The longest day of the year Midsummer’s Day on Saturday 21 June 2025 was the perfect day for the Summer Gathering in celebration of the 175th anniversary of the College. The dry June weather was very welcome so that the afternoon could be hosted outdoors in Quad, but the higher-than-normal temperatures were challenging leading to a few people unable to join us on the day. It was still a bumper turnout – the largest numbers for a college reunion ever - with over 340 guests returning to Bradfield once again.

Guests from every decade since 1950 enjoyed a celebratory drink on arrival and then were offered tours of the College grounds and boarding houses by a group of current pupils. The oldest guest was from the Class of 1950 and the most recent Bradfieldian returning being from the Class of 2021 leavers. Many former members of staff also returned to the college for the day including Hillside Matron Sandie Ankers (SCR 02-24), Maths teacher Colin Burgess (SCR 72-18), Housemaster Quentin Edwards (SCR 75-92), former Head of Art Edward Fairbairn (SCR 82-02), Hailz Osborne (SCR 85-98) and Amanda Barr (SCR 91-95) both English teachers from the 1990s who jointly directed the 1995 performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and former Housemaster Christopher Saunders (SCR 64-80).

This year the theme of the day was ‘Step Back in Time’. Highlights of the day for most guests were the tours around the college with pupils, the historic timeline along Bloods Corridor or Bloods Passage as it was known in the 1950-60s and also visits to the St Andrew’s Study Centre. Comments from guests included: “Wow! Bradfield excelled itself yesterday. I thought it was a triumph in every way and I and my family enjoyed every minute” and “It was so good to meet up with former pupils and to see the excellent improvements made to the estate with the St Andrew’s Centre being the high point”. One guest who had seen St Andrew’s Church in its early stages of conversion added: “We visited the St. Andrew's Study Centre which we had seen in its early stages and were mightily impressed at how tastefully the church had been converted.”

The catering staff did a wonderful job in the hot conditions offering a delicious savoury and sweet spread of sandwiches, sausage rolls and small cakes topped by mounds of strawberries and cherries. The Headmaster Chris Stevens spoke during the tea about the special anniversary, the importance of everyone’s connection to the college and their support and how the 175th anniversary celebrations demonstrate how far Bradfield has come since 1850.

Many guests went on into Greeker at 5pm to enjoy the first performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream by the college Drama department. The play performed in the former clay pit which Headmaster Hills had converted into the Greek Theatre in 1890, was described by many guests who saw it as “a very fitting end to a thoroughly enjoyable day”.

Thank you to everyone who joined our celebration and for sharing your memories on the day. We hope to see you all again soon.