Author Archives: Bob Goodenough

A History of Radley College

Clare Sargent, the archivist for Radley College, described its 160 year history in her talk to the Society in November. In March, 1847 Robert Corbet Singleton gathered together Rev. William Small, a moral philosopher, Edwin Monk, a musician, and Edmund Wade to “take tea”. Schools were deemed to be out of control and the group’s ideal was to create a school founded on Christian values to civilise boys by surrounding them with beauty and culture. Staff and boys were to be thought equals in learning regardless of age differences.

Robert Corbet Singleton

The group established their criteria for a suitable location realising the need for a school to be settled to succeed. Radley Hall, situated in its 1000 year old country estate, with Capability Brown landscaped parkland and pond, just 4 miles from Oxford and 2 miles from Abingdon, near London, railway and river, fulfilled the criteria. The building was leased for 21 years despite its unsuitability to accommodate a school, and the lack of money for the project. Other facilities were provided in the former Jacobean residence on site, still linked to this day by a tunnel to the Hall. An old barn was relocated to provide a schoolroom, a chapel was built , and in 1859 a dormitory constructed with individual cubicles to allow the boys privacy. The boys were to wear academic dress, to be gentlemanly, not luxurious, and self-controlled. Philip Wood was appointed Warden (Head-Master). Fasting was the rule on Sundays and as no jam was provided boys clubbed together to buy their own. A bell tower was built with the first money raised. After three months there were 4 staff and 3 boys. In time Prefects were established in the Socials (Houses) and in 1863 a choir was formed. Sport was important and continues to be so.

The old schoolroom is now the Library and the old desk lids carved with former boys’ names demonstrate their boredom: the desk space was each one’s valued private space. The College had grown by the 1920’s and has continued to do so. In subsequent years numerous additional buildings have been erected on the site and 690 boys aged from 13 to 18 are currently accommodated.

Former College boys were awarded distinguished medals in each World War: Oswald Austin Read, a wicket keeper while at Radley, was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1917 for his part in the Battle of Baghdad, and Charles Howard, who was honoured for his bomb disposal work in 1944. In 1940 Eastbourne School chose to relocate to Radley, posing a problem as to which was the home team when they played a rugby match.

Local Oxfordshire talks – November 2015

Information provided by the OLHA (www.olha.org.uk)

November 2015

3^rd – Henley – Gary Lock “Excavations at Marcham, Oxon – A big Roman and Iron Age Site”. Kings Arms Barns, Market Place, 7:45pm.

3^rd – Hook Norton – Bill King “The Upper Thames Patrol”. Baptist Church Hall, Netting Street, 7:30pm.

4^th – Otmoor – Tim Hallchurch “The Development of English Furniture since 1600”. Islip Village Hall, 8:00pm.

5^th – Eynsham – Martin Flatman “JRRTolkien: The life of an Unusual Oxford Don”. St Leonard’s Church Hall, Thames Street, 7:30pm.

9^th – Chipping Norton – Stephen Wass “William Castle – a Notable Banbury Eccentric and Morris Fool”. Methodist Room, West Street, 7:30pm.

9^th – Goring & Streatley – Liz Woolley “The night-time haven of the wandering tribes: The common lodging house in Victorian England”. Goring Village Hall, 2:30pm.

9^th– Radley – Stephen Barker “The City of Oxford during the Civil War 1642-46”. Primary School Hall, 7:30pm.

10^th – Marcham – Rosemary Kitto “The Hush-Hush Factory in Tubney Woods”. Marcham church, 7:45pm.

10^th – Sutton Courtenay – Ann Gould “The History of Abingdon”. Village Hall, 7:30pm.

12^th – Banbury – Kate Tiller “The Great War at Home”, preceded by a short film about Banbury’s WW1 munitions factory. Banbury Museum, Spiceball Park Road, 7:00pm.

12^th – Wootton & Dry Sandford – Clare Sargent “A History of Radley College”. Wootton Community Centre, 7:30pm.

16^th – Adderbury – Michael Picker “Adderbury Song and Culture Revisited”. Methodist Chapel, Chapel Lane, 7:30pm.

16^th – Bicester – John Leighfield “Putting Bicester on the Map: from Gough to Google”. Clifton Centre, Ashdene Road, 7:30pm.

16^th – Kennington – David Holt “Vincent: His Life and Art”. Methodist Church, Upper Road, 7:45pm.

17^th – Clanfield and Bampton – Andrew Sargent “The Observer Observed: the Photography of John Gay”. Carter Institute, Clanfield, 7:30pm.

17^th – Iffley – Elizabeth Wells “Iffley’s Alice and her legacy”. Church Hall, Church Way, 7:30pm.

19^th – Sibfords – Dr Richard Buckley “Richard III: The King under the Car Park”. Village Hall, Sibford Gower, 8:00pm.

19^th – Whitchurch & Goring Heath – Clive Williams “Basildon revisited”. Goring Heath Parish Hall, 8:00pm.

23^rd – Oxfordshire Family History Society – Tony Hadland “Papists at the Manor – The Yates and Throckmortons of the Vale of White Horse”. Exeter Hall, Oxford Road, Kidlington, 8:00pm.

24^th – Enstone – Jeremy Burton “The Late Queen Mother’s Jewels”. Venue tbc (contact 01608 677246, carolawt@gmail.com), 7:30pm.

24^th – Hanney – Liz Woolley “The Coming of the Railway to Oxford”. War Memorial Hall, 8:00pm.

24^th– Kidlington – Bill Heine “A shark’s tale”. St John Ambulance Hall, High Street, 7:50pm.

25^th – Dorchester – Jane MacDonald “Feasts and Feasting”. Village Hall, 7:30pm.

Christ’s Hospital in Abingdon

At our October meeting Jackie Smith, the archivist for Christ’s Hospital in Abingdon, gave an interesting and detailed account of the foundation and development of the charity.
Christ’s Hospital was established in 1553 by Royal Charter of Edward V1. Sir John Mason, a Tudor diplomat born in Abingdon played a major role in gaining the charter for the new charitable foundation. Roger Amyce plus local men, including Richard Mayotte, Thomas Tesdale and Oliver Hyde contributed to the expense of obtaining the charter.
The main obligation of the charity was to care for the Long Alley almspeople who were to receive 8 pence per week, 1 shilling at Easter and 5 shillings a year for clothing: gown and hoods for the women and gown and hats for the men.

Sir John Mason

In addition, the charity shouldered the maintenance of the town’s bridges including those constructed by the Fraternity of the Holy Cross – a medieval religious guild. They also maintained the bridge over the River Ock to the west and the medieval arched stone bridge at the confluence of the Thames and Ock known as St. Helen’s Bridge.

Christ’s Hospital were also involved in the education of Abingdon boys from 1608 onwards. They administered and appointed Bennett scholars and Tesdale ushers at Abingdon School. An usher taught 6 poor boys at the school.

The History Society would like to thank Jackie Smith for her informative talk.