Edward Clarke Lowe
Encyclopedia
Edward Clarke Lowe was an English educator and a key participant in the foundation and development of the Woodard Schools
.
Grammar School. His father died when he was four and his mother when he was ten and it was his eldest sister Emily who looked after the family. She had been well educated by her uncle John Clarke and set up a very successful school at Bootle
near Liverpool
. Not only did she pay off the eldest brother's debts but she also funded the education of her younger brothers and sisters. She also educated them initially at her own school, and Edward Lowe was no exception. He was probably with the school when it moved to Seaforth
. He then went to Magdalene Hall Oxford under Rev. William Jacobson
. In June 1844 he was elected to the Bible Clerkship at Lincoln College, Oxford
where he became a pupil of Mark Pattison
. In 1847, he became second master of the King's School Ottery St. Mary
. He was ordained deacon in September of the same year and also became curate of the parish.
at Shoreham as second master at St Nicholas College Lancing
. Woodard had just begun his efforts to found, by public subscription, a system of Church of England
education for the middle classes. In January 1850, Lowe became first headmaster at Hurstpierpoint College
, the first middle school of the system, where he stayed until the end of 1872. He made a lasting impression, and the school still performs Shakespeare plays as he established them in 1854, and celebrates the "Lowe's Dole", an annual presentation to the choristers which he funded.
Lowe married Harriet Duke Coleridge of Ottery St Mary, Devon, whose sister Alice Mary Coleridge played a major part int the setting up of Abbots Bromley School for Girls
. Woodard thought his foundation would be wasting its efforts in promoting the education of women. Lowe, who owed so much to his well educated older sister Emily, strongly disagreed. He believed that university education should be open to women and with his friends eventually prevailed upon Woodard to give his blessing and use his enormous fund-raising skills for the foundation of the School of St. Anne at Abbots Bromley
in 1874.
In 1873 Lowe became Provost of the Midland District of St Nicholas's College with a number of educational responsibilities. He was head of the Society of St Mary and John of Lichfield in union with St Nicholas' College, and directed the large schools at Denstone College
and Ellesmere College
for boys as well as the two Abbots Bromley schools for Girls – St Anne and later St Mary. Lowe also directed a boy's school at Dewsbury
. In 1873 he also became a Canon of Ely Cathedral
and from 1880 represented the Chapter as Proctor in Convocation. Lowe published several small educational works,
In 1891 on the death of Woodard, he was elected Provost of Lancing College
in succession to the founder and returned into Sussex, living at Henfield where he died in 1912. His funeral took place at Ely Cathedral.
Woodard Schools
Woodard Schools is a group of Anglican schools affiliated to the Woodard Corporation which has its origin in the work of Nathaniel Woodard, an Anglo-Catholic clergyman....
.
Early life and education
Lowe was born at Everton in 1823, the youngest son of Samuel Lowe an attorney and his wife Maria Murray, and was given the name Clarke after an uncle John Clarke, Master of RugeleyRugeley
Rugeley is a historic market town in the county of Staffordshire, England. It lies on the northern edge of Cannock Chase, and is situated roughly midway between the towns of Stafford, Cannock, Lichfield and Uttoxeter...
Grammar School. His father died when he was four and his mother when he was ten and it was his eldest sister Emily who looked after the family. She had been well educated by her uncle John Clarke and set up a very successful school at Bootle
Bootle
Bootle is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England, and a 'Post town' in the L postcode area. Formally known as Bootle-cum-Linacre, the town is 4 miles to the north of Liverpool city centre, and has a total resident population of 77,640.Historically part of...
near Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. Not only did she pay off the eldest brother's debts but she also funded the education of her younger brothers and sisters. She also educated them initially at her own school, and Edward Lowe was no exception. He was probably with the school when it moved to Seaforth
Seaforth
-Places:* Loch Seaforth, Scotland, Great Britain, United Kingdom* Seaforth Island, Scotland, Great Britain, United Kingdom* Seaforth, Jamaica* Seaforth, Merseyside, England, Great Britain, United Kingdom* Seaforth, Minnesota, United States...
. He then went to Magdalene Hall Oxford under Rev. William Jacobson
William Jacobson
For the law school professor, see William A. JacobsonFor the Distinguished Service Cross recipient, see William Jacobson ....
. In June 1844 he was elected to the Bible Clerkship at Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Turl Street in central Oxford, backing onto Brasenose College and adjacent to Exeter College...
where he became a pupil of Mark Pattison
Mark Pattison
Mark Pattison was an English author and a Church of England priest. He served as Rector of Lincoln College, Oxford.-Life:...
. In 1847, he became second master of the King's School Ottery St. Mary
King's School Ottery St. Mary
The King's School is an educational institution in Ottery St Mary, Devon, England. It was established as a choir school by the bishop John Grandisson in 1335, but was replaced by a Grammar School by Henry VIII in 1545. It became a comprehensive school in 1982...
. He was ordained deacon in September of the same year and also became curate of the parish.
Woodard Schools
In 1849 he joined Rev Nathaniel WoodardNathaniel Woodard
Nathaniel Woodard was a priest in the Church of England. He founded 11 schools for the middle classes in England whose aim was to provide education based on sound principle and sound knowledge, firmly grounded in the Christian faith...
at Shoreham as second master at St Nicholas College Lancing
Lancing College
Lancing College is a co-educational English independent school in the British public school tradition, founded in 1848 by Nathaniel Woodard. Woodard's aim was to provide education "based on sound principle and sound knowledge, firmly grounded in the Christian faith." Lancing was the first of a...
. Woodard had just begun his efforts to found, by public subscription, a system of Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
education for the middle classes. In January 1850, Lowe became first headmaster at Hurstpierpoint College
Hurstpierpoint College
Hurstpierpoint College is an independent, co-educational, day and boarding school for pupils aged 4–18, located just to the north of the village of Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex in the lee of the South Downs...
, the first middle school of the system, where he stayed until the end of 1872. He made a lasting impression, and the school still performs Shakespeare plays as he established them in 1854, and celebrates the "Lowe's Dole", an annual presentation to the choristers which he funded.
Lowe married Harriet Duke Coleridge of Ottery St Mary, Devon, whose sister Alice Mary Coleridge played a major part int the setting up of Abbots Bromley School for Girls
Abbots Bromley School for Girls
Abbots Bromley School for Girls is an independent, fee-paying school for girls aged 3–18 located in the village of Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire, England...
. Woodard thought his foundation would be wasting its efforts in promoting the education of women. Lowe, who owed so much to his well educated older sister Emily, strongly disagreed. He believed that university education should be open to women and with his friends eventually prevailed upon Woodard to give his blessing and use his enormous fund-raising skills for the foundation of the School of St. Anne at Abbots Bromley
Abbots Bromley
Abbots Bromley is a village in Staffordshire, England. It is famous for the annual Abbots Bromley Horn Dance. It is also the home of one of the Woodard Schools, Abbots Bromley School for Girls...
in 1874.
In 1873 Lowe became Provost of the Midland District of St Nicholas's College with a number of educational responsibilities. He was head of the Society of St Mary and John of Lichfield in union with St Nicholas' College, and directed the large schools at Denstone College
Denstone College
Denstone College is an independent, coeducational boarding school in Denstone,Staffordshire, England and a member school of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. It is also a Woodard school and as such has a strong Anglo-Catholic tradition. It has continued to show impressive academic...
and Ellesmere College
Ellesmere College
Ellesmere College is an independent co-educational English independent school located in Ellesmere and based in rural northern Shropshire, England.-History:...
for boys as well as the two Abbots Bromley schools for Girls – St Anne and later St Mary. Lowe also directed a boy's school at Dewsbury
Dewsbury
Dewsbury is a minster town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Huddersfield and south of Leeds...
. In 1873 he also became a Canon of Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral is the principal church of the Diocese of Ely, in Cambridgeshire, England, and is the seat of the Bishop of Ely and a suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon...
and from 1880 represented the Chapter as Proctor in Convocation. Lowe published several small educational works,
In 1891 on the death of Woodard, he was elected Provost of Lancing College
Lancing College
Lancing College is a co-educational English independent school in the British public school tradition, founded in 1848 by Nathaniel Woodard. Woodard's aim was to provide education "based on sound principle and sound knowledge, firmly grounded in the Christian faith." Lancing was the first of a...
in succession to the founder and returned into Sussex, living at Henfield where he died in 1912. His funeral took place at Ely Cathedral.
Publications
- Porta Latina
- Erasmus College Series (Erasmi Colloquia Selecta)
- An English Primer of Religion and General Instruction, 1866. 2nd Edition 1868.
- Divina Commedia di Dante, Translations Divine Comedy 1902 and 1904
- Young Englishman's First Poetry Book
- An annotated edition of G Herbert's Church Porch
- St. Nicolas College and its Schools - A record of thirty years work to endow the Church of England with a system of self supporting boarding schools, Oxford 1878.