Monmouth School

Monmouth School
"Serve and Obey"
Location
Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales
Information
Type	Public school
Religious affiliation(s)	Protestantism[1]
Established	1614
Founder	William Jones
Headmaster	Dr. Steven Connors
Pupils	600 (approx.)
Colour(s)	Gold and Chocolate
Former pupils	Old Monmothians
Website	www.habs-monmouth.org

View of school's Victorian entrance

Monmouth School is an HMC boys' boarding and day school in Monmouth, Monmouthshire in south east Wales. It was founded in 1614 by William Jones. It is run as a trust, the William Jones's Schools Foundation, by the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, one of the Livery Companies. The Foundation's returned accounts for 2008/9 show an income of £19,605,000, against an expenditure of £19,116,000.^[2]

History

In 1613, William Jones, a prominent merchant and haberdasher, gave the Haberdashers’ Company £6,000, followed by a further £3,000 bequethed in his will on his death in 1615, to "ordaine a preacher, a Free-School and Almes-houses for twenty poor and old distressed people, as blind and lame, as it shall seem best to them, of the Towne of Monmouth, where it shall be bestowed".^[3] Jones was born at Newland, Gloucestershire and brought up in Monmouth, leaving to make a sizeable fortune as a London merchant engaged in the cloth trade with the continent.^[4] Jones' motivations for his bequest appear partly philanthropic and partly evangelical; "the priority given to the preacher illustrates his concern to convert an area in the Marches which was still, when the school opened in 1614, strongly recusant."^[5] Nothing remains of the original buildings. In 1865, the school was rebuilt and as, a result of rising revenues from investments, the original foundation was re-organised in 1891 to support a new girls’ school and an elementary school in the town, as well as a boys grammar school in Pontypool.^[6] The elementary school was transferred to County Council control in 1940 with West Monmouth School at Pontypool following in 1955.^[7] This left the William Jones’s Schools Foundation responsible for Monmouth School and Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls- also known as HMSG, both of which acquired Direct Grant status in 1946.^[8] In 1976, with the ending of the Assisted Places scheme, the school became fully independent.^[9]

Buildings

Plaque describing the foundation of the school

The rebuilding of the school (1864–1878) was mostly undertaken by William Snooke who built the chapel, two schoolrooms and a classroom in 1864-5, followed in the 1870s by the library, Headmaster's House and the buildings which now form Monmouth House and Hereford House.^[10] Snooke also redeveloped the Jones Almhouses, on Almshouse Street, which incorporates a large inscription panel describing the benefactions of the Jones Foundation.^[10] School House, with its ceremonial entrance facing the Wye Bridge, was built by Henry Stock in 1894-5.^[10] The war memorial, of 1956, is by Francis W. Stephens.^[10] More modern developments include the Hall of 1961, redeveloped in the early 21st century and now the Blake Theatre, the Red Lion Block of the same date, and the Science Block of 1981-4.^[10] In November 2008, a £2.3 million sports pavilion was completed and opened by the former Welsh and British Lions captain, Eddie Butler, an old boy of the School. It was designed by the architects Buttress Fuller Alsop Williams. In January 2011, work is scheduled to begin on 'The Heart Project', which will see redevelopments on the main school site, as well as a new boarding house being developed on the site of the old Grange building. Chapel House is also to become the new lower school boarding house whilst St James House is to be sold.^[10]

The School today

With 600 pupils the school offers boarding and day places as well as preparatory departments in a single-sex environment. To enable a wide range of A and AS level subjects to be taken, there is some mixed-sex teaching in the Sixth Form with the sister school, Haberdashers Monmouth School for Girls (HMSG).

Houses

There are three main age divisions in the school; lower (forms I and II) middle (forms III, IV, and V) and sixth form (forms VI.1 and VI.2). Within these divisions, pupils are members of different houses as follows: Wye and Dean Houses, the lower school day houses, which are incorporated under one roof in a building at the south of the campus; St. James' House has been recently moved to chapel house, the lower school boarding house, located off-site nearby in St. James' Square; Severn House, the newest of the middle school day houses, located on the ground floor of the middle school house complex at the north of the campus; Town House; Monmouth House, one of the original day houses, located below Hereford House in a building which also houses the Classics and Religious Studies departments and is connected to Severn and Town Houses; Hereford House, another of the original day houses; Weirhead House, a boarding house, located at the south of the campus; New House, a boarding house, located next to the administrative buildings in the centre of the campus; School House, a boarding house, located next to the middle school house complex at the north-east of the complex; Chapel House, a Grade II listed building, located offsite, on the Hereford Road to the north of the town and Tudor, Glendower and Buchanan Houses, which comprise the sixth form centre and V1.2 boarding.

The rear of Chapel House away from the town in 2001

Academics and extra-curricular

The schools offers a range of subjects, over 30 being available for study to AS and A Level, through collaboration with HMSG. This selection is supported by facilities such as the School Library, Science laboratories, computer suites, and design technology workshop.

In 2004 The Blake Theatre, was opened. Funded by Bob Blake, it is used as a venue for performances by both the boys' and girls' schools, and by external performers. It was officially opened by HRH The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.^[11]

The school also possesses a large music school with an auditorium, teaching rooms and practice rooms.

Extra-curricular activities include foreign expeditions, music and drama events as well as the school newspaper, The Lion, and its magazine, The Monmouthian. The School also boasts a large CCF (Combined Cadet Force) Contingent which has both an Army and RAF Section and is operated in collaboration with HMSG.

Sport

The school's three main sports are rugby, rowing and cricket. The sports facilities include a new sports complex^[12] which houses a six-lane swimming pool, indoor sports facilities, a weight and fitness suite, tennis courts, and a full size astroturf pitch which can be used for a variety of activities. The school's sporting tradition is reflected in the fact that many boys play at county or national level, especially in rugby, rowing, and cricket. In addition to rowing and rugby the school offers a range of other sports which include Association football, athletics, badminton, canoeing, climbing, cricket, cross country, fencing, fitness training, hockey, golf, sailing, shooting, squash, sub-aqua, swimming, tennis, and water polo.^[13]

Other

In June 2009, the school paid out £150,000 to settle a landmark pensions rights case brought by female catering and support staff who claimed that, as part-time workers, they had been unjustly excluded from the school's pension scheme.^[14]

Headmasters^[15]

• 1615 John Owen
• 1617 Humfrey Crewys
• 1639 Nathaniel Taynton
• 1657 Robert Brabourne
• 1658 Robert Frampton
• 1663 John Harmer
• 1663 Charles Hoole
• 1664 William Morrice
• 1672 Thomas Bassett
• 1687 Thomas Wright
• 1691 Thomas Bassett (restored)
• 1713 Andrew Cuthbert
• 1723 James Birt
• 1738 Baynham Barnes
• 1758 John Crowe
• 1780 Thomas Prosser
• 1793 John Powell
• 1823 William Jones
• 1828 John Oakley Hill
• 1832 George Monningtom
• 1844 John Dundas Watherston
• 1859 Charles Manley Roberts
• 1891 Edward Hugh Culley
• 1906 Lionel James
• 1928 Christopher Fairfax Scott
• 1937 Wilfred Roy Lewin
• 1941 Noel Chamberlain Elstob
• 1946 Cecil Howard Dunstan Cullingford
• 1956 John Robert Murray Senior (married to the novelist Susan Pleydell)
• 1959 R H S Hatton
• 1959 Robert Finlay Glover
• 1977 Nicholas Bomford
• 1982 Rupert Lane
• 1995 Peter Anthony
• 1995 Timothy Haynes
• 2005 Steven Connors

Notable alumni

See also: Category:People educated at Monmouth School

Historical

• Angus Buchanan (1894–1944), holder of the Victoria Cross.^[16]
• John Vassall (1924–1996), civil servant and soviet spy

Sporting

• Eddie Butler (born 1957), rugby player / TV commentator.^[17]
• John Gwilliam (born 1923), rugby player.^[18]
• Steve James (born 1967), cricketer.^[19]
• Keith Jarrett (born 1948), rugby player.^[20]
• Tom Lucy (born 1988), Silver Medallist Oarsman in the Mens Eight at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.^[21]
• Kyle Tudge (born 1987), cricketer.^[22]
• Huw Waters (born 1986), cricketer.^[23]
• David Broome (born 1940), International and Olympic showjumper
• Charlie Wiggin, (born 1951), rower and sculler, bronze medal winner in the coxless pairs 1980 Moscow Olympic Games
• Wayne Barnes, (born 1979), International rugby union referee
• William Marsh (1917–1978), cricketer

Public Life

• Derek Ezra (born 1919), former chairman, National Coal Board
• John Josiah Guest (1785–1852), industrialist
• Christopher Herbert (born 1944), ecclesiastic (the former Bishop of St Albans).^[24]
• Colin Moynihan (born 1955), politician and sportsman (4th Baron Moynihan).^[25] Coxed the Great Britain silver medal winning Mens VIII at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games
• Cliff Tucker (1912–1993), politician
• Roger Pinney (1971–1978), BBC journalist.
• Paul Langford (born 1945), historian.^[26]

Arts and Entertainment

• Richard Marner (1921–2004), actor best known for his role as Colonel von Strohm in the sitcom 'Allo 'Allo!.^[27]
• Richard Pearson (1918-2011), actor - famous for his character roles, but who also undertook leading parts, including opening Harold Pinter's The Birthday Party in 1958.
• Grant Nicholas (born 1967), guitarist and singer with rock band Feeder
• Tom Price - actor and comedian
• Victor Spinetti (born 1933), actor.^[28]
• Glyn Worsnip (1938–1996), actor and broadcaster
• Daniel Llewelyn-Williams, actor
• Paul Groves (born 1947), poet

Notes

1. ^ The Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (Wales) Order 2009
2. ^ The Charity Commission Annual Accounts 8 June 2009
3. ^ K. Kissack Monmouth School and Monmouth 1614-1995, p.12
4. ^ Thomas Fuller The Histories of the Worthies of England 1662
5. ^ K. Kissack The Lordship, Parish and Borough of Monmouth pgs. 125-6
6. ^ K. Kissack Monmouth School and Monmouth 1614-1995, p.79
7. ^ K. Kissack Monmouth School and Monmouth 1614-1995, p.125
8. ^ K. Kissack Monmouth School and Monmouth 1614-1995, p.102
9. ^ K. Kissack Monmouth School and Monmouth 1614-1995, p.130
10. ^ ^{a b c d e f} J. Newman The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire pgs. 402-3
11. ^ "Prince stages a visit". Newsquest Media Group Newspapers. 2005-04-21. http://moreresults.factiva.com/results/index/index.aspx?ref=NQST000020050421e14l0026d. Retrieved 2008-09-23. 
12. ^ "Monmouth School Sports Club". MSSportsClub.com. http://www.mssportsclub.com/. Retrieved 2009-10-04. 
13. ^ "Guide to Independent Schools - Monmouth School". SchoolsGuidebook.co.uk. http://www.schoolsguidebook.co.uk/schools/view/299/Monmouth-School/HMC-SHMIS-IAPS-BSA/Monmouth-School-Almshouse-Street-Monmouth-NP25-3XP. Retrieved 2009-10-04. 
14. ^ Professional Pensions Magazine 8 June 2009
15. ^ K. Kissack Monmouth School and Monmouth 1614-1995 p.140
16. ^ Hill, A. V. "J. D. Griffith Davies, 1899-1953 (Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society, 1937-1946)", Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London, Vol. 11, No. 2 (March 1955), pp. 129-133. Accessed September 22, 2008.
17. ^ "Eddie Butler", The Observer. Accessed September 22, 2008.
18. ^ "Personnel Profile - John Gwilliam", Newport RFC. Accessed September 22, 2008.
19. ^ Llewellyn, David. "BOOK OF THE WEEK: Third Man To Fatty's Leg - An Autobiography by Steve James", The Independent, July 26, 2004. Accessed September 22, 2008.
20. ^ "Personnel Profile - Keith Jarrett", Newport RFC. Accessed September 22, 2008.
21. ^ "Olympics 2008", BBC, August 13, 2008. Accessed September 22, 2008.
22. ^ Staff. "Tudge makes his first-class debut", Glamorgan County Cricket Club, August 2, 2006. Accessed September 22, 2008.
23. ^ Llewellyn, David. "Cricket: Glamorgan chances ebb after Waters' flow; KENT 587 GLAMORGAN 306 & 96-5", The Independent, August 6, 2005. Accessed September 22, 2008.
24. ^ "Bishop of St Albans", Cathedral & Abbey Church of St Alban. Accessed September 22, 2008.
25. ^ "Moynihan in call to state schools to provide morecompetitors for Britain’s 2012 Olympic team", Inside the games, Newsletter 34, July 10, 2006. Accessed September 22, 2008.
26. ^ Swain, Harriett and Williams, Lynne. "Paul Langford", Times Higher Education. Accessed September 22, 2008.
27. ^ Barker, Dennis. "Richard Marner: Actor best known for his role as the German Colonel Kurt von Strohm in the TV sitcom 'Allo 'Allo", The Guardian, March 25, 2004. Accessed September 22, 2008.
28. ^ Massingberd, Hugh. "'My pages were pinned to poor Irene's mound of Venus'", The Daily Telegraph, December 11, 2006. Acecssed September 22, 2008.

References

• Keith Kissack, Monmouth School and Monmouth 1614 - 1995, Lapridge Publications, 1995
• Keith Kissack, The Lordship, Parish and Borough of Monmouth, Lapridge Publications, 1996
• Michael Eveleigh Hitting the Right Note - A Review of Music at Monmouth School 1946 - 1986, Dovecote Press,1992
• John Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire, Penguin Books, 2000, pages 402-3
• Gwent Record Office, Monmouth School Board Records, Reference code(s): GB 0218 CE.SB.28

External links

• Official website
• The Blake Theatre
• William Jones' Schools Foundation
• Monmouth School Sports Club Official Website
• School YouTube Channel
• Old Monmothians Club
• Old Monmothians Boat Club

Coordinates: 51°48′40″N 2°42′43″W / 51.811°N 2.712°W / 51.811; -2.712