Webmaster is extremely grateful to Jitze Couperus (Hawke 1954-1960) who has found an old brochure from POW sent to his parents, appealing for funds for the new Chapel, and he has typed it all out in html format ready for publication.

Editor's note - The following is a reproduction of a brochure (6-page booklet) that was sent to a wide distribution including all parents of boys at The Prince of Wales at that time. It is undated, but it is thought that it may have been in 1954 or 1955.

THE PRINCE OF WALES SCHOOL

MEMORIAL CHAPEL

Since the school was founded in 1931, Parents and Friends have contributed most generously to the special appeals that have been issued from time to time. The Apse in the present School Hall, the Swimming Bath, and the Squash Court are three major examples of the way the school has been enriched; in addition to these, we have received many gifts of Cups, Books, furnishings and other adornments for School or House.

For all this we are most grateful. We are encouraged by past generosity to make now our major Appeal, for the Chapel Fund. We hope that many who have helped in the past will feel able and willing to continue their support of the school. We believe that many others will welcome this chance to demonstrate their affection and gratitude.

A great number of Old Boys served in the 1939-1945 War, and 44 of them gave their lives. To commemorate their sacrifice, the War Memorial Fund was inaugurated in 1946, and the sum of £2,670 was subscribed to it; from this was met the cost of the War memorial Tablets and some furnishings for our present Temporary Chapel. The balance of the fund has been increased by accrued interest, by further donations, and by the Three Chapels Fund which brought us some £1,250. The found now stands at £5.600.

During the emergency, hundreds of Old Boys have served most gallantly; and 14 of them have given their lives. To them no Memorial has yet been raised.

We now put forward this appeal, believing that you will help us achieve our two fold object, to provide for all time a Memorial to the services rendered to us all by Old Boys of the School and to provide for the schoolboys of this and future generations the Chapel that is so badly needed.

While the general life and worship of the school has provided for the needs of boys of many denominations, there are others who for various reasons have not participated in School Services. We make it as easy as possible for them to attend their own services, and where practical, provide transport. We trust therefore, that all friends of the school will feel able to support us.

Why do we need a Chapel?

The school has its particular and important part to play in the training of men able to lead East Africa's people. Their ability to do this depends in large measure on the qualities they acquire here at school. Among these qualities must be a firm faith in God. To this end, there is great value in the constant reminder, given by a dignified building in the centre of the school, that we stand for more than a full programme of work and games.

The whole School needs to be able to meet in a setting where the worship of God is aided by worthy surroundings, while individuals need a place to which they can go with the certainty of finding peace and quiet for their private devotions and thought.

How do we manage now?

We have a Temporary School Hall, built by Government. At one end is an Apse, paid for by private subscription; this is furnished as a Sanctuary and in it have been erected the Memorial Tablets bearing the names of the Old Boys who gave their lives in the 1939-1945 World War. This Apse can be curtained off, and the rest of the hall used for purely secular purposes.

This makeshift arrangement in many ways falls far short of our needs. Morevover, the Hall is used for many other purposes, such as plays, cinema shows, examinations; sometimes it cannot be made available for Services, and it can never acquire the atmosphere of a Chapel.

The benches on which the boys sit, crowded very close together, are remarkably uncomfortable and do not induce an attentive or devout attitude of either body or mind.

What do we propose?

The North side of the Quadrangle of the Main Block is at present open. This gives a wonderful site for a Chapel large enough to seat in comfort the whole school and staff, with a reasonable umber of visitors. The Chapel has been designed by Messrs. Cobb, Archer and Scammel. The drawing on page 5 of this brochure (below) indicates the general style, and shows how the Chapel will fit in with the familiar buildings of the Main Block.

The plans have been approved, the working drawings have been made and the cost has been estimated at £15,000.

The money we already have, nearly £6,500, is enough to build the foundations and to make a start on the walls. While this is being done we hope that enough additional money will be subscribed to enable us to complete the building without a vexatious and perhaps expensive pause in the middle of operations.

What do we need?

We need a large sum of money, as quickly as possible. There are more than 600 boys attending the school now. Since its foundation in 1931, about 2,400 boys have left the school. We therefore consider that there is a large community of past and present parents and of Old Boys, of whom we hope very many remember with gratitude what the School has meant to them in the past; we believe that very many will wish to give generously so that in the years to come the School can do more and more for the boys attending it.

Those who set out to raise £10,000 are greatly helped by the very large gifts of those in a position to make them; but of even greater value may be a very large number of fairly small gifts, perhaps repeated at six-monthly or yearly intervals. Accompanying this brochure are forms which will make it easy for subscribers to use the method most convenient to them.

This appeal comes to you backed by the chief officers of the Old Cambrian Society, and by all the members of our School Committee; the names of these supporters are given below.

P. FLETCHER
Headmaster
The Hon. R.S. Alexander, M.L.C., F.S.A.A., A.I.ARB.
E.R. BLock, Esq., M.C.
F.W.G. Bompas, Esq., E.D.
The Hon. M.H. Cowie, M.L.C.
W.I.T. Dewar, Esq.
Col. A. Dunstan Adams, O.B.E., M.C, T.D.
             B.N. Georgiadis, Esq., M.A.
H.W. Gill, Esq., B.Sc., F.R.I.C.
E.I. Gledhill, Esq., M.A.
D.P. Macgregor, Esq.
The Rt. Rev. the Bishop of Mombasa, M.A., B.Sc.
Major E.A. Ruben, F.S.F.

In the completed Memorial Chapel four bronze plaques will be erected, bearing the names of Old Boys who have given their lives in the 1939-45 War and in the Kenya Emergency. The names will appear as follows :-

Old Boys of Nairobi School
who died 1939-45 		Old Boys of the Prince of Wales School
who died 1939-45 		Those who died in the
Kenya Emergency
W. Ayre.
G.H.S. Bennett.
J. Bracegirdle.
R.W. Davis.
D.E. Hewitt.
S.L. Jarrett.
J.D. Lang.
N.G. Leakey, V.C.
W.J.N. Lee.
P.A.J. Mortimer
L.T. Nel.
P.J. Prangley.
H.R. Shuttleworth.
R.S. Skelton.
R.G. Southby.
V. Wotton.
H. Wright, D.S.O., D.F.C.
 H.B. Aggett.
W.F.R.A. Baillie.
V. Basso.
W.A.M. Brettell.
R.D. Cameron.
E.A. Cattell.
J.A. Cowen.
G.B. Cowen, D.F.M.
A.G. Danby.
M.Dards.
M.S. Davidson.
N.A.C. de Haaff.
M.R.C. Dyer.
A.J.H. Finch, D.F.C.
L.Fittall.
J.A. Genower.
T.O. Griffin.
J.A. Harries.
F. Helberg.
R.B. Higgs.
P. Kettles-Roy.
J.M. Lockhead.
 E.H.C. Luckham.
R.B. MacGregor.
M.N. Mathias.
W.R.D. Matthias.
W.R.D. McClelland.
J. Miller.
C.S.B. Montague, D.F.C.
J.A. Mulcahy-Morgan.
B.L. Newmark.
P.B. Percival.
G. Pelling.
E.Rawlins.
J.N.J. Roets.
L. Scott-Mason.
N. Stewart.
D.T. Turner.
N.L. Weeks.
D.C. White.
G.M. White.
J. Whittenburg.
J.M. Wood.
O. Wynne.
 J.H. Baillon.
V.R.S. Beckley.
D. Bellingham.
M.C. Cantounias.
G. Danby.
J.M. Dowey.
H.S. Fell.
G.J.A.O. Fisher.
D.A. Norie.
I.F.S. Paterson.
J.M. Pearson.
T.G. Price.
N.H. Purves.
C.J. Symons.
F.A. Wortley.

The names in the middle two columns already appear on the two Tablets now in the School Hall. These will later be transferred to the Chapel.

We shall be gratefull to be told of any errors or omissions in these lists.


Responses:
  • Sydney Baillon (Hawke 1956-1960) e-mailed on 13 July 2003:
    This article is special to me as you will note that my brother Joseph Herman Baillon (aged 21) was one of those who lost his life in the fighting forces (Kenya Regiment) during the Kenya emergency campaign. He was killed on the same day as 3 other of his compatriots, one of them being JM Dowey, also mentioned on the list.

    As far as I can recall, the Architect for the School Chapel was one of the Hughes family, and the contractor I know was an Italian gentleman called Campagniola, as his wife was the daughter of some very good life time friends of my parents.

    I remember the building being built during my days at PoW, but as a Catholic I seldom entered it. (One did not readily frequent churches of other denominations in those days if one was a Catholic!!). I do, however, recall my parents making a contribution to the appeal fund in my brother's name.

  • Edmund Fordham (Fletcher 1967-1968) e-mailed on 27 July 2003:
    Does anyone know who the actual architect was? The architect H. Richard Hughes (I once saw his initials - HRH (!) - embossed on his briefcase) was well-known to my parents and a major contributor to the pre-1970's streetscape of Nairobi. The Chapel's style is consistent with what I remember of his designs.

    Is HRH the Hughes referred to by Sydney Baillon? HRH designed the buildings of the College of Social Studies at Kikuyu (where my father was once Principal), including the house where we lived. I'd be interested to know if he also designed the PoW Chapel.

  • Sydney Baillon (Hawke 1956-1960) e-mailed on 28 July 2003:
    I have spoken to my brother 'LEON BAILLON" (known for his East African Safari exploits) who was a number of years ahead of me at PoW, regarding the above mentioned Architect and he stated that the Hughes architect we are discussing was a lady called Eujane Hughes (also from the well known Hughes Motors (FORDS) family of Nairobi). Her son Peter Hughes (ex-St Mary's School) is still alive and lives in Nairobi. Leon is in regular touch with him. Leon does not know if she designed the POW chapel. He suggests that you contact the Kenya Regiment Association either in Nairobi or London as he had seen a copy of the Chapel appeal at their HQ in Nairobi some years back. Seemingly they have records of the whereabouts of numerous ex-PoW boys so they could be a good source of info for your web site if you have not already explored that avenue. The Kenya Regiment Association has an active branch operating here in South Africa albeit I am not a member as I did not serve in the Regiment.

  • Brian G. McIntosh (Rhodes 1953-1959) e-mailed on 17 Feb 2004:
    Here are a few old memories of the Chapel at the Prince of Wales School.

    Mr. Fletcher, the Headmaster, was a deeply religious man for whom the rallying of support to build a school chapel was a passionate personal quest. Although he would enjoy the chapel for less than two years before his retirement at the end of 1959, it was apparent to us as a schoolboy congregation that Mr. Fletcher was in his element - a near state of grace - during Sunday services.

    A member of the maths teaching staff, Mr. Salmon (Samaki), made the enormous wooden cross that hangs above the alter.

    In 1958, boys of the school made a contribution to the chapel project by organizing and running a well-attended public fete on school grounds. The most popular attractions, not least to the boys, were riding on the back of a Vespa scooter driven by the very attractive Carol Donoghue (...her brother Carl was at the PoW), and listening in at a concert given in the Assembly Hall by old boy and ascendent performer, Roger (Hank) Whitaker.