The War Memorials — Alleyn's World War One Memorial Website

School War Memorials

Remembrance in 1919

The First World War was not even over when the School Governors recognised the need for a permanent memorial to the war, those who fought in it and in particular to those who died. A meeting was held in the school hall 10^th April 1918 where various proposals were considered. The project that was chosen was the building of an organ behind the platform in the School Hall.

The construction of this organ was mostly funded by individual donations. To view the names of those who donated to the memorial click here.

The Edward Alleyn Magazine reported

It was considered by the meeting almost unanimously that an Organ would strongly appeal not only to the present and future Boys of the School, who will assemble daily in the Hall for morning prayers, but also to Old Boys, who find the Hall their centre of interest when they visit the School. The woodwork would contain panels, which would be decorated with an appropriate scroll; on them would be inscribed the names of all the Old Boys who have died for their King and Country. The Organ would further be a most valuable acquisition for Prize Day ceremonies, School Concerts, and other public functions.

Photographs

The school also contacted relatives of deceased Alleyn’s old boys from WW1 and asked for photographs of each boy. Those sent in by families were mostly official pictures from the War Office of each soldier in uniform. The individual photographs were framed into large composite pictures and these were displayed outside the Great Hall.

Copies of some of these pictures still hang opposite the memorial panels.

Digital copies of these photographs are displayed on this website along with the biographies of the individual Alleyn’s Old Boys to whom they relate.

To see the full list of Alleyn's old boys who died in the First world War and the date which they died click here.

Christ's Chapel

In addition to the organ at Alleyn’s a cross of Hopton Wood stone was erected in the garden in front of Christ’s Chapel,, to commemorate those of the whole Foundation who had died in the First World War. It was designed by the architect W D Caroe (1857-1938), who had designed the reredos in the Chapel.