Victoria College, Jersey: Difference between revisions

Victoria College
Queen Elizabeth II
Website	www.victoriacollege.je
500m 550yds Victoria College

Victoria College is a selective, fee-paying, state school for

History

Foundation

Following the visit of

The foundation stone of the new college was laid with great ceremony on Victoria's birthday, 24 May 1850. Most shops in Saint Helier closed for the day and 12,000 spectators were estimated to have attended the occasion. A military parade crossed the town of Saint Helier to the site of the ceremony, followed shortly afterwards by the members of the States of Jersey who adjourned the legislative sitting to attend. The

The college was opened on 29 September 1852 with 98 students enrolled,^[6] rising to 125 on 1 October 1852.^[7] The opening ceremony once again involved a military parade. The Lieutenant-Governor and the States of Jersey again assembled in the Temple and processed to the Great Hall where the Bailiff addressed the audience. He recalled the Royal visit of 1846 and stated that the intention of memorialising that visit had inspired the construction of a college for the instruction of youth and of promenades for the recreation of the public. He stated that the interest shown by the Queen and the Prince in the college had led them to present two portraits. The Lieutenant-Governor then formally presented the portraits of the royal couple which were unveiled. The quality of the portraits, copies of Winterhalter, was criticised in the press.^[7] The initial uniform consisted of jacket, waistcoat and trousers in black or dark green, and a cap of the same colour.^[6]

19th Century

Although

Queen Victoria visited the college on her return to Jersey in 1859. The British monarch remains Visitor of the college, visiting as recently as 2002. In the 1860s, the ancient grammar schools of Saint-Mannelier and Saint Anastase closed and their endowments were later used to fund scholarships at Victoria College.

20th Century

The college was controlled by the Assembly of Governor, Bailiff and Jurats until 1921 when the States took over the assets of that Assembly (including the college) along with most of its powers. The Governing body now consists of a board of Governors, some States appointed, others taken from parents of current pupils. In 1911, the main building of 1852 was supplemented with a new

In 1935, the Howard Hall, built with the benefactions of

During the German occupation of Jersey during the Second World War, the college was commandeered for the

The College's 125th anniversary was commemorated by Jersey Post in 1977 with an issue of stamps on 29 September 1977.^[9] In the late 1990s, the school was engulfed in a scandal as a teacher, A.J. Dykes, was accused and sentenced for six counts of indecent assault and one count of possession of an indecent photograph of a child. The headmaster, J. Hydes, resigned as a result of the handling of issue.^[10] The Sharp Report, completed as a result of the issue^[11] reviewing the case noted that "The handling of the complaint was more consistent with protecting a member of staff and the college's reputation in the short-term than safeguarding the best interests of the pupil."^[12] As a result, firmer guidelines on child protection were implemented under the new headmaster, R. G. Cook.

Tradition

Houses

In the style of the English public school system, the school operates on a house system. The house system was first introduced in 1904. Houses were based on the geographical provenance of the boys. The sizes of the houses were very unequal, with School House (the boarders) being much smaller than the others. In 1912 the boundaries of the catchment areas for the town and country houses were adjusted, but the geographical system was replaced in 1919 by a new house system based on numerical parity.^[13] The new system had four houses, each named after former pupils distinguished for their military service. The four houses were named: Braithwaite, Dunlop, Bruce and Sartorious. A fifth house, Diarmid, was added in 2002 by then headmaster Bob Cook. Three of the houses are named for five former students that have been awarded The Victoria Cross: Captain Alastair Malcolm Cluny McReady-Diarmid in 1918, Lieutenant William Arthur McRae Bruce in 1919, Captain Henry William Pitcher, and the Sartorius brothers Major General Reginald William Sartorius and Major General Euston Henry Sartorius.

House Flags

Robert G. Cook, Head Master from 2000–10, introduced a new house flag system.^[14] At the beginning of each month, a flag on the turrets of Victoria College is changed according to the successes of houses at certain events. The flag bears the colour of the house.

Uniform

The initial uniform consisted of jacket, waistcoat and trousers in black or dark green, and a cap of the same colour.^[6]

Early students wore a mortarboard or trencher, although this had been discontinued by 1871. In 1876, a straw boater with ribbon of broad diagonal stripes of black and white was introduced. The black and white stripes led to the boys being nicknamed magpies. A metal cap badge was being worn by 1883, and it was around this time that the black and gold colours were first associated with the college. Under the headmastership of R.H. Chambers (1881–1892) the chocolate and white colour scheme was introduced, along with differences in uniform between the junior and senior schools. Juniors wore a chocolate-coloured pillbox hat with a white Maltese cross on the front; seniors wore a chocolate-coloured cap with the coat of arms of Jersey in white. The tails on the heraldic leopards in this badge were so long that the boys were nicknamed College congers as a result. In 1893, black and gold replaced chocolate and white, and straw boaters were black and white with a ribbon of black-gold-black. The coat of arms of Jersey on the badge was depicted as black leopards on gold. These designs lasted until 1927, when chocolate and white made a return under headmaster A.H. Worrall in the form of caps with concentric rings of black, white and chocolate. At the same time, the four house colours appeared as backings to the badge on boys' caps according to their respective houses. Until the Second World War boarders had a maroon cap with blue ribbon. Under conditions of military occupation, clothing was scarce. In 1945 a navy blue cap was adopted as a temporary measure, and in 1947 a chocolate cap with radiating piping of black and white was chosen from a range of options; worn with a blazer of royal blue, gold and crimson. In 1952 black and gold made a definitive return: a black cap with radiating piping and a badge, both gold; a black blazer with gold badge on the pocket. Chocolate and white were retained as sports colours.

Throughout these changes, the Preparatory school retained black and gold. Until 1940 the black cap had radiating spokes of gold on the top only, with a black on gold badge of the coat of arms of Jersey. From 1945 to 1952 the gold spokes were replaced by a circle of the respective house colour. In 1952 the previous colour scheme returned.^[15] Later, the cap badge represented the respective house colour.

Headmaster Ronald Postill re-introduced the wearing of boater hats in the summer to formal events in the 1950s. This practice was discontinued under Headmaster Martyn Devenport, but later revived under Headmaster Robert Cook.

Notable alumni

Past students of Victoria College, Jersey are referred to as Old Victorians.

Victoria Cross holders

Five Old Victorians have been awarded the Victoria Cross.

• Victoria Cross
  • Umbeyla Campaign
    • Lieutenant Henry William Pitcher, VC. He later achieved the rank of Captain. (1841–1875)^[16]
  • First Ashanti Expedition
    • Major General. (1841–1907) ^[17]
  • Second Afghan War
    • Major General. (1844–1925)^[17]
  • First World War
    • William Arthur McCrae Bruce, VC. (1890–1914) ^[18]
    • Allastair Malcolm Cluny McReady-Diarmid, VC. (1888–1917)^[19]

The school's first headmaster, William Henderson, was born in 1819, the eldest son of Admiral George Henderson. He was a Demy (Scholar) at Magdalen College, Oxford. Academically, Henderson was awarded the Chancellor's Latin Essay Prize in 1842 and the Ellerton Theological Prize in 1843. In 1845, shortly after his ordination, he was appointed Headmaster of Magdalen College School, but a year later accepted a Tutorship at Durham University. After one session as Principal of Hatfield Hall, Henderson went as Headmaster to Victoria College and remained there for ten years. This employment was followed by 22 years as Headmaster of Leeds Grammar School whence he was translated to the Deanery of Carlisle. There he remained for a further 21 years, until his death in 1905.^[20]

List of Headmasters

On the front of the main school building, Below the battlements, the heads of former headmasters can be seen in the form of gargoyles overlooking the college lawn. As there were not enough headmasters for all the gargoyles, the headmasters are accompanied by random gurning faces.

See also

• List of schools in Jersey
• List of Victoria Crosses by School

References

Footnotes

Bibliography

• Buildings in the Town and Parish of Saint Helier, CEB Brett, 1977
• Victoria College, Jersey, 1852–1972, Cottrill, D.J., Phillimore & Co Ltd, ISBN / EAN: 0850332850
• The Devenport Years 1967–1991, Stephen Lucas, 2002, ASIN: B0019ZPUKU

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Victoria College, Jersey

• Official website
• A Short History 1852–1928 by E.C. Cooper
• College Activities 1852–1928 by E.C. Cooper
• A Short History 1929–1956 by J.S. Rowley
• A Short History of Victoria College: 1972–1979 by A.M. Bellows