The History Department are delighted to announce that Rohan Thandi (OH 2020) was recently named as a winner of the prestigious Julia Wood Essay Prize for 2020 awarded annually by St Hugh’s College, Oxford. Rohan wrote his essay on “‘The rising hope of those stern unbending Tories’: How High was Gladstone’s High Toryism up to 1841?” 

The judging committee were greatly impressed by the sophistication and maturity of his essay. As well as noting that the essay dealt with an interesting and slightly unusual topic, the judges thought that the piece was particularly accomplished in the way that it sustained a clear and effective argument, and drew upon a wide range of literature. 

Rohan’s essay written during the national lockdown is available as part of the Habs Occasional Papers Series.

Rohan recently returned to Elstree to thank (from a social distance) his History teachers Mr Simm, Dr St John and Mr Clark for their support during his Sixth Form studies, as well as to return a few books he borrowed from the History Library. Rohan will be studying Social Studies at the University of Durham from September 2021.

The School wishes Rohan and all the Class of 2020 every success and happiness during the continuation of their studies at Higher Education.