Uppingham Lower School

One of the most extraordinary cases we have dealt with was this large Roll of Honour.

Denis Kenyon’s two sons had attended Nevill Holt Preparatory School near Medbourne and firmly in the County of Leicestershire. Over many years I had seen this board in the dining hall listing 189 OLD BOYS and seven MASTERS who served in the Great War with those who died having a small cross against their name.

Being in a school the natural conclusion was that the memorial was connected to that school. The school closed in 1998 and the building – a wonderful Hall, was bought as a private house in the year 2000. I wondered what had happened to the memorial.

In 2013 I found it just propped against the wall in Nevill Holt Church which was also now in private hands.

It was only after I started to investigate some of the names on the board and spoke to my friend the now long retired last headmaster, did I learn that it had no connection with Nevill Holt School.

Where had it come from and why was it there? Research on the names listed and a few lucky clues lead me to the fact that it was originally from Uppingham Lower School but where had that been and why was it now in Nevill Holt? A lot of fun was had in tracking down the present location and it turned out to be Uppingham School’s, The Lodge, Sixth Form Girl’s Boarding House.

Apparently in 1919 the Rev Bowlker, owner and headmaster of the totally independent Uppingham Lower School had a spectacular falling out with the then headmaster of the main Uppingham School, and so took his boys, their beds and the Board to the empty Nevill Holt Hall and there it stayed.

So not only was it in the wrong school, it was also in the wrong County! The Housemistress of The Lodge was contacted and enthusiastically agreed to have it back. When we went to have a look, there was the still exact sized empty space on the wall from whence it originally came.

On 27th April 2014 a moving rededication service was held with the Headmaster and some 60 people present. Better still, my wife and I were invited to stay for lunch and were served Spotted Dick and custard! Absolutely delicious.