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

P AGE N O : 8 The top stone of the Chapel Spire laid on 25 th November by Algernon Simeon ‘in a Bucket raised by block and tackle, with a surpliced choir grouped on the top most scaffolding in pouring rain, singing appropriate psalms and antiphons’ (Chronicle, Autumn 1988). Teachers who live outside the School have a tough time commuting, as the lack of draining services in Summertown often results in flooding underfoot 1877 - Chapel and burying-ground consecrated on 5 th June by the Bishop of Oxford, John Mackarness (Box 12) Work on first Chapel Organ ( by Vowles ) commences in September Algernon Simeon adopts title of Warden Work commences to provide two further Fives Courts and a Playground (with shelter) at the northern end of the School’s premises Agreement reached between the Warden and his Headmaster, the Reverend Herbert Dalton, to have the use of a house called henceforth ‘The New Buildings’ ( William Wilkinson design ) to be erected on the south side of the Quad . Simeon will provide £2,000 (£312,000 today) towards the costs and Dalton will pay 5% of any interest on loans taken out to complete the outlay (Oxley, 2015). In a personal note left by Simeon after he left the School in 1894 he writes: ‘In 1882, the large house called ‘The New Buildings’ was added - very much against my will; but in accordance with an indefinite promise of providing a boarding house for the Reverend H.A. Dalton. He claimed the fulfillment of the promise upon the marriage with my sister (Mabel) and I felt bound to carry it out’ (Box 17) 1878 - Work on the Lodge (or Porter’s House) commences ( William Wilkinson design ) ‘which provided security from trespassers, also afforded rooms for three Masters’ (Simeon, School Roll 1898) The ‘Hollies’ house in South Parade completed for the use of un-married Masters (later a Sick House then quarters for domestic staff) (Hill, 1963) Nine acres rented from the Duke of Marlborough Estate across the Woodstock Road from the School at a cost of £160 per year (£25,120 today). 1879 - Chapel bells hung on 3 rd March, cast by John Taylor & Sons of Loughborough, numbering four in all and weighing in at 29 cwt. The cost is £280 (£45,080 today) (N. Hunter, 2013). They are first rung on March 1st 1879 (Hill, 1963) The Lodge completed in August, first housing the Headmaster, the Reverend Dalton, until his marriage and the completion of the New Buildings; contractors are Symm & Co. a builder who will have a long association with St. Edward’s Upper South Side Cricket Field completed Quadrangle laid out and Big School building commences ( William Wilkinson design ) Cloisters ( William Wilkinson design ) between the Main Buildings to the Chapel completed at year-end Nearly all existing buildings re-decorated The ground on which Field House (later Corfe House) ( William Wilkinson design ) is to be built is rented from the Duke of Marlborough at a rate of £130 and 5 Shillings per year (£20,950 today) plus £50 (£8050 today) per acre for any ‘turf dug up’ (Box 15)