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1914-1919 SCHOLAE OWENIANAE ALUMNOS ALUMNI SALVTANT
Translation: “We salute the alumni of Owen’s School”
Our First World War Memorial lists 170 names of former students who attended our original Owen’s Boys’ School in Islington and died in the service of our Country between 1914-1919.
Old Owenians from our Islington School will remember the large tablet of dark-blue Cornish Delabole slate inscribed with names in gilded letters sited under the balcony at the back of the old School Hall. R.A. Dare B.A., in his book first published in 1963: “A History of Owen’s School (1613-1976)”, tells us that the ceremony of the unveiling, which took place on Tuesday 8th November, 1921, was performed by Major-General G.D. Jeffreys, C.B., C.M.G., G.O.C. London Command, and was “one of the most moving spectacles ever seen at the School”.
He also noted that all through the war, at his own expense, Headmaster Mr R.F. Cholmeley had generously sent every Old Boy on active service a copy of the School magazine whether he was a subscriber or not. During the war years, he received the honour of being awarded the O.B.E..
When the Boys’ School was closed in the mid 1970’s, the tablet was put into storage until an Appeal raised the money to have it transferred to its current position in the grounds of our School here in Potters Bar.
We hold a Remembrance Service every year on 11th November, or as close to the date as possible, in School lunchtime at the War Memorial at 1.15pm for staff and students to attend. Old Owenian, Mr Bill Hamilton-Hinds, arranges the Service.
Bible readings and prayers are read out by our Headteacher and senior staff, our Head Boy and Girl lay a wreath (supplied by an Old Owenian), one minutes silence is held and a selection of names are read from the Book of Remembrance.
Last Post is performed by a student trumpeter. If it’s raining, the Service is held in our Main Hall.
A Remembrance Service programme is published every year, listing those who died in both the First World War and the Second World War.
In 2016, we were successful in our application to the War Memorials Trust (WMT) Grants for funds to repair the gilded lettering on our War Memorial, which was restored during the summer holiday.
Please find below the list of names which appear on our Memorial:
| 1906 -1907 1908 -1914 1909 – 1916 1902 – 1907 1894 – 1899 1904 – 1910 1909 – 1912 1904 – 1909 1910 – 1911 1896 – 1899 1890 – 1894 1894 – 1901 – 1909 1906 – 1911 1899 – 1904 1904 – 1906 1909 – 1914 1908 – 1910 1902 – 1906 1905 – 1911 1899 – 1902 1903 – 1909 1904 – 1912 1909 – 1915 1897 – 1903 – 1905 1902 – 1906 1899 – 1901 1901 – 1903 1903 – 1906 1906 – 1908 1899 – 1907 1911 – 1913 1904 – 1908 1903 – 1905 1903 – 1908 1910 – 1912 1902 – 1908 1901 – 1903 1911 – 1914 1902 – 1905 1892 – 1898 1905 – 1913 1901 – 1908 1888 – 1892 1905 – 1906 1913 – 1917 1898 – 1904 1901 – 1903 1911 – 1914 1914 – 1915 1905 – 1913 1905 – 1911 1905 – 1911 1897 – 1900 1905 – 1909 1904 – 1907 1913 – 1915 1895 – 1898 1903 – 1909 1911 – 1915 1905 – 1910 1890 – 1893 1912 – 1914 1911 – 1912 1911 – 1912 1895 – 1899 1900 – 1905 1910 – 1912 1903 – 1904 1910 – 1912 1906 – 1911 1904 – 1912 1906 – 1912 1907 – 1911 1898 – 1904 1905 – 1907 1907 – 1910 1898 – 1904 1897 – 1903 1899 – 1900 1906 – 1911 1906 – 1910 1908 – 1912 1907 – 1909 |
Adcock, H P Akehurst, E C Andrews, L B Angas, L G Austin, C W A C Baker , W F Barnes, C H Barrenger, H G Batchelor, N V Battersby, E J Beard, H L Beckett, G A Bell, C M Binckes, R Blight, C F Blunn, C R Boote, J A Booth, W Broughton, W C R Boulting, S E Bowler, G B Bromfield, K Broughton, L A Burrowes, B W O Burrows, G E Cansfield, H D Cansfield, V M Capham, P W Clark, H T Cockett, A W Cooper, C Ashley Coward, L G Crawford, C J Craymer, D C Crossman, F R Csako, E S Dames, C L Daphne, A Davie, J Davies, V E Davis, K B Dewsbury, C B Dickson, M J B Dolwin, C J Dowding, I W Evans, O J Fawley, R W H Field, C L Finnis, W F Flaxman, E J Forsyth, D C Foulger, J T Fromant, H D S Gabriel, F G Gibson, T H Glover, J B Goodworth, C J Grace, F Gray, M C Greville, S Hagon, W A Harding, W Harrower, J Haughton, C R Heathcock, H A Hills, P R Hirschbein, W H Hopkins, H L Hopper, C W Huddy, A M Huggins, L Hutchison, W F James, H F Jones, H G Kearns, W G Kelly, P P Kemp, S Killingback, S G King, H G King, J Kinsley, L M Kitchen, J E Knott, R F Knott, R M Knowers, P A |
1907 – 1913 1896 – 1901 1900 – 1903 – 1910 1908 – 1913 1898 – 1904 1905 – 1908 1907 – 1912 1909 – 1913 1900 – 1907 – 1910 1905 – 1908 1902 – 1906 1907 – 1912 1907 – 1910 1904 – 1909 1902 – 1908 1899 – 1905 1911 – 1915 1909 – 1914 1905 – 1910 1909 – 1914 1902 – 1909 1902 – 1906 1906 – 1890 – 1896 1884 – 1892 1905 – 1908 1907 – 1913 1905 – 1911 1906 – 1910 1907 – 1911 1904 – 1907 1909 – 1912 1902 – 1908 1904 – 1908 1902 – 1906 1906 – 1907 1906 – 1911 – 1906 – 1911 1909 – 1915 1905 – 1908 1894 – 1897 1899 – 1904 1898 – 1900 1906 – 1910 1908 – 1912 1907 – 1912 1904 – 1911 1902 – 1904 1905 – 1909 1897 – 1901 1892 – 1894 1907 – 1913 1904 – 1906 1913 – 1915 1903 – 1911 1895 – 1902 1901 – 1903 1907 – 1909 1902 – 1905 1890 – 1905 – 1915 1891 – 1896 1905 – 1909 1910 – 1916 1907 – 1912 1908 – 1913 1908 – 1915 1903 – 1908 1903 – 1908 1907 – 1915 1908 – 1915 1902 – 1903 1904 – 1906 1903 – 1909 1907 – 1911 1907 – 1911 1906 – 1908 1906 – 1913 1906 – 1911 1905 – 1911 1902 – 1907 1907 – 1911 |
Lempriere, E G R Levy, F S Lion, A J Lyon, L E MacDonald, A L Mackie, D Y Machin, W G Maddox, C P Matthews, A T Matthews, T T B Medcalfe, J R Medhurst, E H Mercer, G A Mills, C G Millem, H Milne, A D Milner, W F Mitchell, C C Moore, R Morris, P S Nash, T J Natali, P H Newland, A K Newland, H B Newman, C Nicholls, E J Norris, W C J Nowell, E H Ord, H J Organ, H P Owen, L O Palmer, L A Parsley, R J Parsons, G J Patrick, G C Peall, S G Pearce, C D F Pearson, G F Peasnell, F G Plergny, V W du Pook, W Poole, N Price, E S Price, W G Rabley, E A Rees, S C Reese, A MC Reeve, S M Reeves, F Reid, A Reid, GR Robinson, R Salmon, V E T Samuel, F Sandell, R L Saunders, F J B Seaman, A W Serjeant, C L Serjeant, H M Shurrock, C W Simpson, H A Skinner, P G Small, E R Solomons, M Stromqvist, S G Surry, N F Swallow, E H Taylor, H V Thompson, S J Tiley, G C Tiplady, F E Twort, A E Waller, T E F Ward, E Warwick, F H Webber, D H Webber, H W T Wheeler, W D Whenman, J C Willis, E F Wilson, C Wilson, E H Windsor, A C Winter, R B Wright, F C |
The large oak Memorial Lectern (below left) which resides permanently on the stage of our Main Hall is our Memorial to those 90 former students and 1 former member of staff, who died in the Second World War. Names are listed separately on the side wall of the Main Hall in a frame (below right), which was dedicated on Wednesday 8th December, 1954, at a Special Service in the Islington School Hall. Photos are shown below and names given.
| 1923 – 1930 | Abrahall, T H | 1928 – 1933 | Large, H E |
| 1922 – 1929 | Alderton, W A F | 1927 – 1933 | Lawler, P J F |
| 1918 – 1923 | Aldous, H N | 1931 – 1938 | Leaf, A E |
| 1918 – 1926 | Backlog, C P | 1933 – 1936 | Lott, D H P |
| 1923 – 1926 | Balchin, R F | 1934 – 1939 | Lowe, D S |
| 1931 – 1937 | Baldwin, L W | 1933 – 1936 | Luck, L |
| 1933 – 1938 | Baumber, R C | 1925 – 1930 | Maltz, D |
| 1935 – 1940 | Bedwell, A E | 1932 – 1936 | Mandall, S R |
| 1931 – 1936 | Bennett, H | 1915 – 1920 | Mardall, F |
| 1935 – 1940 | Bolton, S D | 1933 – 1938 | Mazin, F M |
| 1932 – 1937 | Bramwell, R H | 1933 – 1938 | Mills, P B |
| 1933 – 1938 | Burgess, A C | 1929 – 1934 | Mullens, S G |
| 1930 – 1937 | Burroughs, J G | 1932 – 1936 | Myers, P N |
| 1928 – 1933 | Cardnell, C F | 1932 – 1938 | Norregaard, A |
| 1926 – 1933 | Carpenter, S G | 1934 – 1940 | O’Brien, W T J |
| 1934 – 1937 | Cassidy, G J | 1935 – 1942 | Ovis, R D |
| 1924 – 1925 | Couchman, R | 1935 – 1940 | Nurnberg, C |
| 1934 – 1939 | Crowther, W T | 1923 – 1929 | Prescott, T C |
| 1934 – 1939 | Davenport, R E | 1921 – 1928 | Purkis, B L |
| 1934 – 1937 | Davy, F E T | 1925 – 1932 | Redmond, L C |
| 1933 – 1937 | Dearsley, H F | 1921 – 1925 | Reekie, A G |
| 1927 – 1934 | Dinnis, G | 1936 – 1939 | Rees, A E |
| 1929 – 1934 | Dorrington, W C | 1933 – 1938 | Rimer, J F |
| 1928 – 1933 | Dowling, A N | 1906 – 1911 | Rogers, G C |
| 1933 – 1938 | Ede, A J | 1929 – 1934 | Rowe, A F |
| 1933 – 1938 | Evans, R J B | 1933 – 1936 | Sharp, A E |
| 1930 – 1935 | Feldman, M H | 1921 – 1924 | Sharp, A H |
| 1917 – 1924 | Fisher, J F | 1938 – 1939 | Smith, D E |
| 1933 – 1935 | Follett, E G | 1934 – 1937 | Smith, P D |
| 1928 – 1933 | Foxell, J D | 1908 – 1913 | Sole, F S |
| 1933 – 1937 | Freeman, R H | 1934 – 1938 | Soulsby, G |
| 1934 – 1939 | Gillard, R H | 1934 – 1939 | Stephens, G H |
| 1931 – 1936 | Groom, J A | 1932 – 1935 | Stevens, R W G |
| 1934 – 1938 | Hancock, P G | 1929 – 1936 | Stiffin, J A |
| 1936 – 1939 | Hawkes, R J T | 1928 – 1931 | Stokes, D J |
| 1924 – 1931 | Henstridge, T J | 1931 – 1936 | Tasker, K J |
| 1934 – 1939 | Hickling, A W | 1934 – 1939 | Taylor, K E F |
| 1936 – 1939 | Holmes, A L | 1931 – 1936 | Thorneycroft, W G |
| 1932 – 1936 | Hubbard, F C | 1931 – 1934 | Ulph, R A |
| 1926 – 1933 | Hulls, A R | 1925 – 1932 | Ware, F E |
| 1933 – 1939 | Hume, J J | 1936 – 1939 | Whitebrook, J |
| 1925 – 1930 | Hunter, N T | 1934 – 1939 | Wilson, R C |
| 1932 – 1938 | Jarvis, E L | 1925 – 1930 | Wisher, J H |
| 1939 – 1940 | Jonas, A R | 1929 – 1934 | Yardley, W J T |
| 1924 – 1930 | Jupp, H S | 1938 – 1943 | Swift, H C (Staff) |
| 1929- 1936 | Kemp, I P |
A Memorial to the people who died in the Dame Alice Owen’s Girls’ School air raid shelter on 15th October, 1940 was officially unveiled on Tuesday 18th October, 2005.
The Memorial is sited at Owen’s Fields (left), City and Islington College, London. This is where the old playground was, between Owen’s Boys’ School and Dame Alice Owen’s Girls’ School on Owen Street.
The following account is taken from the Memorial programme produced by City and Islington College:
“The night of 15 October 1940 was the night of the heaviest air raids of the autumn. Flying conditions were good with a full moon and 400 bombers attacked London, dropping incendiary bombs and high explosives.
On this night about 150 people, who mainly lived in the surrounding area, had come to sleep in the public air raid shelter in the basement of Dame Alice Owen’s Girls’ School. The school building stood 50 metres south of the commemorative panels. There were many families with children and elderly people.
At 20.07 hours, as people were settling in for the night, a large parachute high explosive bomb – a land mine – hit the school directly and most of the building collapsed. The explosion also shattered the major water main (The New River) in front of the building, which ran to the reservoir near Sadler’s Wells. People were crushed or trapped in the basement, which began to fill with water.
Local people started rescue work immediately. They were later joined by uniform services, who were dealing with incidents all over London. Some people were rescued, including the school caretaker’s wife, Mrs Burley, who was photographed being carried from the ruins 17 hours after the bomb fell. The picture was sent all over the world and became an icon of the London Blitz. This picture is shown on the panels.
But the majority died in the shelter or afterwards in hospital. The last bodies arrived at the mortuary on 8 November after more than three weeks of recovery work. Seventeen of the bodies were unidentified. The names, which are known of those who died, are recorded on the panels.
Throughout London, 430 people were killed on the night of 15 October and there was huge damage to water, gas and electricity supplies and to five major railway stations.”
A commemorative Peace Garden has since also been created behind the college and anyone wishing to visit the garden should contact the Director of the City and Islington Sixth Form College at 311 Goswell Road, London Borough of Islington, EC1V 7L. Their website for further contact details is: www.candi.ac.uk