The Building of St Edward's School: A Chronology (1870 - 2020)

P AGE N O : 20

1906 - Duke of Marlborough confirms via his agent and to Lord Aldenham (School Trustee) that if there are any plans to sell the leased grounds opposite the School, St. Edward’s will have first claim and that no other sale will be agreed without consulting the School’s Trustees first (Council Meeting, March 1906) Warden and Council discuss the desirability of purchasing ‘Wiblin’s Field’, just east of the Chapel (Council Meeting, October 1906) - this despite earlier bad feeling between the Simeon and Charles Wiblin, a butcher of Summertown, which has now been reconciled School in discussion with the Oxford City Council ‘to adopt some route for the new tramway lines which will not bring the tramways past the School gates’ (Council Meeting, October 1906). 1907 - School Shop (at western end of collection of huts along the north wall) and the adjoining Carpenter’s Shop enlarged in April, the former felt to be ‘too dark’ internally - total cost £50 (£8,200 today) (Council Meeting, October 1906). 1909 - Changes made to existing buildings to facilitate an extended playground Main Buildings Day Rooms re-named ‘Canada’ (the Shell Form Room) previously a Library 1873-1881, ‘New Zealand’ (the Lower Fourth Form Room), ‘Jamaica’ (the Upper Third Form Room) and ‘Ceylon’ (a Room for younger members of the Fifth and Sixth Forms) A new Changing Room (originally the Third Form Room) and ‘Drying Room’ provided, relieving Old Sick house in the New Buildings converted into a Tutor’s Room for Rev John Bussell (O.S.E. and new member of the Common Room). Also another Master’s Sitting Room provided on the upper floor Regarding the purchase of ‘Wiblin’s Field’, Charles Wiblin is asking £800 (£129,600 today) which the School Council feels is too high, with £500 (£81,000 today) being nearer the true valuation. The consensus is that there is little chance of this acreage being used for other building purposes (Council Meeting, March 1907) Duke of Marlborough’s agent intimates that despite what had been said earlier the Duke is perfectly happy to renew the lease of the playing fields in terms of years rather than a ‘bi-annual’ basis (Council Meeting, May 1909). 1910 - Agreement reached to purchase the freehold of 19.5 acres of land on the western side (and opposite) the School from the Duke of Marlborough Estate. Deal completed in 1911 at a price of £6,900 (£1,110,900 today). Great rejoicing at the School, thought to be its salvation at the time. Another stained-glass window is installed in Chapel, in memory of O.S.E. who had recently lost their lives in public service in India. Designed by H.W. Bryans , an artist of the Kempe school, the window is congested areas in the Box Room and under the stairs New hot water furnace installed in the Main Buildings Minor changes to existing dormitories and Class Rooms Masters’ Common Room moved to the Lodge from Big School

placed on the north side of the nave, next to the pulpit Wooden panelling installed at the upper end of Dining Hall