The Register of Preachers 1712-66 in the Cathedral Archives notes: 8 December 1714: ‘School Feast Mr Smith the Mr preach’d the first Sermon’. Up to 1864 the Preachers were organised by the Feast Society.

1714    John Smith (Headmaster)

1715    Richard Marsh (KS 1680-85), Vicar of St Margaret-at-Cliffe

1716    John Johnson (KS 1672-77), Vicar of Cranbrook

1717    Edward Lunn (KS 1692-96)

1718    Stephen Hobday (KS 1694-99)

1719    William Young (KS 1689-94), Vicar of Chislet

1720    John King (KS 1700-05)

1721    Sir Francis Head (probably Commoner c1703)

1722    John Francis (KS 1705-10), Lower Master

1723    John Le Hunt, Headmaster

1724    Isaac Terry (Commoner c1699), Curate of Chartham

1725    Simon Hughes (KS 1691-94), Rector of Smarden

1726    Henry Waddell (KS c1696-1702), Vicar of Preston

1727    Julius Deedes (Commoner c1703), Rector of Dymchurch

1728    David Jones, Vicar of Upper Hardres, former Headmaster

1729    Herbert Taylor (Commoner c1708), Rector of St Alphege, Canterbury

1730    Silas Drayton (KS 1703-08), Rector of Crundale

1731    Richard Monins (KS 1706-11), Rector of Ringwould

1732    Herbert Randolph (Commoner c1705), Rector of Woodchurch

1733    Thomas Randolph (Commoner c1711),

1734    James Evans, Second Master

1735    Oliver Battely (KS 1708-12)

1736    David Turner (KS 1715-20), Curate of Hardres

1737    John Denne (KS 1703-07), Archdeacon of Rochester

1738    John Marsh (KS 1716-22), Vicar of West Cliff

1739    Richard Monins, Headmaster

1740    Richard Monins, Headmaster

1741    James Allett (KS 1732-35), Curate of Pluckley

1742    Richard Nairn (KS 1710-15), Dean of Battle

1743    William Marsh (Commoner c1730-38), Rector of Bicknor

1744    Thomas Baker (KS 1729-34),

1745    Jacob Omer (KS 1731-35)

1746    James Allett (KS 1732-35),

1747    James Lawson (KS 1731-36)

1748    Johnson Lawson (KS 1730-35),

1749    John Tucker (KS 1733-37)

1750    George Hearne (KS 1736-41),

1751    John Denne (Commoner c1738-42), Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge

1752    Francis Lernoult (KS 1735-40), Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford

1753    James Bate (KS 1712-16), Rector of St Paul’s, Deptford

1754    Edward Lunn (KS 1692-96), Rector of Denton

1755    John Head (Probable Commoner c1711), Archdeacon of Canterbury

1756    John Tucker (KS 1733-37), Lower Master

1757    Osmund Beauvoir (KS 1731-35), Headmaster

1758    William Halford (KS 1720-23), Rector of St Thomas, Southwark

1759    John Tucker (KS 1733-37), Lower Master

1760    Richard Harvey (KS 1750-54), Curate of Lambeth

1761    Wheler Bunce (KS 1746-51), Curate of Hauxton with Newton

1762    Mr [Johnson] Lawson [(KS 1730-35), Vicar of Throwley]

1763    Henry Shove (KS 1741-45), Curate of Adisham

1764    William Abbot (KS 1743-48), Fellow of St John’s College, Cambridge

1765    Thomas Gurney (KS 1748-53), Vicar of Seasalter

1766    Christopher Naylor (KS 1752-57),

1767    Thomas Morphett (KS 1753-58), Chaplain of Smallhythe Chapel

1768    James Evans (KS 1748-52), possibly Rector of Authorpe

1769    Hopkins Fox (KS 1750-59), Vicar of Lynsted

1770    Richard Halke (KS 1753-62), Curate of Ospringe

1771    William Hassell (KS 1751-57)

1772    Charles Adams (KS 1747-50), Curate of St Dunstan’s, Canterbury

1773    John Gostling (KS 1735-40), Rector of Brooke and of Milton

1774    William Thomas (KS 1755-58)

1775    Thomas Hey (KS c1740-46), Rector of Wickhambreaux

1776    John Lynch (KS c1742-49), Rector of Adisham

1777    John Nairn (KS 1741-47), Rector of Kingston

1778    Richard Sandys (KS 1756-63)

1779    Edward Tymewell Brydges (KS 1758-66)

1780    Edward Beckingham Benson (KS 1766-69)

1781    Thomas Johnson (KS 1755-61), Vicar of Seasalter

1782    Joseph Porter (KS 1765-74)

1783    John Tucker (KS 1763-75), Rector of Gravesend

1784    George Horne, Dean of Canterbury

1785    Charles Sawkins (KS 1767-75)

1786    Martin Benson (KS 1770-71 and 1773-78), Vicar of King Charles the Martyr, Tunbridge Wells

1787    Henry Pix Heyman (KS 1773-80)

1788    Christopher Naylor (KS 1752-57), Headmaster

1789    Cooper Willyams (KS 1772-80)

1790    George Naylor (KS 1783-86)

1791    John Gregory (KS 1774-84)

1792    John Barwick (KS 1778-85), Curate of Charing and Egerton

1793    Charles Eaton Plater (KS 1779-86), Curate of Swingfield and Acrise

1794    Richard Harvey (KS 1775-85), Vicar of St Lawrence, Thanet

1795    Thomas Downe (KS 1778-87)

1796    James Young (KS 1782-84), Perpetual Curate of Leeds with Broomfield

1797    Christopher Naylor (KS 1752-57), Headmaster

1798    Christopher Naylor (KS 1752-57), Headmaster

1799    John Bowes Bunce (KS 1786-92)

1800    Philip Le Geyt (KS 1783-93)

1801    William James Porter (KS 1786-93), Curate of Nonington, Womenswold and Lydden

1802    Joshua Dix (KS 1788-94)

1803    James Ford (KS 1788-97)

1804    William Chafy (KS 1788-96)

1805    John Pechey Francis (KS 1789-91), Vicar of Holy Cross and St Peter’s, Canterbury

1806    William Williamson (KS 1795-1800), Curate of Littlebourne and Westbere

1807    Henry John Hutchesson (KS 1791-?), Curate of St Alphege’s with St Mary Northgate

1808    William Wodsworth (KS 1792-97),

1809    Richard Osborne Tylden (KS 1793-1801), Vicar of Chilham

1810    James Halke (KS 1796-1805)

1811    Henry Turmine (KS 1793-99), Curate of Rodmersham and Teynham

1812    Edwin Sandys (KS 1794-99),

1813    William Elwyn (KS 1799-1808), Curate of St Clement’s and St Mary’s, Sandwich

1814    Charles Wodsworth (KS 1794-1802), Curate of Griston

1815    Christopher Packe (KS 1799-1809), Curate of Ruckinge and Kenardington

1816    George Abbot (KS 1789 -96), Curate of St Lawrence, Thanet

1817    Gerrard Andrewes, Dean of Canterbury

1818    John Birt, Headmaster

1819    William Grant Broughton (KS 1797-1804), Curate of Hartley Wespall

1820    Robert Rowe Knott (KS 1810-14), Curate of Ruckinge and Kenardington

1821    Charles Eaton Plater (KS 1809-15),

1822    George Gilbert (KS 1809-15), Curate of Grantham

1823    William Pitman Jones, Lower Master

1824    John Birt, Headmaster

1825    William Tolbutt Staines (KS 1785-93), Vicar of Shorne

1826    Charles Henry Baker Bazely (KS 1819-20),

1827    Ambrose Smith (KS 1814-20), Curate of Sawley with Long Eaton

1828    John Birt, Headmaster

1829    Jackson Delmar (KS 1814-15 and 1817-22), Curate of Elmstone

1830    John Edward Nassau Molesworth, Rector of St Martin’s and St Paul’s

1831    John White (KS 1817-24),

1832    George Shepherd (KS 1780-82), Rector of St Bartholomew by the Exchange

1833    George Edward Downe (KS 1816-25), Curate of Lydden

1834    Rowland Smith (KS 1818-23),

1835    William Grant Broughton (KS 1797-1804), Archdeacon of New South Wales

1836    John Russell, Canon of Canterbury

1837    John Henry Spry, Canon of Canterbury

1838    William Edward Hoskins

1839    Joseph Hobart James (KS 1826-31),

1840    Edwin Sandys Lumsdaine (KS 1794-99), Rector of Upper Hardres

1841    Thomas William Bennett (KS 1820-29),

1842    William Nassau Molesworth (KS 1829-35)

1843    Godfrey Kingsford (KS 1832-37)

1844    James Brothers (KS 1829-35)

1845    John Darby Birt (KS 1821-33)

1846    John Levett Bennett (KS 1824-33)

1847    Thomas Scott Huxley (KS 1831-41)

1848    Joseph George Jessep (KS 1835-38)

1849    Philip Alexander Longmore (KS 1837-43)

1850    James Watson (KS 1832-44)

1851    John David Glennie (KS 1841-44)

1852    Herbert Waddington (KS 1838-47)

1853    James Wallace (KS 1843-47)

1854    Thomas Castle Southey (KS 1833-43)

1855    James Roberts Holmes (KS 1841-44)

1856    Philip Menzies Sankey (KS 1840-48)

1857    Henry Benson (KS 1839-48)

1858    Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, Canon of Canterbury

1859    Francis Harrison (KS 1842-47), Dean of Oriel College, Oxford

1860    George Wallace, former Headmaster

1861    Philip Snaith Duval (KS 1848-56), former assistant master

1862    John Mitchinson, Headmaster

1863    Marshall Wild (KS 1845-53), Curate of Newark

1864    Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, Dean of Westminster

1865    John Yarker Barton (KS 1839-49), Chaplain to the Forces

1866    James Augustus Hessey, Headmaster of Merchant Taylors’ School

1867    Frederick Brisbane Butler (KS 1855-59)

1868    Edward Thring, Headmaster of Uppingham School

1869    John Kemp (KS 1858-62)

1870    William Blissard, former assistant master, Vicar of Seasalter

1871    Charles Leslie Dundas (KS 1861-66)

1872    Augustus Jessopp, Headmaster of Norwich School

1873    John Mitchinson, former Headmaster, Bishop of Barbados

1874    William Kyle Westwood Chafy (KS 1852-59)

1875    Henry Lewis Thompson, Student and Censor of Christ Church, Oxford

1876    Harry Wright Russell (KS 1857-62), former assistant master,

1877    Alfred Whitehead, Vicar of St Peter’s, Thanet

1878    John Mitchinson, former Headmaster, Bishop of Barbados

1879    Leonard Beatson (KS 1845-55), Rector of St Margaret’s, Canterbury

1880    Henry Benson (KS 1840-48), Vicar of Farncombe, Surrey

1881    Clement Thomas Hales (KS 1861-64), Headmaster of Aysgarth School

1882    John Reginald Corbett (KS 1854-??63), Vicar of St Botolph, Colchester

1883    Francis Henry Archer (KS 1855-61), Vicar of Christchurch, Newport, Monmouthshire

1884    Herbert Thomas Maitland (KS 1859-64), Vicar of St Saviour’s, Walthamstow

1885    Francis Edward Carter, former assistant master, Canon of Truro

1886    George Blore, Headmaster

1887    Thomas Field (KS 1867-73), Headmaster

1888    Henry Montagu Butler, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge

1889    Herbert Swithinbank (KS 1866-72), Vicar of St Saviour’s, Denmark Park

1890    Henry George Woods, President of Trinity College, Oxford

1891    Robert Ottley (KS 1867-74), Principal of Pusey House

1892    Prebendary Gibson, Vicar of Leeds

1893    Charles Mackeson (KS 1854- ?), Vicar of All Hallows, St Pancras

1894    Robert James Wilson, Warden of Keble College, Oxford

1895    Frederic William Farrar, Dean of Canterbury

1896    Mosse Macdonald (KS 1870-75), St Alban the Martyr, Birmingham

1897    John Mitchinson, former Headmaster, Rector of Sibstone

1898    Bertram Pollock, Master of Wellington College

1899    William George Mosse (KS 1871-79), Vicar of the Lickey, Worcester

1900    William Haighton Chappel, Headmaster of the King’s School, Worcester

1901    Charles Leslie Dundas (KS 1861-66), Canon of Salisbury and Vicar of Charminster

1902    Henry George Woods, late president of Trinity College, Oxford

1903    Thomas Field (KS 1867-73), former Headmaster

1904    Herbert Wace, Dean of Canterbury

1905    John William Horsley (KS 1855-63)

1906    John Huntley Skrine, Rector of Itchen Stoke and Honorary Canon of St Ninian’s, Perth

1907    Francis Harrison (KS 1842-47), Rector of North Wraxall, Wiltshire

1908    William Saumarez Smith, Lord Bishop of Sydney

1909    John Mitchinson, former Headmaster

1910    Arthur James Mason, Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge

1911    James Grove White Tuckey (KS 1874-83), Senior Chaplain to the Forces

1912    Arthur John Galpin, former Headmaster

1913    Francis Leonard Perkins (KS 1877-84), Rector of Monkgate, York

1914    John Storrs, Dean of Rochester

1915    Edward Lewis Augustine Hertslet (KS 1891-97), Vicar of Ramsgate

1916    William Page Roberts, Dean of Salisbury

1917    Thomas Karl Sopwith (KS 1887-89), Vicar of Ashford

1918    Harold Bilbrough, Bishop of Dover

1919    William Telfer (KS 1900-05), late Chaplain to the Forces

1920    Charles McDowall, former Headmaster

1921    Austin Henry Thompson (KS 1886-89), Vicar of St Peter’s, Eaton Square

1922    Donald Tait, Archdeacon of Rochester

1923    Melville Scott (KS 1875-80), Vicar of Castlechurch, Stafford

1924    George K A Bell, Dean of Canterbury

1925    Arthur Robert Bellars (KS 1898-1908), Chaplain to the Bishop of Wakefield

1926    Bishop King, Canon of Rochester

1927    Thomas Field (KS 1867-73), former Headmaster

1928    Hon Edward Lyttelton, late Headmaster of Eton [but Speech Day was cancelled]

1929    Clement Mallory Ricketts (KS 1896-1905), Vicar of Holy Trinity, Weymouth

1930    Harry Oswald Hubble, Honorary Canon of Worcester

1931    William Telfer (KS 1900-05), Dean of Clare College, Cambridge

1932    Kenneth Escott Kirk, Trinity College, Oxford

1933    Robert William Haines Moline (KS 1903-09), Rector of North Cadbury, Yeovil

1934    George Bell, Bishop of Chichester

1935    Thomas Karl Sopwith (KS 1887-89), Archdeacon of Maidstone

1936    Horace Spence (KS 1904-11)

1937    Edward Worsfold Mowll (KS 1895-1900), Provost of Bradford

1938    William Maundrell (KS 1890-95), Rector of Ringwould

1939    Kenneth Davenport Knowles (KS 1888-90), Archdeacon of Huntingdon

1940    ————

1941    Joseph Wellington Hunkin, Bishop of Truro

1942    Henry Fynes-Clinton (KS 1892-94), Rector of St Magnus-the-Martyr, London

1943    Richard Cartwright (KS 1927-32)

1944    Frederick John Shirley, Headmaster

1945    Morris Gelsthorpe (KS 1908-11), Bishop in the Sudan

1946    Clement Mallory Ricketts (KS 1896-1905), Bishop of Dunwich

1947    Laurens Christopher Sargent (KS 1907-10)

1948    Howard West Kilvinton Mowll (KS 1903-09), Archbishop of Sydney and Primate of Australia

1949    Alexander Sargent (KS 1905-14), Archdeacon of Canterbury

1950    William Telfer (KS 1900-05), Master of Selwyn College, Cambridge

1951    Morris Gelsthorpe (KS 1908-11), Bishop in the Sudan

1952    Bernard Wigan (KS 1931-37), Vicar of East Malling

1953    Henry Burdett (KS 1902-07), Rector of Compton

1954    Anthony Pritchard (KS 1917-22), Vicar of St John’s, Newbury

1955    James Drake Brockman (KS 1914-17), Vicar of Wingham

1956    William Scott (KS 1926-31), Principal of St Aidan’s College, Birkenhead

1957    David Edwards (KS 1942-47), Fellow of All Souls’ College, Oxford

1958    Robert William Haines Moline (KS 1903-09), Archbishop of Perth, Western Australia

1959    Charles Buckwell (KS 1918-24), Vicar of St Michael’s, Croydon

1960    Morris Gelsthorpe (KS 1908-11), Bishop in the Sudan

1961    John Shirley, Headmaster

1962    Alexander Sargent (KS 1905-14), Archdeacon of Canterbury

1963    Richard Cartwright (KS 1927-32), Vicar of St Mary Redcliffe

1964    Christopher Bryant (KS 1918-22), SSJE

1965    Ian White-Thomson, Dean of Canterbury

1966    Gordon Strutt, Bishop of Stockport

1967    Christopher Donaldson (KS 1931-34), Vicar of St Martin’s and St Paul’s, Canterbury

1968    John Kelly, Principal of St Edmund Hall, Oxford

1969    Charles Buckwell (KS 1918-24), Vicar of St Michael’s, Croydon

1970    Peter Newell, Headmaster

1971    Antony Curry (KS 1945-50), Rector of Penshurst

1972    Joseph Poole (KS 1922-28), Precentor of Coventry Cathedral

1973    Michael Mayne (KS 1943-49)

1974    Michael Ramsey, Archbishop of Canterbury

1975    Peter Newell, Headmaster

1976    Peter Pilkington, Headmaster

1977    Don Cupitt, Dean of Emmanuel College, Cambridge

1978    Douglas Webster, Canon of St Paul’s Cathedral

1979    Robert Runcie, Bishop of St Albans

1980    John Fenton, Canon of Christ Church, Oxford

1981    Edward Knapp-Fisher, Archdeacon of Westminster

1982    Derek Ingram Hill (KS 1925-31), Canon of Canterbury

1983    Basil Hume, Archbishop of Westminster

1984    Trevor Huddleston

1985    Richard Harries, Dean of King’s College, London

1986    Colin James, Bishop of Winchester

1987    Michael Mayne (KS 1943-49), Dean of Westminster

1988    David Conner, Vicar of Great St Mary’s, Cambridge

1989    Priscilla Chadwick, Head Teacher of Bishop Ramsey C of E School, Ruislip

1990    Rowan Williams, Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity and Canon of Christ Church

1991    Robert Hardy, Bishop of Lincoln

1992    Charles Elliott, Dean of Trinity Hall, Cambridge

1993    Patrick Collinson, Regius Professor of History, Cambridge

1994    Gavin Reid, Bishop of Maidstone

1995    Richard Holloway, Bishop of Edinburgh

1996    Stephen Winkley, Headmaster of Uppingham School

1997    George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury

1998    Dominic Milroy OSB, Ampleforth Abbey

1999    Christopher Everett

2000    John Simpson, Dean of Canterbury

2001    Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Wales

2002    Timothy Bavin OSB, sometime Bishop of Portsmouth

2003    Victor Stock, Dean of Guildford

2004    Stephen Oliver, Bishop of Stepney

2005    David Conner, Dean of Windsor

2006    Roger Symon (KS 1948-54), sometime Canon of Canterbury

2007    Christopher Jamison, Abbot of Worth

2008    Leslie Griffiths [Lord Griffiths], Superintendent of Wesley’s Chapel London

2009    Graham Knowles, Dean of St Paul’s

2010    William Scott, Sub-Dean of the Chapel Royal

2011    John Pritchard, Bishop of Oxford

2012    Peter Price, Bishop of Bath & Wells

2013    Martin Warner, Bishop of Chichester

2014    Laurence O’Keeffe, Abbot Emeritus of Chilworth Abbey

2015    Peter Doyle, Bishop of Northampton

2016    Timothy Thornton, Bishop of Truro

2017    Trevor Willmott, Bishop of Dover

2018    Nicholas Papadopulos, Canon Treasurer of Canterbury Cathedral

2019     Catherine Ogle, Dean of Winchester

2020    Stephen Conway, Bishop of Ely [Speech Day cancelled, but sermon delivered ‘virtually’]