Dr Keith Simpkins

1951

Keith’s talent as a cricketer and rower at Hampton are highlighted in editions of the Lion during his time at the School. Keith passed away on the 28 May 2025.

Steve Wise

1979

At Hampton, Steve was involved in the boat club, bridge club and stage crew, before studying Mathematics at Durham University where he continued his interest in rowing by becoming Captain of Boats at St Chad’s College. Steve dedicated his working career to the information management profession holding a number of different positions at the House of Commons.

Steve passed on Tuesday 11 February 2025 at Southborough Nursing Home.

Mark Threlfall

1995

Records of Mark in The Lion during his time at School from 1988-1995 highlight his talent on the football pitch, scoring 23 goals for the First XI as a left midfielder.

Mark went on to study Zoology at the University of Bristol before holding several positions as directors of different organisations.

Mark passed on Monday 28 April 2025.

Peter Lovesey

1955

Peter Lovesey, award winning author of the Victorian Sergeant Cribb series and the Peter Diamond series, passed away on Thursday 10 April 2025 aged 88.

In a writing career spanning 60 years, Lovesey published 43 novels including the standalone CWA Gold Dagger-winning The False Inspector Dew, which was selected as one of CWA’s Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time as well as the Times’ Top 100 Crime Novels of the 20th Century.

Others included eight Victorian crime novels featuring Sergeant Cribb, which were developed for television; and 22 novels in his flagship Peter Diamond procedural series, starting with his Anthony Award–winning novel The Last Detective and concluding with his final novel, Against the Grain, published in 2024, which he wrote after his diagnosis. He was also a prolific short-story writer and published seven collections during his lifetime.

Lovesey was the recipient of numerous awards, including the CWA Silver Dagger, multiple Macavity and Antony awards, the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière. He was one of a select number of writers to have been awarded both the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Special Edgar and the Crime Writers’ Association’s Cartier Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement; the shortlist of other double honorees includes Sue Grafton, John le Carré, Walter Mosley and Sara Paretsky.

Lovesey passed away peacefully at his home in Shrewsbury, England on 10th April 2025. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Jaqueline, and their two children, Kathy and Phil.

Cath Burke, deputy managing director of Little, Brown Book Group, said, “Peter was a brilliant writer, a legend in crime writing, and a deeply lovely man whom we will miss very much. We are so proud to have been Peter’s publisher and to know that his phenomenal body of work will continue to find readers throughout the world.”

His literary agent, Vanessa Holt, who has worked with him since the early days of his career, said: “He was loyal to his friends and business friends, appreciative of all efforts made for him and meticulous in his writing and business affairs.”

Tony Tyers

1963

Tony was a keen sportsman and amongst other achievements rowed for Hampton in the Henley Royal Regatta in 1962.

After leaving Hampton he entered the medical profession and became a consultant ophthalmologist and ophthalmic plastic surgeon at Salisbury District Hospital.

He was described by his colleagues as a great teacher, a towering authority in ophthalmology, and a true friend to us all.

We were only recently informed of Tony’s passing, which happened peacefully at Salisbury Hospice on Friday 24 April 2020.

Rev Alun Glyn Jones

Common Room

Member of the Common Room, 1965 to 1976. Died February 2025.

As remembered by Stephen Brian OH (1973), Alun was the Hampton Grammar School chaplain from 1965-1976, and he also taught Divinity. He was a graduate of Corpus Christi College Cambridge and served a curacy in Portsea before joining Hampton.

Former member of staff Alan Stranks (1973 – 2010) remembers Alun as someone who could communicate with all around him, a tough but friendly rival at the shove-halfpenny board in the staff room, and a talented cricketer.

Alun passed on Monday 17 February 2025, one week short of his 87th birthday.

Dr Steve Alexander

Common Room

Member of the Common Room, 1986 to 2010. Died April 2025.

Memories from The Lion

Dr Steve Alexander began teaching at Hampton in 1986, arriving from St. Paul’s Girls School in Hammersmith to become the School’s first Head of Spanish. At the time, Spanish was a minority subject, offered only as a 3rd-year option with fewer than 50 students. With the help of his long-serving assistant María, Steve built the department from the ground up. By the time he stepped down in 2009, over 600 boys were studying Spanish, including 70 in the Sixth Form—a remarkable legacy.

Steve brought energy and creativity to the classroom, drawing on his background in TEFL. His communicative approach made lessons memorable—whether dressing in Monty Python-style costumes, running a mock fruit and veg stand, or transforming the classroom into a doctor’s surgery. He developed innovative teaching resources, including a board game that became a Sixth Form favourite and was even considered for commercial release.

In 1989, Steve launched the now-legendary Spanish trip to Ronda, Andalucía, with support from colleagues Iain Maclean and Bob Corrigan. In those days, trips were simpler to organize. Steve travelled ahead by train, and the rest of the group followed with only flights and hotel bookings confirmed. The rest was arranged on the go. The trip was a success, forging lasting relationships with local schools, hotels, and restaurants—many of which are still used today as the trip nears its 23rd year.

Beyond the classroom, Steve contributed widely to school life. Despite his academic achievements—including a First in Spanish and French from King’s College London and a doctorate in Spanish Renaissance drama—he was also a gifted footballer. He captained King’s College 1st XI and played for the University of London team. Described as a “modern midfielder—box to box, quick, and a precise passer,” Steve passed on his love for the game to generations of Hampton 2nd XI players. He also played for the staff team, the Assassins, and remained a midfield force even as his pace waned.

Steve’s sporting talents extended further. He coached table tennis, played tennis, and was a regular swimmer at the LEH pool—often startling the more leisurely swimmers with his powerful strokes.

He also helped organize a memorable charity event with Pat Kyle: a 65-hour continuous relay around the school fields to raise funds for a hospital ward where OH Alex Brown had been treated. The event, involving students, staff, and parents, raised £4,800 and ran from Friday afternoon through to Monday morning.

One of the earliest memories shared by a colleague was arriving in Ronda to find Steve’s balcony filled with stunning paintings of the town. A prolific and talented artist, Steve was later invited to join the prestigious Wapping Group of Artists, limited to just 25 members. His work has been exhibited at the Royal Academy, the Mall Galleries, and other notable venues.

Steve is retiring early from Hampton. Though he had hoped to continue teaching, a hip replacement in 2008 was followed by a Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2009. He has managed the condition well and has remained a welcome presence at school events. His message to students remains clear: “You can always achieve more than you think—if you trust yourself to try and trust others to help you.”

On behalf of the Spanish Department, the Modern Languages Department, and the entire Common Room, we wish Steve all the very best in retirement.

Jefe – te echaremos de menos.

Summarised from 2009-10 version of The Lion by fellow former member of staff Mr Michael Passey