Keith Smith MBE, RIP

It is with great sadness that we bring you news of the passing of Mr Keith Smith, Head of History and Politics, after a brave battle with cancer.

He had been Head of History and Politics for many years, and a greatly loved colleague at Whitgift since the 1980s. Current and former Whitgiftians will have known him for his leadership of the CCF, Fencing, his Housemastership and his wonderful teaching and mentoring.

A live-streamed funeral took place at St. Bernard’s Church, Lingfield on Tuesday 4 May at 1.30pm, limited due to current Covid restrictions. The funeral can be viewed via www.eastgrinsteadcatholicparish.com (or directly at www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyCmU2pItJM).

You are invited to leave a message of condolence at www.whitgift.co.uk/keith-smith-mbe-condolence-messages. If you would like to make a donation in Keith’s memory, his wife, Karina, has arranged for any such gifts to be donated to the Whitgift Benevolent Society. We would like to express our gratitude that the Society is to benefit in this way. A Just Giving page has been set up in Keith’s memory, which can be found at: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/keith-smithmbe

In due course, once Corona restrictions are lifted, there will be a memorial event to enable Keith’s many friends, colleagues and former colleagues and former pupils to celebrate and pay respects to his remarkable life and legacy.