John Rae

The ashes of Dr John Rae, Head Master of Westminster School, were buried in the Dark Cloister of Westminster Abbey, the passage which leads to the school yard from the cloisters, on 17th October 2008, a few years after his death. The designer of the small stone was Hugh Grace and the simple inscription reads:

 JOHN RAE 1931-2006 Head Master 1970-1986

He was the son of Dr L.J. Rae and was educated at Cambridge. After teaching for a while at Harrow school he became Head Master of Taunton school. His wife was Daphne Simpson and they had four daughters and twin sons. He was a rugby player, writer and broadcaster and had worked for a time at a leper village in India. Known as an anti-establishment Head he expanded Westminster school, girls became full members of the school and pupils from a non-British background were encouraged to apply. After leaving Westminster he became the first director of the Laura Ashley Foundaton and a director of the Portman group.

Further reading

John Rae "Delusions of Grandeur. A Head Master's life 1966-86", 1993

John Rae "The Old Boys' Network. A Head Master's diaries 1970-86", 2009