A HISTORY OF DURHAM 



On 27 November, 1872, Queen Victoria in Council approved a scheme of the Ecclesiastical 

 Commissioners by which a net sum of ^^3,000 a-year was provided out of the ciiapter revenues 

 for the school until the dean and chapter were put in possession of estates worth ^^i 1,000 a-year, 

 when the school was to have -^^ths of that sum. As the chapter has never been put in possession of 

 estates to that amount the school remains in possession of a fixed income of ^^3,000 a year — a 

 fairly adequate arrangement as things go at present. The first fruits of the new endowment were 

 seen when in 1874-6 a library, class-room, a new storey to the headmaster's house, and ball 

 courts were added, and in 1877 six leaving exhibitions of ;^6o a year to the Universities were 

 established. But the school was now on the down-grade. While in 1870 there were 136 

 boys, in 1880 there were only 105. In 1882 Dr. Holden retired to a well-earned repose. 

 He is commemorated by a Holden prize for Greek or Latin verses. Then came William 

 Andrewes Fearon, a house-master at Winchester College. He had been the first Winchester 

 scholar who, in consequence of the reforms of the University Commission of 1854, went up to 

 New College, Oxford, without the right to become a fellow after two years' probation. His 

 career at Oxford was marked by double firsts in classics and mathematics, both in Moderations 

 and Final Schools, and the presidency of the Union Debating Society. A fellowship at New 

 College attained in competitive examination followed as a matter of course. Though he only 

 remained at Durham for two years, he made his mark and left behind the tradition that his 

 biennium was the golden age of the school, to which later and less prosperous times looked back 

 with fond regret. Two class-rooms, a museum and a laboratory for physical science, and a 

 swimming bath, accompanied by an extension of the cricket ground, marked his advent in the 

 buildings of the school and his regard for physical as well as intellectual development. He made 

 at his own expense a walk, still known as Fearon Path, by the river, from Elvet Bridge to Bow 

 Lane, thus benefiting alike the school, the university, and the town by a short-cut to the rowing 

 course and a grand stand for boat-races. To organize the modern side, and make it no longer a 

 refuge for incapacity, he brought from New College, Francis Alan Ker. ' For eleven years he worked 

 in this school and made an impression which those who had the happiness of knowing him can 

 never forget,' and when a fatal accident in 1893 terminated his vigorous and useful life, 'one 

 feels as though half the school were gone ' wrote one of his old pupils on hearing the news. 

 He has been commemorated by a Ker Memorial prize for modern history. It was a great 

 misfortune for Durham that in 1884 his old school Winchester demanded Dr. Fearon as 

 headmaster when Dr. Ridding was appointed bishop of Southwell. His influence had already 

 made itself felt in the honours list, the year 1884 being distinguished by six scholarships at the 

 Universities, four in classics and two in mathematics — a notable achievement for a school of, in 

 July, 1884, 134 boys. 



The Rev. J. M. Marshall, who won fame as second master of Dulwich College, followed 

 Dr. Fearon, and held office for just ten years. The school was not so prosperous in point of 

 numbers as it might have been. The Rev. Walter Hobhouse, fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, 

 held just half that time, when ill-health compelled his retirement in 1899, and he is now editor 

 of the Guardian. Next came the Rev. Albert Ernest Hillard, who from Kingswood School, Bath, 

 became a scholar of Christ Church. It now numbers 88 boys, of whom 42 are in the head- 

 master's and 32 in the second master's house. Mr. Hillard has just (June, 1905) been elected 

 headmaster of St. Paul's School. His place is to be taken by the Rev. H. W. McKenzie, of 

 Keble College, Oxford, now second master, and formerly headmaster of Lancing College. 



DURHAM UNIVERSITY 



On the third attempt the foundation of a university at Durham was successful. The present 

 Durham University, though only dating from 1831, and established by Act of Parliament 4 July, 

 1832, is the third oldest of English universities, ranking next in age, though 'longo intervallo,' to 

 Oxford and Cambridge, and is of ancient date compared with the Universities of London, Manchester, 

 Leeds, and Birmingham. According to its iiistorian. Dr. Fowler, it owed its origin to a paiu'c 

 produced among ecclesiastics by the Reform Bill of 1832, when every ancient institution was 

 supposed to be threatened with destruction. On the doctrine of ransom the dean and chapter 

 therefore preferred to give a part of their endowments to education. The movement began with a 

 letter from the dean, J. B. Jenkinson (who combined the deanery, said to be worth ^{^30,000 a year, 

 with the bishopric of St. David's), drawing attention to the political danger and tiie necessity of doing 

 something for education. On 21 Stptcniber an Act of Clia|)tcr was passed for an 'Academical Institution 

 or College or University.' Bishop van Mildert took tlic matter up, and on 20 November proposed to 

 appropriate to the University three prebendal stalls (they were then worth some thousands a year each) 

 and ;^3,ooo a year, to be obtained from the enfranchisement of the South Shields estate for;([8o,ooo. 

 The Act of Parliament already mentioned w.is then passed authorizing the University of I3iirliam, 



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