Retford King Edward VI Grammar School

• Comment: The list format needs to be changed to prose. The section "School Day Memories" is not suitable for an encyclopedia article, "An additional wealth of personal memories and historic pictures has been collected by former pupil, John Palmer, over the decades" is not neutral tone. Theroadislong (talk) 18:14, 18 May 2019 (UTC)

• Comment: Please read WP:REFB for help with formatting sources so they show up correctly Theroadislong (talk) 12:51, 4 April 2019 (UTC)

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History

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

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

The current London Road site 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”.

The Fives Court was gifted in 1924 in the memory of William Eyre 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.

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  The fives court in 2016 before its redevelopment repaint
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  The 1926 extension a New Block in its time, photographed in 2016.

In 1937 a new Assembly hall was added. 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 other side of the playing field, in the same year, 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

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  Retford King Edward VI (Grammar) School gymnasium built 1950s, photographed 2003, demolished c 2012 to make way for new flats.
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  The 1958 built science block, in 2003, before its demolition in about 2012
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  Inside one of the four science laboratories

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.

People educated at King Edward VI Grammar School, Retford

Final Grammar School days

In 1979, after the inclusion of King Edward VI Grammar School and the High School in parliamentary discussion, 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]

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  The new maths and craft block opened in 1979 and later demolished in about 2012 to make way for the residential development

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.

Closure

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

The school closed in 2003 [3]

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  One of the ceramic mugs made to commemorate the closure of Retford King Edward VI (Grammar) School in 2003
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  The front of the mug features the original building designed by Decimus Burton

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.

Redevelopment

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

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  Retford King Edward VI Grammar School under redevelopment in 2016.
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  Retford King Edward VI Grammar School under redevelopment in 2016.
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  Retford King Edward VI Grammar School without the 1958 science block.

The architects for the redevelopment were Rayner Davies.

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  Retford King Edward VI School under redevelopment in 2018. Photograph by Philip Snowden.
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  Retford King Edward VI School under redevelopment in 2018. Photograph by Philip Snowden.
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  Retford King Edward VI School under redevelopment in 2018. Photograph by Philip Snowden.

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  New flats completed on the site of the old King Edward VI Grammar School tennis courts in March 2018 at the back of the main school.

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.

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.

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  ORA letterhead.
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  ORA AGM details. The Old Retfordians met annually to renew old friendships.
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  The ORA Annual Dinner invitation notes the 44th reunion, from 1948 to 1992.
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  Pupils from the 1950s in 2019.
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  Pupils from the 1970s reunited in 2018, in the 1924 Fives Court commemorating William Eyre.

External Links

www.eyemead.com/open.htm is an archive of King Edward VI Grammar School material collected by former pupil, John Palmer.