John Hawkins (Head of Belmont 1991-2004)

Dear Old Millhillian,

We are sad to inform you of the death of John Hawkins (Belmont Head 1991 - 2004). 

The following was written by John's Deputy Head at the time, Kevin Douglas. The full version will be available soon.

"John Hawkins was the Master of Belmont from 1991 to 2004. As soon as he arrived he threw himself into the life of the school and the community. With his wife Margaret (pictured above), they became very committed members of St Paul’s Church, on the Ridgeway, whilst John also joined the local Rotary and golf clubs.

Not long after his arrival John increased the school intake from two forms to three at 7+ and under the Chairmanship of Lord Slynn of Hadley, the Governors of Mill Hill and Belmont took the decision to introduce girls throughout the two schools. John became a great advocate of co-education and it quickly became a runaway success at Belmont.

As boarding numbers declined nationally, Mill Hill School was no exception, however with his IAPS (Independent Association of Preparatory Schools) connections John knew that pre-preparatory schools were establishing themselves around the country. He persuaded the governors that it was something to pursue and after a brief plan to build a pre-prep on the Belmont site, it was decided that better use could be made of an old boarding house at Mill Hill School, by turning it into a new pre-preparatory school.

John was responsible for the original plans and along with William Winfield, the Headmaster of Mill Hill School, he was instrumental in the selection of Pauline Bennett-Mills to be its first Headteacher. The school opened in 1995, with three schools then under the Chairmanship of Dame Angela Rumbold, (she insisted on being called the Chairman!), The Mill Hill School Foundation was formed. Grimsdell, as the pre-prep was named, soon became an exemplar for other schools in the area and became a very important part of The Foundation.

(The name ‘Grimsdell’ is derived from Mrs R L Grimsdell widow of Mr R L Grimsdell (Old Millhillian) who very generously consented that a large part of her late husband’s estate be donated to Mill Hill School. At a request of the Governors early in 1995, Mrs Grimsdell kindly agreed that the entire benefaction be applied to the creation of the Mill Hill Pre-Preparatory School to be known as Grimsdell).

I was John’s Deputy for nine years from 1992-2001 and was the Acting Head of Belmont in 1998 when John was the IAPS Chairman. They were truly magical years for me and I learnt so much from John, enough to give me the confidence to go off and run my own school for the next 13 years. I will always be grateful for the opportunities he gave me but I also have so many memories of the fun we had in what was sometimes a very stressful environment.

Quite simply John Hawkins’ time at Belmont was a time of change, the beginning of a renaissance for Belmont and the Mill Hill Foundation as a whole. He was a large man with a “hail-fellow-well-met” attitude and a firm handshake or hug. He was a kind man who was generous with his time and had an amazing memory for names but above all he always put the pupils of the school first and instinctively knew what was best for them"

Kevin Douglas

Belmont School 1982-2001