Archibald MacLaren (1819 - 1884)

Born 1819 in Edinburgh, Scotland

Husband of Charlotte Wheeler (Talboys) MacLaren — married 2 Jul 1844 in Headington, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Gertrude Isobel Frances Talboys — married 27 Aug 1851 in Christ Church Greyfriars, Newgate, London, England

Descendants

Died 19 Feb 1884 at about age 65 in St. Giles, Oxford, England

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Occupation

Occupation: Fencing Master

Sources

• Source: S4 Record ID Number: MH:S4 Author:  ? Title: The Chapel of St Nicolas Summer Fields. Evensong Friday 1st March 1996 Note: #N30

Note N30Received copy of Evensong from E.S.Bell. Source of copy unknown.

Record ID Number: MH:N30

PRIN MH:S4

• Source: S9 Record ID Number: MH:S9 Author: Nickolas Aldridge Title: Time to Spare. A history of Summer Fields Publication: Oxford, David Talboys Publications, 1989 Date: 14 AUG 2002

Archibald was a fencing master and fine gymnast and, prior to establishing Summer Fields, ran a private gymnasium. It was Archibald’s firm belief that fitness was the key to a successful army. The Crimean War revealed the lack of fitness. among British soldiers, so in 1858 he opened the Oxford Gymnasium and was placed in charge of the Army Gymnastics Staff (which later became the Army Physical Training Corps). This print, taken from The Illustrated London News in 1859, portrays the Oxford Gymnasium in full action. Links between Summer Fields and the A.P.T.C. have always been evident. The two share a common motto: Mens sana in corpore sano . This is a famous Latin quotation, often translated as ‘A healthy mind in a healthy body’. It is derived from Satire X of the Roman poet Juvenal. The original satirical connotation of the phrase is that it would be good both to have a sound mind and a sound body, in answer to the question of what people should desire in life. Summer Fields and the A.P.T.C. also shared the same fine medals (shown to the right) to reward achievement in athletics and gymnastics. However, the demise of the Oxford Gymnasium, together with high production costs, resulted in this tradition ceasing some years ago. Computer-aided design, combined with the use of two 1890s medals has enabled a new batch to be produced. The reverse side is a facsimile of the 1890 medal, depicting a view of the Oxford Gymnasium (shown on the left). These medals are awarded to winners of every Sports Day event.

Wikipedia : Originally called Summerfield, it became a Boys' Preparatory School in 1864 with seven pupils. Its owner, Archibald Maclaren, was a fencing teacher who ran a gymnasium in Oxford; he himself was educated at Dollar Academy. He strongly believed in the importance of physical fitness. His wife, Gertrude, was a classical scholar and teacher, a daughter of David Alphonso Talboys.[1] The school motto is Mens Sana in Corpore Sano - 'A healthy mind in a healthy body'.

The school grew and needed more staff, two of whom married into the Maclaren family. The Reverend Dr Charles Williams ("Doctor"), who took over the scholarship form from Mrs Maclaren, married Mabel Maclaren in 1879. The Revd Hugh Alington married Margaret Maclaren in 1885 and took over the boys' games. The school remained in the hands of the Maclaren, Williams and Alington families for its first 75 years.

At the end of the 19th Century, "Doctor" became headmaster and there was much building at the school. A second school "Summers mi" was opened at St Leonards-on-Sea Sussex for boys to benefit from the sea air. In 1918 Doctor passed the headmastership to Hugh Alington. There was a lean spell in the 1930s and numbers fell, but John Evans and Geoffrey Bolton ("G.B.") took over in 1939. During World War II three other schools were evacuated to Summer Fields - Famborough School, Hampshire, Summers mi, and St Cyprian's School from Eastbourne - and this restored the numbers.

In 1955, the school became a charitable trust with a board of governors, including Harold Macmillan, who had been at the school as a boy and was soon to become Prime Minister.

During the 1960s Pat Savage was headmaster, with the assistance of Jimmy Bell and Pat Marston. By the centenary in 1964, the school's appearance had changed relatively little (see illustration), but was thriving and energetic enough to celebrate with a hardback book of 332 pages, with contributions from "O.S." (old Summerfieldians) including stories about Field Marshal Wavell and Harold Macmillan, and a friendly greeting in verse from arch-rival, Horris Hill School.[2] One O.S. recollected[2]:309

Then I met the Ogre [Pat Marston]. For my first few weeks I was terrified by this 'monster'. His appearance was formidable. He growled and shook the room as he entered. But once I learnt that he didn't actually eat little boys, even on Black Fridays,[note 1] the classes became amusing, exhilarating and even relaxing.

In 1975, Nigel Talbot Rice took over as headmaster. He put the school on a sound financial footing through a series of appeals which financed an ambitious building programme: new classrooms, the Macmillan Hall and Music Centre, an indoor swimming-pool, the Wavell Arts and Technology Centre (named after the first Earl Wavell), and the Sports Hall. In 1997, Talbot Rice retired and was succeeded by Robin Badham-Thornhill. In 2010 David Faber, an old boy and governor, took over as headmaster.

In 2002 a new lodge called "Savage's" was built. In recent years a new year group was added at the bottom of the school.

1851 Census

St Giles, Summers Town, Oxford

Head: Annuitant (beneficiary of a pension) 1. Mary Talboys b.1806 Middlesex Age 45 Son-in-law: 2. Archibald MacLaren b.1820 Edinburgh, Midlothian Fencing Master Age 31 Children: 3. Edmund S Talboys b.1838 Oxford Age 13 4. Gertrude I F Talboys b.1833 Oxford Age 18 5. James W Talboys b.1840 Oxford Age 11 6. Mary A Talboys b.1836 Oxford Age 15 Niece: 7. Mary A Brunscombe b.1823 Oxford Age 28

1861 Census

Heyfields St, St.Giles, Summer Town, Oxford

Head: 1. Archibald MacLaren b.1820 Scotland Age 41 Wife : 2. Gertrude I F b.1833 Oxford Age 28 Children: 3. Margaret b.1860 Summer Town Age 1 4. Mabel b.1855 Summer Town Age 6 Nephew : 5. Archibald MacLaren b.1845 Scotland Age 16 Other: 7. House Servant 8. House Servant

1881 Census

St Giles, Oxfordshire

Head: Schoolmaster (Proprietor) 1. Archibald MacLaren b.1818 Scotland Age 63 Wife: 2. Gertrude I b.1835 Oxford Age 46 Children: 3. Margaret b.1860 Summertown, Oxford Age 21 Cousin: 4. Marianne Branscombe b.1826 Summertown Age 55 Visitor Son-in-Law: 5. Edward H.Alington b.1857

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