Victoria College, Jersey

Victoria College, Jersey
File:1012164 logo.jpg
Location
Saint Helier Jersey
Information
Type	Fee paying provided school
Motto	Amat Victoria Curam (Victory favours those who take pains)
Established	1852
Founder	States of Jersey
Chairman of the Governors	Clive Barton
Head Master	Robert G Cook B.Ed. (Hons), FRSA
Staff	53
Gender	Boys
Enrollment	693
Houses	5
Colour(s)	Black  and gold
Former pupils	Old Victorians
Close links	Pembroke College, Oxford; Bedford School; Jersey College for Girls
Rival	Elizabeth College, Guernsey De La Salle College, Jersey
Visitor	Reigning Monarch (Queen Elizabeth II)
Website	http://www.vcj.sch.je/

Victoria College (in French: Collège Victoria) is a fee paying States of Jersey-provided school in membership of the HMC, in St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands. The castellated neo-gothic architecture (architect: J. Hayward) is a landmark overlooking the town.

History

Victoria College is an example of Victorian Gothic Revival

Although in the 1590s, Laurens Baudains, a wealthy farmer from St. Martin, had persuaded the monarch and the States of Jersey to support a scheme for the establishment of a college to instruct the youth of Jersey in "grammar, latin, the liberal arts and religion", the scheme foundered.

The visit of Queen Victoria to Jersey in 1846 finally gave impetus to the long-mooted scheme of a college. The grounds of the Mount Pleasant property were purchased to provide a site for the building. The architect J. C. Buckler was selected for the project, but as a result of unacceptable budget over-runs he was replaced by John Hayward of Exeter. Hayward's Gothic Revival design used the form of a tall mediaeval hall framed with hexagonal turrets, mostly faced in in grey granite with some pink granite and sandstone tracery. The foundation stone was laid on Victoria's birthday 24 May 1850, and the college was opened in 1852.

Although French was still the sole official language in Jersey, the new college was consciously patterned after the English public schools. The medium of instruction was English from the beginning and was therefore one of the causes for the decline of French as the élite sent their sons to the new college.

Inside the Great Hall

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 St. Mannelier and St. Anastase closed and their endowments were used to fund scholarships at Victoria College.

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. The main building of 1852 was supplemented with a new quadrangle to provide extra classrooms (architect: Edmund Berteau, States Engineer - 1911). The WWI memorial, a statue of Sir Galahad (1924) by Alfred Turner with a quotation from Tennyson, stands there. The WWII memorial is located outside the sixth form common room. Every Remembrance day the College holds a service to commemorate the pupils who died in the two wars, placing a wreath of poppies at both the base of the statue and the plaque outside the sixth form common room.

In 1935, the Howard Hall, built with the benefactions of T.B. Davis to commemorate his son, Howard Davis, who died during WWI, was opened by the Prince of Wales. The Hall was refurbished in 1996 and now exists as the Howard Davis Theatre where numerous types of drama are performed by the pupils.

College House, a boarding house attached to Victoria College (architect: Edmund Berteau, States Engineer - 1901), was used by the occupying German army as military headquarters during WWII. It was subsequently incorporated into the new Jersey College for Girls building when that institution moved to a site adjacent to Victoria College. Despite some initial opposition from staff and parents at Victoria College to this development, the pupils of both schools now share Design and Art facilities.

In the late 1990s, the school received unwelcome publicity from a scandal when 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 issue [1]. The Sharp Report [2]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."[3]

As a result, firmer guidelines on child protection were implemented under the new headmaster, R. G. Cook.

Headmasters' at Victoria College

Although Victoria College is a state-owned school, the headmaster is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC) which is one of the traditional definitions of a public school.

File:Rev W G Henderson.jpg

The First Headmaster, Reverend Dr. W.G. Henderson

The then Headmaster Mr. Martyn Devenport with the Prefect's of 1979

The Current Headmaster, Mr. Robert G. Cook

The First Headmaster

William Henderson was born in 1819, the eldest son of Admiral George Henderson. He was a Demy (Scholar) at Magdalen College, Oxford. He received aa BA (Literae Humaniores and Maths) in 1840, an MA in 1843, a DCL in 1853 and an honorary Durham DD in 1882.

Academically, Henderson seems to have been distinctly 'above average', being 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. His career affords an excellent example of the academic pluralities which were not uncommon at that time, since he became a Fellow of Magdalen College twelve months after migrating to Durham, and retained that benefit until his departure from the British mainland.

After one session as Principal of Hatfield Hall, Henderson went as Headmaster to Victoria College, Jersey 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.

List Of Headmasters'

Year	Year
From	To	Duration	Headmaster
1852	1862	11	Rev Dr WG Henderson, MA, DCL
1862	1863	2	CJ Wood, MA
1863	1881	19	Rev WO Cleave, MA, LLD
1881	1892	12	Rev RH Chambers, MA
1892	1895	4	GS Farnel, MA
1896	1911	16	LV Lester-Garland, MA, FLS
1911	1933	23	AH Worral, TD, MA
1933	1940	8	JH Grummit, MA
1940	1945	6	PA Tatam (acting headmaster)
1946	1967	22	R Postill, TD, MA (see also Obituary)
1967	1991	25	MH Devenport, MA
1991	1992	2	BH Vibert (acting headmaster)
1992	1999	8	J Hydes
1999	2000	2	P Stevenson (acting headmaster)
2000	2010	10	RG Cook, B.Ed (Hons), FRSA
2010			A Watkins

Tradition

Houses

In the style of the English public school system, the school operates on a house system, each house named after a pupil who was awarded the Victoria Cross as the college lost many of its students to the First World War and the Second World War, namely Braithwaite (only mentioned in dispatches, and not awarded the Victoria Cross), Bruce, Dunlop (also not awarded the Victoria Cross) and Sartorius. In 2002, under Headmaster Robert Cook (originally from Wales), a fifth house, Diarmid, was added in recognition of a VC winner who had previously not been assigned one. Each house bears its own colour in order to distinguish it from other houses. These have led to the development of house mascots, often in the form of costumes.

Braithwaite House Choir(2007)

House	Colour	Mascot
Braithwaite	Green	Crocodile
Bruce	Blue	Goose
Diarmid	Purple	Dolphin
Dunlop	Yellow	Lioness
Sartorious	Red	Dragon

Houses have each developed songs for chanting at Sports events and more notably the annual "House Music Competition". At the same event, each student dresses up according to his house colour in order to show his support.

Traditionally, if a student has a paternal lineage at the college, he will join the house of his ancestry on becoming part of the school.

House Flags

The current Headmaster, Robert G. Cook, introduced a new house flag system.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.

Month	Success Celebrated
January	House with most credits (as at December)
February	Leader in the Blomfield Cup (as at 31 January)
March	Winner of House Music
April	Winner of House Art
May	Overall winner of the Cross Country
June	Winner of the Landick Cup
July	Newly appointed Head Boy's House
August	Winner of Sports Day
September	Winner of the Blomfield
October	Winner of Knight's Shield
November	Winner of House Drama
December	Most money raised for Charity in previous academic year.

The College Carmen

Victoria College has its own school song, traditionally sung in assemblies in the Great Hall or at functions such as Prize giving or Leavers Day. The Carmen was composed in 1918 by the then Headmaster, Arthur Hardy Worrall. The Latin lyrics are as follows:

Carmen Caesariense

Olim hoc collegium

Priscus rex dotavit

Multis annis postea

Reginae benignitas

Ubi stat locavit

Reginae Victoriae

Floreat Collegium!

Litteris nos erudit

Doctrina carentes

Moribus ingenuis

Corporisque viribus

Instruit languentes

Reginae Vaginae

Floreat Collegium!

Numquam desit copia

Hac e disciplina

Qui Deo ac patriae

Diligenter serviant

Opera divina!

Reginae Victoriae

Floreat Collegium!

Arthur Hardy Worrall (1918)

The English translation is as follows:

Long ago an ancient King

Endowed this College

Many years afterwards

The kindness of a Queen

Placed it where it stands

May the College of Queen

Victoria flourish

In letters it educates us

Who lack learning

It instructs us as we

languish

With innate habits

And strength of body

May the College of Queen

Victoria flourish

Never may there be lacking

A supply from this seat of learning

Who will serve God

And their country diligently

With God’s help

May the College of Queen

Victoria flourish

Motto

The motto over the entrance

The school motto is the Latin phrase Amat Victoria Curam. The translation of the motto is ambiguous. Literally it may translate as "victory loves the care". However, other scholars suggest it could also be "victory likes careful preparation" or more loosely "victory favours those who take pains" [4]. Further, the phrase is a play on words, referring to either the school's name or indeed the name of the patron, Queen Victoria. Thus, of the numerous other possibilities are "Victoria (as in Queen Victoria or Victoria College) loves industry".

The Prefect Body

Victoria College Prefect Body (2007-2008)

Each year, Victoria College chooses between approximately 15-25 students to become Prefects. The Prefect Body are the senior students of the College, chosen for their dedication, commitment and ability to contribute positively to life at Victoria College. The Prefect Body comprises: The Head Boy, The Deputy Head Boy, The House Captain's, The Sports Captain and the remaining Prefects.

Each of the Prefect's wear an academic gown or robe. The Head Prefect's status is signified by the college crest on the back of his gown whilst both the Head and Deputy Head Prefect's gown's bear a white and chocolate striping. The House Captain's each have the colour of their house on the edges of their gowns. The Sports Prefect's gown bears the traditional sports colours of the college, brown and yellow. The remaining Prefects wear plain black robes.

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

Head Prefects (winners of the Girard de Quetteville medal) (1967-1991)

Victoria College has been handing out the Girard de Quetteville Medal since 1913 to the boy ‘whom the principal, in consultation with staff, shall judge to be most deserving by reason of his good example and strong influence’ - traditionally the head boy. The head boy acts as a vehicle of communication between staff and students, whilst often representing the College at public functions. In recent years, the school eagerly anticipates the Head Prefect's final speech on Leaver's Day. The event is often humorous and occasionally controversial!

Year	Head Boy
1967-1968	J.E.C. Arthur
1968-1969	P. de Ste. Croix
1969-1970	E.J.R. Boston
1970-1971	P.N. Hartle
1971-1972	P.J. Le Feuvre
1972-1973	K.G. Podger
1973-1974	N.J.M. Bell
1974-1975	R. Gasston
1975-1976	S.P. Ringsdore
1976-1977	T.J. Herbert
1977-1978	D.S.A. Campbell
1978-1979	C. Scholefield
1979-1980	S.R.G. Howard
1980-1981	J.W. Rothwell
1981-1982	A.C. Lavery
1982-1983	W. Jenner
1983-1984	P.L. Lalor
1984-1985	A.E. Staite
1985-1986	B.J. Murray
1986-1987	D.L. Hedditch
1987-1988	A.N. de la Haye
1988-1989	M.K. Hedditch
1989-1990	D.K. Bower
1990-1991	J.M. Weaver
1991-1992	Kris Krinkle
1992-1994	Michael Cheung (Retained post due to unhuman powers)
1994-1995	Henry Cheung (no relation)
1995-1996	Charles Cushion
1996-1997	Tom Pipon
1997-1998	Anthony 'Butters' Sartin
1998-1999	Paul Josse
1999-2000	Brendan Carolann
2000-2001	George McCluffcluff
2001-2002	Taraq Hadaddadad
2002-2003	Hedley Pipon
2003-2005	Clive Temple (post retained in respect to Mr Temple's wishes)
2005-2006	Alistair Vines
2007-2008	Luckless
2008-2009	Leo Scholefield

The current Head Prefect for the 2009-2010 Academic Year is Tim de la Haye.

Alumni

See Category:Old Victorians.

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

Victoria Cross holders

Five Old Victorians have won the Victoria Cross.

• Victoria Cross

• • Umbeyla Campaign
    • Lieutenant Henry William Pitcher, VC. He later achieved the rank of Captain. (1841 - 1875)

• • First Ashanti Expedition
    • Major Reginald William Sartorius, VC, CMG. He later achieved the rank of Major General. (1841 - 1907)

• • Second Afghan War
    • Captain Euston Henry Sartorius, VC, CB. He later achieved the rank of Major General. (1844 - 1925)

• • First World War
    • Lieutenant William Arthur McCrae Bruce, VC. (1890 - 1914)
    • Captain Allastair Malcolm Cluny McReady-Diarmid, VC. (1888 - 1917)

The Sartorius brothers are noted for being one of only five pairs of brothers to have won the Victoria Cross.

See also

• List of Victoria Crosses by School

References

• 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

External links

• Victoria College
• 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