List of Old Rossallians

The List of Old Rossallians lists persons who attended or are associated with the Rossall School in Lancashire.

Academic

• Peter Barton - First World War historian and author.
• William Chawner - Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1899-1901
• John Standish Fforde - Economist, historian and Chief Cashier at the Bank of England
• Frank Fletcher - First person to be knighted for services to education and first lay headmaster of a British public school. Headmaster of Marlborough College and Charterhouse School - His bust in the Sumner Library was created by Jacob Epstein
• David Fowler - Mathematician
• Robert James - Headmaster of St Paul's School and Harrow School
• Sir Henry Stuart Jones - Classical scholar and lexicographer
• Charles Lethbridge Kingsford - Historian and fellow of the British Academy
• Geoffrey Kirk - Regius Professor of Greek at Cambridge
• Dr. John Morris - Historian and founder of the historical journal 'Past & Present'
• Charles Kay Ogden - Linguist, psychologist and philosopher and inventor of Basic English
• Sir Isambard Owen - First Vice Chancellor of Bristol University and founder of The University of Wales
• Niall Shanks - Philosopher

There have been many Old Rossallians who have become headmasters at public schools since its foundation in 1844, including Winchester College, Charterhouse School, Rugby School, Merchant Taylor's, Marlborough College, Cheltenham College, The Dragon School, Wellington College, Harrow School, Malvern College, Dulwich College, Sevenoaks School and Christ's Hospital. The current crop includes the Headmasters at Bedales School and Shrewsbury School.

Literary

• J. R. Ackerley - author, editor, and memoirist
• Leslie Charteris - creator of The Saint
• J.G. Farrell - novelist and winner of the Booker Prize
• F. W. Harvey D. C. M. - Poet
• Raymond M Patterson - Explorer and travel writer

Media and Television

• Michael Barratt - former BBC TV 'Nationwide' anchorman
• Patrick Campbell - Former team captain on Call My Bluff
• Sonny Flood - Actor in Hollyoaks
• Davinia Taylor - Actress and It Girl

Military

• George Clarke, 1st Baron Sydenham of Combe - Governor of Bombay and Victoria
• Field Marshal Sir Charles Comyn Egerton - First World War Field Marshal, member of the Council of the India, Commander of the Somaliland Field Force [1]
• Air Commodore Robert Groves - Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
• Captain George S. Henderson (VC)
• General Sir Thomas Hutton (M.C. KCB, KCIE)
• Wing Commander Ronald Gustave Kellet - World War 2 Flying Ace
• Frederick Lugard (GCMG, CB, DSO, PC) - governor of Hong Kong and Nigeria and founder of the University of Hong Kong.
• Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Edward Hasting Medhurst (KCB OBE MC) - Director of Allied Air Co-Operation (1940) and key figure in the RAF throughout WW2
• General John Nixon - First World War General
• Sir Charles Noble Arden-Clarke - Colonial Governor, Last Governor of the Gold Coast
• Brigadier George Rowland Patrick Roupell (VC)
• Vice Admiral Sir David Steel - Second Sea Lord

Misc

• Sir Alexander Carmichael Bruce - Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
• Sir Norman Kendal - Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and Barrister
• Rachel Lomax - Deputy Governor of the Bank of England (Rossall Junior School)

Music and the Arts

Sir Thomas Beecham

• Bill Ashton - Founder of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra
• Sir Thomas Beecham - Conductor and founder of numerous orchestras including the London Philharmonic and Royal Philharmonic
• Anthony Besch - opera director [2]
• Little Boots (Victoria Hesketh) - Singer/Songwriter
• James Donald - Actor (The Great Escape, The Bridge on the River Kwai)
• Bill Hopkins - Composer, pianist and music critic
• Christopher Whall - Founder of the New England School of Stained Glass craftsmanship. Helped William Morris establish the William Morris Arts and Crafts Society.

Politics and Law

• Edward Colborne Baber - Colonial administrator (Rossall Junior School)
• Eric Alfred George Shackleton Bailey - Conservative MP for Manchester Gorton 1931–1935
• Robert Bernays - Liberal MP for Bristol North 1931-1945, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health 1937–1939, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport 1939–1940
• Arthur John Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordham Private Secretary to Queen Victoria (1895–1901) and to George V (1910–1931)
• Harry Brittain - Conservative MP for Acton 1918-1929 and founder of the pilgrims club
• Wilfred Banks Duncan Brown, Baron of Machrihanish - Minister of State at the Board of Trade 1970-1975 and member of the Privy Council.
• Alfred Broughton - Long serving Labour MP - Key to the Labour Government downfall in 1979
• Milne Cheetham - Diplomatic Minister to Switzerland, Greece and Denmark
• Octavius Leigh Clare - Conservative MP for Eccles 1895-1906
• Sir Robert Francis Dunnell - English solicitor, civil servant and railway executive.
• Sir Herbert Brent Grotrian, 1st Baronet - Unionist MP for South-West Hull 1924-1929
• Sir Henry Hoyle Howorth - Barrister, Author, Fellow of the Royal Society and Conservative MP for Salford South 1886-1900
• Neil Marten - Conservative MP for Banbury 1959-1983 and Minister for Overseas Development 1979–1983
• Charles Heron Mullan - Conservative MP for Down 1946-1950
• Oswald Partington, 2nd Baron Doverdale - Liberal MP 1900-1918
• Robert Frederick Ratcliff - MP for Burton 1900-1918
• William Rolleston [3] - Cabinet Minister in New Zealand who later became the Leader of the Opposition there.
• Walter Dorling Smiles - MP for Blackburn 1931-1945; later for Down 1945-1950 and for Down, North 1950-1953
• John Ellis Talbot - Conservative MP for Brierley Hill 1959–1967
• Walter Topping - Northern Irish Minister of Home Affairs
• George Frederic Verdon (KCMG ) - Treasurer of Australia
• Derek Colclough Walker-Smith - Long Serving Conservative MP for Hertford 1945–1955 and then for East Hertfordshire 1955–1983 - Minister of Health
• Ralph Champneys Williams - Governor of Newfoundland
• Colonel Sir Charles Edward Yate - Conservative MP for Melton 1918-1924
• Robert Armstrong Yerburgh - Unionist MP for Chester 1886–1906 and 1910–1916 [4]

Religious

• Father Thomas R.D. Byles - Catholic priest who refused to leave the Titanic so he could help fellow passengers. He perished as it sank.
• William Henry Temple Gairdner - Missionary [5]
• John Maurice Key - Bishop of Truro and Bishop of Sherborne
• Martin Patrick Grainge Leonard - Bishop of Thetford
• Mark Green - Bishop of Aston
• John Edward Mercer - Bishop of Tasmania
• William Moore Richardson - Bishop of Zanzibar
• Bryan Robin - Bishop of Adelaide
• George Sinker - Christian Missionary in India
• Wilfrid Lewis Mark Way - Bishop of Masasi
• Alwyn Williams - Bishop of Oxford, Durham and Winchester. Chaplain to George V. Prelate of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Headmaster of Winchester College and later dean of Christ Church.

Science, Medicine and Engineering

• Sir William de Wiveleslie Abney - Astronomer, Chemist and Photographer
• John Fleetwood Baker - Civil engineer and designer of the Morrison indoor shelter
• William Blair-Bell - Co-Founder of The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists [6]
• David Brown - Engineer, entrepreneur and one-time owner of Aston Martin; his initials are still given to the finest models of Aston Martin cars. He also owned Lagonda.
• Sir Frederick Brundrett - Chief Scientific adviser to the Ministry of Defence 1954-1960 [7]
• Professor Sir William Boyd Dawkins - geologist and archaeologist and fellow of The Royal Society
• George Garrett - Clergyman and Submarine Designer
• Francis Graham-Smith - Astronomer Royal
• Dikran Tahta - Maths teacher who inspired Stephen Hawking
• Frank Newby Wardell - Home Office Inspector of Mines for Yorkshire from 1867; investigated 10 major colliery disasters.
• John Turtle Wood - Architect, Engineer and Archaeologist

Sport

• Rex Crummack - 1920 Olympic Gold Medal Winning British hockey player [8]
• Liam Botham - Rugby Union, Rugby League and Cricket player
• Walter Clopton Wingfield - The 'Inventor of Lawn Tennis'
• Paul Dalglish - Football player (Son of Kenny Dalglish)
• Michael Dickinson - World Record Holding National Hunt trainer
• Harry Goodwin - cricketer for Gloucestershire
• Thomas Higson - Cricketer for Derbyshire and Lancashire as well as England test selector.
• Nigel Howard - Fleeting England Cricket Captain (Also last amateur England Captain.)
• Nick Köster - Rugby Player (Attended Rossall as an exchange student for one year 2005-2006)
• Ham Lambert - Irish International cricketer, rugby player and referee
• Chris Leck - Rugby Union player
• Philip Morton (1857–1925) - cricketer
• Brian Redman - Formula 5000 Champion
• Vernon Royle - England Test Cricketer
• Charles Eastlake Smith - Footballer, player for England in 1876
• Benjamin Spilsbury - 19th Century England International Footballer
• Geoffrey Plumpton Wilson (1878–1934), England international footballer
• Peter Winterbottom - Former England Rugby Union Captain. He also played for the Lions.

Famous Parents of Rossall Students

• Jamil al-Assad - Syrian Politician
• Ian Botham - Cricketer
• Carl Brisson - Silent Film Actor
• Kenny Dalglish - Football Manager
• Syd Little - Comedian
• Sir Frank Whittle - Inventor of the Jet Engine
• Eddie Waring - Rugby League Commentator

Notable Old Masters

• William Henry Budge MC - Former Headmaster Rossall Junior School - The Lovat Scouts
• John Ambrose Fleming - Inventor
• Walter Besant - Novelist & Historian
• Warin Foster Bushell - President of the Mathematical Association
• Robert Clayton - 19th Century England and Yorkshire Cricketer
• Harry Dean - Cricketer (Coach at Rossall) [9]
• Jack Ellis - Rugby player
• Paul Grice - Philosopher
• John Eldon Gorst - Politician
• S. P. B. Mais - Author and Journalist
• Rupert Morris - Clergymen, Antiquarian and Chaplain to the Duke of Westminster
• John Rees - Welsh Rugby International
• Owen Seaman - Poet, Journalist and editor of Punch
• Thomas Llewellyn Thomas - Scholar of the Welsh Language
• George Utley - England International and twice FA Cup Winner was assistant cricket coach from 1911 until 1931

Notable Old Council Members

• Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire - Leader of the Liberal Party and later the Leader of the Conservative Party in the House of Lords amongst an illustrious political career.
• Walter Clegg - Conservative MP
• Wilbraham Egerton, 1st Earl Egerton - Landowner and MP
• Robert Ladds - Bishop of Whitby
• William Temple - Archbishop of Canterbury
• Edward Henry Stanley - 15th Earl of Derby and Foreign Secretary (Son of Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby and Prime Minister.)
• Frederick Arthur Stanley - 16th Earl of Derby, notable for donating the Stanley Cup
• John Woolley - First Principal of the University of Sydney
• Every Earl of Derby since the 15th Earl of Derby has been President of the Corporation of Rossall School

Fictional

• Dan Dare