| Administrative History | The London College of Divinity was established in 1863, with the financial support of the Reverend Alfred Peache and his sister Miss Kezia Peache, as an evangelical theology college to train men who wished to be clergy but who could not go to university, generally because they lacked the required educational background. The first Principal of the college was one of its founders, the Reverend Thomas P. Boultbee. Most notable among his more recent successors was the Reverend F. D. Coggan, later Archbishop of Canterbury, who was Principal, 1944-1956. From its start, the college had close links with other institutions in the Evangelical wing of the Anglican Church, such as the Church Pastoral Aid Society which was set up to fund the training of evangelical clergy.
The college opened in Mortimer Road, St John's Wood, in buildings formerly occupied by St John's Foundation School. The college continued to use the name London College of Divinity, St John's Hall for the next hundred years as it moved to various locations in and around London. The most well known of these were the imposing buildings at Highbury in north London, which the college occupied between 1866 and 1940, the site of which is now part of Arsenal Football Club. In 1970, the College moved to Bramcote near Nottingham and it severed its connections with London University. The college was renamed St John's College and it established links with Nottingham University.
Reference: Janet M. Claridge, Handlist of the St John's College Archives (University of Birmingham, 1995).
London College of Divinity/St John's College
Locations of the College include:
1863-1865 Mortimer Road, Kilburn, London (buildings formerly occupied by St John's Foundation School)
1865-1940 Avenell Road, Highbury, London (buildings formerly occupied by
a) Congregationalist College, 1826-1850
b) Church of England Metropolitan Training Institution, 1850-1864)
1940-1942 Wadhurst School for Girls, Wadhurst, Sussex
1942-1946 Oakhill College, Southgate, Middlesex
1946-1947 West Acre, a Harrow School House, Harrow, Middlesex
1947-1957 Ford Manor, Lingfield, Surrey (now Greathed Manor)
1957-1969 Northwood, Middlesex (new buildings)
1969- Bramcote, nr Nottingham (name changed to St John's College)
Principals of the College include:
1863-1884 Rev Thomas P Boultbee (1818-1884)
1884-1899 Rev Charles H Waller (1840-1910)
1899-1925 Rev Albert W Greenup (1866-1952)
1926-1942 Rev Thomas W Gilbert (1876-1942)
1942-1944 Rev Herbert W Hinde (1877-1955) - Acting Principal of LCD; Principal of Oak Hill, 1932-1945
1944-1956 Rev F Donald Coggan (b 1909) - later Archbishop of Canterbury
1956-1969 Rev Hugh Jordan (1906-1984)
1969-1975 Rev E Michael B Green (b 1930)
1975-1978 Rev Robin E Nixon (1931-1978)
1979-1985 Rev Colin O Buchanan (b 1934)
1986-1988 Rev Anthony C Thiselton (b 1937)
1988- Rev John E Goldingay (b 1942)
Presidents of the Council Include:
1863-1885 The Earl of Shaftesbury
1886-1900 The Earl of Harrowby
1900 Rev Alfred Peache (1818-1900) - founder of the College
1901-1908 Rev William H Barlow, Dean of Peterborough
1908-1924 Rev Henry Wace, Dean of Canterbury
1924-1945 Rt Rev James T Inskip, Bishop of Barking
1945-1961 Rt Rev J Ralph S Taylor, Bishop of Sodor and Man
1961- Rt Rev Russell White, Bishop of Tonbridge
Secretaries to the Council include:
1863- Mr W Irving Hare
1886-1901 Rev William H Barlow
1901-1903 Rev J F Kitto
1903-1910 Rev G F Whidborne
1910-1914 Rev J E Watts-Ditchfield
1914-1926 Rev J F Pulvertaft
1926-1945 Rev Herbert W Hinde
1945-1956 Rev T G Mohan
1956- Rev Martin Parsons
1966 Rev V N Cooper (Acting Secretary) |