Repton Archives

The annual sports competition in 1910 lasted three days. Here's a great shot of Donald Ellis (Priory '05) in front of the old pavilion. To the left of it is the roof of the Fives Court, demolished months later to make way for the grey stone classrooms now known as Furneaux School

Repton v. Uppingham, June 10th-11th 1911. "Uppingham were beaten by an innings and 36 runs, Eric Moses (85) and Reginald Popham (142) playing finely, and Frederick Calthorpe, after a quick 49 (8 fours), took in the two innings 11 wickets for 96 runs."

Celebrating the first #SchoolArchivesDay with four photos of the School Archive, including documents from the medieval Priory, a 1621 charter bearing the Great Seal of James I, bound copies of the School magazine, and a photo of me perusing a volume of bound 17th century letters.

The back of the Hall and Prior Overton's Tower, viewed from the field on the North bank of the Old Trent; one of many illustrations of Public Schools by Francis Philip Barraud 1824-1901.

Pears School, whose foundations were dug 140 years ago this month. Designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield, this Memorial Hall and classrooms was opened in 1886. It is pictured here 10 years later.

Great to have the help of a team of enthusiastic pupils, members of our new Archives Club, as we investigate the graffiti on these wooden shields. There are six shields in total (all from the old Sanatorium) on which boys were allowed to carve their names between 1900 and 1935.

The elegantly designed embossed menu for the Cambridge branch of the Old Reptonian Club, November 1908. Tomato soup and smoked herring purée sound much more appetising in French!

PT Squad, Speech Day 1938

1917: A view of call (registration) at the entrance to the Old Priory.

1932: after the annual obstacle race

January 1968: the start of the Junior Steeplechase, amidst the bucolic charms of the Trent Valley.

When it opened in June 1902, the Grubber invited comments from a pupil committee, whose minute book contains such gems as ‘the supply of muffins is not equal to the demand’ and a request that ‘the sugar supplied in the tea room might be freed from dust.’ Here is a page from 1915.

A fascinating view of the School, taken from the cricket field in 1911. The pavilion was demolished the following year, and was replaced by our present one. This photograph was taken by Henry Kerrich, then in his second year at Repton. He was killed in action in 1917.

To Etaples Military Cemetery in Northern France this morning to pay my respects to the six Old Reptonians who are buried there: George Borough 07/11/16, Geoffrey Simpson 09/11/15, Charles Gillies 05/05/16, Lancelot Saye 11/07/16, Walter Nickels 16/11/16 and John Barratt 24/01/19.

A recently donated watercolour of the Arch. Although the artist has yet to be identified, this piece was probably painted between 1897-1920. In that period there was a gap in the wall of the Causey (the slope that leads up to the Old Priory) which can clearly be seen here.

In grateful memory of the Old Reptonians who fell on D-Day, 6th June 1944, and the dozen who fell in Normandy in the following days. From left to right: Major Arthur Moreton-Onions (Hall ‘34), Major Robert Barber (Orchard ‘29) and Captain Richard Bellerby (Hall ‘33)

A view of St Wystan’s and the Arch c1902. The lychgate was built in 1905 as a memorial to the Rev Arthur Forman, housemaster of The Cross. The small oak tree in front of the Arch was planted in 1887 to commemorate the Queen’s Jubilee. It was removed shortly after the Great War.

Repton's 6th Form girls in 1973. The first two girls joined the School in 1970, and others soon followed - often the daughters of masters or the sisters of boys already here. By 1977, there were 43 girls on roll. The Abbey, our first boarding house for girls, opened in 1979.

In August 1938, MGM filmed some of the exterior scenes of 'Goodbye Mr Chips' at Repton. Hundreds of Reptonians returned early from their holidays to be extras. Coached by a Lancashire county player, they played in rugby scenes dressed in shirts and knickerbockers of the 1870s.

Speech Day, June 1926: the view of Repton from the tower of St Wystan’s