Eltham College

"This article is about the school in London, England. For the school in Research, Australia see Eltham College of Education."

Infobox UK school
name = Eltham College


size = 120px
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motto =
motto_pl =
motto = Gloria Filiorum Patres (The glory of sons is their fathers - Proverbs 17: 6)
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closed =
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established = 1842 (re-established 1852)
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closed =
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type = Independent day school
religion =
president =
head_label = Headmaster
head = Paul J. Henderson
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street =
city = Mottingham
county = London
country = England
postcode =
LEA = Bromley
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enrollment =
free_label_3 = Ages
free_3 = 7-18 (Preparatory - Sixth Form)
houses =
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publication =
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free_1 =
free_label_3 = Gender
free_3 = Boys (with coeducational sixth form)
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free_label_2 = Former Pupils
free_2 = Old Elthamians
website = http://www.eltham-college.org.uk
website_name = eltham-college.org.uk

Eltham College is an independent school situated in Mottingham in south-east London. Eltham and Mottingham once formed part of the same parish, hence its name. [ [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10040589 Eltham St John the Baptist CP/AP Kent through time | Administrative history of Parish-level Unit: hierarchies, boundaries ] ]

Early history

The school dates back to 1842 when it was founded as the London Missionary Society's School for the Sons and Orphans of Missionaries. A girls' school had been established in Walthamstow in 1837 and a boys' school was opened in the same place at the beginning of 1842. The boys' school later relocated to Mornington Crescent in 1852 and then to a purpose-built location in the centre of Blackheath in 1857 [Rhind, N. (1993) "Blackheath Village & Environs, 1790-1990, Vol.1 The Village and Blackheath Vale" (Bookshop Blackheath, London), p.117.] (the old school building became the headquarters of the Church Army and is now a private hospital). Missionary David Livingstone sent his sons to the school while it was in Blackheath [Rhind, N. (1993) "Blackheath Village & Environs, 1790-1990, Vol.1 The Village and Blackheath Vale" (Bookshop Blackheath, London), p.118.] .

Current site

The school moved to its present site of 15 hectares / 36 acres - centred around an 18th century mansion (Fairy Hall) in Mottingham - in 1912. The building had previously been used by the Royal Naval School from 1889 to the end of the summer term in 1910.

Eltham College began life as a small boarding school catering for children of missionaries serving overseas, mainly in India, China and Africa. Since the 1950s, the college has become primarily a day school for boys with a co-educational sixth form since 1981. The pupils are split into four houses, named Carey, Livingstone, Chalmers and Moffat; coloured blue, green, red and yellow respectively.

Its buildings have been progressively modernised and extended over the last few decades, with the addition of new sports facilities, science labs, theatre, a music school and Junior School facilities. In 2005, a "drop-off and pick-up zone" was constructed on the foremost playing field of the school, due to the overcrowding of the original carpark.

The school is well regarded for the educational attainment of its students, regularly appearing highly in rankings of exam performance and Oxbridge entry.

Headmasters

The school's headmasters at Blackheath [Rhind, N. (1993) "Blackheath Village & Environs, 1790-1990, Vol.1 The Village and Blackheath Vale" (Bookshop Blackheath, London), p.119.] were:
*1852-1866: William George Lemon
*1866-1868: James Scottdik
*1869-1870: Charles Dugard Makepeace
*1870-1875: Revd Edward J Chincock
*1875-1892: Revd Edward Waite
*1893-1914: Walter Branerd Haward

*1930-1959: Geoffrey Turberville
*1959-1983: Christopher Porteous

Christopher Porteous was succeeded as headmaster by Christopher Waller. The College's current headmaster is Paul J. Henderson, who took over from Malcolm Green in September 2000.

Redevelopment

Henderson has continued the school's programme of building and development started by Malcolm Green, including a controversial major redevelopment to the front of the College, the Junior School and Music School.

Notable Old Elthamians

* Statistician Philip Bailey
* Historian Stuart Ball
* Philosopher Piers Benn
* Politician Fenner Brockway - one of the last pupils to attend the school when it was located in Blackheath [Rhind, N. (1993) "Blackheath Village & Environs, 1790-1990, Vol.1 The Village and Blackheath Vale" (Bookshop Blackheath, London), p.118.]
* Author and broadcaster Charlie Connelly
* "Britain's worst professional tennis player" Robert Dee [ [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=561273&in_page_id=1770&in_page_id=1770&expand=true Article from "Daily Mail"] ]
* Physicist Frank Farmer [ [http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article39317.ece Obituary from "The Independent"] ]
* Jamie Harris, Newport Gwent Dragons rugby player
* Johan Malcolm, Leicestershire county cricket player
* Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools in the UK Government
* Olympic athlete Eric Liddell, after whom the sports hall is named.
* Jack Oliver, Great Britain weightlifting champion
* Peter Barnett, Great Britain weightlifting champion
* "Gormenghast" author Mervyn Peake after whom the library is named

Notes and references

* [http://www.eltham-college.org.uk/ Eltham College website]
* [http://www.isc.co.uk/index.php/40/0368 Independent Schools Inspectorate, containing a report on the College]
* [http://oldelthamiansrfc.com Old Elthamians RFC website]