A Timeline of relevant dates
More information / pictures available on these pages for dates shown in RED
1571
Royal Charter granted
Grammer
School located in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit
near SMR's south
porch
1701
First Vicarage built on the
site of our old school playground
1709
Colston's Free School in Temple street was founded by Arthur Bedford, the vicar of Temple Church
(becoming Temple Colston Girls' School in 1871)
1710
A second (Charity) school was set up in Redcliffe Back
1711
Edward Colston endowed Colston's Free School with an annual fund of £80 for the education and clothing of forty boys of the parish plus
the erection of a schoolhouse.
1739
Charity school moved to Pyle Street
(adjacent to Chatterton's
House - still remains)
Impression
of Pyle Street School
1752
Thomas Chatterton born in the "school house"
1762
Grammer school was moved to SMR's Ladychapel
1763
Chapel of the Holy Spirit demolished
1852
Canon George Madan, vicar of SMR founded the school on
Redcliffe Parade
1853
Infants school set up in Pile Street opposite existing
Charity school
Plan and elevation of building - click
here
1854
Grammer school in SMR's Ladychapel was closed
1856
Redcliff Endowed Schools
(RES) opened
J Woodcock is school's first Headmaster
1862
RES Drum and Fife Band created
1868
Rail tunnel under site begins
construction
First Vicarage is demolished
1870
Dr. T Randell becomes Headmaster
of RES
Rail tunnel under site opens
1871
Temple Colston Girls' School built just off Victoria
Street
1872
Second Vicarage built on what
was to become our old school's playground
J T Francombe becomes
Headmaster of RES
Tower of SMR restored
1877
Upper Department added to RES
1879
Girls are moved out of RES
Charity
school at Pile Street closed
Infants school at Pile Street closed
and moved to Ship Lane
RES renamed Redcliff Endowed Boys'
School (REBS)
1887
REBS extended
1902
Under the 1902 Education Act, REBS along, with
other voluntary schools, came within the jurisdiction of the education
authority in Bristol.
1905
All REBS fees were abolished
1906
REBS extended
1909
J J Clibbens becomes Headmaster
of REBS
1921
Each REBS class divided into
4 "Houses"
Canynge (yellow), Chatterton(green), Colston
(red) and Proctor (blue)
1925
The whole REBS was divided into 4 "Houses"
1924
G Holgate becomes Headmaster
of REBS
1928
Plans drawn up for REBS extension
1929
REBS extended
1934
R R Fryer becomes Headmaster
of REBS
1937
Ship Lane becomes a junior mixed school
Boys under
12 moved from REBS site to Ship Lane
Girls over 11 moved from
Ship Lane to Temple Colston Girls' School
in Victoria Street
1938/39
Second Vicarage demolished
REBS
extended
Large playground constructed
1941
REBS bombed - some damage to
recent extension
Infant's school at Ship Lane destroyed by bombing
1947
School leaving age raised to 15
REBS name was dropped,
became St Mary Redcliffe Secondary School?
1951
Mervyn King Hall restored after bomb damage
1954
Old boy Billy Butlin visits school
1955
Queen's visit to site of original
school
GCE Examinations introduced at SMRSS
1956
Stanley Lowes becomes Headmaster
of SMRSS
1964
Last train passes through rail tunnel under site
1967
Redcliffe Secondary ( Boys') & Temple Colston (Girls') Schools merge
and
move to new site in Somerset Square
1971
SMRSS buildings demolished
1973
Temple Colston Girls' School just off Victoria
Street demolished
