ST. EDWARD’S OXFORD SCHOOL ARCHIVES

Wilfrid Cowell, St. Edward’s longest ever serving master, whose fifty-seven years service extended from 1880 to 1937 was a man of many roles, one being as the founder of the school’s archives over one hundred years ago.

Since that time a unique and highly valued collection of the school’s past has gradually accumulated. Handled by a succession of dedicated archivists, almost all of whom have either worked for or were educated at St. Edward’s, thereby having a vested interest in ensuring its preservation and expansion.

Today the archives are housed under one roof at the school and have recently been completely overhauled, recatalogued, reboxed and relabelled where necessary. At the same time as much of the material as possible is being copied onto digital formatted databases for easier retrieval as well as to preserve some of the oldest material; this work should be completed by mid 2010.

While today’s archives include many hundreds of irreplaceable pictures dating back to the earliest days, correspondence of all kinds, accounts books, ephemera, artefacts including china, sports cups, clothing and head gear, school play programmes, records of sporting achievement (both at school and house level) and sound recordings of school choirs and warden’s speeches - there is always a need for new additions from whatever source.

Nothing is unimportant and every new accession is warmly appreciated. Even a short term loan to the archives while scanning of the original takes place before return to the owner is both simple and very acceptable.

The aims of retaining such an archival collection are very clear and include

• The availability of historical records for exhibition or immediate reference
• Education of current school pupils about their school’s heritage
• Provision of accurate information of the school’s past for biographers, family historians, researchers of all kinds and other bone fide parties
• Provision of detailed accurate information for existing staff, parents, O.S.E. and others with close connections to the school
• One stop source to locate, collect and uncover records of all kinds associated with the school’s near 150 year history
• Preservation of the school’s history both in paper and digital form
• The safe storage and on-going care of irreplaceable memorabilia which might otherwise be lost or irretrievably damaged



The School archivist, Chris Nathan (O.S.E.), can be reached on 01865 – 319365; through the school’s web site (nathanc@stedwards.oxon.sch.uk ) or at mr-c@nathan.fsnet.co.uk