Friends New and Old

On Wednesday 14 June, more than 50 Alleyn’s alumni came back to Townley Road to enjoy a glorious day of cricket in the sun, catching up with friends new and old.

The Alleyn’s Cricket Reunion has become an annual event in the calendar. As well as catching up with friends, alumni enjoy watching current cricketers in action as the Alleyn’s 1st XI team take on The Forty Club—one of the largest wandering cricket clubs in the world.

Lunch was hosted by Ken Farrington (Tulley’s 1956), known for playing Billy Walker in Coronation Street for over 20 years and former England cricketer, Micky Stewart (Tulley’s 1951) and they spoke about the joy of returning to Alleyn’s to see friends new and old, and how they always love coming back to their School.

They were joined by Head, Jane Lunnon, who also welcomed alumni to the event, remarking that:

“It is not summer without this fixture and this lunch!”

Mrs Lunnon spoke of her love for the game of cricket and the opportunity to come together for this highlight in our alumni calendar. She thanked the Forty Club for providing stiff competition to our cricketers and also Ollie Beauchamp (Cribb’s 2013) who oversees the Alleyn’s Cricket programme. She reflected on how Alleyn’s cricket is not just about playing at a high level, but an opportunity for everyone who loves cricket at this school to play. Girls’ cricket as well as the boys’ cricket is enthusiastically supported and has great engagement, she said.

During lunch, current Alleyn’s cricketers and alumni enjoyed the chance to meet each other and share cricketing tales, stories of life at and beyond Alleyn’s and to talk about Alleyn’s today. Many took the opportunity to speak to our cricketing playwright, Classics teacher, Dr Shomit Dutta about his play Stumped which is showing at Hampstead Theatre from 16 June to 22 July.

Current students particularly relished the opportunity to meet former England cricketer and coach and long serving Surrey County Club cricketer, Micky Stewart (Tulley's 1951). In September 2022, the Kia Oval, was temporarily renamed the Micky Stewart Oval for one match in recognition of Micky’s 75-year association with Surrey and to honour his 90th birthday. The club released a limited-edition commemorative mug, the proceeds of which Micky kindly chose to donate to the Alleyn’s Sport Academy, an Alleyn’s School community partnership programme, which aims to enable social mobility through sport.

Thank you to our cricketing alumni for coming back to Alleyn’s for a fantastic reunion!