Rossall School - Old Rossallians

Old Rossallians

Many notable people have studied at Rossall over the years.

• J. R. Ackerley - Author, Diarist and Memoirist
• 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.
• Arthur Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordham - Private Secretary to Queen Victoria and King George V. Responsible for the change in royal name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor.
• Little Boots - Singer/Songwriter - Winner of the BBC's Sound of 2009
• David Brown - Owner of both Aston Martin and Lagonda car companies from 1947 - 72. Aston Martin models designated "DB" are named after him.
• Father Thomas R.D. Byles - Catholic priest who refused to leave the Titanic so he could help fellow passengers. He perished as it sank.
• Patrick Campbell – Irish journalist, humorist and television personality.
• Leslie Charteris - author and creator of "The Saint" books The Saintbooks later portrayed on television by Roger Moore in the 1960s and Ian Ogilvy in the 1970s
• Michael Dickinson - World Record Holding National Hunt trainer
• James Donald - Scottish character actor (The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Great Escape)
• J.G. Farrell - novelist and winner of the Booker Prize
• F. W. Harvey - First World War Poet
• Pedro Pablo Kuczynski - Candidate for Presidency of Peru 2011
• Lord (Frederick) Lugard - Governor of Nigeria and Hong Kong, also founder of the University of Hong Kong
• Lieutenant General Sir John Nixon - Senior officer in the Mesopotamian Campaign of World War I, who was ultimately responsible for the surrender of the British 6th Indian Division at Kut
• Charles Kay Ogden - Linguist, psychologist, philosopher and inventor of Basic English
• Brian Redman - 3 times Formula 5000 World Champion. Drove for Porsche, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Shadow, McLaren, Cooper BRM, and Chevron.
• Walter Clopton Wingfield - The Inventor of Lawn Tennis
• Peter Winterbottom - Former England Rugby Union Captain. He also played for the Lions.

The school alumni society is called the Rossallian Club. The Rossallian Club has numerous gatherings every year all over the UK and, with the advent of a large international boarding contingent in recent years, all over the world - the first ever OR meal in Germany took place in 2006. The school also has its own masonic lodge, founded in 1928, that meets three times a year at Freemasons's Hall in London. It is part of the Public School Lodges Council and is open to any Old Rossallian who wishes to join.

Rossall's alumni are one of only nine schools to have won the Halford Hewitt Public Schools Golf Tournament more than twice. The schools are (in order of victories): Charterhouse (16), Harrow (11), Eton (10), Tonbridge (6), Rugby (5), Watson's (4), Rossall (3), Shrewsbury (3), Merchiston (3). Rossall is also positioned 8th overall in the Anderson Scale of past performances in the competition.