Discover Berkhamsted’s history with our latest podcast

Did you know that Berkhamsted is one of only a few schools in the country with a dedicated archivist?

In the most recent episode of ‘In the Berkhamsted Spotlight’, we hear from our School Archivist, Lesley Koulouris, on her invaluable work preserving the history of Berkhamsted. Lesley is joined by Vicky Rees, our Old Berkhamstedians Coordinator, in a discussion about our alumni relations and how past and current pupils can benefit from our OB network.

“Archives are an asset of memory and continuity,” Lesley says. She’s been in every attic and every cellar of the School, cataloguing artefacts from match reports to prefect books, and discovering the secrets of Berkhamsted’s vibrant history along the way.

With the support of the Old Berkhamstedians, Lesley has digitised every school magazine from the first issue in 1880. Now with a dedicated archive website, anyone can access the intriguing memorabilia of Berkhamsted’s history. There are currently 234 books in the archive written about Berkhamsted! Notable OBs include Graham Greene, Clementine Churchill, Lieutenant General Sir Mark Mans, Suzie Imber and Roman Kemp.

Vicky discusses how pupils past and present can stay in touch via our Berkhamsted Connections website. Her work with OBs spans a wide range of age groups, from 16 and 17-year-old pupils all the way through to our oldest alumni. The Old Berkhamstedians Association works tirelessly to connect OBs with current pupils, offering advice, work experience and support with universities and careers. They also run reunions and events for alumni to reconnect with old friends.

Berkhamsted’s legacy dates back to 1541 and every artefact has a story to tell. Curious? You can listen to the podcast here to discover more.

Check out the Berkhamsted Connections website here.