Very few records for the first 150 years of the school’s existence have survived, so specific enquiries relating to teachers and pupils that pre-date the school’s re-founding in 1879 tend to fall on stony ground.  

However it is known that in the early 19th century, under the Headmastership of the Rev. Robert Heysham Cumyns, the one and only teacher at the Grammar School was a retired naval officer. The school, which was in Penny Street not far from the current site, consisted of a covered playground, one large classroom and two studies, one for the Head and one for his teaching assistant, known as the Usher. Unfortunately, the Reverend appears to have taken no interest in the school and so the Usher, Edward Naylor, did all of the teaching.  

Edward was born in Lambeth in 1780 and was said to have been related to Admiral Horatio Nelson by marriage. It came as no surprise, then, when young Edward went to sea and, at the age of 18, joined Nelson’s flagship HMS Vanguard as an officer. This was in 1798, at the time of the wars against the French, led by Napoleon Bonaparte. France wanted to invade Egypt as the first step in a campaign against British India and Nelson and his fleet were sent to thwart the French. The British fleet arrived off Egypt, and Nelson ordered an immediate attack on the French at Aboukir Bay on the Mediterranean coast. His ships advanced on the French line and split into two divisions as they approached. One cut across the head of the line and passed between the anchored French and the shore, while the other engaged the seaward side of the French fleet. Trapped in the crossfire, the leading French warships were battered into surrender during a fierce three-hour battle. The French lost 11 ships and two frigates.  

HMS Vanguard was badly damaged and nearly one in every five of the crew was a casualty. Amongst the wounded was Nelson himself, who was struck by a splinter above his blind right eye. Edward Naylor was one of the fortunate officers who came through it unscathed.   

A few years later Edward Naylor decided to give up his very promising naval career to join the Marines, a decision which reportedly shocked Nelson. While serving as a Lieutenant at Lisbon Castle, Edward fell in love with a young, beautiful and wealthy Portuguese lady, Inez Maria Fereira. But because she was a Catholic and Edward was a Protestant, her stepfather disapproved and she lost her wealth when they married. Presumably driven by penury, they moved to Portsmouth. In 1823 Edward became the Usher at PGS.  

Edward and Inez Maria had twelve children, and at least one of their sons was a pupil at the school. Mr Naylor was a very active citizen, raising money for the building of churches in the town.  He was said to be "a gentleman" and was widely respected.  "If ladies fainted in church", it was Edward that "carried them out".  He died in 1853 at his home in Somers Street off Cottage Grove in Southsea.