C.R. Humphrey, Headmaster 1880-1900

Mr. Humphrey was appointed in 1880 to succeed the Reverend H. Downing (1879-80) who succeeded Rev. Thomas Randell, 1874-79. Randell (aka Randall) was previously head of the Middle Class School for Boys until the Huish Scheme of 1874 which brought the Huish endowment - see Gordon Baker's History of Huish's, Taunton, p.8.

Before we go on, I'll just add that Humphrey was followed by Vipan, 1900-03, and Vipan was followed by the long and still remembered reign of Arnold Goodliffe, 1903-41. So, Humphrey and Goodliffe between them account for 58 years of the first 67!

Chapter 2 of Baker's History contains many interesting details of Humphrey's headship. He came to Huish's from Dr. Morgan's, Bridgwater where he was Classics Master. In twenty years he 'greatly augmented the size and reputation of the school in the town and the county bringing it to full fruition as Huish's Boys' Grammar School, Taunton, in its own red-brick premises off East Street' (Baker, p.26).

Baker also refers to Mr Humphrey's 'five lusty sons' one of whom is the grandfather of our correspondent Graham Humphrey in Australia. Among the family archives Graham had found a school book containing the Huish crest.

Graham Humphrey's book (click to enlarge)

He followed this up on the Internet which led him to discover these oldhuish web pages. In reply we sent him a copy of Baker's 'History' and on Thursday, 2 Oct 03, during a business trip to England, we enjoyed the pleasure of his company, 'walking in his great grandfather's footsteps' via the former Head's house at Halcon (grounds now developed as Huish Close), Victoria Street, the Municipal Buildings where our visit coincided with a visiting school party with the Mayor in his regalia and his Attendant at his side . . . We then proceeded to the old East Street site where we were able to identify the old head's office and see the little stone inscribed 'Huish School' on the wall up the little lane beside the former Southwood's Estate Agents' office.

From there, we moved on to the present College site in South Road where Janie Norman and her staff produced a copy of the school magazine for 1892 where we found several references to the Humphrey family; one or another of those five sons seemed to turn up in every sports team! Interestingly, the Magazine seems to have been monthly in those days and we saw the bound volume for one year. Our perusal of these fascinating records was interrupted by the appearance of the Vice-Principal, Tim Duffen, who gave most generously of his time to escort us round the new buildings.

All in all, it was a day which started with only a very loose plan to see what we could find and turned into one where everything that could go right, did, even to the point where we took a little detour to the Somerset Studies Library and examined the old Ordnance Survey maps of Victoria Street (where there was formerly a Humphrey residence) and the school site off East Street. To my surprise, this appeared to show the school buildings along one side of the Southwoods' lane - possibly the 'temporary accommodation' of the old Green's Commercial School? - with the majority of the school site so many of us remember appearing to be a large garden or small park with regular pathways across an open space behind Gray's Almshouses.

Many more details may be found in Gordon Baker's History and also in our own Huish History pages accessed via the main Contents page or one of the other links below. As ever, if anyone can add either corrections or further information about these early days we would be pleased to hear from them.

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