A Century of Service: Cyril Alderman Turns 100

Cyril Alderman celebrates his 100th birthday today, and it has been a real privilege to reflect on his time at King Edward VII School, both through the pages of The Lidunian, where he featured throughout his years here, and through speaking with him directly.

Cyril joined the school in 1940 and left in 1944, right in the middle of the war. And reading those old magazines, you really start to get a feel for what life was like then. School carried on, but it was shaped by what was happening in the world. Boys were sent out on “potato holidays” to help bring in the harvest, there were constant appeals for salvage and fundraising for the Red Cross, and many pupils were involved in cadet training.

Cyril himself was part of the Air Training Corps, rising to Flight Sergeant. Something that would have carried real weight at the time when so many young people were preparing for service.

And yet, alongside all of that, there’s something quite striking: how normal school life still tried to be. Sport, house competitions, societies, music, it’s all there in the pages of every magazine printed. There’s a real sense of routine, structure, and even enjoyment, despite everything going on. It feels like the school was doing its best to give boys a full experience, not just prepare them for what might come next.

Cyril really made the most of that.

His name appears repeatedly. Quietly, but consistently. He became a Sub-Prefect, then a Prefect, took on the role of Senior Librarian, and was also Vice-Captain then Captain. It’s clear he was someone the school trusted and relied on, not just academically, but as a steady presence.

On the sports field, he stood out even more. In 1943, he was awarded Victor Ludorum, the school’s top all-round athlete. He won the half mile and competed strongly across other events too, a brilliant achievement, especially during such a disrupted time.

When I spoke to Cyril, it was amazing how much he still remembered. When I asked about his strongest memories, he didn’t hesitate:
“supervising detention as a prefect, playing rugby, academia and exams.”

It’s such a simple answer, but it says so much. Responsibility, sport, and studies all side by side, just part of everyday life. Something which runs through the heart of AKS even today.

His favourite subject was French, although he laughed that he doesn’t remember much of it now. And when I asked about teachers, one name came to him straight away: Headteacher John Bell, who clearly made a lasting impression.

One of my favourite details was how he described the school itself. He remembered the corridors as being “quite bare” "with nothing on the walls," which feels such a contrast to how they look today. It’s a small thing, but it really brings his time there into focus.

After leaving King Edward VII School in 1944, Cyril went on to Cambridge, and from there into a life of service, something that feels entirely in keeping with everything you see from his school years. That sense of duty, of just getting on with things, seems to run right through his story.

Looking back, what stands out isn’t just the achievements, although there are plenty of them. It’s the consistency of it all. Showing up, contributing, taking responsibility, making the most of opportunities, even during a time when nothing was certain.

Reaching 100 is an incredible milestone. But hearing about those early years in his own words, and through the pages of The Lidunian magazines has given us something more personal.

We wish Cyril a very happy 100th birthday. A wonderful milestone, and we celebrate a life that began with such purpose that has clearly been carried ever since.