News article
Pupils celebrate life of Brighton-born secret agent
School pupils took part in a special ceremony to honour the life of Brighton-born secret agent Captain Edward Zeff.
School pupils have taken part in a special ceremony to honour the life of a Brighton-born Jewish secret agent.
The sixth-formers, who were on a history course at the University of Sussex, came together with other guests including members of the Jewish community, WWII veterans, and the Mayor of Brighton to unveil a memorial plaque for Captain Edward Zeff.
The plaque at the Embassy Court apartment building in Hove, where Zeff used to live, honours his exploits as a member of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during the Second World War.
Zeff was born in Brighton in 1907 before moving to Paris in the 1920s, only returning to Britain when the Germans invaded France in 1940.
During the war he was smuggled back into Nazi-occupied France to perform the crucial function of radio operator for the Allied forces.
He managed to evade capture for almost a year before he was betrayed to the Nazis, spending the rest of the war in a concentration camp and only narrowly escaping with his life.
After the war he returned to Brighton, before moving back to France to work with his brother in the tailoring business.
Pupils taking part in the history strand of the Sussex Study Experience (SSE) visited Zeff’s apartment at the top of the Embassy Court building, and used iPads to research the commemoration of historical figures.
The SSE is a programme to raise the aspirations of young people who would be the first in their family to attend university, as well as those from groups that are under‑represented in higher education.
The scheme, run by the Widening Participation team at the University of Sussex, provides sixth‑formers from across the south-east of England with short academic courses in a range of subjects.
Lauren Hornsey, a student from BHASVIC sixth-form college in Brighton, said: “I really enjoyed the day. It was a new and interesting experience; I have always seen blue plaques but have never witnessed one being unveiled.”
Luke Feasey, a member of the Widening Participation team who was at the event, said: “The unveiling of Edward Zeff’s plaque proved to be a truly eye-opening reminder of the courage and sacrifice of the unsung heroes of history, and sparked off a lively discussion among our pupils.”
At the end of April, on the final day of their history course, the sixth-formers will be visiting Tangmere Aviation Museum.
As part of the SSE they will also be offered an optional residential stay on the Sussex campus to introduce them to what life is like as a student, before attending a celebratory graduation day in the summer.