Alastair Hetherington
(1919 – 1999). Attended Gresham’s from 1933 to 1938 (Woodlands).
The Editor of The Guardian for nearly twenty years, Hetherington is regarded as one of the leading newsmen of the second half of the twentieth century.
Baron Reith of Stonehaven KT GCVO GBE CB TD PC
(1889 – 1971). Attended Gresham’s from 1904 to 1906 (Bengal Lodge).
Founder of the BBC, Lord Reith was its first general manager when it was set up as the British Broadcasting Company in 1922, and went on to be appointed its first director general when it became a public corporation in 1927. His high-minded concept of broadcasting as a way of educating the masses had a huge influence on the BBC and similar organisations around the world. He was brought up in Scotland and joined Gresham’s in 1904, where he was the only Presbyterian and the only Scot. He enjoyed the School cadet training corps and was a good enough shot to compete at Bisley.
Sir John Tusa
Attended Gresham’s from 1949 to 1954 (Farfield).
Arts administrator, and radio and television journalist. From 1980 to 1986 he was a main presenter of BBC 2’s Newsnight programme. From 1995 until 2007 he was managing director of the City of London’s Barbican Arts Centre. From 1986 to 1993 he was Managing Director of the BBC World Service.
Cedric Belfrage
(1904 – 1990). Attended Gresham’s from 1918 to 1922 (Howson’s).
Belfrage, who started his career as a Hollywood film critic, was a socialist, author, journalist, translator and co-founder of the radical US weekly newspaper the National Guardian. In 1953, he was summoned before Senator McCarthy’s House Un-American Activities Committee and was deported back to England in 1955. He died in Mexico.
Captain Sir Cecil Graves KCMG MC
(1892 – 1957) Attended Gresham’s from 1906 – 1910 (Howson’s)
Like his near contemporary Lord Reith, Sir Cecil was joint Director-General of the BBC from 1942 to 1943.
Baron Wilson of High Wray OBE DSC KStJ
(1908 – 1980). Attended Gresham’s from 1922.
Paul Wilson was Lord-Lieutenant of Cumbria and a Governor of the BBC.