for the rest of 2022 are still scheduled to take place at the High School with their original dates and times and the intention is that future meetings will carry on as they have done. Before transferring to Portsmouth High School, the Politics Society was founded in 1977 at St John's College by Bernard Black (1934-2013) who was Head of Political Studies there from 1977 to 1999. Speakers over the years have included political big names such as former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister Harold Wilson, Tony Benn, former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Douglas Hurd, former leader of UKIP and Reform UK Nigel Farage, former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, former leader of the Green Party of England and Wales Caroline Lucas, former Prime Minister and former Home Secretary Theresa May, former Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge, former Director of Liberty Shami Chakrabarti, US Ambassador to the UK Matthew Barzun and former President of the Supreme Court Lord Neuberger. Notable former pupils Lucy Foley, author of The Hunting Party The Guest List and The Paris Apartment Samantha Davies, yachtswoman Kirsty Dillon, actress Nancy Edwards, Professor of Medieval Archaeology Anjana Gadgil, BBC reporter and presenter Meg Hillier, Labour MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch Rachel Lloyd, sex trafficking abolitionist and founder of Girls Educational and Mentoring Services Sarah McCarthy-Fry, politician Gemma Spofforth, Olympic swimmer Dr. Frances Saunders, Senior Civil Servant and scientist Jane Collins, Chief Executive, Marie Curie Cancer Care Jane Hill, writer Charlotte Jackson British journalist and television presenter Margaret Rock (1903–1983), Bletchley Park codebreaker Dame Mary Donaldson, the first woman Sheriff of the City of London and then in 1983 was elected Lord Mayor. She was appointed GBE in 1983 Mary Donaldson, Baroness Donaldson of Lymington Denise Black, actress https://www.deniseblack.co.uk/ Denise Black References https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/education/portsmouth-high-prep-school-pupils-host-picnic-celebration-for-her-majestys-platinum-jubilee-3716153 External links Profile on MyDaughter Profile on the ISC website ISI Inspection Reports Profile on the GDST website Girls' schools in Hampshire Educational institutions established in 1882 Schools of the Girls' Day School Trust Member schools of the Girls' Schools Association Private schools in Portsmouth Secondary schools in Portsmouth 1882 establishments in England