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Charterhouse School, Godalming, 1900-07 |
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When it was decided to move Charterhouse School from its original
home, close to Smithfield Market in the City of London[1],
six potential sites were identified from which the Governors
could make their choice. However, Godalming was the outright
winner because the then newly appointed Headmaster, Dr. William
Haig Brown, had relatives in the area[2].
It turned out to be an inspired decision and the school re-located
in 1872.
The new school was built on 68½ acres of land on a plateau
overlooking the River Wey that had belonged to the Deanery
Farm estate[3] and
was bought from the British Land Company who had acquired it
from the Chapter of Salisbury[4].
It was described as being "on the side of Frith Hill,
about seventy acres in extent, amid one of the choicest landscapes
of Surrey, above Godalming and the valley through which the
Wey slowly meanders in a framework of hills clothed with oak
and hazel and other goodly trees"[5].
The impressive main building, shown here with the chapel on
the left and Verites on the right, is Victorian Gothic. It
was designed by Philip Hardwick and constructed of Bargate
stone, with Bath stone dressings. The stone used was extracted
from within the school grounds[6].
Hardwick was the architect who designed the imposing entrance
to Euston station which was demolished in 1961 (and has not
yet been rebuilt).
Alexander Tod, who wrote a history of the school, stated that
when the school moved into its new home on Waterloo Day, 1872 "the
completed buildings were the three central or block houses,
big school (later
the library)
with six classrooms round it, and the laundry;
the chapel was planned, but not yet begun. ... Extensions and
improvements came soon. A new block of eight classrooms was
completed by 1874, and called "New School". The eight "out
houses" were built or purchased by various masters"[4].
By 1891 the school had acquired more land in Godalming and
covered 92 acres; it had expanded even further, to 120 acres,
by 1913[7].
Initially the school had no road frontages until the Under
Green, which is next to Hurtmore Road, was purchased in 1887
and was to be used for cricket and later athletics. Lessington
House, also bordering Hurtmore Road and farmed by the Strudwick
family, was added in 1897[8].
Yet the 1868 Charterhouse Act contained a clause stating that
the Governors could not buy any more land than the initial
100 acres[9]. As a result the Headmaster and five Housemasters
were extremely creative in getting round the problem. For example,
when Broom and Lees was purchased in 1906 the buyers were the "Pavilion
Committee" who
do not seem to have left any records[9]. |
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A similar view to the top image, though dates
from 1900. A garden bench was later replaced by the
statue of Haig-Brown.
Saunderites and Founder's
Court are on the left and Verites
boarding house on the right.
The card's sender living at 11 Great George Street, Godalming
in 1915.
She wrote "This is a school for boys on this P.C. It is
a lovely place." |
In 1903 a new stone built cloister in the Gothic style was
inaugurated on Old Carthusians Day as a memorial to former
pupils who had died in the Boer War and other campaigns.
A new transept was added to the chapel and dedicated at the
same time. The architect for these additions was W. E. Caroe[10].
The third postcard below shows, from the left, Saunderites,
Founder's Court and the Chapel. Saunderites was then both a
boarding house and the headmaster's house. Its name came from
Dr. Saunders who had been the school's headmaster between
1832 and 1853[4].
The headmaster's residence moved to the early nineteenth century
Northbrook House following its purchase in 1924[8].
We can see a goal post for football on the "Big Ground".
Both football and cricket have long been important competitive
sports for Charterhouse pupils. Indeed, Charterhouse
and Westminster schools played a major role in the development
of the game[4] [8].
The soil here is sandy and porous, and drains so well that
few games needed cancelling in poor weather[8].
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The school buildings, 1907. Taken at the same time
as the top image.
The drive behind the goal post is a section of the original
main approach from
Peperharow Road via Racket Court
Hill.
Prince's Avenue was initially just a narrow secondary
approach[8]. |
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1. "Charterhouse School, Godalming",
published by Valentine's No. 60113. Card first registered in
1907. This one posted Guildford 12 Apr 1913 to an address in Warren
Road, Guildford. Message not relevant to picture.
2. "Godalming, Charterhouse". Published by F.
Frith & Co. Ltd., Reigate, No.56155. First published in 1900.
The card posted 3 Jul 1915. This image has been repaired (2018),
replacing an earlier version.
3. "Charterhouse, Godalming". Valentine's Series, No.60112, first
published in 1907. Printed in Great Britain. British Manufacture.
Postcard not used.
Postcards in the collection of, provided by and © Ann Andrews.
Written, researched by and © Ann Andrews.
Intended for personal use only.
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References:
[1] The school was part of what now
is Sutton's
Hospital in Charterhouse (this extenal link will open
in a new tab or window) . When the school moved to Godalming
the building it had occupied in London was sold to Merchant
Taylors' School and the site later became the Medical College
of St. Bartholomew's Hospital.
[2] Haig Brown's father in law was
the incumbent at Hascombe.
[3] All that remains of Deanery Farm
today is the farm building and a former barn, now the SS. Peter & Paul
Scout Hut, on Charterhouse Road.
[4] Tod, A. H., M.A. (2nd Ed., Revised)
(1919) "Charterhouse". Handbook to the Great
Public Schools. London : George Bell and Sons Portugal St.
Lincoln's Inn W.C. Cambridge: Deighton, Bell & Co New
York : The MacMillan Co Bombay : A. H. Wheeler & Co. With
grateful thanks to Clive Carter, a former Charterhouse headmaster,
for the loan of this book and Jameson's book below.
[5] Brown, H. E. H. (1908) "William
Haig Brown of Charterhouse. A short biographical memoir".
Written by some of his pupils and edited by his son H. E. H.
Brown, Macmillan & Co.: London.
[6] Tod notes that the stone came
from the site of the fives and lawn tennis courts.
[7] Figures from Kelly's Surrey Directory
for those years.
[8] Jameson, E. M. (1937) "Charterhouse".
Blackie & Son Limited, London and Glasgow. Mrs. Harriet
Strudwick, a widow, was at Lessington House in the 1881 census;
she passed away in 1889. In 1891 two of her daughters, Ellen
and Fanny, were there with Mr. Robert Gillman, a former merchant,
who passed away the following year.
[9] "The Archive of Charterhouse
at Godalming", 1995. Charterhouse Archives, The
National Archives. The Charterhouse Act followed on from
the Public Schools Act of 1868. This is also mentioned by A. H. Tod.
[10] "London Daily News",
4 July 1903. |
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