From the Archives: How (Not) to Leave Your Mark

During our school days, we were probably all told not to write on the walls and not to deface School property. In the early 1900s, a group of Alleyn’s boys ignored that and graffitied their names on a windowsill in the main building. One hundred years later, that act of vandalism has become an interesting part of the School’s history.

Three names are clearly legible: RE Quarterman, LCF Hood, and HPJ Clark. The School Admission Registers and Edward Alleyn Magazine from the time can give us extra information about these boys’ lives. They were all prefects, they were of a similar age and went on to vastly different careers: one working as a teacher, one serving in the Navy and another working in a gold mine. And, it seems from the information we can glean, they were all busy making the most of School life and the opportunities it afforded them.

Reginald Quarterman was born in 1901 and attended Alleyn’s from 1914 until 1920. He was the son of E M Quarterman, a builder, and lived on Devonshire Road in Forest Hill, SE23. According to the EAM Reginald passed his General School Exams with Matric (with distinctions) and he won an LCC Student Teacher scholarship in 1919. He was a School Prefect, House Captain, Swimming Captain, Cadet Corps CSM, Award of Merit and MP’s Prize recipient, and part of the Farming Contingent (later Barclay’s Bank AGM).

Henry P J Clark was born in 1900 and attended Alleyn’s from 1909 to 1918. He was the son of W H Clark, a rate collector. Henry was a Governors' Scholar, he passed Matric II, and won a RN College Davenport Scholarship. He was School Captain, House Captain, Swimming Captain, played cricket, fives, and shooting, and won an Award of Merit, and MP’s Prize.

Lawrence C F Hood was born in 1901 and attended Alleyn’s from 1915 to 1919. He was the son of A G Hood, a meat salesman. Upon leaving School he took up a Clerkship post most likely with the Lonely Reef Gold Mining Company in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. At School he passed Matriculation B, he was a School Prefect, Captain of Brown's, won Shooting Colours, 1918, 1919; he was a Sergeant in the Cadet Corps; Award of Merit, 1919 and took part in the Farming Contingent, 1917.