There is a wonderful plethora of trophies awarded at The Prep each year. There are academic trophies and prize-winning cups in music, sport (including swimming galas), drama, as well as all-rounder awards and many more.

At this year’s Athletics Finals, which took place on Saturday 15 June 20025 at Tooting Bec Athletics Track, there was a large table groaning under the weight of many trophies of all shapes and sizes. Now, at these sorts of events, trophies are presented to the winners at the closing ceremony, who are then photographed together with those in second or third place, and then the trophy is handed back immediately to the school. This is due to past accidental damage and even loss, as the winner kept the trophy for the year. But this is also for organisational reasons, as time spent chasing a trophy’s return in the weeks before the following year’s event hinders the huge amount of planning and preparation time that goes into the event(s). Boxes full of each and every trophy, which are carefully labelled, are now taken from storage for polishing and checking close to the date, without worry, before key events. The trophy photograph with the successful competitors remains and is made available for posterity. The trophies presented at the end-of-term assemblies for awards during that term are similarly photographed together with the winners and then handed back.

I love trophies, especially for their historical role, even though I didn’t win one of any kind during my own school days! The Prep’s trophies, many of which were donated by parents of previous winners when no trophy existed, are usually named after the boy who won the trophy that year. Many of the names are of boys whom I have known and taught over the past thirty years, so it is a lovely way to remember them. A kaleidoscope of images and recollections of (most!) of those faces aged 13, flash across my mind as the trophy names are read out and presented to the modern-day winners. 

So, that’s my introduction, and this article will focus on two of the oldest (perhaps the oldest, unless other records reveal otherwise!) and one of the newest. All three are sports trophies. 

The Richmond 400m Cup (1892)

The Richmond Cup is the oldest trophy at the Prep, being 133 years old! It is an attractive, shapely and quirky trophy. It would seem to be made of pewter with a base added in more modern times. It is a little battered in shape but hugely distinctive, and I love the way the winners’ names are engraved in every nook and cranny of the trophy (including the handles) from top to bottom, in small, dated lists sometimes only three or four in number, particularly in the small gaps around the cup. The original list of winners (1892-1900) has somewhat eroded, but the first date listed is 1892, although the name of the first winner is illegible. While it is now known as the Richmond Cup (more research needed!) for 400 metres, the trophy’s name is engraved in pride of place on the front, ‘The Dulwich College Preparatory School Quarter Mile Challenge Cup’. In UK athletics, track (and field events) events moved from imperial to metric distances from 1969, so it would be interesting to know when it was first raced for as a 400m race at The Prep. Perhaps an old school magazine will reveal this. 

The Albers Cup 1897 

This small but beautiful trophy was made by Mappin and Webb and is of Prince’s plate. The school would have presented the cup, as cups donated by parents did not occur until later. The cup bears the engraved name of C.E.W. Albers on the back and on the front, ‘Dulwich College Preparatory School 100 yards’, and the date ‘May 24th 1898’. 

It is likely that the Albers family moved from Germany to Dulwich before this, but Christoph seems to have been born in England. Around that time, there was a large German community in and around Dulwich, Crystal Palace, and Champion Hill. Some were attracted by the opportunities in London, while some probably came for political or religious reasons. The German community had a strong social community with its own church and regular music concerts. 

We know that Christoph was the youngest of three brothers. The two eldest went to Dulwich College. Christoph won the cup on that date and later went on to the College in January 1899. One of his older brothers must have been a useful sprinter, as an extract from the sports day section of the Alleynian of 1897 mentions ‘Albers ran well in the 100 yards in the U12s and was second in the open 100 yards’. Younger brother Christoph was still at The Prep at that time. There seems to be no mention of Christoph in the Alleynian sports sections once he moved on to the College, although he left the College only two years later, it is thought this was to return to Charlottenburg in Germany with his parents. He is mentioned as a subscriber to the Mallinson Memorial Fund in June 1910. There the trail goes cold until a record of ‘Wilhelm’ Albers getting married in Charlottenburg, Germany, in 1912. This is probably Christoph, given it is his middle name, but it is a little odd nonetheless. 

This brings us to the final and very interesting part of the story. In or around 2009/2010, Dulwich College had a phone call from an individual in Charlottenburg (Berlin) regarding a trophy that had been bought in either a junk (!) shop or an antiques shop. The buyer had seen the name of the school on the front and just picked out the senior school name. A phone call was made from the Keeper of the Archives at the College to The Prep to alert us about this, and the school was put in touch with the new owner in Charlottenburg. While the trophy itself is not particularly valuable, its role in The Prep’s history as one of the oldest trophies was important to us. A deal was done, and the trophy returned home after over a century away. The Albers Cup is not attributed to any sports race at the moment, and it resides on a shelf in the Head Master’s office. 

With the Albers Cup, probably with the family in Germany, a new 100-yard cup was presented in 1914. This is the Rylance Cup presented by P.D. Rylance, the winner that year, although it is also engraved with P.D. Rylance of Brisbane, Australia. Given the date, the sports day must have preceded the start of the First World War by only a few weeks. It has remained The Prep’s Blue Ribbon sprinting event’s trophy ever since.

The Leake Cup

A couple of years ago, after a consultation between the Sports Departments of the Prep and Dulwich College, The Leake Cup was introduced for rugby matches played annually between the Prep and the College for the older boys. The rivalry with the College in sports is our oldest, as you will know and remember! The idea was to increase the profile and add emphasis, meaning and importance to every match played at the annual fixtures between the Prep and the College at U12 and U13 levels. The fixture is now traditionally the last fixture of the rugby season at the end of the autumn term and is the last game of rugby for Year 8 representing Dulwich Prep & Senior (other than rugby sevens in the spring term). All the games are played at the same venue, with the matches taking place at the same time on fields as close together as possible. Each match is valued equally in the points system, whether it is the 1st team game or the U12Ds fixture. The Prep and the College alternate as hosts. Last year (December 2025), nine matches were played, four at the U13 level and four at the U12 age group. In addition, there was a touch rugby fixture with the two teams comprising boys from Years 7 and 8. There is catering throughout and a ceremony at the end when the winning headmaster presents the trophy. Dulwich College won the inaugural event two years ago, while The Prep got their revenge at the home fixtures this year, in very cold and muddy conditions, by winning the cup (see photo!). The crowds have been large with a good and sporting atmosphere; all have thoroughly enjoyed the new format and tournament.

The trophy was named the Leake Cup in honour of Revd. W.R.M. Leake, who attended DC (captaining the 1st XV) before going to Cambridge to read Classics and then returning to the College as Housemaster of the Orchard in 1889. Leake played rugby for Cambridge University, Harlequins, England and was a founding member of the Barbarians. He was ordained at Southwark Cathedral in 1909 before becoming the third Headmaster of Dulwich College Preparatory School in 1910. A most fitting tribute given Leake’s connections to both schools and his outstanding achievements in rugby. 
 
I hope you have enjoyed a look back at the origins of these trophies, and I will cover a couple more at a later date. If anything more comes to light on any of the above trophies, I will indeed report back.