Wesley College, a school to educate the sons of the laity, opened in 1838 in new buildings designed by

William Flockton Flockton's were a series of architectural firms in the 19th and early 20th centuries, based in Sheffield, England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its ...

on Glossop Road,

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. It was founded by Rev. Samuel Dousland Waddy (1804–1876) to "supply a generally superior and classical education, combined with religious training in the principles of

Methodism Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's br ...

" and was initially called the "Wesleyan Proprietary Grammar School". The change in name to Wesley College seems to have taken place in 1844, when a "Royal Warrant, constituting the Sheffield Wesley College a college of the University of London was forwarded to Mr Waddy (subsequently Governor, from 1844 to 1862) by Sir James Graham, which empowered the college to issue certificates to candidates for examination for the several degrees of Bachelor and Master of Arts, and Bachelor and Doctor of Laws". A year later it spurred Rev. James Gillman, William Ferguson, William Stewart and Thomas Waugh in

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

to consider creating a similar school in Dublin. The school accepted its first 90 boarders on 8 August 1838. By 1841 the number of pupils had increased to 172. In 1905 Wesley College was purchased by Sheffield Council and merged with

Sheffield Royal Grammar School Sheffield Grammar School began in 1604 as "The Free Grammar School of James King of England within the Town of Sheffield in the County of York" in buildings in the Townhead area of Sheffield, resulting from the benefaction of John Smith of Crowl ...

to form King Edward VII School (Upper School Site), named after the reigning monarch. The building was recently refurbished, with the addition of a sports hall and science block, as part of the BSF programme

Headmasters of Wesley College

Governors of Wesley College

esley College was run from 1837 to 1888 by a 'Dyarchy', comprising the Governor and the Headmaster, the Governor being the senior of the pair (in theory).

Notable alumni of Wesley College

* Robert Bownas Mackie (1820–1885) – English politician and judge *

Samuel Danks Waddy Samuel Danks Waddy (27 June 1830 – 30 December 1902) was an English politician. He was born in Gateshead, the son of Samuel Dousland Waddy, a Methodist minister. The family soon moved to Sheffield and his father was instrumental in the foundi ...

(1830–1902) – English politician, Judge (son of Samuel Dousland Waddy, above) *

William Haswell Stephenson Sir William Haswell Stephenson (1836-1918) was an English industrialist, Methodist and philanthropist, and mayor of Newcastle upon Tyne. Personal life Stephenson was born at Throckley, near Newcastle upon Tyne, on 15 May 1836. His family were Met ...

(1836–1918) – Lord Mayor of Newcastle upon Tyne *

Frederick Cawley, 1st Baron Cawley Frederick Cawley, 1st Baron Cawley PC, JP (9 October 1850 – 30 March 1937), known as Sir Frederick Cawley, Bt, between 1906 and 1918, was a British businessman and Liberal Party politician. A wealthy cotton merchant, he represented Prestwic ...

(1850–1937) – cotton merchant and Liberal politician *

Leonard Cockayne Leonard Cockayne (7 April 1855 – 8 July 1934) is regarded as New Zealand's greatest botanist and a founder of modern science in New Zealand. Biography He was born in Sheffield, England where he attended Wesley College. He travelled to Austra ...

(1855–1934) – horticulturist, botanist *

Hillson Beasley Hillson Beasley (30 April 1855 – 7 October 1936) was an English-trained architect who relocated to Australia, executing his major buildings in Melbourne (1886–96) and Perth (1896–1917). In his later career he was the Principal Architect of ...

(1855–1936) – architect * John Bilson (1856–1943) – architect * Frank Wilson (1859–1918) –

Premier of Western Australia The premier of Western Australia is the head of government of the state of Western Australia. The role of premier at a state level is similar to the role of the prime minister of Australia at a federal level. The premier leads the executive bra ...

Cecil Henry Wilson Cecil Henry Wilson (8 September 1862 – 7 November 1945) was a British pacifist Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP). Biography Born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, the son of Liberal Party Member of Parliament for Holmfirth, Henry Wilson, Wil ...

(1862–1945) – Labour MP for Attercliffe *

William John Hale William John Hale (March 1862 – 25 November 1929) was an architect based in Sheffield, England, who produced the city's most striking early 20th-century architecture.''"Pevsner Architectural Guides – Sheffield"'', Ruth Harman & John Minnis, ...

(1862–1929) – architect * John Andrew Pearson (1867–1940) – architect in Canada

Notable teachers of Wesley College

Henry Perlee Parker Henry Perlee Parker (1785–1873) was an artist who specialised in portrait and genre paintings. He made his mark in Newcastle upon Tyne in the 1820s through patronage by wealthy landowners and through paintings of large-scale events of civic pr ...

(1795–1873) Drawing-master, Wesley College (1840-1844)

References

* Cornwell, John (2005). ''King Ted's'' (1st ed.). King Edward VII School, Sheffield. . *

External links

Inspires founding of Wesley College, Dublin
{{Listed buildings in Sheffield Defunct schools in Sheffield Educational institutions established in 1838 Grade II* listed buildings in Sheffield School buildings completed in 1838 Educational institutions disestablished in 1905 1905 disestablishments in England 1838 establishments in England