Les Bedford (webmaster@monkenhadleycommon.net) of New Barnet writes: I've recently taken over as the webmaster for the Monken Hadley Common web site, and am part way through re-designing the site. I have accumulated a number of old postcards relating to the Common, and a few of these are already on the site. I have my sights on publishing the above Ludgrove card, ("KROMO" SERIES postcard No. T 21918) and if you can shed any light on its date, this would be much appreciated!

The card was published by the pioneer post card publishers Blum and Degan - and fortunately these cards can be dated pretty precisely. They launched the Kromo series of coloured post cards in 1905 and went bankrupt in October 1908. It seems most of the Hertfordshire views were specially photographed so a date of circa 1906 will be about right.

The house was in Monken Hadley parish, which means that prior to 1904 it was in Middlesex, then moved into Hertfordshire, for a period of 60 years. This means that it is not always clear where records relating to it might be found. In the 1896 London Suburban Directory (Northern) it is recorded as

 Dunn, Arthur Tempest Blackiston, Ludgrove, Cock Fosters or Trent, Enfield, Letters through New Barnet

In the Middlesex Directory for 1899 it appears as:

 Dunn, Arthur T. B., Private Boys School, Ludgrove, Cockfosters, Enfield - Letters through New Barnet

In the 1901 census it comes under the Barnet (Herts) union as

Ludgrove, Hadley Common, Monkton Hadley (Herts)

However in 1908 and 1912 I could find no reference to it in the Hertfordshire Directories.

On the other hand it turns out that Arthur Tempest Blackiston Dunn (1860-1902) is a very interesting character (Wikipedia). He was born in Whitby, Yorkshire, the son of John Dunn, who was M.A. Cambs. and teacher of Italian, Greek and Mathematics at Cambridge University in 1891.

Arthur was educated at Eton and later got an M.A. at Trinity College Cambridge (where he was at the time of the 1881 census.) He played football for the Old Etonians playing in the F.A. Cup in 1882, (when Blackburn Rovers were beaten 1-0) and 1883 (when Blackburn Olympic won 2-1). He played in the England team when they beat Ireland in 1883 and 1884, Wales in 1892, and Scotland in 1893. He was England's captain twice. By the end of the century it was becoming increasingly apparent that amateur teams could no longer win the F.A. Cup and Arthur Dunn proposed a competition for the old boys of public schools. Before this could be done he died, at Ludgrove. Three weeks later his friend Norman Malcolmson (brother-in-law and Old Etonian) convened a meeting which resulted in the foundation of the Arthur Dunn Cup. The first match was played on 28 March 1903, and is still competed for annually, its centenary being celebrated in 2003.

In 1892 Arthur married Helen Matilda Malcolmson, daughter of George Malcolmson, a Banker and Merchant who lived at West Farm, East Barnet in 1881 and at Norrysbury, Cockfosters Road, East Barnet in 1891. In the same year Arthur established Ludgrove School, a large preparatory boarding school not far from where his father-in-law lived.

 The following was the establishment at Ludgrove in 1901 (FindMyPast transcription), the original being unclear about the status of his wife in the running and ownership of the school:

DUNN, Arthur Tempest B	Head	Married	M	40	Head Master Of Preparatory School	Whitby, Yorkshire
DUNN, Helen Matilda	Wife	Married	F	33	(ditto)	Hyde Park SQ, London
DUNN, John Herbert M	Son	Single	M	7		Hadley, Hertfordshire
DUNN, Marjory Florence	Daughter	Single	F	6		Hadley, Hertfordshire
DUNN, Olive Mary	Daughter	Single	F	1		Hadley, Hertfordshire
ANDERSON, Gerard Rupert Laurie	Pupil		M	12		Twickenham, Middlesex
BAGNALL, Frederick P Dunn	Pupil		M	11		Little Shalford, Cambridgeshire
BAILEY, Wilfrid Hussell	Pupil		M	9		London
BENSON, Reginald Lindlay	Pupil		M	11		South Street, London
BEVAN, Robert Austin	Pupil		M	10		Swanley, Kent
BIRCHENOUGH, William Taylor	Pupil		M	9		Lyme Green, Cheshire
BIRKBECK, Christopher Robert	Pupil		M	12		Keswick, Norfolk
BOOTH, Honble John L R Silster	Pupil		M	10		Maiden Erley, Berkshire
BOSCAWEN, Honble George Edward	Pupil		M	12		South Andtry ST, London
BOSEMAN, Honble Vere Douglas	Pupil		M	10		South Andley ST, London
BRIDGEMAN, Roger Orlando	Pupil		M	11		Cromwell RD, London
BURNET, John Robert	Pupil		M	9		Upper Wimpole ST, London
BURRELL, Raymond Frances T	Pupil		M	11		Wimbledon, Surrey
BUSK, Joseph	Pupil		M	10		Dorchester, Dorsetshire
CAMPBELL, Henry Fitz Herbert	Pupil		M	9		Ralster, Staffordshire
CORBET, Vincent Stewart	Pupil		M	11		Grosvenor Square, London
CORNWALLIS, Fiennes Wykeham M	Pupil		M	10		Linton, Kent
CORNWALLIS, Stanley Wykeham	Pupil		M	8		Linton, Kent
CURTIS, Arthur R W	Pupil		M	11		Fakenham, Norfolk
CURTIS, Henry Osborne	Pupil		M	12		Hillington, Norfolk
DYDES, Wyndham Douglas Hart	Pupil		M	8		St Grayes Hanover SQ, London
EASTWOOD, Harold Edmund	Pupil		M	12		Witley, Surrey
EASTWOOD, John Francis	Pupil		M	13		Witley, Surrey
EASTWOOD, Noel Walter	Pupil		M	10		Witley, Surrey
FINCH, John Charles Wynne	Pupil		M	9		Tylrizoy, Carmarthenshire
FORTESCUE, Honble Hugh William	Pupil		M	12		Chesham ST, London
GREENWOOD, Victor John	Pupil		M	13		Bertswith, Yorkshire
HARTER, James Collier Foster	Pupil		M	11		Grosvenor ST, London
HAY, Lord Edward Douglas John	Pupil		M	12		Haddingtonshire Gifford Scotland
HIBBERT, Leicester Robert	Pupil		M	12		Co Dublin Dublin
HIBBERT, Thurstans Holland	Pupil		M	12		Aldenham, Hertfordshire
HICKS, Charles E H Tempest	Pupil		M	12		Parish of Hadley, Hertfordshire
HOLLINS, John C H L	Pupil		M	10		Preston St Georges, Lancashire
HUNTER, Kenneth Shingby	Pupil		M	11		Aldwark, Yorkshire
HUNTER, Ronald Claude	Pupil		M	12		London
KENNETT Aubrey Hampton Barrington	Pupil		M	10		East Barnet, Hertfordshire
KENNETT, Victor A Barrington	Pupil		M	13		Belgrave ST, London
LYON, Honble Fergus Bowes	Pupil		M	11		Ham, Surrey
LYTLER, Neil Freaser	Pupil		M	11		Inverness Dover Scotland
MALONE, Cecil John L estrange	Pupil		M	10		Dalton Hobine, Yorkshire
MAYNARD, Anthony Lax	Pupil		M	11		Chesterfield, Derbyshire
MITCHISON, Gilbert Richard	Pupil		M	11		Sunbury on Thames, Surrey
NORMAN, Charles Wake	Pupil		M	10		London
OXLEY, Gerald Stewart	Pupil		M	11		Worth, Sussex
PARKER, Oliver Ivan	Pupil		M	9		N K
PEASE, Richard Arthur	Pupil		M	10		Darlington, Durham
PELHAM, Honble Sackirlle G A	Pupil		M	12		Arlington ST, London
PREMANT, Alan G Sholto Douglas	Pupil		M	10		Stony Stratford, Northamptonshire
ROWLEY, George Richard Francis	Pupil		M	12		Morcott, Rutland
SMITH, Reginald H M A	Pupil		M	10		Witley, Surrey
STEPHENSON, Edward Keppel	Pupil		M	10		Beanfort Gardens, London
STRICKLAND, Algernon Walter	Pupil		M	10		Chefielt Mayfair, London
TOPHAM, Denis Bevan	Pupil		M	11		Barkstone Gardens, London
VERNON, Granville C F Harcourt	Pupil		M	9		Groun, Nottinghamshire
WALKER, John P E	Pupil		M	9		Hocliffe Leighton Buzzard, Beds
WALKER, Robert James Milo	Pupil		M	11		Hockcliffe Leighton Buzzard, Beds
WIGGIN, William Henry	Pupil		M	13		Selly Oak, Worcestershire
WILLIAMS, Edward Gordon	Pupil		M	12		Otway St Mary, Devonshire
WORSLEY, William Arthington	Pupil		M	10		Hovingham, Yorkshire
ZINN, Valentine Maurice Wyndham	Pupil		M	10		Marylebone, London
BROOMFIELD, Alice	Servant		F	38	Nurse	Paddington, London
BROOMFIELD, Milly	Servant	Single	F	28	Nurse	Paddington, London
ALLIS, Laonna Florence	Servant	Single	F	19	Under Nurse	Withington, Herefordshire
KNIGHT, Elizabeth	Servant	Single	F	53	Head Cook	Morton, Lincolnshire
PETERS, Alice	Servant	Single	F	24	Parlour Maid	Hotlisbury St Mary, Surrey
HILLIER, Ellen Elizabeth	Servant	Single	F	28	Housemaid	Bromham, Wiltshire
BOWMAN, Edith	Servant	Single	F	25	Parlourmaid	Reading, Berkshire
POULTER, Margaret M	Servant	Single	F	21	Parlourmaid	Newtown, Cambridgeshire
DEARMAN, Florence Jane	Servant	Single	F	20	Kitchen Maid	Hertfordshire
HOBBS, Edith Mary	Servant	Single	F	18	Kitchen Maid	Cockfosters, Middlesex
SISMEY, Mary Ann	Servant	Single	F	21	Housemaid	Bardythorpe, Rutland
SLIVERMAN, Edith Woodley	Servant		F	21	Housemaid	Poplar, London
FAINLAND, Alice	Servant	Single	F	20	Kitchenmaid	Leatherhead, Surrey
SHEARMAN, Alice Emily	Servant	Single	F	19	Housemaid	Poplar, London
SAUGET, Lily	Servant	Single	F	15	Kitchenmaid	Crewkerne, Somersetshire

The teachers were in Trent House, Ludgrove

HANSELL, Henry Peter	Boarder	Married	M	36	Schoolmaster Assistant	Norwich, Norfolk
SMITH, Gilbert Oswald	Boarder	Single	M	28	Schoolmaster Assistant	Croydon, Surrey
OAKLEY, William J	Boarder	Single	M	27	Schoolmaster Assistant	Shrewsbury, Salop
BROWN, Arthur N	Boarder	Single	M	36	Schoolmaster Assistant	Nayland, Suffolk
BLORE, William Parry	Boarder	Single	M	25	Schoolmaster Assistant	Canterbury, Kent
STANBOROUGH, Walter F H	Boarder	Single	M	31	Schoolmaster Assistant	Cleobury North, Salop
JUCKES, Selina	Servant	Single	F	50	Matron Domestic	Ledbury, Herefordshire
WILDING, Mabel M E	Servant	Single	F	16	Housemaid Domestic	Highgate, Middlesex

Arthur Dunn had recruited a number of eminent sportsmen to assist him as masters and was succeeded, on his premature death, by two England international football captains, Gilbert Oswald Smith and William John Oakley, who became joint headmasters. The 1911 eleven census records the following at Ludgrove:

SMITH, Gilbert	Head	Single	M	38	Schoolmaster	Surrey Croydon
SMITH, Katherine	Sister	Single	F	46		Middlesex Harrow
BROWN, Arthur Neville	Assistant	Single	M	46	Schoolmaster	Nayland Suffolk
STANBURGH, Walter	Assistant	Single	M	40	Schoolmaster	Cleobury North Shorpshire
BLORE, William	Assistant	Single	M	35	Schoolmaster	Kent Canterbury
BIRD, Wilfred	Assistant	Single	M	27	Schoolmaster	Yiewsley Middlesex
OAKLEY, William	Assistant	Single	M	37	Schoolmaster	Shorpshire Shrewsbury
The Earl Of Brecknock	Boarder		M	11	School	London St Georges Hanover SQ
ALLEN, John	Boarder		M	10	School	Northants Brackley
ANDERSON, Rupert	Boarder		M	10	School	Surrey Tilford
BARING, Honble Alexander	Boarder		M	12	School	London Westminster
BARRY, Hubert	Boarder		M	12	School	London Knightsbridge
BOGLE-SMITH, James	Boarder		M	13	School	London Knightsbridge
BRIDGEMAN, Geoffrey	Boarder		M	12	School	London Marylebone
BUTT-MILLER, George	Boarder		M	10	School	Wilts Cricklade
BUXTON, Desmond	Boarder		M	13	School	Norfolk Thorpe Norwick
CLUTTERBUCK, Hugh	Boarder		M	10	School	Bucks Aylesbury
COVENTRY, Charles	Boarder		M	10	School	London Westminster
COVENTRY, Honble George	Boarder		M	10	School	Worcestershire U K
CURZON, Richard	Boarder		M	12	School	Derby Weston Underwood
DRAGE, Thomas	Boarder		M	10	School	Lancs Thurston
DUDLEY-SMITH, Osbert	Boarder		M	12	School	London Westminster
DUGDALE, James	Boarder		M	12	School	London Knightsbridge
FENWICK, Charles	Boarder		M	10	School	London Kensington
FERGUSON, Andrew	Boarder		M	11	School	London Westminster
FERGUSON, Victor	Boarder		M	13	School	Australia N S W Sydney
FORDE, Thomas	Boarder		M	12	School	Dublin Dublin Ireland
FORSTER, Alfred	Boarder		M	13	School	Hants Exbury
GRANT, Alexander	Boarder		M	9	School	India Simla
GURNEY, Cecil	Boarder		M	9	School	Norfolk Norwick
GWYNNE, David	Boarder		M	12	School	Warwick Leamington
HARCOURT-VERNON, Egerton	Boarder		M	11	School	Notts Retford
HARGREAVES, John	Boarder		M	11	School	London Kensington
HART-DYKE, Ashley	Boarder		M	11	School	Surrey Wimbledon
HEATHCOAT-AMORY, Derick	Boarder		M	11	School	London Marylebone
HEBER-PERCY, Hugh	Boarder			13	School	London Westminster
HILL-WOOD, Basil	Boarder		M	11	School	London Westminster
HILL-WOOD, Wilfrid	Boarder		M	9	School	London Westminster
HOARE, Bertram	Boarder		M	9	School	Glamorgan Cardiff
HOARE, Eustace	Boarder		M	11	School	London Kensington
HOARE, Michael	Boarder		M	11	School	Hants Basingstoke
HOARE, Reginald	Boarder		M	10	School	London Marylebone
IMPEY, Lawrence	Boarder		M	11	School	Bucks Eton
JARDINE, John	Boarder		M	11	School	Edinburgh Scotland
KEPPEL, Honble Edward	Boarder		M	13	School	London Westminster
KIDSTON, George	Boarder		M	11	School	London Westminster
KNOWLES, Robert	Boarder		M	13	School	Derby Brailsford
LEES, Dennis	Boarder		M	11	School	Cambs Cambridge
LESLIE, Lionel	Boarder		M	10	School	London Marylebone
MICHAEL-LLEWELYN, Charles	Boarder		M	11	School	London Westminster
OXLEY, Malcolm	Boarder		M	11	School	Sussex Turners Hill
PORCHESTER, Lord	Boarder		M	12	School	London Westminster
RENSHAW, Thomas	Boarder		M	11	School	London Marylebone
ROMILLY, Lord	Boarder		M	12	School	London Westminster
STANCLIFFE, George	Boarder		M	11	School	Cheshire Macclesfield
STRICKLAND-CONSTABLE, Henry	Boarder		M	10	School
TABOR, Robert	Boarder		M	9	School	Essex Rochford
TRITTON, Geoffrey	Boarder		M	10	School	London Knightsbridge
WALKER, Patrick	Boarder		M	12	School	Yorks Diddington
WARRENDER, Victor	Boarder		M	11	School	London Westminster
WATT, Alvery Hall	Boarder		M	9	School	Devon Toquay
WHITBREAD, Peter	Boarder		M	13	School	London Westminster
WICKHAM-BOYNTON, Henry	Boarder		M	10	School	Yorks Burton Agnes
WODEHOUSE, Honble Edward	Boarder		M	12	School	Norfolk Witton
WODEHOUSE, Richard Hall	Boarder		M	12	School	Devon Toquay
BUTTERFIELD, Mary	Servant	Single	F	46	Cook	Pauls Walden Herts
BUTTERFIELD, Fanny	Servant	Single	F	50	Kitchenmaid	Pauls Walden Herts
ALDRIDGE, Daisy	Servant	Single	F	16	Kitchenmaid	Mortimer Berks
FAIRCHILDS, Alice	Servant	Single	F	17	Scullary	Hungerford Berks
HOOK, Gertrude	Servant	Single	F	25	Pantry Maid	Godalming Surrey
MAY, Louise	Servant	Single	F	23	Pantry Maid	Mortimer Berks
ALDHOUS, Jessie	Servant	Single	F	31	House Maid	Cambridge
KINGSWELL, Winifred	Servant	Single	F	31	Parlour Maid	Bishopstone Salisbury
SHARP, Lucy	Servant	Single	F	33	Matron	Pauls Walden Herts
FAIRS, Alice	Servant	Single	F	16	House Maid	Reading Berks
WYLDE, Edith	Servant	Single	F	18	House Maid	Hungerford Berks
BLAKE, Alice	Servant	Single	F	15	House Maid	Upper Edmonton
GLADDING, Ellen	Servant	Single	F	16	House Maid	Hades Hill Herts
MURRAY, Margaret	Servant	Single	F	42	Hospital Nurse	London Marylebone
JUCKES, Selina	Servant	Single	F	60	Matron	Herefordshire Ledbury
MORRIS, Lilian	Servant	Single	F	19	Housemaid	Hertfordshire Gilston

In 1937 the school moved to Wokingham, Berkshire, and former old boys at it Berkshire address include Prince William, Prince Harry and the Duke of Kent. For more information about the Berkshire School as it is now see http://www.ludgrove.net

I have no special knowledge of the school or its teachers - so cannot directly answer your question. While the records of many small private school of the time do not survive, this school clearly catered for the higher levels of society, and still exists, although in a new location. As a result it may still have records relating to both pupils and staff. It is possible that there was a school magazine - which could record the arrival of new teachers  and might well record things such as concert the music teacher arranged. In addition it could well be interested in the contribution the school's former staff and pupils made in the First World War and there may be a record of pupils and teachers who died in the conflict. So contact the school to see what records they have - but if the answer is "none" you may not be able to confirm the dates George Wilkinson was at the school, or what he did.

However your query has prompted me to have a quick scan of the British Newspaper Archive to try and identify some of the pupils who died in the War.

WW1 Military References from the B.N.A.

The Royal tutor, Mr. Henry Peter Hansell, who is now an A. B. in he Royal Navy Reserve, has been associated with the Prince of Wales and his brothers for over a dozen years, but his connection with the Reigning Family goes further back, for he was, for a time, private tutor to Prince Arthur of Connaught. A member of a well-known East Anglian family, Mr Hansell, who is now in the fifties, was a Magdalen man, and held positions at Rossall and Ludgrove after leaving Oxford. Portsmouth Evening News, 30 March, 1915.

Captain William Archie Arbuthnot Middleton, 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, killed in action at St Julien on 25th April 1915, was educated at Ludgrove, Eton and Sandhurst. ... The Scotsman, 11 May, 1915.

Wilfrid Stanley Bird, Lieutenant 6th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps, was killed in action on May 9th, 1915.. ... he has played [cricket] at Lord's for Middlesex, and for the Gentlemen v. Players, and also represented England v. South Africa. For eight years he was a master at Ludgrove School ... Dorking & Leatherhead Advertiser, 15 May 1915.  ... He left a legacy of £250 for additions to the school at Ludgrove, New Barnet. Surrey Mirror, 21 September 1915

Three Brothers Killed in Action. Major Victor Annesley Barrington-Kennett, of the Royal Flying Corps, who has been missing since March 13th, is now officially reported killed. He was shot down by a German aeroplane during a fight in the air. He was educated at Ludgrove School, Eton, and Balliol College, Oxford, where he graduated with honours. He was recommended in dispatches "for gallant and distinguished service in the field." Two of his brothers have already fallen in the war - Brevet Major Basil H. Barrington-Kennett (Grenadier Guards), aged 30, killed on May 18th of last year; and Second Lieutenant Aubrey Hampden Barrington-Kennett (Oxon & Bucks Light Infantry), aged 25, who was killed at the battle of the Aisne. The latter was educated at University College, Oxford, where he matriculated in 1909. Banbury Advertiser 15 June, 1916

Capt. George Ronald Lane, Coldstream Guards, who has been killed in action, was the only son of Major-Gen. Sir Ronald and Lady Lane, of Carleton Hall, Saxmundham. He was born in February, 1894, and educated at Ludgrove and Eton, whence he passed into Sandhurst. ...  Staffordshire Advertiser, 30 September, 1916.

Sergeant Signaller George Jerrard Wilkinson, B.A., Middlesex Regiment, reported missing on July 1, and now known to have fallen on that day, was the youngest son of the late Rev. W. B. Wilkinson (at the Shrubbery, Walmsley) and grandson of the late Canon Wilkinson, D.D., rector of Birmingham, and of Bishop Hale, D.D., of Perth and Brisbane. ... At the outbreak of war he was living at Cains College Mission Settlement in Battersea, and teaching at Ludgrove and Northan Place Schools ... Birmingham Daily Post, 23 December, 1916.

Sec.-Lieut. William Arthur Derrick Eley, who was killed in action on February 17, was the only son of Lieut. Col. W. G. Eley, Yorkshire Hussars, and Mrs Eley, of Escrick, Yorkshire. Born in September 1897 he was educated at Ludgrove and at Eton ... Yorkshire Post, 28 February, 1917.

Second Lieutenant George Harry Thornton Ross, Essex Regiment (previously reported missing August 9, 1916, now officially presumed killed on that day), was the only son of the late Harry Thornton Ross, Superintendent of the Madras Police, and of Mrs. Ross, of Norton Road, Hove, Sussex, and grandson of the late Major Montagu Battye, Royal Body Guard. He was educated at Ludgrove and Cheltenham, and joined the Army in the first week of the war. ... Cheltenham Looker-On, 7 April, 1917.

The Earl and Countess of Albemarle have received information of the death of their fourth son, Lieut. the Hon. Albert Edward George Arnold Keppel, of the Rifle Brigade, who was killed in action on August 1st. He was educated at Ludgrove and Eton, and then spent about nine months at Sandhurst, from whence he went to France six months ago on attaining the age of 19. ... Diss Express, 10 August 1917.

Lt. W. L. O. Parker, Hussars, attached R.F.C., who was killed in action on Oct. 31, aged 22 years, was the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Parker, of Faulkbourne Hall, Essex, and grandson of the late Mr. John Oxley Parker of Woodham Mortimer, and of the late Sir William Farrer. He was educated at Ludgrove, Eton, and Oriel College. ... Chelmsford Chronicle, 28 December, 1917

... Second Lieutenant James Collier Foster Harter, Hussars, attached Yeomanry, who fell on November 28, son of Mr. and Mrs. Foster Harter, of Salperton Park, who was educated at Ludgrove and Eton ... Gloucestershire Echo, 28 January, 1918.

Sec-Lieut Richard Hallwatt, Grenadier Guards, killed in action on October 13, was the eldest son of the late Mr Hall Watt and Mrs Eyre, of Bishop Burton, Beverley. He was 19 years of age, and was educated at Ludgrove, Eton College, and Sandhurst, obtaining a commission in November 1916. Yorkshire Post, 22 October 1917

2nd-Lieut. Nigel F. E. Anson, M.C., K.R.R.C., previously reported wounded and missing on July 10, 1917, in the battle of Nieuport, and now officially assumed to have been killed on that date ... He was educated at Ludgrove, at Eton ... and at Sandhurst. ... Staffordshire Advertiser, 13 July, 1918.

Burial in France: Deep regret was felt in Newbury and district at the news that Sir Richard Sutton had died in France. [aged 27] ... Sir Richard was educated at Ludgrove's Preparatory School ... Reading Mercury 7 December 1918