Old House

In 1882, the year that Blundell’s School moved to its present site, the Rev. T.U. Cross built Old House and opened it as a boarding-house for 25 boys. One of the first boarders was Morris Travers, who, later in life was the co-discoverer of the gases, xenon, krypton and neon. Rev. Cross tragically died at sea in 1892, and was succeeded as Housemaster by J.M. ‘Joey’ Thornton, a remarkable maths teacher. He built the first garage at the School, attached to Old House. Such was his mathematical precision that it was a perfect fit for his car, but there was one oversight - he didn't allow for the need to open the car doors when it was in the garage!

Thornton resigned as housemaster in 1912, and H.H. Batterbee took his place. Batterbee joined the army in 1916, and Old House was placed in the care of his sister and parents. During the First World War 31 former boys of Old House were killed. On Batterbee’s return from the War, several alterations were carried out in the house, one of which was to knock down partition walls to form a large dormitory from many small rooms.

The 1920s were a glorious decade for Old House cricket. One of the boys, Royston Gabe-Jones, was chosen to play for Glamorgan in 1922, aged just 15 years 9 months – the youngest county cricketer in the 20th century. In the house competition in 1926 Old House amassed a fine total of 251-1 against Francis House; with Henry Harvey scoring 165 not out.

The west side of the house was extended and the bathrooms refurbished in 1936, as part of the changes to accommodate up to 50 boys. Following the Second World War, during which 16 Old Blundellians from Old House died, Batterbee retired as Housemaster and was replaced by Pat McElwee. Three of the house’s most famous boys came during McElwee’s early years – John Hollands, to become the youngest winner of the Military Cross in the Korean War and a best-selling author; Michael Mates, following a distinguished career in the Queen’s Dragoons, entered politics and is now M.P. for East Hampshire; and Robin Midgley, who became a world-renowned television and theatre director. McElwee retired in 1961, and Geoffrey Lucas, a Classics master, took on Old House for five years, when he left to become Headmaster of King’s School, Gloucester.

Ted Crowe was Housemaster from 1965 until 1980. A Blundellian through and through, he was a pupil 1943-46, a master 1953-89, and Secretary of the Old Blundellian Club from 1958 until his death in 2008. During Ted’s time girls arrived at Blundell’s! Angela Bidlake and Belinda Walker were the first to be allocated to Old House, although they boarded at Gorton House.

Jerry Salter followed Ted Crowe. He had joined Blundell’s in 1969 from industry, but his father had been a housemaster at Malvern, so he had a good idea of the duties involved when he took over Old House in 1980. The house was in his more-than-capable hands until 1995, when his maximum allowed term of 15 years was complete. He was succeeded by a sportsman of great talent, Nick Folland, who had played schoolboy cricket for England and rugby for the English Universities. It was proposed in 1995 to make Old House the home of the Junior Department, but School House was chosen instead. Following a successful time as housemaster, in 2001 Nick moved on – not very far, geographically – and is now Headmaster of Blundell’s Prep School.

The current Houseparents of Old House are Leigh and Ali Menheneott. Both are teachers at Blundell’s: Ali teaches Maths, and Leigh teaches Physical Education. Since their arrival in the house they have overseen many important improvements, among which was the total refurbishment of the house in 2010. Leigh and Ali have done much to engender a lively and successful house, and to imbue everyone with the attitude of its motto ‘No Passengers’.