King's College School

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0100 KCLCA KS
Held at	: King's College London College Archives   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.kcl.ac.uk/library/archivespec/ ›
Full title	: King's College School
Date(s)	: 1868-1911
Level of description	: Collection (fonds)
Extent	: 2 boxes, 3 volumes
Name of creator(s)	: King's College School | 1831-1897 | Strand King's College School | from 1897 | Wimbledon

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

King's College School was created as the Junior Department to King's College London, instituted by Royal Charter in 1829. Both College and School opened in 1831. Although students were not limited to members of the Church of England, its influence was strong. Boys were expected to transfer from the School to the College at the age of 16. The School's premises were in the basement of the King's College site east of Somerset House, between the Strand and the Thames. Rapid growth in pupil numbers and limited capital caused difficulties of accommodation. In the early years of their existence, the School was numerically greater than the College and the financial support which arose from its success was instrumental in the College's survival, although by mid-century competition from an increasing number of rival schools caused numbers to decline. Many rivals had more spacious premises and open space on suburban sites with which the Strand premises could not compete. In 1897 the School moved to Wimbledon and pupil numbers began to grow. New buildings were opened in 1899. The King's College London Transfer Act (1908) incorporated a new body of governors for the School and, although the transfer was delayed by the heavy debts of the School, the new governing body inherited control from the council of King's College in 1911. See also Frank Miles and Graeme Cranch, Kings College School: the First 150 Years (King's College School, 1979); F J C Hearnshaw, The Centenary History of King's College London 1828-1928 (George G Harrap & Co Ltd, London, 1929).

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Records, 1868-1911, of King's College School, including annual lists of pupils and amounts paid for books, 1868-1896, and indexes of books in use [late 19th century] (Ref: KS/LI); papers on the removal of the School to Wimbledon, 1897; cash accounts for Trustees meetings, 1897-1900; correspondence on raising funds for the School, 1902-1903; correspondence on the financial consequences of severance of the School from King's College London, 1905-1906; applications for the headmastership, 1906; correspondence on a proposal for a pupils' boarding house in Wimbledon, 1909-1910; correspondence and papers on School affairs including transfer of the School from King's College London, financial affairs, the new governing body, and applications for the headmastership, 1909-1911 (Ref: KS/F).

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

Arranged in two series.

Conditions governing access:

Open, subject to signature of reader's undertaking form.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be provided for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Director of Archive Services, King's College London.

Finding aids:

List available in reading room at King's College London Archives.

Archival Information

Archival history:

A majority of records relating specifically to the School prior to its move to Wimbledon were transferred to the School from King's College London Archives in the 1970s. Other records were destroyed in a fire in 1918.

Immediate source of acquisition:

Allied Materials

Related material:

King's College London Archives holds early College records from its inception in 1828, where references to King's College School may be found in Council minutes (Ref: KA/C/M), minutes of special committees of Council (Ref: KA/CS/M), in-correspondence (Ref: KA/IC), out-letter books (Ref: KA/OLB), and reports on the School in King's College Calendars; the King's College Secretary's general administration files containing papers, 1908-1911, on subjects including the separation of King's College School from King's College London (Ref: KAS/AD); The Sneezer, 1885, a King's College School magazine (Ref: K/SER113); King's College School magazine, 1890, 1896-1903, 1916-1923 (Ref: K/SER20/1-42). Published lists of alumni of King's College School are available in the reading room at King's College London Archives. King's College School, Southside, London SW19, holds more recent records.

National Register of Archives: Click here to view NRA record

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Compiled by Rachel Kemsley as part of the RSLP AIM25 project. Sources: list at King's College London Archives; Frank Miles and Graeme Cranch, Kings College School: the First 150 Years (King's College School, 1979); F J C Hearnshaw, The Centenary History of King's College London 1828-1928 (George G Harrap & Co Ltd, London, 1929); AIM25 description for King's College London Archives, KAS/AD2.

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
Mar 2001