| Monkton
Combe Junior School was founded in 1888, 20 years after the senior
school. The school occupied two large Victorian houses in Church
Road, Combe Down near to where Ralph Allen had his stone quarries.
The first headmaster was Mr Charles Howard whose wife was the
daughter of The Rev R Bryan, the Principal of MCS. Initially there
were 4 boys all told! Today there are 229 boys and girls.
On
5th June 1907 the school moved across Church Road into
purpose-built premises, which were opened by Col. Robert Williams,
MP. By this time Mr Edward Easterfield was headmaster presiding
over 66 boys and 5 members of staff.
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Mr &
Mrs Howard - the founders of MCJS
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| The
school's badge is a magpie. This originated with a club which
collected interesting objects. In 1899, this club produced a
magazine of the same name, which still continues to this day. In
1951, the art mistress, Miss Bulmer designed a magpie badge for
the school which was also to become that of HMS Magpie, commanded
at the time by HRH Prince Philip. |
|
The
School has had eleven headmasters, four of whom give their names
to the school houses: Easterfield, Howard, Jameson and Kearns.
In
1937 a pre-prep department was opened and is situated in one of
the former boarding houses, Glenburnie. Since 1951 the school has
been co-educational.
The
school has never disguised its Christian commitment. Many of its
children have been the sons and daughters of missionaries. Some of
its most famous old pupils, such as Graham Leonard, Maurice Wood
and Charles Claxton, have been bishops of the Church of England.
In 1952 the school's own chapel of St George was dedicated, so
saving the boarding pupils a walk down to MCS twice on a
Sunday! Since 1970 the school has taken part in the annual
Wells Walk on behalf of Save
The Children Fund and has raised over £300,000.
A
former member of staff, Canon Douglas Horsefield,
composed
the School Prayer :
O
God and Father of us all, from Whom alone we have the desire and
the power to live aright: Grant that the clean page of this new
day may remain unspotted to its end; and that whatsoever is
recorded upon it by our lives may prove worthy to be treasured in
our memories: so that at the day's closing we may present it
unashamed to Thee. |
Mr
Easterfield, Head from 1901-1930
The First
Wells Walk
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