Oakham School Chronology
1558 - 1603
Elizabeth I
1584
Foundation by Archdeacon Robert Johnson in Old School
1584 - 1587
Robert Rushebrooke – Master
1597-1610
James Wadeson, MA - Master
1603 - 1625
James I
1611
Abraham Greene - Master
1612 - 1623
Dr. John Wallis (or Wallace), MA (Sidney, Cambridge) – Master
1623 - 1629
Jeremiah Whitaker, MA (Sidney, Cambridge) – Master
1625 - 1649
Charles I
1642 - 1648
The Civil War
1629 - 1642
James Stackhouse, MA (Jesus, Cambridge) – Master
1642 - 1643
Dr. Alexander Gill, DD, MA (Trinity College, Oxford, then Cambridge) – Master
1644 - 1646
Richard Swann jnr, MA (Queens’, Cambridge) – Master
1646 - 1648
Richard Swann snr, MA (Queens’, Cambridge) – Master
1649 - 1660
The Commonwealth
1649 - 1661
Dr. Michael Frere snr, MA, MD (Queens’, Cambridge) – Master
1660 - 1685
Charles II
1661 - 1662
Richard Watts, MA (Pembroke, Cambridge) – Master
1662 - 1702
John Love, MA (St. John’s, Cambridge) – Master
1684
The Centenary
1685 - 1688
James III
1689 - 1702
William III and Mary II (1689-1694)
1702 - 1714
Anne
1702 - 1724
Henry Wright, MA (Christ Church, Oxford) – Master
1706
The extant list of Oxbridge Exhibitioners commences
1714 - 1727
George I
1723
Old School restored
1724 - 1753
John Adcock, MA (St. John’s, Cambridge) – Master
1727 - 1760
George II
1753 - 1758
William Powell, MA (Magdalene, Cambridge) – Master
1758 - 1769
Enoch Markham, MA (Christ Church, Oxford) – Master
1760 - 1820
George III
1793 - 1815
The French Wars
1769 - 1778
Baptist Noel Turner, MA (O.O.) (Emmanuel, Cambridge) – Master
1778 - 1796
Dr. Thomas Orme, DD, MA (St. John’s, Cambridge) – Master
1784
The Bicentenary
1792
Doncaster Close leased
1796 - 1808
John Bradford, BA (Christ Church, Oxford) – Master
1808 - 1846
Dr. John Doncaster, DD, MA (O.O.) (Christ’s, Cambridge) – Master
1808
Purchase of playing fields – later named Doncaster Close
Improvements to Old School
1815
Two terms of five months each established
1820 - 1830
George IV
1830 - 1837
William IV
1836
The first extant School Register; some names from before this date are known
School Numbers 40 (29 in School House, 7 boarding in the town, 4 day boys)
1837 - 1901
Victoria
1840
Grammar School Act
1846 - 1875
Dr. William Spicer Wood, DD, MA (St. John’s, Cambridge) – Master
1854 - 1856
The Crimean War
1853-58
School House rebuilt on site of original hospital foundation
1861
Royal Commission on the Present State of Popular Education in England
1864
Public Schools Act
1866
School House extended with an upper floor
1868
Taunton Commission on Secondary Education
1869
Represented at first meeting of The Headmasters’ Conference (HMC)
1870
Purchase of Old Vicarage (now College House)
Cricket Pavilion built (burned down by arsonists in 1970)
1874
Endowed Schools Act
1875 - 1879
Robert Tabraham, BA (Dublin) – Headmaster
1875
Reorganisation of Archdeacon Johnson’s Foundation
Creation of the Board of Trustees with specific responsibility for the School
1875 - 1910
A.C.Johnson, Hereditary Trustee – Chairman of Trustees
1875
Three-term year superseded previous two-term year
Pupils numbered but four boys, two boarding and two day; or perhaps six.
1877
Old School extended
1878
The first prefects recorded: L.Simkin, H.J.Ferrall, W.Ware, and J.G.Q.Besch
Rev. H.W.Fitch, MA – Acting Headmaster
1879 - 1902
Rev. Edward Vere Hodge, MA (Balliol, Oxford) – Headmaster
1879
Old Vicarage (now College House) becomes School Sanatorium
The Block built (three classrooms) – demolished 2005
1880
First Head Prefect – J.G.Q.Besch
Workshop and Science Room built in School House area
1881
1 Jermyn Terrace, High Street purchased as a boarding house
1884
The Tercentenary
Tercentenary Swimming Pool opened – bulldozed 1982
Hodge Wing (now part of School House) purchased
The Oakhamian Magazine commenced
1885
Scriven’s House in the High Street used for boarders, known as Red House
1887
School numbers over 100 for the first time (103)
Chemical Room built in School House area
Music Room (the “tin tabernacle”) built in School House area – demolished 1955
1888
Foundation of The Old Oakhamian Club
1889
Hodge Wing extended
1892
Rugby Football replaces Association Football
1894
Mill Street premises rented for boarders
1895
Royal Commission on Secondary Education
1897
Bank House established (it later became part of Hodge Wing, and is now part of School
House)
Doncaster Close expansion
1899 - 1902
The Boer War
Two (at least) Old Oakhamians killed in action
Board of Education Act
1900
School numbers 88
1901 - 1910
Edward VII
1902 - 1929
Walter Lee (Tom) Sargant, MA (Trinity, Cambridge) – Headmaster
Education Act, which led to Direct Grant status obtained for Oakham (relinquished 1970)
1903
Renovation of Old School; frescoes commenced (completed 1910)
1904
Fives Courts built
Physics and Chemistry laboratories built
Congregational Chapel (now Queen Anne) purchased and turned into School Gymnasium
1905
Hodge Wing extended; School House “washers” built
Old School restored and extended
Numbers fell to 50 boarders and 16 or 17 day
1906
The Book of Oakham School by W.L. Sargant published
Sargant Register published
1908
Physics and Chemistry classrooms built between The Block and Chapel Close
1910 - 1936
George V
1910
Junior House (now Chapmans) built and established
OTC (then JTC, now CCF) established
1913
1914 - 18
School House north wing built
The First World War
67 Old Oakhamians killed in action, plus 3 one-time members of staff
1917
Church Street land purchased by Sargant
1920
Wharflands established
Science laboratories built in Wharflands Quad
1922
School numbers over 200 for the first time (206)
1924
Chapel Close purchased
1925
Chapel built and consecrated as a First World War Memorial
Greylands (which became The Rutland Angler and is now Calico) bought (closed 1935)
Far Side purchased
1927
Wharflands study block added
1928
Sargant’s The Book of Oakham School expanded and republished
1929 - 1935
Francis Cecil Doherty, MBE, MA (Christ Church, Oxford) – Headmaster
1929
J.Story Register published
1930
Chapel Close used for boarders
1931
Pavilion rebuilt (but destroyed by fire in 1970)
1935 - 1958
Grosvenor Talbot Griffith, MA, JP (Trinity, Cambridge) – Headmaster
1936
Edward VIII
1936 - 1952
George VI
1936
New Gymnasium (converted into the Wharton Pavilion, and now into Stumps) built
1939 - 1945
The Second World War
83 Old Oakhamians killed in action
1939 - 1949
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Claude Martin Blagden, DD, Bishop of Peterborough – Chairman of
Trustees
1943
Purchase of Deanscroft
1944
Education Act
1947
Ancaster Stables purchased (now part of the Art and Design Centre)
1948
School numbers over 300 for the first time (302)
1948
Deanscroft (now Stevens) established
1950 -1953
The Korean War
1950 - 1956
The Rt. Rev. Spencer Stottesbery Gwatkin Leeson, Bishop of Peterborough – Chairman of
Trustees
1950
E.F.Pickering-Clarke Register published
1952 -
Elizabeth II
1953
The Barraclough Hall (now The Queen Elizabeth Theatre) established
1955
The War Memorial Library opened, by HRH The Duke of Gloucester
1957
Visit of HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh to Rutland
1956 - 1964
Sir Eric Gore Brown, DSO, OBE, TD - Chairman of Trustees
1958 - 1977
John David Buchanan, MBE, MA (Trinity, Cambridge) – Headmaster
1959
The Sargant Laboratories opened
Chapel Close becomes administration centre
Junior School becomes Chapmans (middle and senior school boarding house)
Dayboys become members of Johnson’s House
1961
School numbers rise above 400 (415)
Dayboys reconstituted into Johnsons (senior) and Sargants (junior)
Wharflands and Deanscroft enlarged
The Junior House enlarged and become a senior house, Chapmans
Tennis Courts built on Farside
1962
Peterborough House purchased and becomes the Sanatorium
1963
A level pass rate over 70% for the first time (72%)
1964 - 1980
Col. T.C.S (Tom) Haywood, OBE, MA, JP, DL - Chairman of Trustees
1965
School numbers rise above 500
College House opened as a Study Centre
Haywood Building (now Ashburton Building) opened
Creative Design Centre (now The Richard Bull Centre) established
1966
Ashburton Hall (central dining hall) established
Music School addition to The Barraclough Hall
Sargants and Hodges opened as junior day houses
1967
Junior Boarders move from Hodge Wing to Peterborough House
Sanatorium moves to Market Square
Ruddles established as a day boy house
Old School converted to The Shakespeare Centre (now Old School once more)
1968
School numbers rise above 600
1970
Direct Grant status relinquished and full independence regained
School House converted to Seventh Form house
Wharflands, Deanscroft and Chapmans become middle school houses
1971
School numbers rise above 700
Co-education: College House becomes girls’ boarding house
Johnsons moves to new accommodation, now known as the Johnsons Building
Talbot House established for day girls
Round House established for boarding girls
Sports Hall opened
1971 - 1991
J.M. (John) Jerwood, MC (O.O.) – The Visitor
1972
School numbers rise above 800
1974
Home Economics Department opened
Jerwoods established (Peterborough House, Sargants, Lincoln, Ancaster)
1975
School numbers rise above 900
Swimming Pool opened
Orchard Close (now Buchanans) purchased
1976
AVA Centre (now Reprographics) established
Orchard Close becomes Seventh Form girls’ boarding house
A level pass rate over 80% for the first time (87%)
1977 - 1984
(Oliver) Richard Sylvester Bull, MA (Brasenose, Oxford) – Headmaster
1977
The Block classrooms extended
Haywood Building extended
First all-weather hockey pitch constructed
Orchard Close changes to Buchanans, a middle school girls’ boarding house
1979
The Block classrooms extended
The Haywood Building enlarged
1980
David Davenport-Handley, Kt, OBE, JP, DL - Acting Chairman of Trustees
1980 - 1998
S.G. (Simon) Schanschieff, OBE, O.O. - Chairman of Trustees
1980
Sanatorium (now The Medical Centre) relocated to Station Road
Rushebrookes established
Visitor’s Lodgings established in Station Road
Rushebrookes opened
Talbots moves into Hodge Wing
1981
Biology Department built and Chemistry laboratories refurbished
1982
Round House becomes Seventh Form house and Buchanans extended to become a middle
school house
1983
Old Gymnasium converted into Wharton Pavilion (now Stumps)
Music School enlarged
Deanscroft new wing built
College House reverts to being a Seventh Form Study Centre
1984
The Quatercentenary
Computer and Economics Department (now ICT Centre) opened
Barraclough Hall becomes The Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Visit of HRH The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh to celebrate the
Quatercentenary
The Story of Oakham School (J.L. Barber, MA, O.O.) published
1985
Michael Stevens, MA (Brasenose, Oxford) – Acting Headmaster
1985 - 1996
Graham Smallbone, MBE, MA (Worcester, Oxford) – Headmaster
1987
The Barraclough Hall (new dining hall) opened
1988
A level pass rate over 90%
The Chapel refurbished
1989
Miniature Range built
Stevens (formerly Deanscroft) established as a middle school girls’ boarding house
Haywoods built as a middle school boys’ boarding house
1990
School numbers rise above 1000 for the first time
The Wilson All-Weather Pitch opened
Springfields Playing Fields opened
1991
Merton Building opened
Hodges (formerly The Block) opened as house for 7th form day girls
1991 – 2003
Col. T.C.S. Haywood, OBE, MA, JP, DL – The Visitor
1993
New Chapel organ installed
1994
Information and Study Centre (now The Smallbone Library) opened
Art and Design building becomes The Richard Bull Centre
1996 - 2002
Anthony Richard Morrell Little, MA (Corpus Christi, Cambridge) – Headmaster
1996
Schanschieffs (Barrow, Clipsham, Gunthorpe, Hambleton, opened by Rt. Hon. William
Hague, MP, PC
Education Act
1998 - 2008
T.H. (Tom) White, MA, O.O., Chairman of Trustees
1999
CCF HQ opened
2000
Visit of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh to celebrate the school’s 1000th. Duke of Edinburgh
Gold Award
2001
Oakham School Foundation established
International Baccalaureate introduced
New all-weather Wilson Pitch
2002 - 2009
Dr. Joseph Arthur Francis Spence, BA, PhD (Reading & London) – Headmaster
2002
Daily Mail U18 Rugby champions
2003 - 2005
J.D. (John) Buchanan, MBE, MA, FRSA, DL – The Visitor
2003
BCF National Schools Chess champions
Daily Mail U18 Rugby champions
2004
Science laboratories extension, opened by Sir John Krebs
2005
The Wilson Pavilion and Playing Fields (formerly Springfields Playing Fields) opened by
Lynn Wilson, O.O.
A level / IB pass rate 100% for the first time
2007
Littles opened as an extension to Round House
School Chapel cleaned and refurbished and rededicated
Chapmans extension completed
Jerwoods reception area completed
Peterborough House extended
2008 -
Dr. Sandra Blaza, Chairman of Trustees
2008
Extension to Art & Design Centre (The Richard Bull Centre) completed
2009
The Jerwood School of Design opened by Alan Grieve, CBE
2009 -
Nigel Mark. Lashbrook, BA (Hertford College, Oxford) – Headmaster
2010
CCF Centenary Parade; salute taken by HRH The Duke of Gloucester, KG, GCVO, KSt.J,
Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Anglian Regiment, to which the CCF is affiliated
Oakham School - The Continuing Story (Brian Needham MBE, MA, Hon.O.O.) published
privately
Centenary of Junior House / Chapmans