The following is an extract from the story of Shoreham Grammar School, an independent boys school in West Sussex.

The following information about Shoreham Grammar School is taken from the contents of a letter from Basil Monk to E.A. Bruder, dated June 1st 1944:

'Mr. W. H. Harper, who was the grandfather of Mr. Kempe, a well-known Solicitor in Brighton, founded the school in 1842, then known as the Protestant Grammar School.

In 1894 Mr. Gregory-Taylor became headmaster, at which date there were less than 50 pupils. He built up the school from this small number to 300, comprising 200 boarders and 100 day boys, until he died in harness in 1930.

During this period he altered the school practically out of recognition. He converted the old school house into a Chapel; he built a gymnasium, the east and west wings of the school and added extensively to the main buildings. He procured a very fine area of approximately 12 acres for sports grounds and earned educational reputation for the school of which it may well be proud.

On numerous occasions the percentage of passes of entrants in examinations was as high as any in the country and in a number of cases scholars came out first in all England.

During his headmastership, he made substantial contacts with China and Greece, from both of which countries a number of pupils passed through the school.

He was a keen sportsman and always insisted on every boy joining in the games, if physically possible. The slipper and whacking were by no means left out of the picture, and many Old Shorehamer's looks back with a feeling of tenderness, but not with resentment.

Sam - as he was known to the whole of the school - was loved and respected by everybody who came under his influence. His energy was unbounded and in spite of a number of years, during which he experienced ill health (he suffered from pernicious anaemia), he did not spare himself in the interest of the school nor in the town, in which he served as a Councillor and a County Justice of the Peace.

He founded the Old Shorehamers' Association in 1927 and at the present time the membership totals 382 of which 7 were in Shanghai immediately prior to the war, holding administrative offices, some of whom are still prisoners of war to the best of our knowledge.

As far as our records show, there are 93 members serving in the Fighting Forces. The activities of the Association during the period of the war have, of necessity, been held in abeyance, but information is continually filtering through as to Old Shorehamers, among whom the following have received distinctions: -

Lt. Col. Tingley M.B.E
Commander Purse D.S.C. (Navy)
Fl. D. Howes D.F.M.

At the passing of Mr. Gregory-Taylor the school was taken over by Mr. Kirkman and Mr. Phillips of Stowe.

The reputation of the school has been maintained from an educational standpoint and in spite of the very serious difficulties which were experienced due to the war, the numbers at the school - for boarders in the case of Milland, and for day boys in the case of Shoreham - have been kept up to their full available capacity.

He died just before the annual old boys' cricket match, which used to be held on Whit Monday. At his express request all arrangements were completed as planned.

He was buried in a grave in Shoreham cemetery just behind the pavilion at the sports ground, and for very many years thereafter on Whit Monday, during an interval in the Old Boys' Cricket match, a wreath was laid on his grave.

The boys of the old regime are just as proud of the school today as ever they were.

Yours sincerely,
Basil Monk.