The
Leys School,
in the Trumpington road, was established in 1874, by the Wesleyan
Methodist body, to futher a high-class education under Evangelical
auspices to the sons of ministers or laymen of all denominations:
boys were admitted between the ages of 10 to19, to be prepared for
the Universities, professional or commercial pursuits. At that time
the estate was freehold and comprised an area of about 21 acres, within
which were the buildings comprising four blocks, including a dining-hall,
dormitories, masters houses and a
large science building, opened in 1893 by Lord Kelvin.
The
Memorial took the form of a Mural Tablet in stone, on which were four
panels with a central canopied figure of St. George in armour. The
four panels held the names of the One Hundred and Forty Nine Old Boys
who gave their lives in the Great War.
The
architect was Mr. G. P. Hutchinson, of Messrs. James Cowell &
Sons (Whitefriars), Ltd., Wigmore Street, London.
H.R.H. the Duke of York unveiled this Tablet on 6th July 6th 1922.
This
tablet was placed on the external wall of the Chapel under the east
window. Under the statue of St. George was the inscription: "To
the immortal memory of Old Leysians who fell in the 1914-1919,"
while along the bottom of the Tablet, under the name panels, appeared
the following words : "My marks and scars I carry with me to
be a witness for me that I have fought His battles, Who now will be
my rewarder."
You
will note that the photograph above differs to that below in that
two further panels were added, one to the left and the other to the
right, to include the names of thoise who died in the Second World
War.
