St James History Project
St James is undertaking a project to preserve its long history, including the digitalisation of its school archive, which comprises daily log books written by headteachers from 1863-1977, admissions registers from 1921-1977, hundreds of photos dating from the 1940s to the present day, as well as documents, letters, brochures, and memorabilia.
This has led to the idea of creating a photographic book about the history of the school.
If you would like to take part in the St James History Project, there are many ways you can contribute and help:
Past Student Survey
We have created a survey for alumni, so you can share your memories of your time at the school. This can be typed or handwritten, and returned to the school or via email to [email protected]
Identifying and Dating Archive Photos
A lot of the school archive’s photographic material is unidentified and undated, or information is unverified, so we would appreciate the help of the community in dating and identifying persons and events in these photos.
Below are individual Google Forms for roughly each decade. Identification is mostly focused on staff and teachers rather than students, but you are welcome to submit any information you have about the photos.
Because dating is often guessed on these surveys, please also look though the surveys either side of the decade you attended as it’s likely many staff worked at the school for over a decade, and also that photos may be in the wrong survey due to their dates being unknown.
No responses are required for any questions except the permissions at the beginning – you only need to type a response to photos you know information about, even if it’s just one or two.
Alternatively, scanning can be done at the school as we have high-quality scanners on site. This only takes a few minutes so items can be returned to you very quickly. We will take great care with anything loaned to us and ensure it is returned to you safely.
Please email [email protected] to make an appointment to visit the school for scanning archive contributions. If you would like to submit anything to the physical archives, this can also be arranged via email.
There are a number of specific events, people, and dates the school has few or no images or information about, and therefore would love to receive if you have any:
General
- Any photos from any dates (especially keen for photos from before 1950 and any from the 1960s though)
- Any newspaper clippings from 1844-1989
- Any programmes or posters of school plays and performances & events programmes
- St James Magazines
- Information about school houses, uniforms, and logos/branding
- Anecdotal stories of interesting clubs, events, or memories.
- Any diary entries from the time, school projects, school trip scrapbooks,
- School information such as rules and lists of teachers, school reports, incidents, awards, memorials, etc.
1920s - 1950s
- Literally anything really!
- Any photos, newspaper clippings, memorabilia, events programmes etc.
- Whole school photo rolls
- Information or examples of school uniform
- Information / memories from evacuees billeted to the school
- Any information about the school’s activities during the war
- Freda Watts – Civilian ARP warden killed in the Exeter Blitz – looking for a photo and/or any information about her.
1970s
- Mr Thomas (headteacher from 73-77)
- Donkey Derbys, It’s a Knockouts, and school fetes
- Fundraiser events
- Austria trip – 1975
- France trip 1975
- Pixie’s Holt trips
- Any photos or diaries from trips or residentials
- School drama performances
- Sports photos
- Tutor group photos
- Teachers & headteachers
- Mr William Loo – head of Technology 1973
1980s
- TVEI photos
- Ten Tors & Duke of Edinburgh
- School drama performances: Rocksea Music, Dracula, Hobson’s Choice, Ernie, etc.
- Tutor group photos
- Any photos or diaries from trips or residentials
- Teachers
- Christina Rowley
- Any school events
- Sports photos
- Anything relating to the Domesday Project
- Tree planting
1990s & 2000s
- Tutor group photos
- Teachers
- School drama performances
- Any photos or diaries from trips or residentials
- Any school events
- Tracey Cole – photo & information from people who knew her
- Sports photos
- Newspaper clippings
GDPR & Image Removal Requests
[Privacy policy regarding historic images]
If there is a photograph you would like removed from these surveys and/or not be used in the book or website, please use our GDPR removal request form below.