5. Celebrating Brita Haycraft: Memories from around the IH network

In December 2024, we received the sad news that Brita Haycraft, co-founder of International House and pioneer in language education, had passed away surrounded by family.

Brita dedicated her life to language education and her work has paved the way for language teachers worldwide. With her husband, John Haycraft, she founded International House and worked to create the original CELTA course. As a lifelong linguist and passionate educator, she also specialised in teaching pronunciation and was always looking for opportunities to share her research and expertise. She was a frequent contributor to the IH Journal, and it gives us great pleasure to share, later in this in memoriam, her bibliography.

Brita Haycraft was a beacon for us in the IH network, with her founding principles informing the vision, mission, and core values we follow today. To celebrate her life and honour her memory, we have asked people from around the IH network to share their reminiscences of her.

“Brita Haycraft’s legacy is inseparable from the foundation and spirit of International House. Together with John, she opened the first IH school in Córdoba—a project built not on financial certainty but on passion, vision, and a deep belief in the transformative power of language learning. I’ve always heard my parents talk about those early days, filled with hard work, excitement, and an unwavering dedication to education, shaping what would become a global movement in language teaching.

Helga Cremades still recalls those first years in Córdoba, arriving as a student in one of the earliest Spanish courses for foreigners. Those days were not just about teaching and learning; they were about building something meaningful in the heart of an ancient and vibrant city, where every street and every encounter became part of a shared adventure. The friendships forged in those early years—full of enthusiasm, dedication, and a sense of purpose—have lasted a lifetime, a true reflection of Brita’s kindness and the lasting impact she had on so many lives.

Some of us feel that now could be the right moment to reignite her pioneering spirit—the warmth, vision, and dedication to education that made IH what it is today. Brita’s legacy lives on in every student and every classroom, just as it does in the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to know her”

Marco Cremades & Helga Cremades | International House Córdoba

Brita Haycraft visiting IH Bydgoszcz in 1998“Brita Haycraft, a remarkable figure and an inspiration, has passed away. I feel so fortunate to have known her. Meeting and talking with her over the years was always such a pleasure. She even visited IH Bydgoszcz back in 1998 (as seen in the photo).

I first met Brita and John Haycraft, the founders of International House World Organisation, before opening IH Bydgoszcz in 1992. Without their support, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Thank you, Brita, for everything. You’ll be deeply missed.”

Grzegorz Chruszcz | IH Bydgoszcz

“We feel incredibly lucky and grateful to have had Brita with us in Milan to celebrate 50 years of IHWO. It was a truly wonderful time, filled with unforgettable days and memories!”

Sieglinde Wolkan | IH Milan

“I met Brita in August 1968, when I did the IH training course. In those days, the course was two weeks long and cost £14, quite a lot of money for a recently graduated student. Brita was one of the trainers, along with her husband John. She was warm and empathetic and managed to make everyone in the group feel welcome and safe. After half a century of knowing her, I never once had reason to change that initial impression.

Sometime in the 1970s, I accompanied John and Brita on a weekend training course for Danish teachers in Odense. They were a tough lot, clearly attending the course under duress, and at the outset, they didn’t seem to like any of us. They seemed offended that someone from another Scandinavian country was training them.

Brita was unfazed by the response, and by the end of the weekend, the group declared her their favourite trainer. Her genuineness transcended the pettiness the group had initially shown.

She had a smile for everyone, she was always interested in people, and she was a talented communicator and educator.”

Ken Wilson

Ken worked at IH from 1969 to 1977 and was also Director of the English Teaching Theatre, a touring theatre group.

“Whether passing her in the entrance hall or at an IH London Christmas party, Brita always said hello with a friendly smile and was always ready to chat. Since first meeting her at 106 Piccadilly, I always found Brita to be caring, interested and involved in the school and particularly its teachers.

I loved every time we met and was reminded of the mission she and John set for the school as a place of quality teaching and training and promotion of cultural understanding.”

Alan Cargyl | IH London

“I first met Brita (with John) in the 1970s, long before I joined IH in 2000. We met in Walberswick, where the family has a summer home, and I was visiting friends.

I had just met John at the Teachers Centre in 106, organised by Nick McIver. We chatted in the street in Suffolk, and Brita was so warm and welcoming to a total stranger, I realised then that she was special and so caring.

When Judy Garton-Sprenger and I visited her at home in her 90s, she still remembered so many IH alumni and asked for news about everyone. She will be greatly missed.”

Michael Carrier | IH World Organisation

Brita was a longtime friend of the IH Journal and wrote several articles on topics such as the history of IH, the development of the organisation and, of course, on teaching pronunciation in ELT. Her articles appeared in eight different issues of the IH Journal. Read them below.