Notable Old Tonbridgians

Tonbridge is proud of its track record of preparing boys for future careers in all walks of life and many go on to make their mark on the national and international stage.

Old Tonbridgians (OTs) embark on a variety of vocations once they leave the school. These range from art and architecture to academia and education; from the armed forces to political, business, legal and diplomatic life; and from the church to science, sport, writing and the performing arts.

Journalists and writers who were educated at Tonbridge include novelists EM Forster, Frederick Forsyth and Vikram Seth.

Scientists include Norman Heatley OBE, who turned penicillin into usable mass medicine, and Professor Derek Barton, a Nobel Prize Winner for Chemistry.

Sir Anthony Seldon, a political historian and expert commentator on British politics, is also Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham. Businessman Sir John Bond went on to become the Chairman of Vodafone; Tim Waterstone founded Europe’s largest bookselling retail chain.

In music and entertainment, our alumni include actor Dan Stevens and members of the band Keane – Tom Chaplin (lead singer), Richard Hughes (drummer) and Tim Rice-Oxley (keyboard player).

In the world of sport, Tonbridge’s many famous names include renowned Kent and England cricket captain Colin Cowdrey (Lord Cowdrey of Tonbridge), and former national cricket selector Ed Smith. Ben Earl (rugby) and Zak Crawley (cricket) have both featured in the England side in recent times, with several other OTs currently playing at Premiership rugby and county cricket level.

For more details of notable Old Tonbridgians, please click here. 

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