----
Berkhamsted School is an
independent schoolAn independent school is a school which is independent in terms of its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some...
in
HertfordshireHertfordshire , abbreviated Herts, is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford....
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, formed in 1997 by the amalgamation of the original
Berkhamsted School, founded in 1541 by
John IncentJohn Incent was Dean of St Paul's Cathedral between 1540 and 1545, and the founder of Berkhamsted Collegiate School.Incent studied at the University of Cambridge and later at All Souls College, Oxford...
,
Dean of St Paul's CathedralThe Dean of St Paul's is the head of the Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral in London, England and an extremely influential position in the Church of England. The current Dean is Graeme Knowles, formerly Bishop of Sodor and Man. He was installed on 1 October 2007...
,
Berkhamsted School for Girls, established in 1888, and
Berkhamsted Preparatory School. The new merged school was initially called "Berkhamsted Collegiate School", but reverted to Berkhamsted School in December 2008.
Berkhamsted today is a "
diamond schoolDiamond School is a term that applies to a type of Independent school in the UK that combines both single-sex and coeducational teaching in the same organisation...
" in which pupils are taught coeducationally in both the Prep School and
Sixth FormThe sixth form , in the English, Welsh and Northern Irish education systems, Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Belize, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, and Malta is the final two years of secondary schooling when students are sixteen to eighteen years of age and normally prepare...
, but independently in the traditional Senior years, between the ages of 11 and 16. The school has three main sites: the Prep School, the Castle Street Campus and Kings Road Campus (the latter two being the original boys' and girls' schools respectively).
The School is noted variously for its distinctive collegiate structure, the particular strength of its
lacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin that is played using a small solid rubber ball and a long-handled racquet called a crosse or lacrosse stick. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose netting that is designed to hold the lacrosse ball...
sides and for participation in the life of the local community. The current Principal is Mr Mark Steed and the school has some 1500 students and 200 staff. Mr Mark Steed replaced Dr Priscilla Chadwick on the 1st September 2008 when Dr Chadwick retired. Mr Steed was previously headmaster of
Kelly CollegeKelly College is a coeducational independent school situated in the outskirts of Tavistock, Devon, with around 350 students ranging from ages 11 to 18; there is an associated preparatory school for younger children, Kelly College Preparatory School, nearby...
in Tavistock, Devon.
House system
All Berkhamsted pupils belong to a
HouseThe house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in ex-British colonies. Historically it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
throughout their time at the School. Each House is run by a House Master or Mistress supported by several House Tutors. Together they are responsible for providing pastoral support for their pupils and serve as the primary link between parents and the School. Houses are both physical environments and communities, each forming a distinct entity within the larger organisation of the School itself. Pupils attend their house for morning and afternoon registration, to play games throughout the day, and for the majority of the administration which governs their time at the School. They also participate in School events on behalf of their House.
Senior boys' houses
- Adders was formed in 1915 to accommodate the so-called "train boys" who, by nature of their daily commute to school, were often excluded from School activities. 'Adders' may be a casual abbreviation of "the add-on house" or, more probably, a contraction of 'Adlebert House', now the Chaplain's residence. Adders is situated in a separate building next to Newcroft and it takes the ground floor while Fry's house uses the top floor. Current house master is Mr David Pain.
- Bees, dating back to 1897 and situated on Mill Street next to Swifts. Current Head of House is Mr Andrew Lansdell
- Cox's, opened in 1958 in response to the growing numbers of day boys. Named after Cuthbert Cox. This house takes a whole separate building and is located next to the Tesco
Tesco plc is a UK-based international grocery and general merchandising retail chain. It is the largest British retailer by both global sales and domestic market share, with profits exceeding £3 billion. It is currently the third largest global retailer based on revenue, behind Wal-Mart and...
carpark. Current house master Mr Ben Evers.
- Fry's is named after one of Berkhamsted's most successful Headmasters - Dr Fry. It is located above Adders. Current house master Dr Paul Hundal.
- Greenes, found along the Cloisters of the Grass Quad. The School's association with the Greene family is recognised in its name. Current house master is Mr Richard Thompson.
- Incents, both a boarding and day boy house. The boarding accommodation is situated along Chesham Road, and is the birth place of Graham Greene
Henry Graham Greene OM, CH was an English author, playwright and literary critic. His works explore the ambivalent moral and political issues of the modern world...
. The House is named after John Incent, the School's founder. This house has its main entrance in the cloisters between Loxwood and Greenes. Current house master is Mr David Wiles--to be replaced in September 2010.
- Loxwood, also found along the Cloisters. This house was named after a former girls' school house. Current house master is Peter Northcroft.
- Swifts, established at the same time as Bees. Current house master is Mr Martin Pett.
That at least three of the eight Senior Boys' Houses appear to be named after various fauna was not always intentional. When Swifts and Bees were formed in 1897, they were to be called 'A' and 'B' respectively, but the former's first House Master considered this dull, naming his House 'Swifts'. 'Bees' is thus
phoneticPhonetics is a branch of linguistics that comprises the study of the sounds of human speech. It is concerned with the physical properties of speech sounds , and their physiological production, auditory perception, and neurophysiological status.Phonetics was studied as early as 2500 years ago in...
. 'Adders' is wholly fortuitous; 'Reeves' and 'Hawks', now 6
th Form Houses, add to the confusion. Richard Reeve was the School's first Headmaster; Hawks was named by the apparent "fauna tradition" in 1933.
Senior girls' houses
- Holme - Current Housemistress - Miss Rachel Bradley.
- New Stede Current Housemistress - Miss Rosie McColl.
- Old Stede Current Housemaster - Mr Simon Robinson.
- Russell, Opened in September 2004. Current Housemistress - Mrs Liz Richardson.
- St. Johns Current Housemistress - Mme Sylvie Shipton.
Sixth form houses
- Ashby, named after the mother of John Incent's second wife, Katherine. Current Housemaster - Mr David Richardson
- Burgh. Pronounced 'Berg'. Current Housemaster - Mr Roland Maxted
- Churchill, after Clementine Churchill, Baroness Spencer-Churchill
Clementine Ogilvy Spencer-Churchill, Baroness Spencer-Churchill, GBE, CStJ was the wife of Sir Winston Churchill and a life peeress in her own right.-Early life:...
and formerly girls' boarding accommodation. Current Housemaster - Mr Tim Grant.
- Hawks, a former junior boys' house, established in 1934. Current Housemistress - Mrs Carolyn Ryder.
- Nash, named after Henry Nash, a founder of Berkhamsted School for Girls. Current Housemaster - Mr Bob Newport.
- Reeves, named after Richard Reeve and founded as a junior boys' house, along with Hawks. - Mr Paul Harvey
- St George's, originally a junior house for the "train boys", rather like Adders. Current Housemaster - Mr Andrew Webb.
- School, variously the Headmaster's quarters and a boarding house. Current Housmaster - Mr Dick Mowbray.
- Spencer, A new sixth form house introduce in 2009 with Dr Steve Redman as it's first Housemaster.
Founding
High Clergy of the 16th Century frequently distinguished themselves by their furthering of the educational establishment and, in this respect, Berkhamsted owes much to
John IncentJohn Incent was Dean of St Paul's Cathedral between 1540 and 1545, and the founder of Berkhamsted Collegiate School.Incent studied at the University of Cambridge and later at All Souls College, Oxford...
. In 1523, he called upon the Brethren of the local Brotherhood of St John the Baptist to divert the funds they had hitherto donated to the monastic hospital (which had closed) to the Brotherhood House, about which little is known. In 1541, however, Incent applied to the King,
Henry VIIIHenry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was also Lord of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of France. Henry was the second monarch of the House of Tudor, succeeding his father, Henry VII.Henry VIII was a significant figure in the history of the English monarchy...
, in pursuit of a licence "to purchase £40 in land by the year," and was successful. Although Incent was
BerkhamstedBerkhamsted is a historic town which is situated in the west of Hertfordshire, between the towns of Tring and Hemel Hempstead. It is in the administrative district of Dacorum....
's most famous descendant, it is considered an act of great piety that he chose to found a School outside what had become his
Sphere of InfluenceIn the field of international relations, a sphere of influence is an area or region over which a state or organization has significant cultural, economic, military or political influence....
.
By 1544, Berkhamsted School's first building, now known as 'Old Hall' was complete, later to be described by
William CamdenWilliam Camden was an English antiquarian, historian, and officer of arms. He wrote the first topographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and the first detailed historical account of the reign of Elizabeth I of England.- Early years :Camden was born in London...
as "the only structure in Berkhamsted worth a second glance." The formal opening is recorded in the Ancient Documents:
When the building of the said Schoole was thus finished, the Deane sent for the chiefe men of the Towne into the Schoole, where he kneeling downe, gave thanks to Almighty God, which had given him life to see the perfection of that work, which both he, the towne and the country had beene about for the space of 20 years as is manifest by the pmisses. First he read his licence. Then he called for Richd Reeve, and placed him in the seate there made for the Schoolemr. and so did ordaine, make and pnounce him to be the first Master of the said Schoole and after that tooke him by the hand and did give him and his successors for ever possession of the lodgings appteining to that office. In like manner he placed John Audley to be Usher , and John East to be Chaplen. This done he did give possession by his deed bearing date the 23 of March in the 36 yeare of Henry the 8 to the said Richd Reeve John Audley and John East and their successours for ever, of all the land to the sd Schoole then appointed, which are expressed pticularly in an act of pliamt. made 2 & 3 Ed 6. Finally the Deane began TE DEUM LAUDAMUS which being finished with certaine other praiers and ceremonies, the whole Companie did there drink together and so depted.
Yet the legal foundation was not nearly so sound. When Incent died some 18 months later, his entire wealth (over £330) became the King's, his documents stating that Berkhamsted's founder, a highly educated lawyer, had died
intestateIntestacy is the condition of the estate of a person who dies owning property greater than the sum of his enforceable debts and funeral expenses without having made a valid will or other binding declaration; alternatively where such a will or declaration has been made, but only applies to part of...
. The authenticity of this claim is rightly questioned: shortly after Incent's death, a complaint was made to the King "by some evill persons that the Deane had laid to the Schoole more revenues than his licence [£40 annually] did permitt him." Furthermore, Henry VIII stood to gain £196 and "a front of pearls" from the Dean's estate. However, there had been no formal incorporation of the School, and records suggest that Incent had spent much time since the opening preparing, but not realising, legal protection. An investigation into the claims that his annual endowment had been exceeded was commissioned and undertaken by John Waterhouse, a favourite not only of the King, but also a confidant of Incent, who had been present at the Opening. His choice of Commissioner suggests the Foundation still had Royal approval, something that had allowed the School to survive the first attack against it. The most enduring legacy of the Foundation nonetheless remains the building itself, "strong and fair".
A Delicate establishment
Incent's death, which itself had created a threat to the School, was followed by that of Henry VIII in January 1547. The Chantries Act 1546, which could have jeopardised the post of Chaplain at Berkhamsted, was replaced by new legislation, and the Foundation was declared "unperfect". A Foundation Act was introduced in parliament to settle the various claims to the Incent estate, but only those concerning the most immediate relatives of John. Thus claims to land of the School's endowment in
SparkfordSparkford is a village and civil parish in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the village of Weston Bampfylde....
near
WinchesterWinchester is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. It lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of the River Itchen...
were made and tried, resulting in significant loss to the School.
An additional threat came when
Edward VIEdward VI became King of England and Ireland on 28 January 1547 and was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first Protestant ruler. During Edward’s reign, the realm was governed by a...
, acting on advice, re-established the School under his own name. In reality, there was both initial benefit and ultimate disadvantage in this. Richard Reeve, the first Headmaster, held strict Protestant views, and was dismissed by the
Bishop of LincolnThe Bishop of Lincoln heads the Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury. The bishops were in communion with the See of Rome until the English Reformation of the 1530s....
, acting upon
Queen MaryMary I , was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 19 July 1553 until her death. She was the oldest daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. The fourth crowned monarch of the Tudor dynasty, she is remembered for restoring England to Roman Catholicism after succeeding her short-lived...
's instructions, in 1555. He was replaced by William Barker, who no doubt offered an alternative religious policy, for he himself was removed when
ElizabethElizabeth I was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called the Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
gained the throne.
Fulfillment under Saltmarsh and Hunt
Just like his predecessors, William Saltmarsh was a strongly academic character, but enjoyed a longer Headmastership than either Reeve or Barker. The latter had appointed Leonard Stepney as Usher, but he lost his post in 1571 on charges of harbouring a
CatholicThe word Catholic is derived from the Greek adjective , meaning "universal". In the context of Christian ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages. For some, the term "Catholic Church" refers to the church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, made up of the Latin Rite and the 22...
priestA priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities. Their office or position is the priesthood, a term which may also apply to such persons collectively.Priests and priestesses...
. His successor, John Bristowe, had a still more colourful end, murdered gruesomely in 1597 by a local
yeomanYeoman refers to a farmer who cultivates his own land, historically a lesser freeholder of England, below the gentry but with political rights. More generally, yeoman can be an indicator of a position or social class, varying over time and place, or a diligent, dependable worker. A yeoman could...
. Although this would no doubt have caused Saltmarsh concern, this was otherwise a most successful period in the history of Berkhamsted School. Pupil numbers continued to increase, and a handful of Berkhamstedians, as they would become known, achieved notoriety.
By 1616, some years after Saltmarsh's death, it was written
Scholae Ludimagister cum 33 annos eidem praefuisset amplam pecuniam testamento suo moriens legavit reficiendis his aedibus
Quite why the building (by which it is meant Old Hall) had fallen into disrepair under an otherwise successful Headmaster is uncertain, but through his donation Saltmarsh had decisively added himself to Berkhamsted's list of benefactors.
All available evidence, of which there is admittedly little, suggests that the Hunt years were also successful ones for the School. His period in the office probably witnessed greater stability in the School than in his personal life - he was married as many as four times - and there was praise for his leadership, a former pupil recording "much reverence and affect" for Hunt. It also appears that he took as active a part in the life of Berkhamsted as had become and remains a tradition, serving as overseer for the poor and
BailiffA bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
as well as contributing to church funds. He died in office, aged 70, in 1636.
Shorter tenures
There were two hereditary Headmasterships in the history of Berkhamsted School, neither of which was successful. The first was that of Henry Hunt, a graduate of
Trinity College, OxfordThe College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol and Blackwells, and opposite...
, who died within six months of succeeding his father; the second was to come in the 19th century. Hunt's successor, William Pitkin, was not quite the academic of former Berkhamsted days. Yet he was clearly a prominent member of local society, having served as
Member of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a parliament. In many countries the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a unique title, such as senate, and thus also have unique titles for its members, such as senators. Members of...
for Berkhamsted, and whose descendants included U.S. Supreme Court judges and
Oliver WolcottOliver Wolcott was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence and also the Articles of Confederation as a representative of Connecticut....
, a signatory of the
Declaration of IndependenceA declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
. In England, however, the political environment began to take its toll on Berkhamsted.
Berkhamsted, situated along a route between
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
and the battlefields of the
English Civil WarThe English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists. The first and second civil wars pitted the supporters of King Charles I against the supporters of the Long Parliament, while the third war saw fighting between supporters of...
, became the subject of
ParliamentaryThe Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories. It alone has parliamentary sovereignty, conferring upon it ultimate power over all other political bodies in the UK and its territories...
action to preserve the town. Pitkin's death is recorded in the parish register of
Fleet StreetFleet Street is a street in London, England named after the River Fleet. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s. Even though the last major British news office, Reuters, left in 2005, the street's name continues to be used as a metonym for the British national press.-History and...
,
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
in September 1643; in his history, Williams suggests Pitkin may have visited London in an attempt to obtain protection for the School, instead dying of the
PlagueThe Black Death was one of the deadliest pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. It is widely thought to have been an outbreak of bubonic plague caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, but this view has recently been challenged...
. He was succeeded by Timothy Taylor, until then Usher, but the conditions of the period deny history any formal details, except that his death in 1648 was probably also a result of Plague. Ogle (1648-1651/2) witnessed local controversy resulting from the Civil War and it was likely that the School's seemingly relentless decline had begun in earnest by the time of his tenure, with student numbers falling from 80 to under 10 over three decades.
Such was the confusion of the period that it is uncertain whether Peter Berkenhead ever even served as Headmaster, although the weight of evidence suggests that he did (however insignificantly). This series of less distinguished office-holders is no doubt attributable in part to the Civil War; further, since the value of money had for so long been falling, the annual pay, having been set at the Foundation, was insufficient for such a post by the end of the 17th century.
The Fossan saga
Thomas Fossan, a friend of
Samuel PepysSamuel Pepys, FRS was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament, who is now most famous for his diary. Although Pepys had no maritime experience, he rose by patronage, hard work and his talent for administration, to be the Chief Secretary to the Admiralty under both King Charles II...
, petitioned the
KingCharles II was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father King Charles I was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War. The English Parliament did not proclaim Charles II king at this time. Instead they passed a statute making such a...
for the Berkhamsted job in December 1662. His motive in doing so is unclear, himself recognising that "by reason of its small salary" it was not highly sought, but mostly since, having realised his ambition, Fossan so neglected his duties. Indeed, such was the strength of feeling against Fossan that the very same people who had recommended him in 1662 wrote to the authorities six years later in the name of "the trust imposed in [them] by the founders of the schoole" that the Headmaster be removed. When the charges were put to him (that both he and his Usher had spent much time away from the School, that the boys' knowledge of grammar was minimal and that the townspeople had taken to lodging the scholars in light of the School's failure so to do), Fossan replied that "he cared not whether he had any scholars or not, for the fewer he had the less trouble he should have." His forced resignation followed shortly after.
'So Mean a School'
It is some indication of the extent of Berkhamsted's degeneration under Fossan that his successor, Edmund Newboult, was recommended by the
Bishop of HerefordThe Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury.The see is in the City of Hereford where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Ethelbert which was founded as a cathedral in 676.The Bishop's residence is...
as "of parts sufficient for so mean a school," an endorsement described as "comically unenthusiastic". The most prominent historical source on Newboult remains a reply he made to an educational researcher some years into his tenure, noting that "Ye Statues of ye Schoole were made in ye time of popery, therefore not observed." During his 17 years of office, Newboult does appear to have provided a solid educational environment at Berkhamsted, at least relatively speaking, something continued under his successor, Thomas Wren. In his wake came John Theed, member of a prosperous
BuckinghamshireBuckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury and the largest town in ceremonial Buckinghamshire is Milton Keynes....
family, and Berkhamsted's longest serving Headmaster. Indeed, throughout the 18th Century, there were to be only four occupants of the post, an age not only of stability but stagnation. Nonetheless, the three inspections carried out during the Theed years found no cause for concern, and in their record is revealed the first reference to curriculum content, the boys having been examined on
OvidPublius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who wrote about love, seduction, and mythological transformation....
's
MetamorphosesThe Metamorphoses by the Roman poet Ovid is a narrative poem in fifteen books that describes the creation and history of the world. Completed in 8 AD, it has remained one of the most popular works of mythology, being the Classical work best known to medieval writers and thus having a great deal of...
.
Theed was the School's second pluralist (it is no inspiration that the first was Fossan): his obituary in
The Gentleman's MagazineThe Gentleman's Magazine was founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January, 1731. The original complete title was The Gentleman's Magazine: or, Trader's monthly intelligencer. Cave's innovation was to create a monthly digest of news and commentary on any topic the educated public might be...
recorded him as Vicar of
MarsworthMarsworth is a village and also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England. It is about two miles north of Tring, in Hertfordshire and six miles east of Aylesbury.-Early History:...
and made no mention of his Berkhamsted role - some suggest this is characteristic of an insouciant, unambitious approach to the School. A similar charge could not be made against Evan Price. Having served as Usher for 16 of Theed's less proactive years, Price had become accustomed to the day-to-day running of the School. On Theed's death in 1734, his succession, still the jurisdiction of the
SovereignGeorge II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death....
, brought Price to the Headmastership, despite his not having attended
universityA university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
and his flamboyant record - as
curateFrom the Latin curatus , a curate is a person who is invested with the care, or cure , of souls of a parish. In this sense it correctly means a parish priest. In Anglican churches, however, the term is usually used for an assistant priest or deacon...
of
BovingdonBovingdon is a large village in the Chiltern Hills, in Hertfordshire, England, four miles south-west of Hemel Hempstead and within the local authority area of Dacorum. It forms the largest part of the ward of Bovingdon, Flaunden and Chipperfield, which had a population of 8,819 at the 2001 census. ...
, he had been involved in an "unseemly brawl" during a burial he was officiating.
Traditions
- The School's foundation is celebrated annually in October on Founder's Day. A service is held in St. Peter's Church, the parish Church of Berkhamsted
Berkhamsted is a historic town which is situated in the west of Hertfordshire, between the towns of Tring and Hemel Hempstead. It is in the administrative district of Dacorum....
.
- Carmen Berkhamstediense:
Laudata virtus crescit, et invidos
Irridet annos: non tamen, aurea
Si facta cessant, stat priorum
Laude sua cumulata virtus:
At quae refulget clarior in dies
Mens in molestis magna reliquerit
Incentis immortale nomen
Innumero generi nepotum
Developments
Berkhamsted school has seen many developments in recent years to both the Boy's and Girl's campuses. The Knox Johnston Sports Centre at Kings was opened in 2004 by The Duke of Edinburgh and features a magnificent 6 lane swimming pool and sports hall. A new Art and Design Centre at Castle block named 'The Chadwick Centre' opened in 2007 which also includes the new dining room to replace the old classrooms and the old dining room in Wingrave. 2007 also saw the 'Green Room' extension to Centenary Hall at Kings-this created more music and drama classroms that were desperatley needed as the main building was getting rather cramped for space. In 2008, Wingrave(the old dining room) was converted into a new DT block. 2009 saw a recent addition of a new sixth form house called Spencer named after John Lorraine Spencer who was previously headmaster of Berkhamsted School. In July 2009, the Chairman of Governors announced there are currently plans to demolish the Nash and Harris buildings at Kings (Girls campus) and replace them with a new block that will include new classrooms, a new 300 seat dining room (that will replace the rather cramped dining room used at the moment)and a chapel(to replace services in Centenery Hall currently used for both assembly and chapel services). Planning appilcations will be submitted in 2010 with construction expected to last 2 years meaning that the whole project (subject to planning permission and funding) could be completed by September 2012. However, there are many hurdles to overcome including very limited parking at the Girl's campus for 2 years and location of GCSE examinations (currently Nash is used as a GCSE Examination Hall for Girls)
The development plan aims to produce facilities that can compete with other schools
School mottos
The original motto of
Berkhamsted School was
virtus laudata crescit,
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe...
for "greatness increases with praise", establishing the
ideologyAn ideology is a set of aims and ideas that directs one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a...
on which the school is based.
Berkhamsted School for Girls was advised
festina lente, a Latin imperative with which
Aldus ManutiusAldus Pius Manutius , the Latinized name of Teobaldo Mannucci, sometimes called Aldus Manutius, the Elder, to distinguish him from his grandson, Aldus Manutius, the Younger, was an Italian humanist who became a printer and publisher when he founded the Aldine Press at Venice.His publishing legacy...
is credited, meaning "hurry slowly", reminiscent of the contemporary phrase "more haste less speed".
Notable Old Berkhamstedians
- Henry Atkins (1554/5–1635), President of the College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was the first medical institution in England to receive a Royal Charter. It was founded in 1518 and is one of the most active of all medical professional organisations...
, 1606–1635
- Richard Field
Richard Field was an English ecclesiological theologian associated with the work of Richard Hooker. Field's major work, Of the Church , was an affirmation of the Church of England against the Roman Catholic Church...
(1561–1616), clergyman and theologian
- Sir Algernon Methuen
Sir Algernon Methuen Marshall , was an English publisher and teacher of Classics and French. In 1889, as a sideline to teaching, Methuen began to publish and market his own textbooks under the label Methuen & Co...
(1856–1924), founder and owner, MethuenMethuen may refer to:*Sir Algernon Methuen , founder of Methuen & Co. Ltd.*Baron Methuen, a British title of nobility*Methuen, Massachusetts, a U.S. city*Methuen Publishing, Methuen & Co. Ltd., a British publishing firm...
& Co, publishers, 1889–1924
- Clementine Churchill, Baroness Spencer-Churchill
Clementine Ogilvy Spencer-Churchill, Baroness Spencer-Churchill, GBE, CStJ was the wife of Sir Winston Churchill and a life peeress in her own right.-Early life:...
(1885–1977), wife of Winston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC was a British politician known chiefly for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II. He served as Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. A noted statesman and orator, Churchill was also an officer...
- Clifford Allen, 1st Baron Allen of Hurtwood
Reginald Clifford Allen, 1st Baron Allen of Hurtwood , known as Clifford Allen, was a British politician.The son of Walter Allen, he was Secretary and General Manager of the Daily Citizen between 1911 and 1915...
(1889–1939), politician and peace campaigner
- Sir Donald Fergusson (1891–1963), Permanent Secretary
The Permanent Secretary, in most departments officially titled the Permanent Under-Secretary of State , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, 1936–1945, and Ministry of Fuel and Power, 1945–1952
- H. W. Tilman (1898–1977), mountaineer
Mountaineering is the sport, hobby or profession of walking, hiking, backpacking and climbing mountains. In Europe it is also referred to as alpinism, while in the Americas the term refers to a particular style of mountain climbing, that involves a mixture of ice climbing, rock climbing, mixed...
and sailorA sailor or mariner is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
- A. K. Chesterton
Arthur Kenneth Chesterton MC was a far right-wing politician and journalist who helped found right-wing organisations in Britain, primarily in opposition to the break-up of the British Empire, and later adopting a broader anti-immigration stance. He is not to be confused with his cousin, the...
(1899–1973), fascistFascism, , comprises a radical and authoritarian nationalist political ideology and a corporatist economic ideology developed in Italy. Fascists believe that nations and/or races are in perpetual conflict whereby only the strong can survive by being healthy, vital, and by asserting themselves in...
, and first Chairman, National FrontThe British National Front is a far-right and whites-only British political party whose major political activities were during the 1970s and 1980s. Where in the 1979 general election, in party polled 191,719 votes, 0.6% of the vote overall...
, 1967–1971
- F. S. Smythe (1900–1949), mountaineer and author
An author is defined both as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created...
- Hubert Hastings (1902–1986), Editor, Architectural Review
The Architectural Review is a monthly international architectural magazine published in London since 1896. Articles cover the built environment which includes landscape, building design, interior design and urbanism as well as theory of these subjects....
, 1927–
- Claud Cockburn
Francis Claud Cockburn was a radical English journalist controversial for communist sympathies. He was the cousin of novelist Evelyn Waugh....
(1904–1981), writer and journalist
- Graham Greene
Henry Graham Greene OM, CH was an English author, playwright and literary critic. His works explore the ambivalent moral and political issues of the modern world...
(1904–1991), author
- Bill Fiske, Baron Fiske
William Geoffrey Fiske, Baron Fiske OBE , commonly known as Bill Fiske, was the first Leader of the Greater London Council and oversaw the decimalisation of the Pound Sterling as Chairman of the Decimal Currency Board....
(1905–1975), first leader of the Greater London CouncilThe Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area.-Creation:...
, 1964–1967, and Chairman of the Decimal Currency Board
- Sir Peter Quennell
Peter Courtney Quennell was an English biographer, literary historian, editor, essayist, poet, and critic....
(1905–1993), writer and editor
- Rex Tremlett
Rex Tremlett was a gold prospector in South Africa having studied at Berkhamsted School, Hertfordshire, Camborne School of Mines in Cornwall and Michaelhouse in South Africa.He was first person to reopen a tin mine in Cornwall in 1948 at a farm called Bosinver farm...
(born 1903–1986) author and prospector
- Sir Colin Buchanan (1907–2001), town planner
- Richard Perry (born 1909), writer/naturalist
- Sir Hugh Greene
Sir Hugh Carleton Greene KCMG, OBE was a British journalist and television executive. He was the director-general of the BBC from 1960 to 1969, and is generally credited with modernising an organisation that had fallen behind in the wake of the launch of ITV in 1955.-Early life and work:Hugh was...
(1910–1987), Director-General of the BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "BBC", is the longest established and largest broadcaster in the world...
, 1960–1969
- Sir Kenneth Cork (1913–1991), accountant, and Lord Mayor of the City of London, 1978–1979
- Margot Jefferys
Margot Jefferys was Professor of Medical Sociology at Bedford College, London, from 1968 to 1982. She went to Berkhamsted Girls School....
(1916–1999), Professor of Medical SociologyMedical sociology involves the sociological analysis of medical organizations and institutions; the production of knowledges and selection of methods, the actions and interactions of healthcare professionals, and the social or cultural effects...
, Bedford College, London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, 1968–1982
- Antony Hopkins
Antony Hopkins CBE is an English composer, pianist, conductor, and radio broadcaster.Born in London under the name Ernest William Antony Reynolds , his works include the operas Lady Rohesia , The Man from Tuscany, and Three's Company ; the...
(born 1921), composer
- Stephen Dodgson
Stephen Dodgson is a British composer and broadcaster.- Biography :During World War II, he served in the Royal Navy. From 1947 to 1949, Dodgson studied at the Royal College of Music, where he later taught composition. In 1950, he visited Italy on a travelling scholarship, after which he taught in...
(born 1924), composer and broadcaster
- Victor Silvester, Jr. (1924–1999), clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet...
tist and band leader
- Paul Sieghart (1927–1988), law reformer
- Mark Boxer
Charles Mark Edward Boxer was a British magazine editor and social observer, and a political cartoonist and graphic portrait artist working under the pen-name ‘Marc’.-Personal life:...
(Marc) (1931–1988), cartoonThe word cartoon has various meanings, based on several very different forms of visual art and illustration. The term has evolved over time....
ist and magazine editor
- Michael Podro
Michael Podro CBE, FBA was a British art historian. Podro, the son of Jewish refugees from central Europe, was born in London and grew up in Hendon. He attended Berkhamsted school in Hertfordshire, served in the RAF, and read English at Jesus College, Cambridge and philosophy at University College...
(1931–2008), art historian
- Alexander Goehr
Alexander Goehr is an English composer and academic.He was born in Berlin in 1932, son of the conductor and Schoenberg pupil Walter Goehr. Still in his early twenties, he emerged as a key figure in the Manchester School of post-war British composers. In 1955–56 he joined Oliver Messiaen's...
(born 1932), composer and 1987 Reith LectureThe Reith Lectures are series of annual radio lectures given by leading figures of the day, commissioned by the BBC and broadcast on BBC Radio 4...
r
- Sir Anthony Cleaver
Sir Anthony Brian Cleaver started his career as a systems engineer with IBM UK Ltd in 1962. He went on to become a Chief Executive and Chairman. He was Chairman of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and steered AEA Technology through its privatisation...
(born 1938), Chairman of the Medical Research CouncilThe Medical Research Council is a UK organisation dedicated to "improve human health through world-class medical research".-Organisation:...
, 1998–2006
- Sir Robin Knox-Johnston
Sir William Robert Patrick "Robin" Knox-Johnston, CBE, RD and bar is an English sailor. He was the first man to perform a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe and was the second winner of the Jules Verne Trophy .-Early life:He was born in Putney in London and grew up on The Wirral...
(born 1939), yachtsman
- Michael Meacher
Michael Hugh Meacher is a British Labour party politician, and Member of Parliament for Oldham West and Royton. On 22 February 2007 he declared that he would be standing for the Labour Leadership, challenging Gordon Brown and John McDonnell...
(born 1939), politician
- Kit Wright
Kit Wright is the author of more than twenty-five books, for both adults and children, and the winner of awards including an Arts Council Writers' Award, the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize, the Hawthornden Prize, the Alice Hunt Bartlett Award and the Heinemann Award...
(born 1944), children's poet
- Keith Mans
Keith Douglas Rowland Mans , British Conservative Party politician.Mans was Member of Parliament for Wyre from the 1987 general election until the seat was abolished by boundary changes for the 1997 general election...
(born 1946), politician
- John Bly
John Bly is an antiques dealer, author, after-dinner speaker and broadcaster who is best known from the BBC Antiques Roadshow .He attended Berkhamsted School and his career began with Sotheby's, where he worked for four years before joining his family business in Tring...
, antiques expert
- Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman is a British crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She sings in many languages including English, Spanish, French, Latin, German, Italian, Russian, Hindi, and Mandarin....
(born 1960), singer
- Stuart Gyngell (born 1963), athlete
- Roger Moorhouse
Roger Moorhouse is a British historian and author. Though born in Stockport, Cheshire, he was raised in Hertfordshire and was educated at Berkhamsted School...
(born 1968), historian and author
- Emma Fielding
-Biography:The lapsed Roman Catholic daughter of a British Army soldier, Fielding spent much of her childhood in Malaysia and Nigeria, and a period in Malvern above her grandparents' betting shop...
(born 1971), actress
- Stephen Campbell Moore
Stephen Campbell Moore is an English actor, best known for his roles in the Alan Bennett play “The History Boys” and its subsequent film.-Career:...
(born 1977 Stephen Thorpe) actor
- Carla Chases
Carla Chases is an English actress, best-known for playing anorexic model Melissa Hurst in the Channel 4 teen soap opera Hollyoaks...
(born 1984), actress
- Talulah Riley
Talulah Riley is a British actress, best known for her performances in St Trinian's, Pride and Prejudice and The Boat That Rocked....
(born 1985), actress
Victoria Cross Holders
Three Old Berkhamstedians have won the
Victoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
:
- Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
- Indian Mutiny
- Arthur Mayo
Arthur Mayo VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
VCThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
- First World War
- George Randolph Pearkes
Major General George Randolph Pearkes, VC, PC, CC, CB, DSO, MC, CD was a Canadian politician; soldier; recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces; and Lieutenant Governor of...
VCThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
, PCThe Queen's Privy Council for Canada , sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council,
is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign...
, CCThe Order of Canada is an honour for merit that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the highest such order administered by the Governor General-in-Council, on behalf of the Queen of Canada. Created in 1967, to coincide with the centennial of Canadian...
, CBThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the medieval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, DSOThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.The DSO was instituted on 6 September 1886 by...
, MCThe Military Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, CDThe Canadian Forces Decoration is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to the Governor General of Canada upon his or her appointment as viceroy, which includes the...
- Brett Mackay Cloutman
Sir Brett Mackay Cloutman VC MC was an English First World War recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.Cloutman was commissioned into the Kent Fortress Royal Engineers. He...
VCThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
MCThe Military Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
Headmasters of Berkhamsted School, 1544-1996
Between the School's opening in 1544 and the formation of the Collegiate School in 1997, there were 30 Headmasters, whose average length of service was 15 years.
- Richard Reeve (1544-1555)
- William Barker (1555-1567)
- William Saltmarsh (1567-1600)
- Thomas Hunt (1600-1636)
- Henry Hunt (1636)
- William Pitkin (1636-1643)
- Timothy Taylor (1643-1648)
- Archibald Ogle (1648-1651)
- Thomas Hawes (1651-1661)
- Peter Berkenhead (1661-1662)
- Thomas Fossan (1662-1668)
- Edmund Newboult (1668-1685)
- Thomas Wren (1685-1691)
- John Theed (1691-1734)
- Evan Price (1734-1748)
- Thomas Bland (1753-1788)
- John Dupré (1788-1805)
- Thomas Dupré (1805-1842)
- Edward John Wilcocks (1842-1850)
- John Robert Crawford (1850-1864)
- Edward Bartrum (1864-1889)
- Thomas Charles Fry (1889-1911)
- Charles Henry Greene (1911-1927), father of Graham Greene
Henry Graham Greene OM, CH was an English author, playwright and literary critic. His works explore the ambivalent moral and political issues of the modern world...
- Henry Lael Oswald Flecker (1927-1931)
- Cuthbert Machell Cox (1931-1946)
- Claude Ronald Evers (1946-1953)
- Basil Hugh Garnons Williams (1953-1972)
- John Loraine Spencer (1972-1983)
- Charles Jonathan Driver (1983-1989)
- Keith Howard Wilkinson (1989-1996)
- Charles Jonathan Driver, principal between 1983-1989, was a well-known South African writer and poet (usually published as CJ Driver), who had gone into exile due to his opposition to Apartheid.
External links