Merrick Taylor
1990 The Rt. Hon Baroness Young
1991 Rear Admiral Sir David Haslam
1992 Mr John Bryant
1993 Mr Richard Smethurst
1994 Professor James Watson
1995 Professor Andrew Wallace-Hadrill
1996 Mr John Carson
1997 Professor Maxwell Irvine
1998 Lord Archer
1999 Ms Joanna Womack
2000 Mr Digby Jones
2001 Mr Nicholas Evans
2002 Julie Kirkbride MP
2003 Mr Roland Rudd
2004 Mr Geoffrey John CBE
2005 Brigadier S P Hill OBE
2006 Mr Nick Owen
2007 Ms Edwina Currie
2008 Mr Humphrey Walters
2009 Lady Marie Stubbs
2010 His Excellency Quinton Quayle
2011 Mr Simon Singh MBE
2012 Mr Martin Johnson CBE
2013 Mr Simon Bucknall
2014 Mr Chris Edwards
2015 Mr Philip Bowen
2016 Mr Stewart Towe CBE
2017 Dr Vivian Anthony (President of the School)
2018 Mr Matthew Horton (President of the School)
2019 Mr Matthew Horton (President of the School)
2020 Suspended due to COVID-19 Pandemic
2021 Mr Stewart Towe CBE
2022 Mr Stewart Towe CBE