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==Post War==
==Post War==
[[Squash rackets|Squash]] courts were opened in 1957, together with, in 1958, the construction of a brand new gymnasium. Also in 1958 was added a new modern science block. At the same time, on the opposite side of the playing field, a new single storey art block. In 1967 the school received its very own astrological observatory, built by local enthusiasts and opened by no less than celebrity astronomer Patrick Moore<ref>{{cite news |title=Opening of the new Observatory by Patrick Moore, King Edward VI Grammar School, Retford, 1967 |url=https://www.inspirepicturearchive.org.uk/image/13773/Opening_of_the_new_Observatory_by_Patrick_Moore_King_Edward_VI_Grammar_School_Retford_1967 |agency=Nottinghamshire County Council |publisher=Inspire |date=1967 |access-date=2019-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404151900/https://www.inspirepicturearchive.org.uk/image/13773/Opening_of_the_new_Observatory_by_Patrick_Moore_King_Edward_VI_Grammar_School_Retford_1967 |archive-date=2019-04-04 |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[Squash rackets|Squash]] courts were opened in 1957, together with, in 1958, the construction of a brand new gymnasium. Also in 1958 was added a new modern ([[CLASP]]) science block<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nicholson |first1=Andy |url=http://nottshistory.blogspot.com/2011/09/nottinghamshire-historian-autumnwinter.html |website=NOTTINGHAMSHIRE HISTORY BLOG |publisher=The Nottinghamshire Historian |accessdate=10 November 2019}}</ref>. At the same time, on the opposite side of the playing field, a new single storey art block. In 1967 the school received its very own astrological observatory, built by local enthusiasts and opened by no less than celebrity astronomer Patrick Moore<ref>{{cite news |title=Opening of the new Observatory by Patrick Moore, King Edward VI Grammar School, Retford, 1967 |url=https://www.inspirepicturearchive.org.uk/image/13773/Opening_of_the_new_Observatory_by_Patrick_Moore_King_Edward_VI_Grammar_School_Retford_1967 |agency=Nottinghamshire County Council |publisher=Inspire |date=1967 |access-date=2019-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404151900/https://www.inspirepicturearchive.org.uk/image/13773/Opening_of_the_new_Observatory_by_Patrick_Moore_King_Edward_VI_Grammar_School_Retford_1967 |archive-date=2019-04-04 |url-status=live }}</ref>


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Revision as of 21:13, 10 November 2019

History

The historic Edward VI Grammar School buildings in Retford, designed by Decimus Burton

Retford King Edward VI Grammar school was opened on London Road in 1857 after being moved from an older site on Chapelgate.[1]

An earlier headmaster Reverend Seth Ellis is said to have been a key advocate in the Chesterfield Canal being directed through the town on its way to the River Trent at West Stockwith.[2]

The current London Road site[3] was opened in 1857 with buildings designed by Decimus Burton, consisting of only a single schoolroom; later to be the library, and a head master's house later to house the school office and head master's office.

In 1890, an adjoining gymnasium was added, with above it a large projection room. 1906 meant the erection of, along the Dominie Cross Road, of several ‘temporary’ buildings, which included the so-called “Tin Tab”.

In 1912, the school pupils, like those of many other schools of the day, donated monies to fund dogs for the 1912 Arctic expedition of Robert Falcon Scott.

The Fives Court was gifted in 1924 in the memory of William Eyre[4] a fallen World War 1 casualty. In 1926 a new block of classrooms was opened containing the first library. The iron guttering still bears that date in 2019.

King Edward VI Grammar School dining hall

In 1937, a new Assembly hall was added[5].

Pre-War

Period Masters Links
1910 Mr Watson, Mr Waterhouse, Mr Davies Worksop Guardian, "Here we went" article
Period Pupils                 Links
1906 Dimock Our Nottinghamshire, Sherwood Rangers.
1909 White Nottinghamshire County Council, Roll of Honour
1928 Pringle Flight Lieutenant 37299 115 Sqdn., Royal Air Force

War Time

Many ex pupils of the school served in the armed forces during the 1st World War and details of some those can be found in the online Great War Forum.

During the 2nd World War, pupils from Great Yarmouth were relocated to Retford Grammar School[6]

Post War

Squash courts were opened in 1957, together with, in 1958, the construction of a brand new gymnasium. Also in 1958 was added a new modern (CLASP) science block[7]. At the same time, on the opposite side of the playing field, a new single storey art block. In 1967 the school received its very own astrological observatory, built by local enthusiasts and opened by no less than celebrity astronomer Patrick Moore[8]

Period Masters Links
1963 Bramma       Dictionary of Composers for the Church in Great Britain and Ireland
Period Pupils Links
1963 Olson            Retford Grammar School 1963? Upper Science Six
1976 Watson            "a grammar school dropout"
The new maths and craft block opened in 1979 and later demolished in about 2012 to make way for the residential development

In 1979 several new buildings were added. A new music block was added between the New Block, now becoming known as the Old Block, and the main school building. Also in 1979, a large new multidisciplinary block housing on the ground floor, wood and metal workshops, and upstairs a suite of domestic science kitchens and the Mathematics department.






Final Grammar School days

In 1979, after the inclusion of King Edward VI Grammar School and the High School in parliamentary discussion,[9] Retford King Edward VI Grammar School, and Sir Frederick Milner's School were merged into King Edward VI Comprehensive School.
At the point of the merger in 1979 with the Frederick Milner School, many of the school records were deposited with the National Archives.[1]

In January 1998, Rosemary Salisbury became one of the final headteachers of what was now known simply as the King Edward VI School and the first female to do so.[10]

Closure

In the 21st century, the school was scheduled for closure.[2]

The school closed in 2003. [3]

The school was formally replaced by the new Retford Oaks Academy opened in 2003.
The school stood empty for a number of years after closure, these pictures from Urbanography showing the last wall displays still in place from its final days.
The pictures at urban exploration site 28 Days Later include a rare 2011 picture of the entrance to the new music rooms internally linking the original school and New Block opened in 1978, and later demolished during redevelopment.

Redevelopment

The old school buildings were eventually sold for redevelopment circa 2011. [4]

During the demolition of the newer building to the rear of the school in 2012, problems were encountered with the disposal of asbestos contained in them.[11]

The architects for the redevelopment were Rayner Davies.[12]

King Edward VI Grammar School Trust

The proceeds of the sale of the school site were entrusted to a legal trust, known as the King Edward VI Grammar School Trust which endows young people with grants towards their ongoing education.[13]
link to King Edward VI Grammar School Trust

Old Retfordians

Pupils leaving the school have been encouraged to stay in touch through a network known as the "Old Retfordians Association", sometimes more than 40 years after they originally left the school.[14]

The Bassetlaw Museum, Amcott House, at 40 Grove Street, Retford has a collection of school artefacts and some early photographs of the school on its own website. www.eyemead.com/open.htm is an archive of King Edward VI Grammar School material collected by former pupil, John Palmer.

References

  1. ^ Grounds, Arthur Douglas (1970). A History of King Edward VI Grammar School, Retford.
  2. ^ "Brief History of the Chesterfield Canal". Chesterfield Canal Trust. Chesterfield Canal Trust. Archived from the original on 7 July 2019. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  3. ^ Nicholson, Andrew. "Map of Retford c.1920". Nottinghamshire Heritage Gateway. Nottinghamshire Heritage Gateway. Archived from the original on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  4. ^ Eyre, William. "Fives Court". War Memorials. Nottinghamshire County Council.
  5. ^ "King Edward VI Grammar School, East Retford, Nottinghamshire". Historic England. Historic England. Archived from the original on 2019-04-07. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  6. ^ Pegotty (26 September 2013). "Did Hitler visit you last night?". Great Yarmouth Mercury. Archived from the original on 6 October 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  7. ^ Nicholson, Andy. NOTTINGHAMSHIRE HISTORY BLOG. The Nottinghamshire Historian http://nottshistory.blogspot.com/2011/09/nottinghamshire-historian-autumnwinter.html. Retrieved 10 November 2019. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ^ "Opening of the new Observatory by Patrick Moore, King Edward VI Grammar School, Retford, 1967". Inspire. Nottinghamshire County Council. 1967. Archived from the original on 2019-04-04. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  9. ^ "Schools (Reorganisation)". Hansard. 969. 1979-07-02. Archived from the original on 2019-04-07. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  10. ^ O'Sullivan, Jack (1998-09-03). "Education: How on earth did I get here?". The Independent. The Independent. Archived from the original on 2019-04-07. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  11. ^ "Retford Property Developer Fined £55k for Asbestos Failures". Insider Media. Archived from the original on 6 October 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  12. ^ "Rayner Davies Architects school frontage restored". Rayner Davies Architects. Archived from the original on 2019-04-04. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  13. ^ "King Edward VI Grammar School Trust". Charity Commission.
  14. ^ "King Edward VI Grammar School (KEGS) re-union". Retford Life. 2017-07-16. Archived from the original on 2019-04-02. Retrieved 2019-04-04.