Notes from the Archives: Leland Lewis Duncan and Colfe’s Grammar School, Lewisham
Leland Lewis Duncan and Colfe’s Grammar School, Lewisham
The archive survey is progressing and another box of papers left by the life-long member of the KAS, Leland Lewis Duncan, has been surveyed. The box has been studied before, most recently in 2003. It contains a broad range of material of interest to the study of the activities of L. L. Duncan; meticulously kept notebooks, transcripts of deeds and wills, pamphlets, photos and correspondence. The range of topics and the time scale covered is extremely wide, from wills and deeds in the 1400s to an alphabetical list of World War I soldiers.
Leland L. Duncan is best known for his interest in wills and his tireless recording of memorials in Churches and Churchyards throughout Kent. In this collection of papers these interests are well represented. There are copious notes on Hawkhurst Church, Little Chart Church, the Parish Church at Lewisham and Lydd. He also contains notes for talks given to the Lewisham Antiquarian Society and to the KAS. One of these is a talk on the wonderfully named Ebenezer Blackwall of the ‘Grasshopper’ in Lombard Street, who was connected to the Martin family of bankers.
More unexpected perhaps are the papers relating to Leland L. Duncan’s old school, Colfe’s School in Lewisham and his continuing involvement with the Old Boys Club. Leland L. Duncan attended Colfe’s Grammar School, Lewisham between 1874 and 1880. The school was founded by Abraham Colfe in 1652 and has The Guild of the Leathersellers as trustees. It is still thriving, these days as an Independent School. Leland L. Duncan wrote the words to the school song, ‘Carmen Colfianum’ in 1897. He also started the first Old Boys magazine in the country called the Colfeian. He wrote ‘The History of Colfe’s Grammar School’, published in 1910, and again in 1952, updated and edited by H. Beardwood. Among the papers in the KAS archive is a notebook with lists of Colfe scholars, their houses and occasionally their achievements. He corresponded with Mr Kelland, the chemistry teacher for up-to-date information. He also kept a copy of the school song and a booklet with the house song of ‘The Greens’, written by himself, among his papers. Inlaid in these notes just after the list of names for the lower form in 1916 are some photos. One depicts a school boy in a white shirt. His name is not given, but perhaps he is either the House Captain for 1916 called Andrews or the Cricket Captain, Heather.
Two photos show a school hall with fearsome looking PE equipment. In 1890 the school buildings in Lewisham were demolished and replaced by new buildings. The picture appeared in his book on the History of Colfe’s School and depicts the new Hall and Gymnasium in 1899. The School site in Lewisham was bombed in 1944 and the buildings were destroyed. The present school is located in Horn Park Lane, Lee.
In 1920 L. Duncan published ‘Colfe’s Grammar School and the Great War, 1914 – 1919.’ It contained the names on the Roll of Honour, and on the Roll of Service. It also included a sketch of the School events, and the effect of the war on the Old Boy’s Club. Further study may show if the lists of World War 1 soldiers in the box is connected with the research for this publication.
Researching the history of Colfe’s school appears to have made Leland L. Duncan interested in the history of other foundations. The Box contains correspondence with the Headteacher of Cranbrook School, Mr C.F. Pierce, who thanks him for his information on Cranbrook School and promises to publish it in the Cranbrokian. The issue from midsummer 1922 with the article is among the papers. This piece can also be found in Archaeologia Cantiana Vol. XXXVI, 1923, pp.127-130. Similarly, there is correspondence from 1922 between Leland Duncan and Headmaster A.S. Lamprey, M.A. from Ashford Grammar School. It all adds up to a fascinating microcosm of the man and his activities and interests almost right up to his death in 1923.
Pernille Richards
LEFT: The 19th century ‘gym’ in a school hall.