Annual Visitation by the Brewers’ Company

The annual visitation of the Master and Warden of the Brewers’ Company took place on one of the hottest days of the year and on the hottest September day for over 100 years! In glorious sunshine the visitors were able to appreciate our beautiful campus at its very best.

In 1596, following the pattern established by other successful businessmen of the time, Richard Platt, sometime Sherriff and Brewer of London, obtained Letters Patent to establish a school at his birthplace, the then remote Hertfordshire village of Aldenham. The Brewers’ Company, of which he had long been a member, were chosen as trustees. Since 1597 the Company has made an annual Visitation checking on the progress of the School, often taking an inventory of the goods belonging to both the School and the alms-houses at Round Bush.

Following an earlier visit to our sister brewers’ school, Dame Alice Owen’s, and the nearby alms-houses it was time to look in at Aldenham. The Master Mr Peter Furness-Smith, accompanied by the Clerk Colonel Michael O’Dwyer, Upper Warden Mr Paul Wells, Renter Warden Mr Simon Theakson and the Beadle Mr James Fitzgerald were welcomed by the Chairman of Governors Mr Trevor Barton, Headmaster, School Principal, Head of Aldenham Prep School and senior members of staff along with Head Boy and Head Girl. Starting with a tour of the Prep School the group then moved onto the Sports Hall where a girls’ trampoline lesson was in full bounce before dipping into Language, Chemistry and Drama classes in the Senior School. A game on the Fives courts and some hockey practice on the Artificial Turf Pitch in the heat of the afternoon was followed by an inspection of one of the boys’ boarding Houses to see at first hand some of the £3 million refurbishment improvements that have been made during the summer holidays.

Everyone was delighted with a satisfactory inspection.