Kingswood House School

Kingswood House School date not known
Image courtesy of Bourne Hall Museum

Advert in the Andrews 1899 Directory

Kingswood House School was founded in 1899 at premises in Randolph Road, Epsom by former Epsom College master Albert Golding Essery (1867-1937). Mr Essery was from Kingswood, Bristol, which is presumably how the school acquired its name. At some point between 1901 and 1911 the establishment moved to Ashley Road and Mr Essery, although still owning property in Epsom, apparently decamped to indulge his passion for Liberal politics. In the 1911 electoral register, for example, he was listed as owning four local properties but his address was given as the Liberal Offices, Truro. The school head at this point was one Henry Wilson from Killybegs in Donegal, assisted by a young Bristol man named William Carl.

1919 prizegiving at Kingswood House when it was still in Ashley Road.
The clergyman is probably Mr Sandberg.
Image courtesy of Bourne Hall Museum

The school moved in 1920 to its present site in West Hill under the leadership of the Reverend Kenneth Graham Sandberg, who had taken over the school in 1919. The Revd Sandberg unsurprisingly placed a strong emphasis on Chapel attendance and the pupils being mainly boarders.

The school changed in 1933 from taking boarders to taking mainly day students. By the late 1960s, Kingswood House became exclusively a day school, the old dormitories being converted into music rooms and a Library. In 1963, the School formed into an Educational Trust under a Board of Governors. In 1973, the Langlands building was opened comprising Assembly Hall, gym, changing rooms, art room and science laboratory. In 1989, the Study Centre was opened. The IT suite and Library were upgraded and an astro-turf, cricket nets, training swimming pool and an adventure trail were added.

Kingswood House School Group photo with arrow pointing to Denis Pratt (Quentin Crisp)
Image courtesy of Bourne Hall Museum

An Advert from a 1931 Schools Directory

A new Upper Preparatory School (Years 5-8) was opened in 2013. The new Lower Preparatory Department (Reception-Year 4) opened in 2014. The Peter Brooks building, boasting customized teaching accommodation for the Senior Years, was opened alongside a new Design & Technology Suite and Drama Studio, in 2018.

A 1940 School Report for Arthur N Davenport
Click image to enlarge
Image courtesy of Bourne Hall Museum

Local Directory Listings

Andrews 1899 A.G. Essery – principal.

Kellys 1927 Frederick Dickson, B.A.Camb.

Kellys 1930 Frederick Dickson

Kellys 1934 G.Morley-Tabor

Kellys 1936 G.Morley-Tabor

Kellys 1938 G.Morley-Tabor

Kellys 1940 E.W.Malden (has a connection to the Walters Family of Ewell)

Borough Guide 1988 M.Harvey

Borough Guide1995 G.F.Harvey

Heads

Mr A.G. Essery
Henry Wilson
Revd Sandberg
Mr Dixon
Mr Morley-Tabor
Mr Malden (has a connection to the Walters Family of Ewell)
Mr William (Bill) H Thorne
Mr Christopher Scott-Malden (Mr Chris)
Mr Mark Harvey
Mr Peter Brooks
Mr Duncan Murphy

Notable alumni

Quentin Crisp
Cecil Gould (Links to a Wikipedia page)
Richard Rogers, architect. (Links to a Wikipedia page)
Adrian Shooter (Links to a Wikipedia page)
Nicholas Witchell (Links to a Wikipedia page)

Various images of Kingswood House School (dates not known)
Images courtesy of Bourne Hall Museum