The following is an extract from the story of Shoreham Grammar School, an independent boys school in West Sussex as remembered by Rev. F R D Kennedy, Chaplain.

Many may look back on happy and fruitful times at Shoreham Grammar School in Pond Road, Shoreham-by-Sea. When the Christmas Term started in September, l964, there were 350 boys in the school.

At this time the school had a considerate and most understanding headmaster, Mr. E.A. Bruder and a staff of some seventeen most of whom had been with the school for many years and many of whom gave a great deal of time out of school hours in service for the school and welfare of the boys.

The school provided a real service, at very moderate fees, to parents of boys whose sons had perhaps failed the 11 plus examination, or who required a boarding school education for various reasons or who were not doing well at their local schools.

The School had a very beautiful chapel, which was a converted barn and once an assembly hall. The School's motto was and is 'Deus horam dat' (God gives the hour).

I had realised that although the school gave a useful service, it could be better, if the profits made by the company could be used for the development of the School in buildings and equipment.

When we were at summer camp at Somerset I confided with Mr. Bennett that perhaps one day the School could become a trust. It was difficult for me, an employee of the School to approach Mr. R.W. Kirkman, the Chairman of Shoreham Grammar School Ltd a former proprietor, headmaster, and afterwards headmaster of Framlingham, because of lack of funds.

There had been rumours that the Connaught Avenue playing field was to be developed for building (and the School buildings also). In January, l962, Mr. Kirkman had a letter sent to all parents:

'You may have seen references in local papers to a planning enquiry, held at Shoreham on the 3rd instant, at which comments were made as to the future of the School on the present site. The proprietor and his advisers are actively engaged in ensuring that an appropriate renewal of the lease of the present site will be available in 1965.'

With that assurance I felt there was no immediate hurry, but some news from Mr. Bennett at the end of the Carol Service in St. Mary's Church in December 1964, aroused me from complacence.

I took advice from the Vicar of Shoreham, the Rev. G.S. Frogatte and he strongly advised me to approach the Van. D.H. Booth, the Arch-deacon of Lewes, who took a great interest in schools. I travelled to see him at Haywards Heath, and from the start he was very friendly and took a sympathetic interest and gave me good advice.

Before Christmas I also wrote to Mr. Kirkman about the possibility of the School becoming a Church charitable trust to which there was a courteous although non-committal reply.

On the first day of the Easter Term 1965, Mr. Bruder told the staff that the School would close at the end of the Summer Term, 1965. It was a shock to us all; we had not anticipated the end was so near. Towards the end of January 1965, the boys' parents had received a circular letter from Mr. R.W. Kirkman:

'The lease of the school expires during this year, and the Governors have given every consideration to the future prospects, likely difficulties and running costs of the school in the light of the terms upon which the lease could be renewed.

A decision has very reluctantly been made that such terms would make the future prospects quite uneconomic and notice is hereby given that the school will cease to function in its present premises as and from the end of the Summer Term, July 1965. Efforts are being made to find other accommodation, thus avoiding the closure of the School.'

In January and the Spring I met many people, M. R.A. Durrant, the Solicitors of the Trustees of the late Mrs. A. Gregory-Taylor who were the landlords, Mr. Basil Monk, the Old Shorehamers' Association Committee in London, the Archdeacon of Lewes, Mr. Hickman and many others.

A day after Mr. Kirkman's circular letter to the parents, a public statement was made:

'We hope to form an independent non-profit-making Trust with strong Church of England and Old Shorehamers' Association support and backing. We believe that we can come to a satisfactory agreement with the executors of the late Mr. Gregory-Taylor to apply for planning permission and to acquire the playing field to build a School, incorporating the rebuilding of the present School Chapel on the field.

D. H. Booth, Archdeacon of Lewes, C. H. Holloway, President of the Old Shorehamers Association and F. R. D. Kennedy, School Chaplain.'

We had crowded parents', meeting in the hall above the gymnasium at which the Archdeacon of Lewes, the Headmaster and Chaplain spoke and as a result a committee was formed consisting of eight parents, the Archdeacon of Lewes, the Headmaster, Mr. Wright and the Chaplain.

The committee met frequently and the meetings were very long, the Archdeacon or Chaplain acting as Chairman. An appeal was made to parents, Old Shorehamers and friends of the School.

It fairly soon became clear that the executors of the late Mrs. A. Gregory-Taylor were unwilling to extend the lease, or give a Charitable Trust a lease for the property or to sell it without a substantial first payment to the Trustees.

It was clear that the appeal had failed to raise sufficient funds to buy any property that was suitable for a school. Mr. Kirkman also found it impossible to acquire a property for the school to continue under the direction of Shoreham Grammar School Ltd.

In the spring negotiations were entered into to consider if there could be some agreement reached for the merging of the interests of Caius School, Shoreham-by-Sea, Shoreham Grammar School Ltd, and the non-profit-making trust, which had the support of the parents and the school staff. However it was impossible for the parties to agree terms.

The Kennedy Independent School Ltd was formed of which Mr. M. P. Jones and Mr. W.A. Patmore both parents of boys, were the chairman and secretary respectively, and later the Archdeacon and the Chaplain became directors.

The Kennedy Independent School Ltd, acted for the committee until a new trust was formed - the Kennedy Independent School Trust Ltd., - on March 31st, 1966. The Archdeacon became the Chairman of the Trust. In these early days the committee owed a great deal to Mr. W. A. Patmore and Mr. G.W. Borgia (a parent also), who guided the School's finances until 1969, and to the enthusiasm of Mr. Jones.

Many others worked very hard. The Archdeacon in addition to his many ecclesiastical duties found time to guide the School, and to interest many people in the affairs of the School.

At this time there was a vacant school property belonging to St. Andrew's Church, Worthing. The Chaplain knew the Vicar, the Rev. R. F. M. Meade. The classrooms of this school were far superior to the Shoreham Grammar School classrooms in Pond Road, and there was a big hall.

After some negotiations the Vicar and his Churchwardens agreed to give a five-year lease for a rent of £1,500 a year to Kennedy Independent School Ltd. To provide more accommodation an army hut was bought and sited in the playground for a junior form room and a lower 111 room.

Mr. R. W. Kirkman helped the new Kennedy Independent School Ltd and he agreed to sell all the School equipment, and later the use of the name of Shoreham Grammar School, at a cost of £4,000 which was a tremendous help to the new non-profit-making company.

We now had to find accommodation for the boarders. The Chaplain with a mortgage from the Steyning Building Society had bought Rosemary Mount, 147, Chesswood Road, for a board-house for the junior boarders.

After negotiations for the purchase of a property for the senior boarders broke down we decided that the senior boarders should go to Rosemary Mount. We would then immediately apply for planning permission to move the physics and chemistry building of Shoreham Grammar School, included in the purchase from Mr. Kirkman, and place it in the Rosemary Mount garden to serve as dormitories.

The planning permission was obtained and by the end of October this was ready for occupation. It provided two good dormitories and washing and toilet facilities, so that rosemary Mount gave accommodation to some sixty to seventy boarders.