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A special visitor has flown over from South Africa to help a local school pay a dramatic tribute to past pupils who died in WWI.
Mrs Aylwen Lyddell will take on the role of her great-grandmother tonight and re-enact the 1934 ceremony when she laid the founding stone in Victoria College's Howard Davis Hall.
This year the school is paying tribute to Howard Davis, her great-Uncle, who fell in the Battle of the Somme 100 years ago, and her family who have kept his memory alive by building the College's Howard Davis Theatre and funding scholarships for students.
Headmaster Alun Watkins said: “It is with great pleasure that the celebrations will be performed in front of Mrs Aylwen Lyddell, the sole surviving direct descendant of Mr and Mrs T B Davis, who will be travelling from South Africa to join us for the occasion.
“Whilst paying tribute to Howard Davis, the 136 Old Victorians and other young men who fell during the Great War, it is important that the evening animations also capture some of the colourful story of the Davis family.
“I am delighted that the Bailiff and Mrs Bailhache will be joining Mrs Lyddell for this special event.”
Mrs Lyddell said: “I am delighted to be able to attend this year’s Founders’ Day tribute to The Davis family. As the great-granddaughter and sole surviving direct descendant of Mr & Mrs T B Davis I am well aware of all their charitable work in my home country of South Africa but each time I visit Jersey I am every bit as proud of all the wonderful things that my great grandfather did for his native Island.
“Two of his great gifts were The Howard Davis Hall and The Howard Leopold Davis Scholarship Trust, both named in memory of his son Howard who was so tragically killed at the Battle of The Somme 100 years ago.
“I am delighted to hear that both the hall and the scholarship trust have been of great benefit to Victoria College for over 70 years and I am sure that these benefits will continue for many years to come.”
Old Victorians Edward Devenport, son of former Headmaster Martyn Devenport and actor Jonny Labey, who recently played Paul Coker in EastEnders, are both going back to their old school to speak about their days there, before students are presented with the school's Citizenship and Co-Curricular Awards.
The awards were created in 2013 in recognition of leadership, personal challenge and work in the community and are open to boys of all ages across the school and will be presented by the sponsors, Francis Clayton of Quilter Cheviot Investment Management and David Green from Moore Stephens.
The Bailiff will hand out the top award for Citizenship, £500 for the winner to share with a charity and an engraved gold medal based on the long-standing De Quetteville medal.
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