Prize day for City of London boy - after 75-year gap - The Jewish Chronicle

A 90-year-old who was unable to attend his school's prize-giving 75 years ago because the ceremony was held on a Friday night was finally able to collect his awards this week after his grandson was also a prize-winner.

Now living in Edgbaston, Herman Zeffertt was a pupil at City of London School in the 1930s, excelling in Spanish and maths. As the son of the rabbi of the East London Synagogue, attending an event on Shabbat would have been unthinkable.

He did receive two books - one a PG Wodehouse novel - as belated prizes, but not the accompanying certificates.

Mr Zeffertt's memory was jogged when his grandson Simon started at City of London, and again this year, when Simon earned a prize for progress. Coincidentally, Simon is 15, the same age as his grandfather was when a prize-winner.

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