Some two hundred and eighty years ago, a young man- had a dream- a great spread of the vision of christianity and the growth of the church of the West Indies. But he was not just another young dreamer and visionary, because he had the wherewithal to make his dream come true. At the age of thirty, he inherited two plantations in Barbados, and February 22, 1703, when he was thirty-five, he stated in his will that the plantations were to be used to bring his dream to fruition.
This young man, Christopher Codrington, thus set in motion a series of -far-reaching events at whose hub has been the college built to incarnate that dream, Codrington College.
John Holder
Lecturer, Codrington College
To provide a sacred space in which persons can find their true selves and embrace the other.
A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence.
A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence.
Christopher Codrington III (1668-1710), the benefactor after whom Codrington College is named, was the son of a very prominent Barbadian, Christopher Codrington II, who was at one time Governor General of the Leeward Islands. He was born either at Codrington Plantation in St. Michael, or Didmarton Plantation, now called Society, in St. John. He spent most of his boyhood at Consetts, the site of the present College.
After joining his father in Antigua for a short while, Christopher Codrington III went to England where he took a degree at Oxford University and became a Fellow of All Souls College. He served in the Army for sometime before returning to the Leeward Islands to succeed his father as Governor General. His policy of amelioration of the poor whites and slaves brought him into disfavour of the plantocracy. Consequently, he gave up the position of Governor Codrington College and returned to Barbados to live in retirement at Consetts in St. John.
If the history of Codrington College has been one full of disasters, it has also been a history full of commendable academic achievements. From the 9th September 1745 when the College opened its doors as a Grammar school with twelve students, until the present day, a steady stream of students have graduated. Following are some of the academic milestones.
The Rev. Thomas Rotherham, M.A. of Queen College, Oxford, was appointedHeadmaster of the school, with the Rev. Joseph Bewsham appointed Usher.
The school was opened in September of this year. In October the Headmaster sent off what was the first report of the school to SPG. By this time, the number of students had increased to seventeen. Mr. Rotherham tells of their academic levels: One “can read”. . . one “can read and write” . . .one “cannot read a word”. These seventeen boys were “scholars of the foundation”, i.e., their education was free. The SPG report of 1747 mentions thirty other students who “were not on the foundation”, i.e., they were boarders who paid for their education.
A SPG report of this year states that the College should be “providing an adequate education for such of the West Indian youths as should be disposed to devote themselves to Christian ministry in their native islands, without seeking the necessary qualifications in Europe, at a distance from their friends and relations”.
The College ceased being a grammar school and was designated a full fledged college. The Rev. J. Pinder, M. A. of Caius College, Cambridge, was sent out by the SPG to be Principal. The rev. E. p. Smith, B.A of Pembroke College, Oxford, was appointed Tutor.
October 12: Codrington College began a new era as a full fledged college.
By this date, some 111 students had graduated from the College since the start of its new era in 1830. The distribution of the students per country was as follows:
Anguilla 1 Jamaica 1
Antigua 9 Montserrat 1
Barbados 67 Nevis 1
Bermuda 1 New Brunswick 1
British Guiana 2 St. Christopher (St. Kitts) 2
Dominica 1 St. Lucia 1
England 13 St. Vincent 3
Ireland 1 Trinidad 6
Codrington College affiliated with Durham University in England. The students of Codrington were now allowed to read for Durham degrees. The affiliation with Durham lasted until 1955. During these years, the College became a ‘mixed’ college academically, consisting of ‘secular’ students reading for degrees in classics, and those preparing for ordination to the priesthood, many of whom also read classics for the Durham degree.
Through the initiative of Principal A. H. Anstey, the College launched out into teacher training. The Rawle Training Institute for men was established, with a similar institution for women being founded in the following year (1914). These students shared in the social and religious life of Codrington College.
The B.A. in Theology of the UWI, approved by Senate in 1970, was introduced at Codrington College. Courses for the Licentiate had begun in 1965.
A five-month course in Communications was introduced at Codrington. The course was jointly sponsored by the Extra-Mural Department of the UWI, the Caribbean Conference of Churches and Codrington College. ‘Communicarib’, as the course was called, catered to persons involved in work with the newspaper, television and radio media in the Caribbean. The course was held each ensuing year until 1981.
The first group of Codrington students graduated with the B.A. in Theology of the UWI.
Mrs. Edna Scott created history by being the first female to enter Codrington College as a part-time non-resident student, to study for the B.A in Theology. She was followed two weeks later by Mrs. Pearl Kirton who pursued the same studies.
A part-time course leading to the Diploma in Theology began at Codrington. This course was specifically for lay persons who played a leading role in their church, and those who taught religion in day schools.
Adapted from Holder, John W., Codrington College: A Brief History, Barbados: Caribbean Contact, 1988.
The Rev. J. H. Pinder
The Rev. Henry Jones
The Rev. Richard Rawle
The Rev. W. T. Webb
The Rev. A. Caldecott
The Rev. Herbert Bindley
The Rev. Arthur Anstey
The Rev. Canon John C. Wippell
The Rev. A. H. Sayer
The Rev. Jonathan Graham, C.R.
The Rev. Anselm Genders, C.R.
The Rev. William Wheeldon, C.R.
The Rev. Godfrey Pawson, C.R.
The Rev. Martin Garrison
The Rev. Dr. Kortright Davis (Acting)
The Rev. Dr. Sehon Goodridge
Prof. Canon Noel F. Titus
The Rev. Dr. Ian Rock (Acting)
The Rev. Dr. Ian Rock
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