Meet the Trustees

Stephen Campbell

Stephen attended King Edward's School from 1971 to 1978.  He comes from a family of many Old Edwardians including his father, two uncles and two sons.  His mother and sisters attended King Edward's High School and his daughter is still a pupil there.

After studying law at Liverpool University, Stephen was called to the bar in 1982 and has practised as a barrister in Birmingham ever since.  In 1999, he was appointed Assistant Deputy Coroner for Birmingham.  In 2000, he was appointed a Recorder (part-time Judge) sitting in the Crown and County Courts.

Stephen has been a Governor of the King Edward's Foundation since 2000.  From 2004 Stephen was Chairman of Governors for King Edward's School and King Edward's High School for four years, during which time he appointed the current Chief Master, John Claughton.  In 2008 Stephen was Bailiff of the King Edward's Foundation.  In 2009 he became the inaugural Chairman of the King Edward's School Birmingham Trust.  In between everything else he enjoys spending time with his family, playing tennis and cycling.

Stuart Southall

Stuart attended King Edward's School from 1969 to 1976.  His parents had to pay some fees until he was awarded a scholarship in his third year. Stuart was school captain of tennis and played first team hockey.  He represented both his county and the Midlands at U19 level. 

After leaving school, Stuart took an exhibition to St John's College, Cambridge, where he obtained a degree in mathematics, whilst representing the university second and first elevens at hockey.  He was one of four students to receive an award in his last year for the most all-round contribution to college life.

Stuart has worked as an actuary since 1980 and is now Chairman of the consulting actuarial arm of the Punter Southall Group (which he co-founded in 1988).  He is a Non-Executive Director of Neptune Investment Management Limited and Chairman of the Association of Consulting Actuaries until 2012.

Stuart is a keen golfer and a passionate collector of etchings, art books, first editions, private press books and design bindings. He is married to Caroline and has a son and daughter.

Paul Thomson

Paul left King Edward's in September 1967 and started work for the Trustee Department of Barclays Bank.  Having spent time in Birmingham, Stratford upon Avon, Nottingham and London, Paul left Barclays in 1996 and now manages the Wills and Probate Department of a firm of solicitors in Sutton Coldfield.

Married to Wendy, he has two children: Sally, who is Principal Clinical Scientist at Ashford Hospital, and Andrew, who is a solicitor with Challinors in Birmingham.

Having played both cricket and rugby for the Old Edwardians in his youth, he now spectates and is Vice President of the Association.  He is also a member of Moseley Rugby Club and the Lords Taverners.

John Claughton, Chief Master

John attended King Edward's from 1969 to 1975 and was captain of cricket in 1975.  He won a Postmasterhip to read Classics at Merton College, Oxford and gained a double First.  He won cricket blues in his four years at Oxford and was captain of the university in 1978.  In 1976 he became one of only two undergraduates in the 20th century to score a hundred on his first-class debut.

He played for Warwickshire CCC in 1979 and 1980 and then worked at NM Rothschild & Sons from 1980 to 1982 before turning to a career in teaching. From 1982 to 1984 he taught at Bradfield before moving to Eton College, where he was Master in charge of cricket for 11 years and a House Master for 4 years.  Between 2001 and 2005 he was Headmaster of Solihull School before taking up the position of Chief Master at King Edward's in January 2006.

John is married to Alexandra, who was a ballet dancer with Rambert Dance Company.  They have three sons, two of whom attend King Edward's.  He has published one book, Herodotus and the Persian Wars, and is currently working on a translation of Aristophanes' Clouds.  His other interests include ballet, art, sport and Venice, where he has a place from which to escape the narrow confines of Vince House.

James Martin

James followed his younger brother Simon to King Edward's School in 1977 and in 1979 rather regretted that he had only been there for the sixth form.  They were full years including being captain of tennis, playing first team rugby, squash and athletics, and were followed by a similarly sporty three years at Exeter University reading Accountancy Studies.

In 1983 he joined Coopers & Lybrand in Birmingham, specialising in both corporate recovery and turnaround.  In 2002 he opened the Birmingham office of Begbies Traynor and was regional chairman of the Association of Business Recovery Professionals from 2008 to 2010.

James joined the OEA Committee in 2006 and was appointed as Chairman after Paul Thomson.  He has been excited by the changes in the OEA / School relationship since John Claughton's arrival and much helped in the delivery of this by the efforts of Paul and the rest of the Committee.

He is married to Clare and they live in Repton with their two children, whose interests in cricket, football, and horses provide plenty of variety.  A village community of friends encourages less energetic interests in wine and golf - and nowadays the sporting theme is enthusiastically maintained as an observer.

Martin Woodward

Martin attended King Edward's School from 1956 to 1963. He then studied law at Bristol University and after passing the Law Society professional examinations joined the firm of Lee Crowder Solicitors (now Cobbetts LLP) where he was a partner for nearly forty years.

As a solicitor in private practice Martin spent a considerable part of his time as head of the Charities Team and specialised in educational, religious and grant making trusts as well as acting as Receiver appointed by the Charity Commission of charities which had fallen into difficulty.

He was Law Clerk to the King Edward's School Foundation for over twelve years of his professional career as well as acting for a large number of independent schools in the Midlands.  In 2011 he retired as a partner of Cobbetts but is retained by them on a consultancy basis.

In addition to the King Edward School's Trust Martin sits as a trustee of two alms house charities a Christian education trust and a centre for the homeless.  He lives very close to the School and is married with two daughters and three grandchildren.  In his spare time he enjoys walking, playing bridge and music.