Highgopoly: Exploring Highgate History Through the Archives

This year, a group of current pupils spent an hour each week working with Highgate's Archives team, exploring the School's history through photographs, documents, publications and artefacts from the collection. 

One of their projects was the creation of Highgopoly, a Highgate-inspired version of Monopoly. Rather than streets and stations, the board featured subjects, people and moments from the School's past, with each square highlighting a story uncovered during their archival research. 

Throughout the summer, we shared some of the pupils' creations on Instagram and Facebook. Here is a look back at the completed Highgopoly board and the fascinating stories behind it. 

Art

The Art square features a 1952 photograph of an art class and highlighted a hidden treasure within the School. The room's ceiling was painted by Sir Kyffin Williams, one of Wales' most celebrated artists. Although the mural is now concealed above a false ceiling, it remains part of Highgate's artistic heritage. 

English 

The English square focuses on the OC, Edward Young (1926-30), author of One of Our Submarines, an account of his experiences in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Young is also remembered as the designer of the iconic Penguin Books logo, inspired by a visit to London Zoo. 

Chemistry

The Chemistry square captures a memorable 1988 demonstration by Dr Szydło, who is still teaching to this day. During a talk titled Flower Power, a mixture of zinc powder and sulphur was ignited, creating a spectacular reaction that reportedly left Southwood Lane coated in a fine layer of zinc sulphide. .

French

A 1956 account of a school trip to Paris featured on the French square. Pupils visited some of the city's best-known landmarks before returning to England, in their own words, "tired, bankrupt and satisfied." 

Latin 

The Latin square showcased a 1926 translation paper set for the Remove year group, then equivalent to today's Year 10. It offered a reminder that generations of Highgate pupils have wrestled with the complexities of Latin grammar, including the challenge of explaining the case of ‘usui’. 

History 

The History square highlighted a significant moment from the Second World War. On 28 June 1944, a V-1 "doodlebug" bomb exploded on Senior Field, damaging Caen Wood Hall, the Pavilion and School House (now the Mills Centre), and forcing the School to close until Michaelmas Term. 

Football 

The Football square featured the 1925-26 Football XI. Highgate had switched from rugby football to association football in 1878, although contemporary reports suggest the transition was not entirely smooth, with players still learning the art of dribbling and passing. 

Music 

The Music square celebrated The Dream Merchants, one of the School's earliest pop bands. Their largest audience came at the Quatercentenary Jazz Festival in 1965, where they performed to around 1,000 people, playing covers of songs by The Shadows, The Kinks and The Rolling Stones. 

Maths 

The final square recognised the OC, John Venn, creator of the world-famous Venn diagram. His work remains familiar to pupils today, illustrating the lasting impact Highgate alumni have had across a wide range of fields. 

Looking Back

Highgopoly gave pupils the opportunity to engage directly with the Archives, transforming historical documents and photographs into a creative project that brought School's story to life. From wartime history and famous OCs to school trips, sport, science and music, the board demonstrates how many fascinating stories are waiting to be discovered in the collections. 

We hope you've enjoyed travelling around the Highgopoly board with us this summer. If you would like to visit the Archives, please contact Archives@highgateschool.org.uk