Old Peterite Memorial Project

In November 2020 a competition was launched for pupils to design a Remembrance Day Memorial for the campus. In recent years, wooden crosses have been displayed in the horseshoe to remember those Old Peterites who gave their lives for our country. The aim of the project was to design a longer lasting and weather-proof memorial to honour our former pupils, who have served across all Forces.

Pupils from across the school submitted designs, and the winning concept was submitted by Old Peterites Hannah Costin and Hope Simpson (at the time in Upper Sixth): a striking set of silhouettes, which were adapted to represent members of the Armed Forces past and present.

Eleven pupils volunteered and worked together to design the figures, as part of the Design & Technology Department’s co-curricular club MAKERSPACE throughout the last year. The final design and manufacture of the silhouettes were supported and overseen by Old Peterites Arthur Holmes (1969) and his son Tom Holmes (1995) of C&O Powder Coatings Ltd. along with their industry contacts from Davies Fabrication Ltd. The silhouettes were displayed throughout the month of November, and were located around the school campus, and the figures and plaques were lit each evening. Each of the silhouettes display the name, unit and rank of our Old Peterites. The plaques and stands for each of the silhouettes were produced in School.

The project has been made possible thanks to the generous support of C&O Powder Coatings and the Old Peterite Club. This project has been a great collaboration which has brought together current and Old Peterites to collaborate on this poignant memorial, which we look forward to displaying each November for years to come.

In addition to the Memorial Project, new boards have also been produced and are now displayed in the AnteChapel. The boards remember the names of Old Peterites who gave their lives in World War I, World War II and other conflicts.

The board for World War I remains in the Chapel, and the new board provides corrected information that has come to light, since the original board was produced.

Can you help? We would be grateful if you could share with us the names of any Old Peterites who lost their lives in conflicts, other than WWI and WWII.

We are delighted to welcome questions and queries about the School and its history as well as receive items to the Archives including photographs (high-quality copies or originals), examples of uniform, essays, reports and memorabilia. Please do also contact us if you are happy to record any history or memories of your time at School. Our Archive volunteers John Armstrong or Anthony Robinson can be contacted at archives@stpetersyork.org.uk