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

P AGE N O : 43 Warden Kendall’s first term also coincides with the largest pupil population ever in the School’s history. ‘With boys already sleeping in every available corner, feeding in Field House, and with a marquee on the north side of the Chapel still in use as a Changing-Room’ (Hill, 1963). An extra line of pews is added in Chapel and further seats in the Organ loft introduced to accommodate everyone Algernon Simeon takes temporary lodgings at 237 Woodstock Road, while his own new cottage in Davenant Road is re-decorated. Nearby in St. Margaret’s Road resides Simeon’s old colleague from the New Inn Hall Days, the Reverend Arthur Cowie The Class Room situation considered critical with ‘boys being taught in the same rooms in which they lived’ (Hill, 1963) Governors agree to spend £150 (£12,345 today) for ‘the erection of garages’. Also ‘a report was presented on moving the current location of the School Farm’ (Committee Meeting, May 1925) Governors agree to a suggestion from the Warden to ask Harold Rogers to investigate re-planning the existing Dining Room, Kitchen premises, servants quarters, lavatories and Changing Room facilities (Committee Meeting May, 1925). 1926 - Negotiations concluded for the purchase of a piece of land for a future School Boat House, the freehold of one acre situated near the point of the little promontory on which the Trout Inn stands at Godstow. Price is £200 (£16,400 today) with funds provided by the S.E.S. Society. Further land adjacent to this site is purchased 1931 and 1943 (Box 15) 46 acres of land between St. Edward’s Avenue and the L.N.W.R. (later L.M.S.) railway line ‘running up nearly to Wolvercote’ rented to increase the pasture for the School herds of cows and pigs as well as for additional hay fields. Another rationale is to forestall any further encroachment and enclosure from builders New development plans including a new Armoury, Changing Rooms and School Shop are put on hold due to many other more urgent repairs and decoration activity. Also the increase in School pupil numbers necessitates a re-think of these plans. The new School Shop should start building by November 1926 as soon as the current Changing Room has been ‘cleared away’ (October Chronicle). Even when a way forward is agreed, there is a last minute re-think by Warden Kendall who realises that the proposed site (where the Cowell’s-Segar’s Block later stood) would preclude any further development of the Quad and ‘hastily (with the builders already on site) moves the whole plot north beyond the Chapel Electric lighting installed throughout the Main Buildings, Field House and the Lodge (Hill, 1963) Nation’s General Strike hits the School hard with all on-going building coming to halt as well hindering the start of term with no transport services available Governors agree to the expenditure of up to £150 (£12,300 today) to the ‘deepening and repair of the Outdoor Bath of which £65 (£5,330 today)would be forthcoming from the O.S.E.’ (Committee Meeting, October 1926) The northward expansion of Oxford forces the School to re-emphasis the need ‘to make such purchases of vacant land as will secure the School from being enclosed with streets and houses’ (Governors’ Meeting, November 1926) Affiliation with Woodard Society ceases. 1927 - ‘The new Armoury is rapidly approaching completion, and the Shop has made much progress’ (February 1927 Chronicle)