EOGA Archive

The Executive of EOGA recognises a particular responsibility to preserve information about the EOGA recognises a particular responsibility to preserve information and documents about Eastbourne Municipal Secondary School for Boys / Eastbourne Grammar School because the School was the first in the country set up by a local authority – making creative use of existing legislation prior to the enactment of the Education Act 1902 – to provide secondary education to at least age 16 in an entirely new foundation. This recognition informs the policy which has been adopted. The President announced at the Annual Lunch on 5th November 2022 that the Executive agreed that, to mark his work for the Association and particular interest in archival matters, the Archive should be named The Fred Reeve Archive.

The main EOGA archive resource – thanks to generous donations from Old Grammarians – is a near complete run of EMSSB / EGS magazines from 1909 to 1977. The magazine was published three times each year from 1910, then annually (in July) from 1940; publication was suspended from 1915-1919 but continued throughout World War 2. The Archive also holds:

  • A partial run of Eastbourne Grammar & High School and Eastbourne Sixth Form College magazines donated by the late John Morris, who was the last Headmaster of the Grammar School, Head of the short-lived Grammar & School and then Principal of the Sixth Form College throughout its existence.
  • Various other documents, photographs and other artefacts / items of School memorabilia, details of which will be posted on the website.

A project to scan and digitise the collection of School magazines was well under way through the efforts of Fred Reeve, the Hon Secretary / Administrator of EOGA from 2008-2021 and then the Association’s Archivist; the project was paused in the autumn of 2022 and not resumed by Fred prior to his unexpected death in March 2023. The scanning and digitisation project has recently been completed under the direction of an Archive Sub-Committee and – as part of plans to mark the 125th Anniversary of the foundation of the School – searchable access via the Association’s website will be in place by late summer 2024. The Sub-Committee will also consider what to do with the various other items in the Archive mentioned above.

In the long run – reflecting the School’s position in the history of municipal secondary education in England – the Executive will seek to ensure that relevant holdings in the Association’s Archive are deposited in the Sussex Record Office (the Keep at Falmer) or another location that offers public access.