Cranbrook School's twelve founders brought the school to fruition, from its inception to its official opening on the afternoon of 22 July 1918.

Six men first met on 29 November 1917 to discuss the purchase of the Cranbrook property and the establishment of a Church of England school for boys.

• The Rev. Canon Edward Howard Lea
• The Hon. Sir John Musgrave Harvey
• Mr John Burcham Clamp
• Sir Samuel Hordern KBE
• Dr Edward Ludowici
• Dr Harold Skipton Stacy

The Cranbrook estate was purchased at auction on 1 December 1917. On 19 December 1917, these six men met and decided to form a Provisional Committee and to invite the following six men to join:

• The Hon. Sir Alexander Gordon KC
• Mr Rodney Rouse Dangar
• The Ven. William Leslie Langley
• Mr Victor Martindale White
• Mr Vero Read
• Mr Henry Francis Maxwell

These twelve founders who formed the Provisional Committee from 1917 to 1918, to establish Cranbrook School, were also members of the first School Council from 6 June 1918.