HISTORY OF THE
OLD EDWARDIANS' ASSOCIATION

 It is perhaps pertinent at this time as we recall the horrific events and sacrifices of those involved in the First World War to remember those individuals, who as former masters and pupils of King Edward VII School, Sheffield bore witness to and suffered in the devastation of four long years of armed conflict.

Their story is brilliantly but poignantly told by John Cornwell in his book ‘Hear Their Footsteps’ and those decorated for their involvement and bravery are immortalised to this day on one of the beautiful oak honours boards displayed near to the staff room and the magnificent assembly hall of the Upper School.

Once such individual is Major Robert Oliver Skeggs M.C.

Skeggs was an original member of King Edward VII School in 1905, living in Millhouses, the son of the chief engineer of the famous Vickers steel works in the city. A former student at the University of Sheffield, Skeggs was living in London at the onset of war and served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 5th Battalion of the fashionable London Rifle Brigade making him one of the first former pupils to be sent to the Western front.  The 5th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade allegedly participated in the legendary game of football against the German infantry during the 1914 Christmas truce.

In December 1914 the Military Cross awarded for gallantry during active operations against the enemy, was created and Skeggs was decorated in 1915.

Attached to the Royal Tank Corps, Skeggs was to fight at the

Battle of Cambrai where allied tanks were used to great effect,

and ended the war with the rank of Major. The Cambrai Museum

in France regard him with great affection and have a huge

collection of memorabilia associated with Major Skeggs including

letters, notebooks, uniform, sidearms and his Military Cross which

are held in a permanent exhibition in his honour.

It was Major Skeggs who was instrumental in forming the Old Edwardians'

Association sending out the first appeal for membership in 1920 and

remained as the Association General Secretary for a number of years.

In an article penned for the school magazine he wrote:

"Remember that the Old Edwardian Association is working with the School

and for it. Let the union of Past and Present bring us great strength in

everything we undertake".

But what of the current state of the Old Edwardians' Association and its

membership started all those years ago by the remarkable Major Skeggs?

I can only echo those thoughts from the 1920’s.

I am a firm believer that looking back, each and every one of us owes a huge debt of gratitude to the School and for the time and commitment invested in all of us by those who guided us through our period of education, no matter however successful or otherwise that may have been.

The school of today faces challenges far beyond those faced in the immediate post-war years or indeed since the demise of the tripartite educational system which was replaced by the comprehensive era in 1968. The Old Edwardians' Association too is changing from being almost exclusively an excuse to meet old friends every Maundy Thursday to becoming a much closer supporter of the School in all its aims and ambitions as envisaged by Robert Skeggs nearly a century ago.

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There is within our ranks, a plethora of talent and skills which I believe should be harnessed to support the current staff and pupils as they move forward in what are today, very difficult times. The world has changed and so has King Edward VII School and although we must look to the past with pride and remembrance it would be wrong of us to continually look backwards rather than forward. I would look to Old Edwardians, of all eras, supporting the continuing efforts of the Association, where appropriate, in offering their time and expertise in support of the current pupils’ ambitions and aspirations, for they are indeed the Old Edwardians of tomorrow and we should be justifiably proud of them and all they achieve.