Derby School - St Helen's House (1863-1939)

St Helen's House (1863-1939)

St Helen's House, in King Street, Derby, was built about 1726 for John Gisbourne, an alderman of Yoxall Lodge, Staffordshire, and originally stood in 80 acres (320,000 m2) of parkland. The boys-only grammar school moved here in 1863, after the school's governors had bought the property from Edward Strutt, 1st Baron Belper, the nephew of the philanthropist Joseph Strutt, an old boy of the school.

Under the Rev. Walter Clark BD (headmaster 1865-1889) the school was expanded from a local grammar school into a nationally known public school. Under his leadership, the school building was extended. On the front of the extension, a stone bears the inscription "Quod faustum fortunatumque sit regiae scholae Derbiensi hunc lapidem initium operis felicissimis auspicus Alberti Eduardi Wal princip inlustrisque coniucis nuper suscepti sua ipse manu locavit Gulielmus Dux Devoniensis A. D. IV kal sext A. S. MDCCCLXXIV Praef Gualtero Clark A.M. Collegii S. Mar. Magd apud Cantabric olim scholar". (This part of the school became known as 'B'-block or the Pearson Building.) The royal patronage continued on 14 November 1888, when Derby School received a visit by the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII.

See also details below.

The date stone on the wall outside 'B'-Block reads: "In usum huius scholae A.D. MCMI sepositum P.K. Tollit A.M. Praefecto".