Old Weymouthians' Club

Weymouth College (Public School) was founded in 1862. It had no option but to close in 1940, as parents were uncertain of the safety of the area due to the Navy based at Weymouth and Portland. The pupils remaining, plus some of the staff, one of which soon became headmaster, transferred to Wellingborough School, Northants.

The Old Weymouthians' Club started in 1886 and is still going strong. The oldest member is Col. Bowden now 107, he emigrated to New Zealand at the age of 1996 to be near his daughter. Still (in 2008) a yearly magazine of a main booklet and supplement (about 100 page in all) is produced and sent to members.

Listed below are just a few of the many pupil's who later distinguished themselves. If anyone wants to know more about the history of this Public School, Weymouth College, the Dorset Museum holds a history up to the present time and the memorabilia are at Wellingborough School, Northants. Each year at the service of Remembrance at St Aldhelm's Church, Radipole, OWs attend and the names of those OWs who died in the two world wars are remembered.

In 1931 Flight Lieutenant G.H. Stainforth won the Schneider Trophy, the speed of his aircraft was 379 M.P.H. being then the world's speed record. King George 5th sent a message of congratulations. A special weather-vane to Stainforth was unveiled at the college and later moved to Greenhill Gardens, where it stands today.

Sir Peter Scott's posts included Private Secretary to Lord Ismay, Secretary General of N.A.T.O, Head of Chancery in Vienna. Head of the UK Permanent Mission to the European Office U.N. Geneva and Private Secretary to Prince Michael of Kent.

Sir John Paul's posts included Governor of British Honduras in South America, Lieutenant-Governor of the Isle of Man and a Director of Overseas Relations for the St. John's Ambulance. He was also an artist and held exhibitions for many charities.

The Revd Professor Charlie Moule died aged 99 in 2007. Two of his many students at Cambridge who distinguished themselves are the present Archbishops of Canterbury and York.

R. S. Beamish became aide-decamp to Lord Louis Mountbatten. After the war the BBC seconded him to the Malaysian Government where he set up a broadcasting system . Later as a freelance journalist he did a lot of work for the World Wild Life Fund.

Dr Louis Leakey, the Anthropologist, also his brothers, one being Major General A.R. Leakey who after his retirement became a Director of the Wolfson Foundation.

Dr G.R. Down had a Harley Street Dental Practice. He was on the General Committee of the Kennel Club and he and his wife were top dog show judges at all the main shows world wide, including Crufts. He died in 2007 aged 95.

Henry Sturmey was the Editor of The Cyclist magazine, also the author of the book, 'Bicyclists Handbook and Guide to Bicycling' published in 1877. He was the part inventor for the Sturmey-Archer gear for cycles.

Stuart Hibberd was the BBC's Chief Announcer including the war years 1939/45, he also produced talking books for the National Institute for the Blind, some being the gospels in the Bible.

Sidney Park Milledge became a Freeman of Weymouth, he was also an Alderman of the Weymouth Corporation.

R.G. Pulvertat was the President of the International Federation of Societies for Hands.

Sunthorn Hongldarom was Thailand's Ambassador for United States, also he was the Secretary General of SEATO.

Wongswan Boonma was the Under Secretary of State for Finance in Thailand.

Ruanksul Prasert, when he retired from the Bank for Thailand, became the Secretary General of the World Fellowship of Buddhists.

Dr. J.H. Hobson was an eye surgeon and a specialist in cataracts. He and his wife in retirement spent their time in Patna seeing and operating on as many as 200 patients in the hospital. Both had a strong Christian faith.