Balham's Finest Schooled Here

A very very man with a naked comedic genuis

Location: Westcombe Park, Blackheath, SE3 7QR

Description: 'The John Roan School' is a comprehensive secondary school in Blackheath, South-East London. It was originally two grammar schools. The boys' school was founded in 1677 and the girls' school in 1877 through a charitable endowment by John Roan who left a substantial amount in his last will and testament to those children of Greenwich who could not afford private education.

And not only that, it has produced a London born comedy great - 'Arthur Smith' - an alternative comedian and writer who was born in Bermondsey, South London - he describes himself as a 'semi-professional' comedian.

He was one of many stand-up performers on the alternative comedy scene in the Eighties. He still performs today in much the same manner, regularly attending the Edinburgh Fringe comedy festival and still compering the long-running Hackney Empire New Act of the Year competition final.

He's a very very funny man and some time ago on a night in watching football with 'Tony Hawks', he ended up challenging Hawks to beat the entire Moldovan football team at tennis. Hawks took him up on this bet, and wrote a book about it.

Hawks won the bet, and Arthur had to stand on Balham High Road and sing the Moldovan National Anthem whilst naked...

A different class is Arthur Smith.