The Assassination of J F Kennedy - on the 60th anniversary of the assassination of JFK, the 35th President of the USA, the official investigation into his death left many unconvinced, leading to countless conspirary theories, with no clear answer as to who was ultimately responsible for his death. Mark Taylor, OT, an imagery analyst, talks us through the visual, medical and physical evidence from that fateful day, brushing aside the lies, deceit and cover-ups, to a point where we will be able to see more clearly what actually happened in Dallas, Texas, on 22 November 1963.

The Story of Indian Independence & the Creation of Pakistan: Lt Gen Sir Barney White-Spunner discusses his book 'Partition: The Story of Indian Independence and the Creation of Pakistan. Between January and August 1947, the conflicting tensions in India culminated in the creation of two independent states: India and Pakistan. This was the end of 90 years of the British Raj. However, partition resulted in terrible bloodshed and bitterness. Ten million people became refugees and one million died, many of them in horrific circumstances. Gandhi, Churchill and Mountbatten were all involved, their contribution praised and damned in equal measure. What happened in India in 1947 created a cycle of violence and revenge which has shaped the region and much of the contemporary world.

The Path of Peace - Walking the Western Front Way: Sir Anthony Seldon, OT was inspired by a young British soldier of the First World War, Alexander Douglas Gillespie, who dreamed of creating a 'Via Sacra' that the men, women and children of Europe could walk to honour the fallen. Tragically, Gillespie was killed in action, his vision forgotten for a hundred years, until a chance discovery in a school archive galvanised Sir Anthony into seeing the Via Sacra permanently established. Tracing the historic route of the Western Front and touching on grief, loss and the legacy of war, The Path of Peace is the extraordinary story of Anthony's epic walk, an unforgettable act of remembrance and a reflection of what matters most in life.

Surviving 9/11 - A Personal Story: On the morning of September 11 2001, Alistair Lester, 27 was in New York for the first time, working for Aon and attending meetings on the 100th floor of the South Tower. Almost 20 minutes after the first plane hit the North Tower, a second Boeing 767 appeared, turned sharply toward the World Trade Centre and sliced into the South Tower, above the 70th floor. Aon lost 176 employees in the attack but miraculously many survived. One of them was Alistair Lester. Twenty-two years later, Alistair (now Co-CEO of M&A at Aon) talks about the events of 9/11 to a large audience for the first time. Although none of the Tonbridge boys were alive in 2001, Alistair feels it is important for current boys and their parents, to hear first-hand how it was to be at the centre of an attack which claimed nearly 3,000 lives and had a huge impact on world history.  The events of 9/11 led directly to war in Afghanistan, to the US declaration of the ‘War on Terror’ and subsequently to the invasion of Iraq and a series of other tumultuous events and conflicts across the world.

The History of the Arts and Crafts Garden: Stephen Harmer is Head Gardener here at Tonbridge School, has a Master's Degree in Garden History and teaches at RHS Wisley. Many people have commented that the transformation of the gardens at Tonbridge School lift the spirits. Stephen has a range of talks about gardens, from ancient Egyptian garden design to the post-modernist garden. However, his favourite subject is the History of the Arts and Crafts garden, and he has incorporated some of their principles in his gardening here at Tonbridge. Stephen discusses how the Arts and Crafts garden movement came about, introduces us to some of the people who influenced it and he tells us about what caused its sudden demise. Watch and be inspired, as you prepare your garden for the spring.

The World of Westminster and The Current Policital Climate: Harry Cole, OT, read politics at Edinburgh University. He has written for The Sunday Times, The Mail on Sunday and The Spectator, having started his career as editor of the website Guido Fawkes. In 2020 he was appointed Political Editor of The Sun. The Editor-in-Chief commented at the time that ‘Harry, in his inimitable, mischievous way, has firmly established himself as the scourge of politicians, breaking a string of fabulous scoops. He is one of the finest political journalists in the lobby and I am delighted he is returning to his 'natural home’. (With apologies for the quality of sound - do please turn your volume up high)

The Challenges faced by the next generation: William Day, OT, has had a stellar career as former chairman of BBC's ‘Children In Need’, CEO of Care International and general advisor to the United Nations Development Programme. In this lecture, he encourages his audience to consider how the past is no longer a good guide to the future, and why this generation of Tonbridge parents and boys have an amazing opportunity, and perhaps even obligation, to address some of these problems. If you want to learn more about sustainability and the future of our planet, from someone who really knows what they are talking about, this is a talk not to be missed.

The Boris Johnson Premiership: Sir Anthony Seldon OT, Boris Johnson’s biographer, discusses what the Johnson legacy might be. Sir Anthony is the author of more than 45 books on contemporary history, politics and education. He is a Governor of the Royal Shakespeare company and on the board of many charities and educational bodies. Regularly commenting on political developments and writing in the press, few people are better placed to tell us of the events leading up to the departure of our 55th Prime Minister.

Can the book survive? Sir Tim Waterstone (JH 52-58) discusses whether the physical book can survive in the digital age. He outlined the challenges his business has faced in the past couple of decades, as well as discussing his life and extraordinary career with James Priory, Headmaster. Broadcast date: 15.03.2022

Public Schools and the Second World War: David Walsh draws on his recently published book, written with Sir Anthony Seldon, to discuss the contribution of public schools to the Second World War, with particular reference to Tonbridge, and how the experience of schools and alumni differed from that of 1914-18. Broadcast date: 13.05.2021

The Jewels and Wardrobe of the Duchess of Windsor: Janie Ramsay was a Director of Sotheby's when the firm was responsible for selling the Duchess of Windsor's magnificent collection of jewellery. Many of the pieces were designed by the Duke and Duchess themselves and then created by the 20th century's most renowned jewellers. Broadcast date 23.02.2021

English Cricket: Ed Smith (WH 90-95) joins Headmaster James Priory for a lively and interesting talk about his time at Tonbridge School, his career and English Cricket. Please note that this is an audio recording only. Broadcast date: 11.02.2020

Tonbridge Past and Present: David Tennant talks about the history of Tonbridge School and how the School has evolved to what we know today. Broadcast date: 07.05.2019