In 1896, at the age of eight, George R. Pearkes was sent to Berkhamsted School, located about 15 miles from Watford, and remained there until 1906.  He later said that his school days shaped his attitudes toward life more than anything else, and instilled in him a sense of duty which he demonstrated many times throughout his life.

Photo:  The School vs. The Old Berkhamstedians 1918.  Lieutenant Colonel G.R. Pearkes seated in central row.   (ACC 74-1 Box 23.3.1)  Image size 37 KB

"And I'm certain that my public school days, influenced my whole life more than anything else that I can think of.  I am sure that the idea of playing for a team, for the school, influenced all my life and I see it, the further I look back, why the sense of duty in the war to your battalion, to your men and even when one goes through to Parliament, why you have your Constituency, and so forth.  The sense of doing your duty was inculcated to you in those very impressionable days."

Quote taken from transcription of interview #1 by Dr. Reginald Roy, July, 7, 1965.  (ACC 74-1 Box 1.1 pp.26-27)

     At Berkhamsted, Pearkes trained in the school cadet corps and hoped to enter the Royal Military Sandhurst Academy to prepare for a career in the military, but these hopes were dashed when his father suffered financial reverses.  His father also could not afford to support a university education for his son.  Pearkes, therefore, decided to emigrate to Canada.

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