Exhibition to Honour a Hero

A level historian, Kate, came to do this exhibition through the CCF, where she is part of the RAF section. She conducted the research and mounted the exhibition in response to a request for information about Frank to our Archivist, Nicola Waddington from Thame Town Council.

The Council were seeking more information about Frank, who was born in Thame, to go into an exhibition they were mounting to accompany his being awarded a blue plaque. Alleyn’s School provided information and loaned artefacts for the accompanying exhibition in Thame.

Kate’s exhibition, which you can see in the Reception area, represents Alleyn’s own 21^st century tribute to Frank. Frank Howard Kirby Kirby, FH - WW1 Alumni (alleyns.org.uk)  was one of the most decorated of the old boys. He rescued a comrade on the Boer War battlefield, which earned him the Victoria Cross. The rescue, from the back of his warhorse, is depicted in both the artwork and statuette which are among Kate’s exhibits.

Frank also unveiled the war memorial  in the Great Hall in 1919 and is the person in the photograph outside the Great Hall pulling away the curtain.

Kate is about to sit her A levels and is hoping to gain the three As she needs to take up her offer to Exeter college Oxford to read History. We wish her the very best of luck and thank her for her work creating the exhibition.