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

P AGE N O : 46 pique’ withdraws his collaboration ‘rather than lower his estimates’ and this plan is largely dropped (Hill, 1963) Another prospective plan is to divide the present Dining Hall into Day-Rooms, while ‘a New Hall with dormitories above would run due north towards South Parade, starting on the site of where the kitchens stand today’. This plan too is dropped ‘The traffic on the Woodstock Road is an ever-increasing source of danger. Sooner or later we shall have a bad accident there. I would urge that a subway be built under the road to join the end of the Quad and the playing fields. This should be incorporated in the Development Plan’ (Henry Kendall, at the Governors’ Meeting, November 1927) Acquisition of 15 acres of farmland, carrying the School property ‘right up to Wolvercote’, from the Duke of Marlborough’s Estate Space and funds found for the ‘Haircutting Room’ ( under the auspices of R.S.M. Merry ) on the ground floor of Macnamara’s House (Committee Meeting, October 1927) Mr. Alan Wilding (Common Room) given permission to erect his own house on an agreed site of the new Apsley Paddox property which will cost £1,100 (£90,970 today). (Committee Meeting, November 1927) Despite the War Memorial Buildings having opened in 1925, two years later the Governors are still wrestling with claims and counter claims regarding building costs involved, strikes that occurred during building and fines on the builders. A ‘final settlement figure of £831 (£68,723 today) is agreed and agreement is expected no later than February 1928’ (Committee Meeting, November 1927) Seating in Chapel needs to be increased by narrowing the aisle to 3ft 6inches and the substitution of pews instead of chairs. Also a second door should be made in the Chancel and new ventilation installed. Expected cost for all these changes £275 (£22,742 today) (Governors’ Meeting, November 1927) Stone staircase to be provided in Big School at a cost ‘not exceeding £300’ (£24,810 today) (Governors’ Meeting, November 1927) School Governors agree to delegate to the School Committee (later General Purposes) decisions in all matters except the election of Warden and Governors, power to invest or borrow money, power to purchase or sell land or houses, power to erect or remove buildings and the right to hear appeals as provided by the Article of Association (Governors’ Meeting, May 1927). 1928 - Garden in front of new School Shop laid out The name of Brook Taylor Kitchin, a London-based architect with an office in Oxford, mentioned for the first time in the Governors’ Meeting notes of February 1928. He successfully quotes a better price for forthcoming work on the ‘new Dining Hall with Dormitory above’ than the existing School architect Harold Rogers. Kitchin’s price is £1,200 (£101,640) and his scheme is finally agreed by the Governors at their meeting in March 1928 when it is noted that ‘Mr. Rogers’ scheme is more expensive and does not give the advantage of additional living rooms’. The Chairman of Governors agrees to meet with Rogers to see whether he was prepared to collaborate with Kitchin in his design (he was unsuccessful) Governors approve the estimates for a subway (£1,500 - £127,050 today)- H.M. Best design ) under the Woodstock Road, a bold extension to the Dining Room into the Quadrangle including a Masters’ Common Room (£5,000 - £423,500 today) and the erection of a Laboratory Block (£7,500 - £635,250