160 Years of Ripley St Thomas
Behind stone lodge gates close to the centre of Lancaster lies Ripley St Thomas CE Academy.
The school has a benevolent history, being originally built according to the wishes of Lancaster merchant Thomas Ripley by his wife Julia, on Thomas’ death. It was officially opened on 3rd November 1864 as Ripley Hospital and was endowed for the education of orphaned children who had lived within 15 miles of Lancaster Priory or 7 miles of Liverpool Parish Church.
As such, the grounds of the hospital included a 40acre farm and kitchen walled garden, maintained to feed the children and staff in the hospital.
In 1935 the numbers on roll fell and plans were submitted to build a new Church of England Senior School. The outbreak of World War 2 however brought an abrupt end to the plans and the Ripley Hospital buildings were taken over by the War Department.
In 1946, the Government introduced a one-year Teacher Training course to replace the teachers who had been killed or injured and needed buildings for the 31 emergency courses set up under the scheme. Ripley Hospital became The City of Lancaster Teacher Training College in November of that year, accommodating 228 male students.
In June 1951, the Minister of Education authorised the establishment of a new school at Ripley. On 8 November 1956, the school formally reopened again as Ripley Boys’ C of E School and later girls were enrolled when it amalgamated with St Thomas’ School to become Ripley St Thomas CE Secondary School in 1966.
The annual Founders’ Day commemorative graveside service in honour of Thomas and Julia Ripley pays homage to the rich heritage of the school and the dedicated day when Julia laid the first foundation stone on 14 July 1856 – the date of her wedding anniversary to Thomas.
The Ripley’s spirit of adventure, service, faith and philanthropy is at the heart of all we do today, 160 years later.
The Senior Student team are pictured with Chair of Governors Mrs Julie Hodgson, Michael Reynolds, School Chaplain and Revd Leah Vasey Saunders, Vicar of Lancaster.
