Chronicle 687

3 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Word from the Warden

Malcolm joined St Edward’s with a strong First in History from University College, Oxford, in 1962. He was to stay at the School for 37 years, holding the positions of Second Master and then Sub-Warden in the latter stages of his career. After his retirement in 1999, Malcolm continued a deep and lasting association with Teddies. His infectious enthusiasm for history and the arts, his enduring faith, and his commitment to St Edward’s made him an inspiration to us all. The Oxley Library was named in his honour in 2021 and Malcolm has donated his lifetime’s collection of books on the history of art to the School. During his time at the School, Malcolm produced many plays and musicals. Bringing Victorian music-hall entertainments to the local care homes gave him much delight. He would have been thrilled to see last winter’s production of Our House , the Olivier transformed into Camden Town in the 1980s, rigged with a revolving stage on which our pupils sang tunes from Madness. Read an enthusiastic review of the play by Sixth Former Mikhail Aslam on page 40. Enjoy other windows into the vibrant co-curricular life of the School on pages 15, 22 and 34, as we look back on the Dance Shows, the Battle

As another academic year at the School closes, it is my great pleasure to introduce you to the 2025 edition of the Chronicle . Henry Kendall marked the beginning of his tenure as Warden in 1925 with the creation of the boarding house system at the School. As we celebrate the centenary of his inspired decision, we look back on the history of House life and House spirit at Teddies with images curated from our Archives (from page 16). Boarding is also among the themes of my interview with Tracy van der Heiden, starting on page 6, in which I have offered some reflections on the importance of the sense of community and togetherness fostered through the Houses. St Edward’s accepted the first girls into the Sixth Form in 1982. As we see other schools in the sector increasingly making the move towards co-education, James Bowen, St Edward’s Fellow in English, looks afresh at the School’s co-educational philosophy on page 24, interviewing senior members of staff and considering how the School’s history of inclusivity equips our leavers to lead happy and fulfilling lives beyond Teddies. We mourn the death and celebrate the life of Malcolm Oxley, a pillar of the St Edward’s community, on page 44.

The Chronicle Editor-in-Chief: Tracy van der Heiden Editor: Bonnie Robinson robinsonb@stedwardsoxford.org Contributing Editor: Chris Nathan, School Archivist of the Bands and Gaudy productions, and marvel at the stunning work which has been produced in our art studios by this year’s leavers on pages 36 to 37. The photograph below was discovered in the School Archive this year. It shows members of the Gillett family reading the Chronicle and enjoying a cup of tea in the Warden’s Garden in the 1890s. Zannah and I very much hope that you can find a similarly sunny and restful summer’s afternoon on which to sit back and read this edition. We look forward to seeing you in September.

Picture Editor: Anna Cole Design: Chris York Design Find out more

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The Gillett family reading the Chronicle with a cup of tea in the Warden's Garden c .1890