Old Alleynians - Headmastership of Dulwich College

Headmastership of Dulwich College

The Head Master of Dulwich College is styled The Master of Dulwich College, as laid out in the 1882 scheme of the Charity Commissioners. This continued a tradition of the Head of the college being called the Master since its foundation in 1619. The Foundation originally had a governing body consisting of a Master, Warden, four Fellows, and six Assistants made up of the two churchwardens of each of the three parishes of St Botolph's, Bishopsgate, of St Saviour's, Southwark, and of St Giles', Cripplegate. The Master was most senior, followed by the Warden and on vacancy of the Mastership, the Warden succeeded. By the 1857 Dulwich College Act the Master, Warden and Fellows were pensioned and the governance of the foundation switched to a body of nineteen Governors. However, the position of Master continued as the title of the Headmaster of the new Upper School, with an Undermaster as deputy. The 1882 Act (as a result of the Charity Commissioners scheme) abolished the office of Undermaster.

• Masters of the College of God's Gift in Dulwich
  • Thomas Alleyn (appointed 1619 (assumed office on death of Founder Edward Alleyn); died 1631)
  • Matthias Alleyn (succeeded 1631; died 1642)
  • Thomas Alleyn (succeeded 1642; died 1668-9)
  • Raph Alleyn (succeeded 1668-9; died 1677-8)
  • John Alleyn (succeeded 1677-8; died 1686)
  • Richard Alleyn (succeeded 1686; died 1690)
  • John Alleyn (succeeded 1690; died 1712)
  • Thomas Alleyn (succeeded 1712; died 1721)
  • James Allen (formerly Alleyn) (succeeded 1721; died 1746)
  • Joseph Allen (succeeded 1746; resigned 1775)
  • Thomas Allen (succeeded 1775; died 1805)
  • William Allen (succeeded 1805; died 1811)
  • Lancelot Baugh Allen (succeeded 1811; resigned 1820)
  • John Allen (succeeded 1820; died 1843)
  • George John Allen (succeeded 1843; pensioned 1857)
• Masters of Alleyn's College of God's Gift at Dulwich and (from 18 August 1882) Dulwich College
  • Rev. Alfred James Carver (appointed 1858; retired 1883)
  • Rev. James Edward Cowell Welldon (appointed 1883; retired 1885)
  • Arthur Herman Gilkes (appointed 1885; retired 1914)
  • George Smith (appointed 1914; retired 1928)
  • Walter Reynolds Booth (appointed 1928; retired 1941)
  • Christopher H. Gilkes (appointed 1941; died 1953)
  • C. Thomas (Deputy Master, took over the Mastership in 1953 for the year it took to find a permanent replacement)
  • Ronald Groves (appointed 1954; retired 1966)
  • Charles W. Lloyd (appointed 1966; retired 1975)
  • David A. Emms (appointed 1975; retired 1986)
  • Anthony C. F. Verity (appointed 1986; resigned 1995)
  • Christopher Field (The Deputy Master who became Acting Master during 1996.)
  • Graham G. Able (appointed 1997; retired 2009)
  • Joseph A. F. Spence (appointed 2009)