Claughton History

Nos quoque telam sparsimus

translates as

We also did scatter shafts 

86 years at school  1904  - 1990

The Dudley Upper Standard School opened its doors in June 1904, this was the name until 1907 when it became the Higher Elementary School. It changed again in 1929 to the Dudley Intermediate School and it was not until 1957 that the name was finally changed to Sir Gilbert Claughton School. The last of the pupils left in 1990 although it is understood intake was stopped a couple of years previously.

Dudley Herald - December 7th 1957 - NEW STATUS

At the town council meeting last week, the Chairman of the Education Committee Alderman J.L.Hillman proudly announced that the Dudley Intermediate School has been renamed The Sir Gilbert Claughton School and that the ministry had agreed that it should have Grammar School status. This means Dudley now has three Grammar Schools - the other two being The Dudley Grammar School and The Dudley High School.

Headmaster of the newly named school Mr. A.C. Dodman told me this week that the school , which has 450 "co-ed" pupils has always been regarded as a "selective" school. He became Headmaster a little over two years ago and since then, he said, the school has been moving towards its new status, having its own sixth form which trains pupils for universities, training colleges and colleges of advanced technology.

Big extentions, including new laboratories are being made at the school at a cost of between £30,000 and £40,000. The bias in the school will be towards technical Mr. Dodson explained.

The newly named schools moto is "Nos quoque tela sparsimus " - "We also did scatter shafts". The moto Mr. Dodman humorously remarked, is intended to imply peaceful intentions but warlike potentialities. The warlike potentialities perhaps referred, I suggested to the boys prowess at Rugby football - the school is the only one in the town incidentally, which plays the game. Mr. Dodman did not conflict my assumption.

Original line drawing for the Dudley School Board by Barrowcliff & Allcock, Architects, Loughbourgh.

Original floor plan drawing from the same architects prior to construction.

London & North Western Railway (LNWR) No. 2222 Sir Gilbert Claughton Locomotive.

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