Oxford House (settlement) facts for kids
Oxford House in Bethnal Green, East London, started in September 1884. It was one of the first "settlements" created by Oxford University. These settlements were places where university students and graduates lived and worked in poor areas to help local people. Oxford House was set up by a group from the Church of England who wanted a more religious approach than another settlement called Toynbee Hall, which also opened around the same time in Whitechapel.
Contents
How Oxford House Began
A Helping Hand in the Community
Oxford House grew out of a movement in the mid-1800s where people wanted to help those in need. This idea was popular at the University of Oxford. The first settlement, Toynbee Hall, was started by Samuel and Henrietta Barnett. However, some people at Oxford, like Edward Talbot, felt Toynbee Hall wasn't religious enough. They wanted to create a settlement that focused more on faith and helping the poor in East End London.
The first place used by Oxford House was a school building at St Andrew's church in Bethnal Green. Here, a few university graduates lived and worked. They helped local people by running boys' clubs, a "talk and smoke" club for working men, and Sunday Bible talks.
A New Home for Oxford House
In 1889, Arthur Winnington-Ingram became the Head of Oxford House. More and more people wanted to join the programs, so they needed a bigger space. They started a big fundraising effort. Henry Scott Holland encouraged people to "come and be the squires of East London," meaning to help lead and support the community. Winnington-Ingram asked Oxford students to either live in Bethnal Green or help pay for a house for those who would.
They raised enough money to buy land and build a strong, red-brick, five-story building. It was designed by a famous architect named Sir Arthur Blomfield. The new Oxford House opened in 1892, with the Duke of Connaught attending the ceremony. In 2011, the building was recognized as a Grade II listed building, meaning it's an important historic place.
Oxford House became a central point for the Bethnal Green community. It grew by buying other buildings for its clubs and activities. These included a hall and swimming baths, club buildings in Victoria Park, and sports fields in Walthamstow.
Other similar university settlements also started in London and other UK cities. Some, like St Margaret's and St Hilda's, were specifically for women and girls. Oxford House also helped the Devas Club in Battersea.
Oxford House in the 1900s
World War I and Beyond
When World War I started, many of Oxford House's activities slowed down. Many Oxford graduates joined the army, so there weren't enough volunteers. In 1917, the building was even used as a shelter during air raids.
After the war, it was hard for Oxford House to get back to how it was before 1914. They continued to run boys' clubs and societies for working men. Sometimes, there were disagreements with local church leaders who felt the boys' clubs took people away from their own church activities.
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, even with money problems and high unemployment in Bethnal Green during the Great Depression, Oxford House kept helping the community. They also connected with schools like Berkhamsted, Repton, and Chigwell School. This helped bring together boys from different social backgrounds, often through sports like football and cricket.
In 1931, Mahatma Gandhi visited Britain and gave a surprise speech at Oxford House. About 3,000 people gathered outside to cheer for him. From 1933, the East End faced problems with anti-Jewish hatred from Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists. The Head of Oxford House wrote letters to newspapers, complaining about the trouble caused by these "Black shirts."
World War II and Changes
When World War II began, many Oxford House buildings were taken over by the army. In 1940, Guy and Molly Clutton-Brock became the new Heads of Oxford House. They were pacifists, meaning they believed in peace and not war. They started opening the house to local people and, for the first time, ran clubs for women and girls alongside the boys' clubs. Oxford House also offered jobs to many conscientious objectors (people who refused to fight in the war for moral reasons), including John Raven and Peter Kuenstler.
The main Victorian building was used as an air raid shelter during the London Blitz, housing over 600 people. Local children were sent to Wales, where Oxford House had set up schools to keep them safe from the bombing. After the initial bombings, many people returned, but then the V1 and V2 rocket attacks in 1944–45 forced them to leave again.
The war broke down many social barriers. Oxford House became more of a community center, rather than just a place run by outsiders. Over time, more local people, not just Oxford graduates, started leading the House. The strong ties to Oxford University and the Church of England became less important.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Bethnal Green was rebuilt. Old, poor housing was replaced with new housing estates. Oxford House became very involved in helping new community groups form. Fewer university graduates came to live and work there, and the House continued to struggle financially. This led to a three-month closure in 1972.
Rebuilding and Celebrating
In the 1970s and 1980s, Oxford House recovered from its problems, thanks to new leaders and the support of Peter F. Scott. In 1984, Oxford House celebrated its 100th birthday, with The Princess Royal as a special guest.
The charity kept offering projects for the changing local communities. In the 1990s, it welcomed Somali groups who had left their homes because of the Somali civil war. It also ran health projects, clubs for older people, youth work, and art workshops.
The beautiful chapel on the third floor, designed by Blomfield, was restored in 1997. In 2003, with money from the Arts Council, a new arts center was opened. This new part included an art gallery, a theater, and a dance studio.
What Oxford House Does Today
Today, Oxford House is home to many groups that help the community. These groups offer programs for young people, families, adults, and older people. They aim to help local people reach their full potential. Regular activities include yoga, pilates, aikido, callanetics, slimming, and dance classes. Oxford House also has a 130-seat theater, a fully equipped dance studio, a café, an art gallery, and meeting rooms that people can rent.
Famous People Connected to Oxford House
Many notable people have been involved with Oxford House over the years:
- Arthur Foley Winnington-Ingram – A Bishop of London.
- Hugh Richard Heathcote Gascoyne-Cecil, 1st Baron Quickswood – Chairman of Oxford House for many years.
- Lord Rupert Ernest William Gascoyne-Cecil – A Bishop of Exeter.
- Revd William Archibald Spooner – A famous Oxford professor.
- Hugh Richard "Dick" Lawrie Sheppard – Founder of the Peace Pledge Union.
- Frederic Thesiger, 1st Viscount Chelmsford – A British statesman and Viceroy of India.
- A. J. Webbe – Captain of the MCC.
- Sidney Herbert, 16th Earl of Pembroke – A British nobleman.
- Dame Ngaio Marsh – A well-known author.
- David Gawen Champernowne – An economist and mathematician.
- Guy Clutton-Brock and Molly Clutton-Brock – Social workers who led Oxford House during World War II.
- Sir Wyndham Deedes – A Brigadier General.
- Roland Philipps – Founder of Boy Scouts in Bethnal Green.
- Henry Scott Holland – A professor at Oxford University, with a hall at Oxford House named after him.
- Peter Goldsmith, Baron Goldsmith – A former Attorney General.
- Sir Rhodes Boyson – A Member of Parliament.
- Alan Jarvis – Head of Settlement and director of the National Gallery of Canada.
- A. P. Herbert – A humorist, author, and Member of Parliament.
- The Society of Protestant Refugees from High and Low Normandy – One of the oldest friendly societies (started in 1764).
