Milham Ford School

The school's origins lie in the 1890s when sisters Emma and Jane Moody started a private nursery school for boys and girls, located in their house in Iffley Road, East Oxford;{{cite web|title=The History of Milham Ford School, Oxford|url=http://www.headington.org.uk/history/schools/milham_ford.pdf|publisher= Headington |location=UK|access-date=21 October 2012}} it seems likely that this was their parent's family home at 7, Iffley Road.Census Returns of England and Wales, Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archivesd, 1881

By 1898, the school had moved to a cottage, or group of cottages,{{Cite news|last=A Correspondent|title=Miss Catherine Dodd|work=The Times|issue=46294|publication-date=18 Nov 1932}} in Cowley Place, south of The Plain close to Magdalen Bridge and Magdalen College School.

It was from there that the new girls' school was launched, being named after the Milham Ford that crossed the River Cherwell nearby. It was advertised as "a new day and boarding school for girls" which also took boys up to the age of ten and made "special arrangements" for children under seven.

Fees at the new school were 2 guineas (£2 2s) a term.{{Cite news|title=Milham Ford Boarding and Day School for Girls|work=Oxford Journal|publication-place=Oxford|publication-date=23 Sep 1899}} The initial curriculum, which was described as "thoroughly modern", consisted of English, divinity, mathematics, French, Latin, class singing, drill and needlework; extra fees were charged for French and German conversation, drawing, painting, music and singing.{{Cite news|title=Milham Ford Boarding and Day School, Oxford, A New School for Girls|work=Oxford Journal|publication-place=Oxford|publication-date=11 Mar 1899}}

Mllham Ford School opened to the pupils on 1 May 1899, with Miss Jane Moody as Mistress (Head) and her sister Emma and cousin Talbot Moody as Assistant Mistresses. The first boarders joined in the Autumn Term.

The cottages in Cowley Place appear to have been a combination of school, boarding house and family home; in the 1901 Census, the household consists of the Moody parents, Jane and Emma Moody (schoolmistresses working at home), another 19-year-old schoolmistress, eight boarding pupils, and a domestic servant.Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901 Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archive

In 1904, Emma and Jane Moody sold the school to the Church Education Corporation. The Corporation acquired the school in connection with Cherwell Hall, a women's teacher training college which it had established on a neighbouring site in 1900 and the two institutions fell under joint management until 1908. When Miss Dodd took over as headmistress in 1905, Milham was described as consisting of "three picturesque but scholastically inconvenient cottages" and in 1906 the school was rebuilt with a view to accommodating up to 225 pupils; the Corporation also established a boarding house to be "run along Cheltenham lines"."Ecclesiastical Intelligence." The Times, 9 July 1906, p.13

Pupils at this time were taught by a "staff of women graduates"{{Cite news|title=Girls' Secondary School & Kinder-Garten|work=Oxford Journal|publication-date=28 Oct 1905}} which included student teachers from Cherwell Hall who were expected to spend a term teaching at Milham as part of their practical training; the student teachers were drawn from universities in the United Kingdom, Canada and India.{{Cite news|title=News in Brief|work=The Times|publication-date=5 Dec 1907}} In 1906, The Times reported that the curriculum made special reference to Oxford's historical and literary associations and that each girl had a school garden.

In 1908, Oxford City Council approached Milham as part of its programme to increase the number of secondary places in the City. The management of the school was separated from that of Cherwell Hall and a new board of governors was created. In 1923, the school was sold to the City of Oxford as the Local Education Authority (LEA), as the governors could not meet the cost of further expansion.{{cite book|last1=Crossley|first1=Alan|title=A History of the County of Oxford, Volume 4|last2=Elrington|first2=C.R. (eds.)|last3=Chance|first3=Eleanor|last4=Colvin|first4=Christina|last5=Cooper|first5=Janet|last6=Day|first6=C.J.|last7=Hassall|first7=T.G.|last8=Selwyn|first8=Nesta|year=1979|series=Victoria County History|pages=442–462|author-link2=Christopher Elrington}}

After buying the school, the LEA rapidly expanded it by adding huts as extra classrooms. One of these huts was used by Magdalen College School and, in 1957, dismantled and re-erected in Cowley as a band hall for the City of Oxford Silver Band.{{cite web|title=Band History|url=http://www.cosb.co.uk/aboutus.html|access-date=9 July 2014|website=COSB.co.uk}}

In 1939, the school moved to new and larger premises on Marston Road.

The former school premises were used to teach evacuee children during the Second World War and by the [https://www.brookes.ac.uk/about-brookes/history/timeline---our-history-at-a-glance/ Architecture Department of the College of Technology, Art and Commerce (later part of Brookes University)] from 1945 to 1958 when it was acquired by St Hilda's College.{{Cite news|title=Oxford Sells Site To College|work=The Times|publication-date=18 Nov 1958}}Proposed New Student Buildings St Hilda's College Oxford, Archaeological Desk Based Assessment, Oxford Archaeology South for Austin Newport Ltd on behalf of St Hilda's College, Issue 1, October 2016, https://library.oxfordarchaeology.com/4699/1/OXHILD16_DBA.pdf The Milham Ford Building was demolished in 2018.

The boarding house built in c.1906 was at 210 and 212 Iffley Road. In 1911, it was home to 7 women, 23 pupils aged 10–18 and 4 female servants of whom three were teenagers . The house was supervised by the House Mistress, Miss Mulliner, and the School Matron. Other residents included two teachers, one a German national. The pupils were mainly from England and Wales, although eight were born overseas including British India, South Africa and Argentina.

The new school was built on a {{convert|16|acre|ha|adj=on}} site on Marston Road between Harberton Mead (which was its address) and Jack Straw's Lane.[http://www.headington.org.uk/history/pullens_lane/jack_straws_lane.html Jack Straw's Lane] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100707081823/http://www.headington.org.uk/history/pullens_lane/jack_straws_lane.html|date=7 July 2010}}.{{cite web|last=Cox|first=Marilyn|title=Milham Ford School infosite|url=http://homepage.ntlworld.com/marilyn.cox/jsla/Sub%20pages/Milham%20Ford%20School.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023063548/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/marilyn.cox/jsla/Sub%20pages/Milham%20Ford%20School.htm|archive-date=23 October 2012|access-date=21 October 2012}} The original 1906 foundation stone was moved to the new site.

Milham Ford became a girls' grammar school in 1944. In 1948, it was described as a two-form entry school with 380 pupils, but with plans to move to three-form entry.{{Cite news|title=Public Notices|work=The Times|publication-date=26 Nov 1948}} It had grown to 500 pupils by 1959{{Cite news|title=Public Notices|work=The Times|publication-date=23 Jan 1959}} and 570 by the end of Miss Price's headship in 1966.{{Cite news|title=Public Appointments|work=The Times|publication-date=18 Feb 1966}}

It became a girls' comprehensive upper school in September 1973 as part of the City's move to a three-tier comprehensive system, with pupils joining in the third form (Year 8).

In 1976, Milham became caught up in the debate over the controversial sex education film Growing Up (1971) after a number of parents and pupils contacted the National Viewers and Listener's Association. The film had been shown to pupils in biology lessons with the support of the then headmistress, Miss Laws and the majority of the governors.{{Cite news|last=Groser|first=John|title=Minister faces legal action over sex film|work=The Times|publication-date=5 Aug 1976}}

The school was closed following a return to a two-tier system{{Cite web|title=BBC - Oxford Features|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/features/2003/schools_reorg/overview.shtml|access-date=2021-04-25|website=www.bbc.co.uk}} and the majority of the site was sold in 2003.[http://archive.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/2003/01/24/26944.html Brookes finalises deal for Milham Ford School] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100207015429/http://archive.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/2003/01/24/26944.html |date=7 February 2010 }}, thisisoxfordshire.co.uk. Retrieved 29 July 2014.

The school was sold to Oxford Brookes University in 2003 and the following year it started to be used by its School of Health Care and Social Science.{{cite web|title=Marston Road infosite|url=http://www.brookes.ac.uk/findus/marston_road|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720222406/http://www.brookes.ac.uk/findus/marston_road|archive-date=20 July 2012|access-date=21 October 2012|publisher=Oxford Brookes University}} The former playing field area in front of the school is still owned by Oxford City Council and is now [https://www.oxford.gov.uk/directory_record/900/milham_ford_nature_park Milham Ford Nature Park].{{cite web|last=Cox|first=Marilyn|title=History of Milham Ford Nature Park|url=http://homepage.ntlworld.com/marilyn.cox/Wildlife%20Group/Milham%20Ford%20Park%20history.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104141050/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/marilyn.cox/Wildlife%20Group/Milham%20Ford%20Park%20history.htm|archive-date=4 November 2012|access-date=21 October 2012}}{{Cite web|last=Council|first=Oxford City|title=Milham Ford Nature Park|url=https://www.oxford.gov.uk/directory_record/900/milham_ford_nature_park|access-date=2021-04-25|website=www.oxford.gov.uk|language=en}} In 2006 Brookes sold part of the site to the south for housing; the new streets were named Mary Price Close and McCabe Place in memory of two former headmistresses.

Jane Moody (born 1878) and Emma Moody (b. 1880), joint founders. The Moody sisters were the daughters of James Moody, a butler at St John's College, Oxford.Dawson's Charity, Oxford Approval of Trustees by Charity Commission, 24th May 1892, Oxfordshire History Centre Daw/I/i/5 Jane Moody was educated at Oxford High School and was Mistress (Headmistress) of Milham from 1899 until the school was sold in 1905 when she became Vice-Principal and Secretary; she is also described at this time as a "Registered Teacher".{{Cite news|title=Secondary School for Girls, Milham Ford, Cowley Place|work=Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette|publication-date=30 Jun 1905}} Jane married in 1909Marriage Register 1886-1910; Oxford, St Clement's and by 1911 was living in Camberly, Surrey with her husband and her sister Emma.Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archive1939, England and Wales Register

Miss MacKenzie-Smith LLA (Hons) (St Andrews) became the first Principal of Cherwell Hall Training College when it was opened in 1902{{Cite news |date=25 October 1902 |title=The New Ladies' College |pages=8 |work=Oxford Journal}} becoming, additionally Principal of Milham Ford when it was acquired by the Church Education Corporation in 1905. Miss MacKenzie-Smith is described in advertisements as a "sometime student" of Newnham College.

Catherine Isabella Dodd LLA (St Andrews) (1860–1932), principal 1905-1917 and also Principal of Cherwell Hall Training College 1905-1908. Catherine Dodd was an educationist and author with a national reputation whose achievements included being the first female academic on the staff of Victoria University of Manchester.{{Cite ODNB|title=Dodd, Catherine Isabella (1860–1932), educationist and author|url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-48579|access-date=2021-04-24| year=2004 |language=en|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/48579| isbn=978-0-19-861412-8 }}

Joan Stewart Hamon McCabe OBE (c. 1868–1938),England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 vice-headmistress 1912–1917,The Times, 6 Sept. 1912, p 8 headmistress 1917–1931. Joan McCabe was born in St Helier, JerseyCensus Returns of England and Wales, Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives, 1871 where she attended Jersey Ladies' College.University of London; London, England; University of London Student Records 1836-1936, Senate House Library, 1899 In 1890, she gained an Intermediate of Arts as an external student of London University. Before moving to Milham, Miss McCabe taught at Cheltenham Ladies' College. She died in January 1938 and is buried at Rose Hill Cemetery, Oxford.Oxford City Council, Oxford, England; Oxford City Council Burial Registers, 1908-2016

Evelyn Bailey (born 1903), headmistress 1931–1949

Mary Roper Price OBE, MA (Oxon) (1902–2002), headmistress 1949–1966.{{cite news|date=10 January 2002|title=Head's legacy still benefits school|work=Oxford Mail|url=http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/archive/2002/01/10/Oxfordshire+Archive/6602323.Head_s_legacy_still_benefits_school|access-date=18 September 2012}} Mary Price graduated in history from St Anne's College, Oxford and was a respected educator and historian with a commitment to girls' public sector education; she served on a number of national bodies.{{Cite news|title=Mary Price|work=The Times|publication-date=1 Mar 2002}} Mary Price wrote or contributed to several history books including Portrait of Britain and Portrait of Europe (OUP).

Winifred Mary Laws MA (Oxon) (1918–2021),{{Cite news|date=15 Feb 2021|title=Winifred Mary Laws, Death Announcements|work=Oxford Mail|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/announcements/deaths/deaths/19066951.Winifred_Mary_Laws/|access-date=1 April 2021}} headmistress 1966–1978. Winifred Laws graduated in physics from St Hugh's College Oxford. She entered teaching following war service as an officer in the WAAF's Technical (Radar) Branch, becoming headmistress of Burnley High School for Girls for ten years before moving to Milham in 1966.{{Cite news|date=15 April 2021|title=Former headteacher with distinguished war record|work=Oxford Mail}}

• Miss Alice Wakefield 1979 to 1986
• Miss Janet Edwards 1986 to 1987
• Miss Elizabeth Higgins 1987 to 1996
• Mrs Gloria Walker 1996 to 1999
• Mrs Anne Peterson 1999 to 2003

• Gertrude Entwisle (1892-1961), engineer, first female student, graduate, and associate member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers.{{Cite web|title=Entwisle, Gertrude Lilian (1892–1961), engineer|url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-110228|access-date=2021-06-03|website=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|year=2018 |language=en|doi=10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.110228|isbn=978-0-19-861412-8 |last1=Cable |first1=Jon }}
• Marion Richardson (1892-1946), art teacher. Richardson was a pioneer of a child-centred approach to teaching art and was also active in introducing art classes in prisons. She was the author of Writing and Writing Patterns (1935) and Art and the Child (1948).{{Cite ODNB |title=Richardson, Marion Elaine (1893-1946) |url=https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/57053 |access-date=11 April 2022 |year=2004 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/57053 }}
• Gladys Fischer (née Munday), MBE (1914-2011), educationist. Gladys Fischer's first job on leaving Milham was as the School's librarian. In 1939, she married and moved to Germany, where she spent the rest of her life. In 1945 she founded the Englishes Institut Heidelberg, and was active in promoting British-German understanding and cultural exchange.{{Cite news|title=Gladys Fischer obituary|work=The Times|publication-date=5 Sep 2011}}
• Olive Gibbs (née Cox), DL (1918-1995), Labour politician, anti-nuclear weapons campaigner and Lord Mayor of Oxford
• Joyce M. Bennett (1923-2015), the first Englishwoman to be ordained a priest in the Anglican Communion was a pupil when her school was evacuated here in 1939 .{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/26/the-rev-joyce-bennett|title=The Rev Joyce Bennett obituary The Guardian|date=26 July 2015|work=The Guardian|access-date=2 August 2015}}
• Tamsyn Love Imison (née Trenaman), DBE (1937-2017), educationist{{Cite web |date=14 January 2021 |title=Imison [née Trenaman], Dame Tamsyn Love |url=https://doi.org/10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.90000380272 |access-date=11 April 2022 |website=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|doi=10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.90000380272 }}
• Elaine Margaret Paintin (1947-2010), historian, archaeologist and arts administrator; former Head of Art at the British Library and drafter of the Treasure Act (1996){{Cite web|last=Ramsay|first=Nigel|date=2011-01-26|title=Elaine Paintin obituary|url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2011/jan/26/elaine-paintin-obituary|access-date=2021-05-02|website=The Guardian|language=en}}
• Jeanetta Laurence OBE (b. 1949), ballet dancer and former Artistic Director of the Royal Ballet{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=21 Nov 1975|title=Ex-Milham Ford Pupil. Ballet dacer with The Royal Ballet|work=Oxford Mail}}{{Cite web|title=Jeanetta Laurence — People — Royal Opera House|url=http://www.roh.org.uk/people/jeanetta-laurence|access-date=2021-05-03|website=www.roh.org.uk}}
• Isabel and Christine Maxwell (b. 1950). internet entrepreneurs
• Frances O'Grady, Baroness O'Grady of Upper Holloway (b.1959), trade unionist; the first woman to hold the post of Secretary General of the TUC{{Cite web|date=2012-09-05|title=TUC leader Frances O'Grady: 'People want some hope for the future'|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/sep/05/frances-ogrady-tuc-hope-future|access-date=2021-05-03|website=The Guardian|language=en}}

• Judy Webb MBE BEM, ecologist and conservationist{{cite news |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/18893756.ecologist-oxford-wins-place-bbc-radio-4-womens-hour-power-list/ |title=Ecologist from Oxford wins place on BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour Power List |date=24 November 2020 |work=Oxford Mail |access-date=10 August 2023}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110714151948/http://namesdatabase.com/schools/UK/OX/Oxford/Milham%20Ford%20School Names Database: Milham Ford School, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK]. Retrieved 29 July 2014.

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