Victoria College, Jersey
Encyclopedia
Victoria College 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.
In the 1590s, Laurens Baudains - a wealthy farmer from St. Martin
, lobbied the monarch and the States of Jersey
to support a scheme for the establishment of a college. The aim of the project was to instruct the youth of Jersey in "grammar, latin, the liberal arts and religion".
However, it was not until after the visit of Queen Victoria
to Jersey in 1846 that the goodness was recognised. 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 - a tall medieval hall framed with hexagonal turrets - is predominantly faced in grey and pink granite with sandstone tracery.
The foundation stone of the new college was laid with great ceremony on Victoria's birthday 24 May 1850. Most shops in Saint Helier closed for the day and 12,000 spectators were estimated to have attended the occasion. A military parade crossed the town of Saint Helier to the site of the ceremony, followed shortly afterwards by the members of the States of Jersey who adjourned the legislative sitting to attend. The Lieutenant-Governor of Jersey joined the dignitaries at the Temple in the grounds of the site. The Bailiff of Jersey laid in the foundations a box containing copies of the Acts of the States relating to the college, Jersey coins, and two medallions, one of silver, the other of bronze, depicting the arrival of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in Jersey in 1846, and a copper plate engraved with an inscription of the date of the founding of the college and the names of States Members, Officers of the Royal Court and the architect. With the foundation stone, carved with Masonic
symbols, in place, the Lieutenant-Governor ceremonially laid the stone by striking it with a trowel. All the Members of the States in turn then proceeded to tap the stone with a mallet three times.
The college was opened on 29 September 1852 with 98 students enrolled, rising to 125 on 1 October 1852. The opening ceremony once again involved a military parade. The Lieutenant-Governor and the States of Jersey again assembled in the Temple, and processed to the Great Hall where the Bailiff addressed the audience. He recalled the Royal visit of 1846 and stated that the intention of memorialising that visit had inspired the construction of a college for the instruction of youth and of promenades for the recreation of the public. He stated that the interest shown by the Queen and the Prince in the college had led them to present two portraits. The Lieutenant-Governor then formally presented the portraits of the royal couple which were unveiled. The quality of the portraits, copies of Winterhalter, was criticised in the press.
Although French
was still the sole official language
in Jersey, and indeed speeches at the inaugural ceremonies had been in French, the new college was consciously patterned after the English public school
s. 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.
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 school
s of St. Mannelier and St. Anastase closed and their endowments were later 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 in the new quadrangle. The WWII
memorial in the form of a plaque is located inside the main building, at the bottom of the central staircase. Every Remembrance day
the College holds a service to commemorate the pupils who died in the two wars, placing a wreath of poppies at the base of both the statue and the plaque.
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
. Davis had set up the Howard Leopold Davis scholarship trust in Jersey. One of this educational trust's provisions was that it should benefit boys who, like he, had attended an elementary school. The majority of boys benefiting from this trust went to Victoria College and a number went up to Cambridge or Oxford. In 1934 Davis decided he wanted his old friend, John St Helier Lander
, a Jersey artist, to paint a portrait of King George V, to commemorate the endowment of the scholarship. When the commission was complete, the artist and Davis visited the College to discuss where the portrait might be hung. When Davis discovered there was no room remaining in the College's great hall he decided to build another hall for the school. On 18 October 1934 Davis and his wife laid the foundation stone to Howard Hall. It was built of granite from Ouaisné and matched the gothic style of the older Victoria College buildings. Inside there was seating for 238, almost exactly the number of boys at school when the building was opened. The paneling and woodwork were of teak, and the clock an exact replica of that at the Greenwich Observatory. On 23 July 1935 the Prince of Wales came to Jersey to open the Hall and unveil the portrait of King George V. The Hall was refurbished in 1996 and now exists as the Howard Davis Theatre where numerous types of drama are performed by the pupils.
During the German occupation of Jersey during the Second World War, the college was commandeered for the Reichsarbeitsdienst
.
College House, a boarding house
attached to Victoria College (architect: Edmund Berteau, States Engineer - 1901), was used by the occupying German army
for the Feldkommandantur 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 http://www.jerseylegalinfo.je/Judgments/JerseyLawReports/Display.aspx?Cases/JLR1999/JLR990146.htm. The Sharp Report http://justice4survivors.org/sharp/The_Sharp_Report.htm 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."http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2008/02/27/107397/jersey-child-abuse-allegations-multiply.html As a result, firmer guidelines on child protection were implemented under the new headmaster, R. G. Cook.
(HMC) which is one of the traditional definitions of a public school.
. 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 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.
would not be inflicted, there could be no justification in law for the caning, especially given that the student was not a child but of military age. He reprimanded the defendant, bound the headmaster over to act with less severity in future and released him. The headmaster's cane was confiscated by the court. This case sparked controversy. The use of corporal punishment at the college was represented among French speakers as an imposition of English culture and an attack on the liberties of the Jerseyman as enjoyed up until then at the college. The introduction of corporal punishment to Jersey on the model of English public schools was contrasted with the absence of such punishments in French schools. The magistrate's decision was attacked by the Solicitor-General. The governing body (of which the Solicitor-General was a member) supported the headmaster, who was able to produce a petition signed by his students, supporting the continued use of corporal punishment. All this was in contrast to the tradition established by the first headmaster, Dr Henderson, who had never resorted to the cane. The Constable of Saint Helier (also a member of the governing body) immediately lodged an amendment to the law on compulsory education then under debate, to outlaw corporal punishment in schools subsidised by the States. On 8 January 1894 the States debated the amendment. The Constable of Saint Helier stated that he had felt obliged to put forward the amendment in the light of the recent incident at Victoria College, and that corporal punishment was a barbaric relic. The amendment was rejected by 14 votes to 12.
On 4 November 1895 Farnell went out for a coastal walk in the west of Jersey, it being half-term holiday at the College. The alarm was raised when he had not returned home by midnight, and at 7 a.m. the next morning search parties were sent out, including boys from the College. Farnell's disfigured body, showing signs of having been in the water for a length of time, was discovered in Saint Ouen
below Plémont by late morning. The body was discovered by two Victoria College students, Charles Organ and Reginald Beale. The inquest returned a verdict of accidental death.
.
The house system was first introduced in 1904. Houses were based on the geographical provenance of the boys:
The sizes of the houses were very unequal, with School House (the boarders) being much smaller than the others. In 1912 the boundaries of the catchment areas for the town and country houses were adjusted, but the geographical system was replaced in 1919 by a new house system based on numerical parity.
The college lost many of its students to the First World War and the Second World War. Each house is named after a former pupil distinguished for military service:
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.
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.
Early students wore a mortarboard or trencher, although this had been discontinued by 1871. In 1876, a straw boater with ribbon of broad diagonal stripes of black and white was introduced. The black and white stripes led to the boys being nicknamed magpies. A metal cap badge was being worn by 1883, and it was around this time that the black and gold colours were first associated with the college. Under the headmastership of R.H. Chambers (1881–1892) the chocolate and white colour scheme was introduced, along with differences in uniform between the junior and senior schools. Juniors wore a chocolate-coloured pillbox hat with a white Maltese cross on the front; seniors wore a chocolate-coloured cap with the coat of arms of Jersey
in white. The tails on the heraldic leopards in this badge were so long that the boys were nicknamed College congers
as a result. In 1893, black and gold replaced chocolate and white, and straw boaters were black and white with a ribbon of black-gold-black. The coat of arms of Jersey on the badge was depicted as black leopards on gold. These designs lasted until 1927, when chocolate and white made a return under headmaster A.H. Worrall in the form of caps with concentric rings of black, white and chocolate. At the same time, the four house colours appeared as backings to the badge on boys' caps according to their respective houses. Until the Second World War boarders had a maroon cap with blue ribbon. Under conditions of military occupation, clothing was scarce. In 1945 a navy blue cap was adopted as a temporary measure, and in 1947 a chocolate cap with radiating piping of black and white was chosen from a range of options; worn with a blazer of royal blue, gold and crimson. In 1952 black and gold made a definitive return: a black cap with radiating piping and a badge, both gold; a black blazer with gold badge on the pocket. Chocolate and white were retained as sports colours.
Throughout these changes, the Preparatory school retained black and gold. Until 1940 the black cap had radiating spokes of gold on the top only, with a black on gold badge of the coat of arms of Jersey. From 1945 to 1952 the gold spokes were replaced by a circle of the respective house colour. In 1952 the previous colour scheme returned. Later, the cap badge represented the respective house colour.
Headmaster Ronald Postill re-introduced the wearing of boater hats in the summer to formal events in the 1950s. This practice was discontinued under Headmaster Martyn Devenport, but later revived under Headmaster Robert Cook.
, 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:
The English translation is as follows:
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" http://en.allexperts.com/q/Ancient-Languages-2210/Latin-English-translation-3.htm. 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".
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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 Captains, the Sports Captain and the remaining Prefects.
Each of the Prefects 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 gowns bear a white and chocolate striping. The House Captains 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.
The current Head Prefect for the 2011-2012 Academic Year is Benjamin Cochrane (Diarmid House).
Past students of Victoria College, Jersey are referred to as Old Victorians.
.
The Sartorius brothers are noted for being one of only five pairs of brothers to have won the Victoria Cross.
States of Jersey
The States of Jersey is the parliament and government of Jersey.The Assembly of the States of Jersey has exercised legislative powers since 1771, when law-making power was transferred from the Royal Court of Jersey....
-provided school in membership of the HMC
Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference is an association of the headmasters or headmistressess of 243 leading day and boarding independent schools in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and the Republic of Ireland...
, in St Helier, Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
, Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
. The castellated neo-gothic architecture (architect: J. Hayward) is a landmark overlooking the town.
History
Saint Martin, Jersey
-Subdivisions:St. Martin is divided into vingtaines as follows:*La Vingtaine de Rozel*La Vingtaine de Faldouet*La Vingtaine de la Quéruée*La Vingtaine de l'Église*La Vingtaine du Fief de la ReineThe Écréhous are part of the parish of St...
, lobbied the monarch and the States of Jersey
States of Jersey
The States of Jersey is the parliament and government of Jersey.The Assembly of the States of Jersey has exercised legislative powers since 1771, when law-making power was transferred from the Royal Court of Jersey....
to support a scheme for the establishment of a college. The aim of the project was to instruct the youth of Jersey in "grammar, latin, the liberal arts and religion".
However, it was not until after the visit of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
to Jersey in 1846 that the goodness was recognised. 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
John Hayward (architect)
John Hayward was a Gothic Revival architect based in Exeter, Devon, who gained the reputation as “the senior architect in the west of England”.-Biography:...
of Exeter. Hayward's Gothic Revival design - a tall medieval hall framed with hexagonal turrets - is predominantly faced in grey and pink granite with sandstone tracery.
The foundation stone of the new college was laid with great ceremony on Victoria's birthday 24 May 1850. Most shops in Saint Helier closed for the day and 12,000 spectators were estimated to have attended the occasion. A military parade crossed the town of Saint Helier to the site of the ceremony, followed shortly afterwards by the members of the States of Jersey who adjourned the legislative sitting to attend. The Lieutenant-Governor of Jersey joined the dignitaries at the Temple in the grounds of the site. The Bailiff of Jersey laid in the foundations a box containing copies of the Acts of the States relating to the college, Jersey coins, and two medallions, one of silver, the other of bronze, depicting the arrival of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in Jersey in 1846, and a copper plate engraved with an inscription of the date of the founding of the college and the names of States Members, Officers of the Royal Court and the architect. With the foundation stone, carved with Masonic
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
symbols, in place, the Lieutenant-Governor ceremonially laid the stone by striking it with a trowel. All the Members of the States in turn then proceeded to tap the stone with a mallet three times.
The college was opened on 29 September 1852 with 98 students enrolled, rising to 125 on 1 October 1852. The opening ceremony once again involved a military parade. The Lieutenant-Governor and the States of Jersey again assembled in the Temple, and processed to the Great Hall where the Bailiff addressed the audience. He recalled the Royal visit of 1846 and stated that the intention of memorialising that visit had inspired the construction of a college for the instruction of youth and of promenades for the recreation of the public. He stated that the interest shown by the Queen and the Prince in the college had led them to present two portraits. The Lieutenant-Governor then formally presented the portraits of the royal couple which were unveiled. The quality of the portraits, copies of Winterhalter, was criticised in the press.
Although French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
was still the sole official language
Official language
An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically a nation's official language will be the one used in that nation's courts, parliament and administration. However, official status can also be used to give a...
in Jersey, and indeed speeches at the inaugural ceremonies had been in French, the new college was consciously patterned after the English public school
Public School (UK)
A public school, in common British usage, is a school that is neither administered nor financed by the state or from taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees and charitable contributions, usually existing as a non profit-making charitable trust...
s. The medium of instruction
Medium of instruction
Medium of instruction is a language used in teaching. It may or may not be the official language of the country or territory. Where the first language of students is different from the official language, it may be used as the medium of instruction for part or all of schooling. Bilingual or...
was English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
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.
Visitor
A Visitor, in United Kingdom law and history, is an overseer of an autonomous ecclesiastical or eleemosynary institution , who can intervene in the internal affairs of that institution...
of the college, visiting as recently as 2002.
In the 1860s, the ancient grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
s of St. Mannelier and St. Anastase closed and their endowments were later 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
Quadrangle (architecture)
In architecture, a quadrangle is a space or courtyard, usually rectangular in plan, the sides of which are entirely or mainly occupied by parts of a large building. The word is probably most closely associated with college or university campus architecture, but quadrangles may be found in other...
to provide extra classrooms (architect: Edmund Berteau, States Engineer - 1911).
The WWI
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
memorial, a statue of Sir Galahad
Galahad
Sir Galahad |Round Table]] and one of the three achievers of the Holy Grail in Arthurian legend. He is the illegitimate son of Lancelot and Elaine of Corbenic, and is renowned for his gallantry and purity. Emerging quite late in the medieval Arthurian tradition, he is perhaps the knightly...
(1924) by Alfred Turner with a quotation from Tennyson
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, FRS was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular poets in the English language....
, stands in the new quadrangle. The WWII
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
memorial in the form of a plaque is located inside the main building, at the bottom of the central staircase. Every Remembrance day
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognized as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth...
the College holds a service to commemorate the pupils who died in the two wars, placing a wreath of poppies at the base of both the statue and the plaque.
In 1935, the Howard Hall, built with the benefactions of T.B. Davis
Thomas Benjamin Frederick Davis
Thomas Benjamin Frederick Davis was a wealthy buinessman, yachtsman and philanthropist.-Early life and education:...
to commemorate his son, Howard Davis, who died during WWI, was opened by the Prince of Wales
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
. Davis had set up the Howard Leopold Davis scholarship trust in Jersey. One of this educational trust's provisions was that it should benefit boys who, like he, had attended an elementary school. The majority of boys benefiting from this trust went to Victoria College and a number went up to Cambridge or Oxford. In 1934 Davis decided he wanted his old friend, John St Helier Lander
John St Helier Lander
John St Helier Lander was a noted portrait painter. Born John Helier Lander, he added the St. to acknowledge his birth place of Saint Helier in the Channel Islands...
, a Jersey artist, to paint a portrait of King George V, to commemorate the endowment of the scholarship. When the commission was complete, the artist and Davis visited the College to discuss where the portrait might be hung. When Davis discovered there was no room remaining in the College's great hall he decided to build another hall for the school. On 18 October 1934 Davis and his wife laid the foundation stone to Howard Hall. It was built of granite from Ouaisné and matched the gothic style of the older Victoria College buildings. Inside there was seating for 238, almost exactly the number of boys at school when the building was opened. The paneling and woodwork were of teak, and the clock an exact replica of that at the Greenwich Observatory. On 23 July 1935 the Prince of Wales came to Jersey to open the Hall and unveil the portrait of King George V. The Hall was refurbished in 1996 and now exists as the Howard Davis Theatre where numerous types of drama are performed by the pupils.
During the German occupation of Jersey during the Second World War, the college was commandeered for the Reichsarbeitsdienst
Reichsarbeitsdienst
The Reichsarbeitsdienst was an institution established by Nazi Germany as an agency to reduce unemployment, similar to the relief programs in other countries. During the Second World War it was an auxiliary formation which provided support for the Wehrmacht.The RAD was formed during July 1934 as...
.
College House, a boarding house
Boarding house
A boarding house, is a house in which lodgers rent one or more rooms for one or more nights, and sometimes for extended periods of weeks, months and years. The common parts of the house are maintained, and some services, such as laundry and cleaning, may be supplied. They normally provide "bed...
attached to Victoria College (architect: Edmund Berteau, States Engineer - 1901), was used by the occupying German army
Occupation of the Channel Islands
The Channel Islands were occupied by Nazi Germany for much of World War II, from 30 June 1940 until the liberation on 9 May 1945. The Channel Islands are two British Crown dependencies and include the bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey as well as the smaller islands of Alderney and Sark...
for the Feldkommandantur as military headquarters during WWII. It was subsequently incorporated into the new Jersey College for Girls
Jersey College for Girls
Jersey College for Girls is a fee paying States of Jersey-provided school for girls located in Saint Saviour, Jersey, Channel Islands. It currently has around 712 students.-History 1880-1999:...
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 http://www.jerseylegalinfo.je/Judgments/JerseyLawReports/Display.aspx?Cases/JLR1999/JLR990146.htm. The Sharp Report http://justice4survivors.org/sharp/The_Sharp_Report.htm 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."http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2008/02/27/107397/jersey-child-abuse-allegations-multiply.html 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' ConferenceHeadmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference is an association of the headmasters or headmistressess of 243 leading day and boarding independent schools in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and the Republic of Ireland...
(HMC) which is one of the traditional definitions of a public school.
The First Headmaster
William Henderson was born in 1819, the eldest son of Admiral George Henderson. He was a Demy (Scholar) at Magdalen College, OxfordMagdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
. 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
Magdalen College School, Oxford
Magdalen College School is an independent school for boys aged 7 to 18 and girls in the sixth form, located on The Plain in Oxford, England. It was founded as part of Magdalen College, Oxford by William Waynflete in 1480....
, but a year later accepted a Tutorship at Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
. 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 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.
George Stanley Farnell
In November 1893 headmaster George Stanley Farnell was arrested and charged with assault following an incident in which he beat, by means of a cane, a 17 year old student. On 5 December 1893 the magistrate heard evidence from the prosecuting Centenier, a doctor, the student's father, and the student himself, among others. The doctor gave evidence of the severity of the beating. The magistrate decided that since the student's father had been assured that corporal punishmentCorporal punishment
Corporal punishment is a form of physical punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable...
would not be inflicted, there could be no justification in law for the caning, especially given that the student was not a child but of military age. He reprimanded the defendant, bound the headmaster over to act with less severity in future and released him. The headmaster's cane was confiscated by the court. This case sparked controversy. The use of corporal punishment at the college was represented among French speakers as an imposition of English culture and an attack on the liberties of the Jerseyman as enjoyed up until then at the college. The introduction of corporal punishment to Jersey on the model of English public schools was contrasted with the absence of such punishments in French schools. The magistrate's decision was attacked by the Solicitor-General. The governing body (of which the Solicitor-General was a member) supported the headmaster, who was able to produce a petition signed by his students, supporting the continued use of corporal punishment. All this was in contrast to the tradition established by the first headmaster, Dr Henderson, who had never resorted to the cane. The Constable of Saint Helier (also a member of the governing body) immediately lodged an amendment to the law on compulsory education then under debate, to outlaw corporal punishment in schools subsidised by the States. On 8 January 1894 the States debated the amendment. The Constable of Saint Helier stated that he had felt obliged to put forward the amendment in the light of the recent incident at Victoria College, and that corporal punishment was a barbaric relic. The amendment was rejected by 14 votes to 12.
On 4 November 1895 Farnell went out for a coastal walk in the west of Jersey, it being half-term holiday at the College. The alarm was raised when he had not returned home by midnight, and at 7 a.m. the next morning search parties were sent out, including boys from the College. Farnell's disfigured body, showing signs of having been in the water for a length of time, was discovered in Saint Ouen
Saint Ouen, Jersey
-Cueillettes:Unlike the other parishes of Jersey, the subdivisions of this parish are not named vingtaines, but cueillettes . Vingteniers are still elected, however, in the cueillettes.*La Petite Cueillette*La Grande Cueillette...
below Plémont by late morning. The body was discovered by two Victoria College students, Charles Organ and Reginald Beale. The inquest returned a verdict of accidental death.
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 Farnell, 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 |
| 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 | AD Watkins, B.Ed. (Hons), M.Ed | ||
Houses
In the style of the English public school system, the school operates on a house systemHouse system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
.
The house system was first introduced in 1904. Houses were based on the geographical provenance of the boys:
- School House
- Country
- South Town
- North Town
The sizes of the houses were very unequal, with School House (the boarders) being much smaller than the others. In 1912 the boundaries of the catchment areas for the town and country houses were adjusted, but the geographical system was replaced in 1919 by a new house system based on numerical parity.
The college lost many of its students to the First World War and the Second World War. Each house is named after a former pupil distinguished for military service:
- Braithwaite (only mentioned in dispatches, and not awarded the Victoria Cross);
- Bruce (Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
); - Dunlop (also not awarded the Victoria Cross)
- Sartorius (Victoria Cross);
- Diarmid (in 2002, under Headmaster Robert Cook, a fifth house, Diarmid, was added in recognition of a Victoria Cross 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.
| House | Colour | Mascot |
|---|---|---|
| Braithwaite | Green | Crocodile |
| Bruce | Blue | Goose |
| Diarmid | Purple | Dolphin |
| Dunlop | Yellow | Lion |
| 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
Robert G. Cook, Head Master from 2000–10, 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. |
Uniform
The initial uniform consisted of jacket, waistcoat and trousers in black or dark green, and a cap of the same colour.Early students wore a mortarboard or trencher, although this had been discontinued by 1871. In 1876, a straw boater with ribbon of broad diagonal stripes of black and white was introduced. The black and white stripes led to the boys being nicknamed magpies. A metal cap badge was being worn by 1883, and it was around this time that the black and gold colours were first associated with the college. Under the headmastership of R.H. Chambers (1881–1892) the chocolate and white colour scheme was introduced, along with differences in uniform between the junior and senior schools. Juniors wore a chocolate-coloured pillbox hat with a white Maltese cross on the front; seniors wore a chocolate-coloured cap with the coat of arms of Jersey
Coat of arms of Jersey
The coat of arms of Jersey is a red shield with three gold lions passant guardant . It derives from the seal granted to the island’s bailiff by Edward I in 1279. In 1907, Edward VII sanctioned the claimed usage by the island of the arms. It is very similar to the arms of Normandy, Guernsey and...
in white. The tails on the heraldic leopards in this badge were so long that the boys were nicknamed College congers
European conger
The European conger, Conger conger, is a conger of the family Congridae, found in the eastern Atlantic from Norway and Iceland to Senegal, and also in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. It is sometimes seen in very shallow water by the shore but can also go down to depths of 1170 m...
as a result. In 1893, black and gold replaced chocolate and white, and straw boaters were black and white with a ribbon of black-gold-black. The coat of arms of Jersey on the badge was depicted as black leopards on gold. These designs lasted until 1927, when chocolate and white made a return under headmaster A.H. Worrall in the form of caps with concentric rings of black, white and chocolate. At the same time, the four house colours appeared as backings to the badge on boys' caps according to their respective houses. Until the Second World War boarders had a maroon cap with blue ribbon. Under conditions of military occupation, clothing was scarce. In 1945 a navy blue cap was adopted as a temporary measure, and in 1947 a chocolate cap with radiating piping of black and white was chosen from a range of options; worn with a blazer of royal blue, gold and crimson. In 1952 black and gold made a definitive return: a black cap with radiating piping and a badge, both gold; a black blazer with gold badge on the pocket. Chocolate and white were retained as sports colours.
Throughout these changes, the Preparatory school retained black and gold. Until 1940 the black cap had radiating spokes of gold on the top only, with a black on gold badge of the coat of arms of Jersey. From 1945 to 1952 the gold spokes were replaced by a circle of the respective house colour. In 1952 the previous colour scheme returned. Later, the cap badge represented the respective house colour.
Headmaster Ronald Postill re-introduced the wearing of boater hats in the summer to formal events in the 1950s. This practice was discontinued under Headmaster Martyn Devenport, but later revived under Headmaster Robert Cook.
The College Carmen
Victoria College has its own school songSchool song
A school song, alma mater, school hymn or school anthem is the patronal song of a school. In England, this tradition is particularly strong in public schools and grammar schools.-Australia:*Melbourne High School - Honour the Work...
, 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 Victoriae
- 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
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
is the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
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" http://en.allexperts.com/q/Ancient-Languages-2210/Latin-English-translation-3.htm. 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
Each of the Prefects 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 gowns bear a white and chocolate striping. The House Captains 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.
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 Leavers' 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 |
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 CrossVictoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
.
- Victoria Cross
-
- Umbeyla CampaignUmbeyla CampaignThe Umbeyla Campaign was one of numerous expeditions led by British forces in the North-West Frontier Province; this campaign was against local Hindustani Pashtuns and Bunerwals of British India. The local Pashtuns were vehemently opposed to British colonial rule and frequently attacked British...
- LieutenantLieutenantA lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Henry William PitcherHenry William PitcherHenry William Pitcher VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, VCVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
. He later achieved the rank of CaptainCaptain (British Army and Royal Marines)Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
. (1841–1875)
- Lieutenant
- Umbeyla Campaign
-
- First Ashanti Expedition
- MajorMajor (UK)In the British military, major is a military rank which is used by both the British Army and Royal Marines. The rank insignia for a major is a crown...
Reginald William SartoriusReginald William SartoriusMajor General Reginald William Sartorius VC, CMG was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, VCVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, CMGOrder of St Michael and St GeorgeThe Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
. He later achieved the rank of Major GeneralMajor GeneralMajor general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
. (1841–1907)
- Major
- First Ashanti Expedition
-
- Second Afghan War
- CaptainCaptain (British Army and Royal Marines)Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
Euston Henry SartoriusEuston Henry SartoriusMajor General Euston Henry Sartorius VC, CB was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
, VCVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, CBOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
. He later achieved the rank of Major GeneralMajor GeneralMajor general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
. (1844–1925)
- Captain
- Second Afghan War
-
- First World War
- LieutenantLieutenantA lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
William Arthur McCrae Bruce, VCVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
. (1890–1914) - CaptainCaptain (British Army and Royal Marines)Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
Allastair Malcolm Cluny McReady-DiarmidAllastair Malcolm Cluny McReady-DiarmidAllastair Malcolm Cluny McReady-Diarmid VC was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, VCVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
. (1888–1917)
- Lieutenant
- First World War
The Sartorius brothers are noted for being one of only five pairs of brothers to have won the Victoria Cross.