Aldro
Encyclopedia
Aldro is a preparatory school
in Shackleford
, near Godalming
, Surrey
, England
. It caters for about 240 boys between the ages of 7 and 13. The Good Schools Guide called the school an "Extremely popular and successful traditional prep school," also stating "It is a somewhat eccentric world with some delightfully eccentric teachers, and makes a welcome home for boys of every variety."
in Eastbourne
in 1898 and moved to its present home in 1940.
The oldest buildings on the site were originally part of Hall Place (later known as Shackleford House), built for Edgar Horne
, a wealthy company director who was the Member of Parliament
MP for South West Surrey
from 1910 to 1922 and made a Baronet in 1929.
They were converted by the school during and after the Second World War. A large, timbered barn, for example, became the school chapel, and was consecrated in 1949. It survived a fire in the 1970s. A former workshop next door became the science laboratory, and the estate’s potting shed became a carpentry workshop.
The current Head Master is David Aston.
press, standing close to the main entrance, which has been used as a small museum and as a home for a model railway.
Over the years there have been many new additions to the site. For years the large lake doubled as a swimming pool and as a race course for inter-house rowing competitions. Today there is a open heated swimming pool.
Other more recent facilities include a theatre, an art, design and technology centre, tennis courts and a three
-hole golf course. The Centenary Building, opened in 1999, contains a library and new classrooms, and a new dining hall opened in 2003.
In 2010 Aldro also reaches the finals of Nationals for Rugby Sevens at Roselyn Park, losing to Millfield. The team was Rupert Dower-Tylee, Henry Mallin, James Bradley,Charlie Tarn (capt), Maxim Smith, James Walker, Ben Harris, Edward Rees, Toby Thomas, Matthew Yiadomm and James Whitton. The coach was Yves Lombardo.
Preparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
in Shackleford
Shackleford
Shackleford is a village in Surrey, England lying to the west of the A3 between Guildford and Petersfield. Neighbouring villages include Puttenham, Peper Harrow and Eashing....
, near Godalming
Godalming
Godalming is a town and civil parish in the Waverley district of the county of Surrey, England, south of Guildford. It is built on the banks of the River Wey and is a prosperous part of the London commuter belt. Godalming shares a three-way twinning arrangement with the towns of Joigny in France...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It caters for about 240 boys between the ages of 7 and 13. The Good Schools Guide called the school an "Extremely popular and successful traditional prep school," also stating "It is a somewhat eccentric world with some delightfully eccentric teachers, and makes a welcome home for boys of every variety."
History
Aldro was founded at MeadsMeads
Meads is an area of the town of Eastbourne in the English county of East Sussex. It is situated at the westerly end of the town below the South Downs.- Boundaries :...
in Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
in 1898 and moved to its present home in 1940.
The oldest buildings on the site were originally part of Hall Place (later known as Shackleford House), built for Edgar Horne
Sir Edgar Horne, 1st Baronet
Sir Edgar Horne, 1st Baronet was a British businessman and Unionist politician. A surveyor and a director of numerous companies, he was best known for his role as Chairman of the Prudential Assurance Company from 1928 to 1941.- Family :Horne was the son of Edgar Horne of Witley in Surrey and his...
, a wealthy company director who was the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
MP for South West Surrey
Guildford (UK Parliament constituency)
Guildford is a county constituency in Surrey which returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system....
from 1910 to 1922 and made a Baronet in 1929.
They were converted by the school during and after the Second World War. A large, timbered barn, for example, became the school chapel, and was consecrated in 1949. It survived a fire in the 1970s. A former workshop next door became the science laboratory, and the estate’s potting shed became a carpentry workshop.
The current Head Master is David Aston.
Facilities
The oldest building is thought to be the octagonal ciderCider
Cider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...
press, standing close to the main entrance, which has been used as a small museum and as a home for a model railway.
Over the years there have been many new additions to the site. For years the large lake doubled as a swimming pool and as a race course for inter-house rowing competitions. Today there is a open heated swimming pool.
Other more recent facilities include a theatre, an art, design and technology centre, tennis courts and a three
-hole golf course. The Centenary Building, opened in 1999, contains a library and new classrooms, and a new dining hall opened in 2003.
Sport
The school prides itself on its academic and sporting achievements, particularly in football, rugby, hockey, cricket and shooting. It also has an impressive record in chess competitions, with the under 9, 12 and 13 teams each winning national championships in 2004. In 2005 2006 and 2007 David Buck was national champion at 1500m.In 2010 Aldro also reaches the finals of Nationals for Rugby Sevens at Roselyn Park, losing to Millfield. The team was Rupert Dower-Tylee, Henry Mallin, James Bradley,Charlie Tarn (capt), Maxim Smith, James Walker, Ben Harris, Edward Rees, Toby Thomas, Matthew Yiadomm and James Whitton. The coach was Yves Lombardo.
Notable former pupils
- Kim PhilbyKim PhilbyHarold Adrian Russell "Kim" Philby was a high-ranking member of British intelligence who worked as a spy for and later defected to the Soviet Union...
, a SovietSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
spy - Toby StephensToby StephensToby Stephens is an English stage, television and film actor who has appeared in films in both Hollywood and Bollywood. He is best known for playing megavillain Gustav Graves in the James Bond film Die Another Day , Edward Fairfax Rochester in the BBC television adaptation of Jane Eyre and Philip...
, actor, who has played Kim Philby in television drama Cambridge SpiesCambridge SpiesCambridge Spies is a 2003 four-part BBC television drama concerning the lives of the best-known quartet of the Cambridge Five Soviet spies from 1934 to the 1951 defection of Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean to the Soviet Union... - Lord Wakeham, Conservative peer and former Cabinet member in Thatcher & Major governments
- Alexander Scrimgeour, 1897-1916- Author of SCRIMGEOUR'S SMALL SCRIBBLING DIARY, Midshipman on HMS (?) Invincible, killed in the Battle of Jutland May 31st 1916, aged 19.