‘Onions’ presents special gift to Thetford school

Old Thetfordian Frank Onians returned to his former school this week to present the complete works of Thomas Paine.

Mr Onians gave the manuscripts to Thetford Grammar School on Tuesday in commemoration of his brother, Richard, who, like him and Paine, used to study at the school.

“The complete works of Thomas Paine seems a fitting tribute and I have put an acknowledgment to my brother inside each volume for future pupils to read,” he said.

Mr Onians, who joined the school in May 1937 at the age of five, was fondly nicknamed ‘Onions’ throughout his time there.

He went on to enjoy a career running electronic companies both sides of the Atlantic and still divides his time between the UK and California.

The 10 volumes, known as the 1925 edition, were published in the USA and will be displayed within the school’s Thomas Paine Library.