Known as Walter Oakley. Chair of the Court of Governors from 1962- 31 July 1982.
Awarded a CBE.
Frank Parks was born in London in 1875 and became a member of the Polytechnic Boxing Club in 1892. He had great success as an amateur boxer and won his first Polytechnic competition that same year. By 1899, he had won his first English Championship, competing for the Poly. Parks was the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) Heavyweight Champion in 1899, 1901-1902 and 1905-1906. He also won the Polytechnic’s Studd Trophy in 1902 for the best athletic achievement. French Championships in 1905. Won Olympic Bronze in 1908.
In 1905 he retired from boxing and spent his retirement coaching novices. However, he returned to the ring in 1911 for a series of ABA exhibition bouts at Madison Square Garden in New York with fellow Brit Reuben Charles Warnes.
In 1914 he was made Honourable Secretary of the Polytechnic Boxing Club and remained involved with the club until his death in 1945. The Club dedicated a laurel wreath plaque to his memory with the inscription ‘as a token of admiration by his many friends for his high example and untiring efforts for the welfare of this club for 52 years’.
John Elliott was a British middleweight boxer who competed in the 1920s. He won a silver medal in boxing at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, losing against the successful British boxer Harry Mallin in the final bout.
In 1924 and 1925 he won the ABA National Middleweight title.
Hon. Bruce Arthur Ashley Ogilvy was born on 15 March 1895. He was the son of Lt.-Col. David Stanley William Ogilvy, 6th Earl of Airlie and Lady Mabell Frances Elizabeth Gore.
Hon. Bruce Arthur Ashley Ogilvy was educated at Wellington College, Berkshire, England. He was educated at Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Berkshire, England. He gained the rank of Captain, Reserve of Officers in the service of the 12th Royal Lancers, Life Guards and Irish Guards. He was decorated with the award of Military Cross (M.C.) in 1919. He held the office of Equerry to HRH The Prince of Wales between 1921 and 1930. He was invested as a Member, Royal Victorian Order (M.V.O.) in 1922 5th class. He held the office of Deputy Lieutenant (D.L.) of Angus between 1936 and 1951.
Visited the Regent Street Polytechnic with HRH The Prince of Wales [Edward VIII] on 12 December 1922. Both the HRH and Ogilvy signed PBC/5/4.
Stacey was appointed to be chief instructor at the Regent Street Polytechnic School of Hairdressing in 1939, having previously been in charge of the hairdressing department at Harrods. Leslie Henry was a pupil at the School from 1938-41. He later became head of hairdressing at Brighton Technical College.
Hairdressing was one of four trade and technical schools at the Polytechnic which were amalgamated in 1929 to become the Craft Schools. They provided general education and specialist trade instruction for boys from 14-17. The Schools also had large evening departments. There were usually about 350 day boys, and in September 1939 about half that number were evacuated to the village of Winscombe in Somerset. A garage was converted into a ladies hairdressing saloon. In 1942, Hairdressing was one of two Schools allowed to make an early return to London. Changes after the War, including the implementation of the 1944 Education Act, meant that the Craft Schools were unable to continue as before, and in 1952 the London County Council moved the Senior School of Hairdressing to Barrett Street Technical College (one of the predecessor bodies of London College of Fashion).