In their own write
This section of the website collects the published achievements of Old Dartfordians.
William GG Alexander (OD 1930s): A Farming Century - The Darent Valley 1892-1992. A true account of a farming family who left their home in Scotland to seek a better living elsewhere. They moved to Kent and prospered. Written with the pride and love of the soil it tells the story of a century of enterprise, integrity and hard work. Available variously.
Dr Peter Allen (OD Left 2006): Peter is an academic at Bath University in the Politics department. His book 'The Political Class: Why it matters who our Politicians are (2018)' sits alongside his academic contributions to journals on the wider aspects of Politics which can be found here: https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/persons/peter-allen/publications/
Dr Peter Andrews (OD 1961-68): Peter obtained a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Leeds in 1971, and a D.Phil. in Genetics from the University of Oxford in 1975. After a period of postdoctoral research and as a research scientist in New York, Peter was the Arthur Jackson Professor of Biomedical Research in the University of Sheffield from 1992 to 2020. Although now retired from the University he retains an Emeritus Professorship and continues to be involved to research focused on developing a regenerative medicine treatment for Hirschsprung’s disease. Peter's publications are listed here, and he has chosen the following for closer reading - article 1; article 2; article 3; article 4.
Mark Barber (OD left 1982): Mark admits that when he started out on his career path he had no clear vision of where it might lead, but he eventually found himself with a 43 year career in advertising and media, and as something of a world expert in radio advertising effectiveness. He was awarded an MBE in 2015 for services to commercial radio. He co-authored “An advertiser’s guide to better radio advertising” - more details can be found here: https://www.wiley.com/en-gb/An+Advertiser's+Guide+to+Better+Radio+Advertising%3A+Tune+In+to+the+Power+of+the+Brand+Conversation+Medium-p-9780470016114#aboutauthors-section
Liam Barnard (OD 1984-1992): Liam published a short book some years ago called 'Whose Balkan?: Issues of Ownership, Preservation and Authenticity in Balkan Folklore; Yugoslavia, London, US, (2010)'. The book derives from Liam becoming interested in folk dancing, and is available to download for free at Amazon Kindle https://www.amazon.co.uk/Whose-Balkan-Preservation-Authenticity-Yugoslavia-ebook/dp/B00CL05KHA
Kerry Brown (OD): Kerry Brown has written over twenty books on all aspects of contemporary China. These give an overview of the modern development of China's politics, society, economics and history. They have been translated into over 8 languages. He has also contributed to, edited and written many articles, and given many lectures. These can all be found and explored at https://www.kerry-brown.co.uk/
Harold George Dines (OD 1908-11): Harold served in a Royal Engineers mining company during WW1 (they used to tunnel under no man’s land to the German trenches and then blow them up from underneath). He wrote “The Metalliferous Mining Region of South-West England.”
Rob Donovan (OD 1960-67): The Road to Corbyn (2016): A modern-day pilgrim's progress specifically through the lifetime of the 2010-2015 UK government, and on to the emergence of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party in opposition. Dying to know (2022): 'I am running in a pandemic. How has the world become gripped by a virus that is proving so deadly? Share my journey of discovery in the realms of history, politics, economics and science over the first year of this pandemic'.
Colin Dyer (OD) was a freemason who wrote widely on the subject. A search on Amazon has turned up the following authored by him: Grand Stewards and Their Lodge (1985), The Guild of Freemen of the City of London: A Record of Its Formation & History (1980), and Symbolism in Craft Freemasonry: Discover the Meaning of the Masonic Rituals and Customs (2003). There may be more.
Keith Edmunds (OD 1970-75): Keith is an award winning entrepreneur who has worked in the IT industry since 1980. Excited and intrigued by Linux, (Linux is a free of charge operating system, and it's what Google, Facebook, Wikipedia, Amazon and thousands of other businesses run on), he followed its development throughout the 1990s, using it within the workplace from time to time. Keith decided to capture the lessons learnt in his book, The Linux Solution (2019), available at Amazon. This book draws on his experience and clearly describes how to build and support scalable IT business systems using the power of Linux.
Sir Frank Leonard Engledow (OD 1904 -09). Sir Frank went to Cambridge and studied agriculture, and became a professor there. He served in India and Mesopotamia (Iraq) during the war. He was knighted for his work, including his contribution to keeping Britain fed during WW2. He wrote numerous publications which are listed at the end of this obituary by the Royal Society https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsbm.1986.0007
Terry Fairman (OD 1953-60): Leviathon and the Pilot Fish (2014) available on Amazon, attempts to argue the value and legitimacy of politically inspired art.
David Force (OD 1978-1985): read music at the University of Durham, subsequently gaining an MA in musicology and a PhD for his research in 17th century English music. He combines his academic work with over 30 years of experience teaching music in independent schools. Publications for 2021 include articles for the Journals of the Viola da Gamba Society, the British Institute of Organ Studies, the National Early Music Association and the Grove online dictionary of music. A monograph, The Consort Organ, being a sociomusicalogical and performance practice study of the chamber organ in 17th century English music, is in preparation for Cambridge University Press.
Terence Frisby (OD 1943-48): Terence is most famous for his play There's a Girl in my Soup which opened in London in 1966 and ran for over 1000 performances - it was also of course made into a film starring Peter Sellers and Goldie Hawn. He wrote stage plays, television plays and radio plays prolifically, and two books, Outrageous Fortune (1998) and Kisses on a Postcard which tells of his experiences as an evacuee in WW2. In all, he worked for over 50 years as an actor, director and producer. He played leads and directed in the West End, at the Young Vic and elsewhere in the UK. See his obituary on this website, and also his Wikipedia page at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terence_Frisby#:~:text=Plays%20and%20other%20work,-Frisby%20with%20wife&text=His%20other%20stage%20plays%20include,national%20tours%201999%E2%80%932000).
Percival Gurrey (OD 1902-08 and teacher at the school 1909 -14): Percival returned to the School as a teacher whilst on sick leave during WW1. He wrote about poetry, pedagogy, and teaching English as a Foreign Language. A list from the British Library can be accessed on this link:
Dr Brynmor Hugh Green OBE (OD1952-9). Plant ecologist. Professor emeritus and former head of Environment, Wye College, University of London. Books as follows:
Countryside Conservation: landscape ecology, planning and management George Allen and Unwin,1981, 1985 and E&F Spon 1996; The Diversion of Land: conservation in a period of farming contraction Routledge 1991 With C Potter et al; The Changing Role of the Common Agricultural Policy: the future of farming in Europe Belhaven Press, 1991 With J Marsh et al; Threatened Landscapes: conserving cultural environments Spon Press 2001 With W Vos Eds; Natural Kent: an introduction to the habitats, wildlife and wild places of the county S B Publications 2008, Kindle 2020Rev Dr Colin Edwin Hart (OD 1956-63): After taking a degree in English, Colin taught that subject in a Grammar School for four years, before studying for ordination in the Church of England. After 13 years in parish ministry, he taught in a theological college for 14 years, during which time he gained research degrees in New Testament and in Ethics. He subsequently taught Religious Studies and Philosophy in a Sixth Form College and has served for many years as an A level Principal Examiner in Critical Thinking and Thinking Skills. His works, mainly on Ethics and Critical Thinking, are listed here.
Roger Higham (OD 1946-52): Roger wrote a number of travel books including The Island Road to Africa (1968); Provencal Sunshine (1969);The Road to the Pyrenees (1971); The South Country (1972); Kent (1974); The West Highlands (1994)
R L Hudson (Headmaster of DGS 1947-68): The History of Dartford Grammar School (1966)
Neil Jarman (OD 1966-73): Material Conflicts: Parades and Visual Displays in Northern Ireland (1997)
Angela Johnson: (Staff 1984 - 2002). On September 23rd 2020 her novel ARIANWEN was published. It is set in her native West Wales. Available as e book form Amazon www.amzn.to/3kHnJmg and Waterstones, as paperback, on a click and collect basis. www.bit.ly/3iVuvED
Philip E Jones (OD 1917-23): The Butchers of London: A History of the Worshipful Company of Butchers (1976)
Sidney Keyes (OD 1933-35): Poet and author - read more here
Brian King (Staff 1994-2011): Brian was a history teacher at Dartford Grammar School, and ended his time teaching philosophy. He has written articles on philosophy in Philosophy Now magazine including the following:
https://philosophynow.org/issues/130/Humanity_Metaphor_and_the_Recursive_Mind
https://philosophynow.org/issues/125/Could_a_Robot_be_Conscious
https://philosophynow.org/issues/109/The_Prisoners_Dilemma_and_The_Evolution_of_Morality
https://philosophynow.org/issues/112/Herder_and_Human_Identity
Edward N Kirby (Staff, taught French and German 1937-46): From 1943 to 1946, Norman Kirby was in charge of intelligence and security at General Montgomery's Tactical HQ, 21st Army Group. It was a charge which carried with it the burden of Monty's personal safety and placed Sergeant Kirby in a privileged position at many key events of the war. In 1,100 Miles with Monty (1989), Kirby paints a world full of intrigue and the utmost danger, populated not only by the war-weary citizens of France, Belgium and Holland, but the sinister figures of spies and agents provocateurs and by shadowy members of the Resistance.
Harry Low: BBC journalist since 2012. After leaving DGS, Harry completed a politics degree at UEA in 2010 before undertaking an NCTJ fast-track course at Lambeth College. He subsequently freelanced as a reporter in local newspapers, including the Dartford Messenger, and worked for the MP for Dartford for six months. In May 2012, Harry was offered the first externally advertised job in BBC News for 18 months. See some of his work here.
Roy Mack FRCVS: Roy attended Dartford Grammar School from 1938-1945. His published works are mainly dictionaries in the fields of veterinary medicine, bioscience and animal health: the list is attached here. Roy also kept a diary of schooldays during WW2 - this can be found here.
Charles Jodrell Mansford: the Headmaster of Dartford Grammar School from 1902 to 1919. He wrote lots of children’s books, many of which have copies in the British Museum:
Rodney Mantle (OD): A summary of Rodney's copious works can be found here.
Geoff Matthews (OD): Books: Holbeche, L. and Matthews, G. (2012). Engaged: Unleashing Your Organization’s Potential Through Employee Engagement. Chichester: Jossey-Bass. Shortlisted for the CMI Management Book of the Year Award 2012, it's an easy-to-use guide for managers about all aspects of employee engagement. The work is widely available, including from Amazon UK.
Academic articles by Geoff include Matthews, G. (2018) Employee engagement: what’s your strategy? Strategic HR Review, Vol. 17 Issue: 3, pp.150-154. Unfortunately this article is only available through purchase from the journal itself or via academic library subscriptions. Also read for free Geoff's online article"The four drivers of employee engagement at a time of crisis"
Piers Mook (OD): After studying at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Piers completed a PhD at Warwick University and became an Honorary Professor of epidemiology. He also works with the WHO on spread of infectious diseases including influenza epidemics. His published material can be found here, with some explained in more depth at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=mook+p
Tamara Mulenga (OD): Home Deliveries in the Capital - deliveries in peri-urban areas of Lusaka, Zambia
Simon Alexander Ong (OD): Energize: Make the Most of Every Moment, 2023. This book was awarded Book of the Year 2023 in the Wellness and Wellbeing category at Business Book awards 2023.
Ayomide Esther Oyedele (OD 2016-18): Esther decided to write - and indeed self publish - these two books to celebrate achievements of the Black community. A Black Girl Like Me - £8.99 and A Black Boy Like Me - £8.99 are both available on Amazon and on the website https://www.someonelikemebook.com/
Dr Chris Paige (OD 1962-69 ): Chris - formerly Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at McMaster University - has written two books on nuclear and chemical warfare. Canada and Chemical Warfare 1939-1945 (2011), and The Devil's Weapon: The British Tube Alloy Project 1939-1945 (2023).
David Patterson (Staff 1963-97): The History of Dartford Grammar School (updated 1997); The Darent Valley in Saxon Times (1980), then ...in Prehistoric and Roman Times (1980), then ... in Medieval Times (1981)
Michael Pearson (OD 1947-52?): After running the family antiquarian books business in Covent Garden and Pall Mall, Michael moved to Canterbury and specialised in antique furniture and clocks. His books, The Beauty of Clocks (1979); Kent Clocks and Clockmakers (1997) can both be found on Amazon.
Dr Steve Phillips (OD 72-79). Steve was a member of the UK Government Working Party for Leasehold Reform in 2003 and as a result of this his research into collaborative partnering was awarded the CIOB International Innovation Award in 2007. He authored a book outlining the results of the research entitled Optimising Value in Decision-making for Best Value in the UK Social Housing Sector (2008). After attending Cambridge University as a mature student Steve became a full-time academic in 2017 and co-authored a textbook detailing the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower entitled Grenfell and Construction Industry Reform (2021).Steve is actively involved in research around sustainable construction and digital technology with a full list of his work being available on this link Steve Phillips (0000-0003-0833-9589) - ORCID.
John Rushby (OD 1961-68): John is a Research Scientist at SRI International Computer Science Laboratory in California. After leaving DGS in 1968 he got his PhD at Newcastle in 1977, and lectured in Computer Science at Manchester before becoming a Research Associate in the Computer Science Dept at Newcastle. He joined SRI in 1983. His publications can be found here, and John's wider biography and awards can be seen and explored on this link.
Christopher Sadler (OD 1966-73): The Long Trip (1990)
Barnaby Smith (OD 1962-69): Barnaby is retired and kindly devotes a great deal of time to helping with the archives at Dartford Grammar School. He has produced a publication on Charles John Jodrell Mansford, who was a Headmaster at the school from 1902 to 1919, but also a keen author of both short stories and books with an adventurous air. Barnaby's book is available on ebay at https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203844934169?hash=item2f761ada19:g:GJwAAOSwp79iGiIk or through the school at alumni@dartfordgrammarschool.org.uk
Dr Elsie Smith (Staff 1920s for 6 years): 'An Estimate of William Wordsworth by his Contemporaries' Published by Oxford Press, 1932 (Priced at 18s in 1932)
Richard Martin Stanton (OD 1961-8): Outside the Dream (RLE: Lacan) Lacan and French Styles of Psychoanalysis (2016)
Colin Taylor (OD 1975-80): An article for Sci-Fi and Fantasy Models, dated 1999, entitled ‘War Gamer - Building the Mk IX Hawk from Space:1999’ - Next Millennium Publishing Ltd, 1999
'Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons - Crisis’: A Novella, Published by Fanderson, The Gerry Anderson Appreciation Society in 1991
‘Edge Of Armageddon’, A Novel, based on the TV Series ‘UFO’, Published in Archive Of Our Own, owned by the Organisation for Transformative Works, 13/2/2019. Available at ttps://archiveofourown.org/works/17768315.
Colin also wrote a number of Working Papers for the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory but those were classified.
Mark Timlett (OD 1965-70) : The Last Bike Ride available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Bike-Ride-Mark-Timlett-ebook/dp/B006V5ARW4/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+last+bike+ride&qid=1602755412&sr=8-1 where you can find synopsis and some great reviews!
Rev Dr Malcolm Torry (OD 1966-73): Malcolm has recently retired from his role as Director of the Citizen's Basic Income Trust and is Visiting Senior Fellow at the London School of Economics . He has a plethora of degrees and is a prolific author.
Books authored by Malcolm Torry can be found at https://torry.org.uk
Articles authored and edited by Malcolm Torry can be read here.
Jem Vanston (OD 1979-84): Jem is a former college teacher who now runs his own editing and proof reading agency. Also writing as PJ Vanston he now lives in South Wales and has a number of books to his name including A Cat Called Dog and Crump, as well as the much loved Santa Goes On Strike. Amongst his latest published works are Somewhere in Europe (2020), which Jem describes as a State of the Nation novel, and Thinking Time (2021) which is a collection of 365 thought-provoking quotes. Short descriptions and availability can be found here. Jem has his own website at https://www.vanston.co.uk/ which gives more on his life and his writings.
Ian Vincent (OD1976-80): Ian Vincent has written widely about Slenderman, a fictional supernatural character. His writings can be viewed and explored further in this link.
Martin Warman (OD 1973-80): After spending around 10 years living in the USA Martin is now back in UK and currently a Professor at University of Strathclyde (Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy Biomedical Sciences) but also Leadership Team and Research Director of new Medicine Manufacturing Innovation Centre under construction in Glasgow, as well as running his own consultancy company. Some of his published material is here: Review of Real-Time Release Testing of Pharmaceutical Tablets: State-of-the Art, Challenges and Future Perspective (Apr 2020); Continuous Manufacturing in Secondary Production (Apr 2019); Development and beyond: Strategy for long-term maintenance of an online laser diffraction particle size method in a spray drying manufacturing process (Apr 2015); Raman Chemical Mapping of Magnesium Stearate Delivered by a Punch-Face Lubrication System on the Surface of Placebo and Active Tablets (Sep 2013); Process Analytical Technology in Solid Dosage Development and Manufacturing (Sep 2009). A more fullsome biography can be read here.
Stephen de Winton: (Staff, taught English and History) wrote Never Such Innocence - Sutton-at-Hone and Hawley in the Great War, co-authoring with Sarah Lewis. Also A Parish Remembered (1995) with Barbara Reed. His most recent publication is Faithful Servant - Rev John Hallett Hotham, Vicar of Sutton-at-Hone 1836-1881, published 2023.
