A picture of Cyril Corner, on holiday in Antibes, which was published in 'The Review' at December, 1964.
Cyril Corner joined the Staff of Hackney Downs School in 1947 becoming, in due time, Head of French. Mr. Corner had suffered badly as a P.O.W. at the hands of the Japanese following his capture in Burma during World War II. He served in the Durham Light Infantry.
He was a very popular member of the staff and had been the instigator of School Journeys to St.Malo (from 1950) which many former pupils will remember.
Sadly, in 1964 at the age of only 47, his life was cut short by illness. This photograph was published in 'The Review' along with a tribute written by Joe Brearley, a fellow Yorkshireman.
Mr. Barron joined the Staff of Hackney Downs School in 1919 after service during the First World war with the Middlesex Regiment and the Machine Gun Corps.
He retired in 1949 and this photograph of him appeared in 'The Review' in September of that year. Mr. Barron was titular Headmaster of the School at Hackney Downs, organising the emergency classes during World War Two, when Mr. Balk was in charge of the school.
When the school opened boys were organised into "Divisions" - North, South, East and West. Shortly after Mr.W.Jenkyn Thomas became Headmaster in the early years of the Twentieth Century the Divisions were replaced by the House names.
This is a picture of Mr.Lucas, as published in 'The Review' at Christmas 1925, marking his retirement from the School.
An unattributed Photograph of Assembly in the Theatre, published in The Review in 1957.
The Staff in the picture are:
Joe Brearley, Leslie Mitchell, Tom Abbott, Mr.Pye (standing), Dominic Elwes, Francis Huss, Jim Saunders, John Kemp, Mervyn Williams, and Albert Calland.
Mr. Gee was on the Staff of the School from 1925 until his retirement at the end of Summer Term 1961.
Many Doctors, Dentists and others in medical and biological professions will have cause to remember his teaching.
Surely one of the best remembered members of Staff. He once taught French but retired as Head of English having served the School from 1920 until his retirement in 1956.
From 16th January, 1890, until his retirement in 1947, Pip Henry attended at Hackney Downs in an almost unbroken length of years.
He started as a boy - at the Grocers' Company's School - and retired as a member of the teaching staff 57 years later.
Alexander Ernest Williams - The Sixth Headmaster
Alec Williams came to Hackney Downs in 1960, serving until his retirement in 1973. This photo, unattributed, was published in The Review to mark his retirement
With Degrees from both Oxford and Cambridge Alec Williams was outstandingly qualified.
It seems that our Head Teachers were pre-destined to have eventful terms of office. Gull retired when the Grocers' Company gave the School to the Government, Jenkyn Thomas oversaw those changes and the tumult of World War 1, T.O.Balk suffered evacuation of the School to Kings Lynn and the trauma of World War 2, John Kemp witnessed the changing nature of Hackney and the School through the 70's and Eighties.
Our Sixth Headmaster suffered both the destruction of the original School by the Fire of 1963 and its re-birth and transformation into a Comprehensive.
One day, I hope, he will be persuaded to tell his story - for the record.
Another stalwart of the Staff Room was 'Tommy' Fox who served the School from 1920 until his retirement in 1958.
This faded picture of The Staff, a pre-war grouping, is taken from a 1949 issue of The Review.
I can recognise the following:
Back Row, Left to Right:
E.C.Pressnell, C.A.Gee, ? , J.Brearley, ?, ?, ?.
Front Row, Left to Right:
J.E.Medcalf, Mr.Howell, T.O.Balk, ?, ?, T.F.Fox.
Can anyone fill in the blanks?
(Advise W.W. if you can help!)
Another of the long-serving members of Staff who joined the School just after the First World War. "Percy" Pressnell (as he was called in the 50's) reigned over the Metalworking end of the Workshops and served the School from 1920 until 1956.
Dr. Wing was educated at Hackney Downs School from 1916 until 1923. After University, followed by other teaching posts, he was appointed to the Staff of Hackney Downs, serving until 1945 when he left to take a post at Newlands Training College. Before long he had left to become Principal of Burderop Park Training College. It was from this position, in 1947, that he recommended Leslie Mitchell to apply for a position at H.D.S. The rest, they say, is history.Douglas Ball joined the School Staff in 1949. He taught French, was enthusiastic in his support for Sports and Football and was a participant and leader for many years in the annual School Journeys to St.Malo. He left Hackney Downs to become Senior Modern Languages Master at Tottenham Grammar in 1958.
The Commanding Officer of the Cadets and late President of The Clove Club pictured, circa 1952.
Three Headmaster gathered together
In the Centre: Mr.W.Jenkyn Thomas, the Third Headmaster of the School. His successor, Mr. Thomas Oscar Balk stands to his left. The Fifth Headmaster, Mr. Vernon Barkway Pye is on the left of the picture.
Mr. and Mrs. Dunham with their "sweetshop" at an Athletics event at the School Field.
T.O.Balk, with a young looking Joe Brearley
The Headmaster, T.O.Balk, with a young looking Joe Brearley, photographed in the front playground. The photo was taken after the 2nd World War, probably taken in 1946 after Joe's return from service.
The Fourth Headmaster of Hackney Downs School, affectionately known by his initials - T.O.B. - pictured before the Second World war, standing on the front steps of the School.
This photograph kindly supplied by his daughters.
Two photographs kindly loaned by the daughters of Mr.Balk. They show Messrs. Balk and Pye, taken with the Sixth Headmaster, Mr. Alexander Ernest Williams, on the left in both cases.
In the exterior shot, third from left is the longstanding Chairman of the Governors, Dr. Bernard Homa. He is also seen second from left in the interior scene. The interior view may be remembered by Old Boys - it shows part of the Headmaster's study.
John Kemp became the 7th Headmaster in succession to Alec Williams (on the latter's retirement in 1972) and held the post until his own retirement in 1989 having been at H.D.S. for 35 years. He had earlier succeeded Jimmy Metcalf as Head of English.
John Kemp with 5 alpha 1959-1960
Back Row L to R: David Barnett, Michael (Lord) Levy), Alan Moss, John Moss, Hyman Wallach, Norman
Weinstock, Stanley Goron, Melvin Lewis
Middle Row L to R: George Visick, Victor Hustwitt, Robert Stanley, Jeffrey Lewis, Michael Lewis, Nathan
Arwas, Michael Sandpearl, Jack Linder, Geoffrey Alderman
Front Row L to R: John Larter, John Mitchell, Tully Lowenthal, Allen Levy, John Kemp M.A., Michael
Samuels, Stephen Rubenstein, Zach Harazi, Maurice Steinhart.
Staff Photo, taken at the same time as the whole school panoramic photo, and showing:
Back Row:
Bruno Huenermund (German Language Assistant); ? ; ? ; ? ; Dominic Elwes, Eric McDonald, ? ; Ormond Uren; David Ogilvie; ? ; Tony Wibberley; ? ; David Edwards; The late Bernard James Law; and the French Assistant.
Middle Row:
Frank Pickett (School Secretary); Kenneth Payne; the late Roger Adlam; the late Leonard Chester Smith; the late Robert Champeney; Albert Calland; Sydney Weekes; David Evison; Edgar Thomas Abbott; ? (Handicraft Teacher)
Front Row:
? ; Douglas Fry; the late William G.Boyd; the late William H. Warburton; the late Cyril Corner; the late Joseph Brearley; the late Vernon Barkway Pye; the late Charles Adrian Gee; the late Leslie George Mitchell; Jimmy Marr; Malcolm Jacobs; Roy Dunning.
John Kemp in his time as Headmaster in one of the House Rooms
The Headmaster - John Kemp - in his office
W.Jenkyn Thomas, a portrait by Abram Games.
Abram Games, an Old Boy, was later appointed O.B.E. for his contribution to the war effort (when he designed several posters) and for his design of the logo for the 1951 Festival of Britain. This portrait of his old Headmaster was painted by Games and presented by him to WJT (who subsequently presented it to the School) in 1937.
The original was lost in the fire of 1963, only the metal label from the frame surviving.
Shortly before his death, Abram Games very kindly presented this, the only known colour print of the original, together with the copyright, to The Clove Club
