The Headmasters
The headmaster’s chair
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Arthur Tempest Pollard – HM 1881-1887
This photo of the students features Headmaster A W Pollard
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Arthur Wilson Cave MA – HM 1887-1925
This photo of the sixth form features Headmaster A W Cave
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J E Badham MA – HM 1925-45
Frederick Charles Lay (Freddie) – HM 1945-62
F C (Freddie) Lay, Headmaster 1945-62
‘Freddie’ Lay had been a pupil at the City of Oxford School from 1908-1915 and never thought that one day, he would return as Headmaster.
The school prefects with Freddie in 1957, names to be added when identified (hopefully)
This portrait of F.C.Lay was taken following his retirement as Headmaster in 1962 and hung in the Hall. It was taken to Oxford School in 1966. It was returned and rehung in the Hall thanks to COSA member, Keith Shaw.
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Ralph Willliam Bodey (Pongo) – HM 1962-66
R. W. Bodey (Pongo) was Headmaster from 1962 – 1966 after many years of service as Deputy Headmaster. On closure, he was appointed Deputy Headmaster of the new Oxford School in 1966.
This handsome photo is of the staff team that served under Freddie Lay from 1945, many of whom are referred to in the schooldays and staff profile sections of this website. It has not been possible to identify them all as yet but this will come.
| L to R | |
| Back row | Front row |
| 1 | 1 L Bielby |
| 2 | 2 (Dug) DV Gilbert, Languages |
| 3 (Eddie) PK Swire, Languages | 3 (Tich) EJ Wright, French |
| 4 | 4 (Pongo) RW Bodey, Science & Deputy HM |
| 5 (Spud) I H Taylor, Science | 5 (Freddie) FC Lay, HM |
| 6 | 6 |
| 7 | 7 (Ron) R Atkinson, Latin |
| 8 (Jock) FW Sutton, English | 8 (George) G Wright, History |
| 9 |
Popular teacher Ian (Spud) Taylor and his wife, with dog
December 1965: the final staff team photographed in the school hall, prior to closure with headmaster R W Bodey. The rare intrusion of a woman (Mlle Charras, the French language assistant) is a sign of the changes the school was facing prior to almagation.