OV Jack comes back to King’s

We were so pleased to hear from OV Jack Everton (Cr 02-09 and Old St Alban’s), as he had lost contact with King’s since leaving. Having moved back to Worcester in 2023 to join his family’s company, Everton’s Wine Merchants, Jack was keen to return to King’s to re-connect, retrace his steps from his time at school, and see what might have changed in his absence.

A very keen sportsman at King’s, Jack was eager to look around the Keyes Building, a new addition to the site and the School sports’ offering since Jack left. While there, he bumped into King’s Foundation Director of Sport, Jonny Mason (Hon OV), who remembered the rugby tours they had been on together! Although Jack was a rugby player rather than a rower at school, he was similarly impressed with the Michael Baker Boathouse, which opened in 2012.

Walking around the site with Head of Alumni, Hannah Sparrey, and Alumni Relations Co-ordinator, Amanda Sutcliffe, Jack reminisced about his time “treading the boards” in the John Moore Theatre, in particular the great fun he had taking part in West Side Story with his friends. A trip up to the top of School House was next, to find his Creighton House Room, where Jack was pleased to see the layout had changed very little, bringing back some wonderful memories, even though it is now home to a different House. A quick pit-stop in the new Sixth Form Café in School House, Café 1541, gave time for Jack to catch up with his former Biology teacher, Rachel Worth (Hon OV).

No 12 College Green, which some OVs may know as Eliot House, was where Jack spent many hours for his History AS-level and Business Studies A-level. He visited his former classroom, which evoked some fond memories, especially about his teacher Peter Gwilliam (Hon OV), who had also been Jack’s tough but fair 1st XV coach! The classroom is next to the History Library, where Emmah Ferguson (Hon OV) and Richard Ward were meeting and enjoyed hearing about Jack’s time at School.

In a “circle of life” moment, there was a prospective King’s family enjoying a tour of the School, who were considering starting at King’s St Alban’s before progressing to “Big King’s”, exactly as Jack had done. He was happy to spend a few moments with them, sharing how much he had enjoyed his time at each school and heartily recommending both!