The Isle of Man Methodist Women’s Luncheon Club met at the Mount Murray Golf Club to hear Dr Michael Hoy MBE give the second half of talk about the history of King William’s College.

They heard the first half being enjoyed by all in February.

Descriptions accompanied by slides illustrated the enterprise and achievements of some college principals.

From the memorable Frank Walters who was principal for 47 years until his death in 1899, all college principals were clergymen.

Edwin Kempson arrived at the college and proved to an ambitious and valued builder. The science block, ’big school’ gym and technical workshops were all owed to his enterprise in 1902. The school’s results he believed must be equal to the best in England.

HHW Dickson, nicknamed Dido Dickson by the boys, was a cricket enthusiast.

Teams travelled by horse to matches, often walking the horse up Richmond Hill. Sheep mowed the college, grass much to the annoyance of the players.

In the build up of the First World War, military training was needed and in 1911 an Officers’ Training Corps was established for the drill and discipline of cadets.

A guard of honour for Tynwald Day was formed.

Edward Owen arrived from York in 1912 and promoted the values of the sixth form pupils and university studies. Prisoners of war were escorted to Knockaloe by college volunteers as they were the only military units on the island.

Canon Stenning (1885-1964) was a special, colourful character who was housemaster and chaplain for many years. In later years he was the archdeacon of the island.

In 1918 when victory came there were celebrations in Derbyhaven with a jazz band and bonfire. A total of 546 men from college had served, 135 had been killed, including two teachers.

In 1925 the post-war boom brought more than 300 boys to the college though only 54 were Manx. A direct grant eventually come from the Manx government.

In 1933 the Archbishop of York conducted a special service as the college ’visitor’. William Brown who had a Nobel Prize for physics was the principal in charge of the college’s 100-year jubilee celebrations.

Sydney Wilson, a principal with no clerical connections, began a new college building programme in 1937. Scholarships were introduced.

When the war came in 1939 the college narrowly escaped being taken over by the Fleet Air Arm. An Air Training Corps, a fire service and help with the harvest were all invaluable war effort contributions.

Six hundred and ninety six college pupils served in the Second World War. Sixty seven men were killed. Robert Cain was honoured with a VC,

Geoffrey Rees-Jones came in 1958 with the aim to promote a more liberal type of education with loosened discipline and what Mr Hoy described as a civilised and happy atmosphere.

In 1991 King William’s College amalgamated with the Buchan School. The new century saw the school change their exam system to the International Baccalaureate.

A vote of thanks was given to Dr Hoy by Helen Taggart. The next meeting is on Wednesday, December 19, when Mandy Griffin and John Riley will present Christmas Celebrations’.

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