King Edward’s School and the Great War

Memorial Roll of Honour 1914 - 1918

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Alabaster, Frederic Clifford

Second Lieutenant ▪ Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Frederic Clifford Alabaster, known as Clifford, was born on 29th September 1886, the son of Arthur and Catherine Alabaster of ‘Longfield’, 2 Amesbury Road, Moseley. Clifford entered King Edward’s School in September 1899, and was awarded a Foundation Scholarship in 1903 and 1905. Clifford threw himself into School life:

Football Colours in 1904-5;

Cricket 1st XI in 1905. “A medium pace bowler with a good slow ball” (Chronicle, October 1905);

Fives Secretary in 1905, Captain in 1905;

Natural History Librarian in 1904-5. On February 15th 1904, Clifford read “a most instructive paper” on “Caterpillar Rearing” to the Natural History Society (Chronicle, April 1904);

Reynolds’ House Football Captain in 1905;

Prefect in 1904-5.

He was also a member of the Debating Society, a gymnast and an actor, playing the role of Fluellen in Shakespeare’s Henry V on Speech Day, August 1905. Naturally, he was one of the School’s best chess players!

On leaving School, Clifford joined the family firm, Alabaster & Wilson, jewellers and goldsmiths, which is still in business in the Jewellery Quarter to this day.

Second Lieutenant Clifford Alabaster was one of five Alabaster brothers who served in the Great War. He received a commission with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in early 1915, and was severely wounded at Hébuterne on 25th June 1916. He died of his wounds in London on 25th August 1916, aged twenty-nine. Clifford is buried in Brandwood End Cemetery, Kings Heath, and is commemorated on the Great War Memorial in St. Mary’s Church, Moseley.