Last Saturday morning, a small group of girls travelled down to Canterbury with the Headmaster and this year’s gap year student, Zoe Roberts, who is from Melbourne, Australia. They were treated to a guided tour of the cathedral which included Francis Holland’s house, Francis Holland’s seat, Francis Holland’s plaque, Francis Holland’s side chapel and Francis Holland’s steps. It turns out that our founder was an influential canon of Canterbury and that his life and works are still remembered and are still venerated. 

Later in the day, the group went on to Godmersham to meet Mrs Wynne and Mrs Forde in the churchyard where Francis Holland, his wife and his daughters are all buried. Flowers were laid on his grave and the Headmaster wrote a message in the visitors’ book. For those of you who do not know her, Mrs Forde retired from Francis Holland, Regent’s Park in 2017. Prior to that she was a teacher of PE, the Senior Mistress and the Head of Learning Enhancement here at the school  - an FHS career which spanned over 40 years. These days, she continues to serve the school as a member of the Quondam committee.

It is now being considered whether or not, for the school’s 150th birthday in 2028 we should all travel to Canterbury to give thanks for the life of our founder and for our school.

By Headmaster, Charles Fillingham

Above: Felicity Forde and Charles Fillingham

The grave of Canon Francis Holland