In January 1941, 200 boys from the Alleyn’s Junior and Senior Schools were evacuated to Rossall School in Lancashire to start a new chapter of their education, away from the dangers of wartime London. 

We welcomed Ken back for a visit to Rossall along with his two sons and daughter in law. 

Here is what Ken had to say about his visit: 

The rooms which had been our dormitories are now used as classrooms for Rossall’s juniors. Naturally, the school has expanded since I was there in 1943/5, and there are several new buildings. The old open-air concrete swimming pool must have disappeared many years ago, but the ‘Gazebo’ tower, from the top of which there is a view of the promenade and the sea, is still in good repair and accessible, although the ascent up the steep stone steps proved to be beyond my present capability. 

We then proceeded to the Great Hall (“Big School”) in which I recall that Alleyn’s choir (almost the whole school) and its orchestra rehearsed and performed Verdi’s Requiem and Holst’s Hymn of Jesus among other works with our Music Master Mr WJ Smith. This was also the location for an occasional film show, put on by one of our Masters. Our recent visit finished with a look inside the Dining Hall, a place of mixed memories for me. Well, it was wartime after all, and food was scarce! 

On the whole, Rossall looked very much as I remember. Of course, the visit was also of great interest to my family, who all have considerable experience of music teaching in schools, although I think it intrigued them to observe me in surroundings I had often spoken to them about.”