The Codrington collection, 1704–1898
The Codrington collection, 1704–1898
Collection: The West Indies in Records from Colonial Missionaries, 1704-1950 Volumes The Codrington collection, 1704–1898
Christopher Codrington, who died in 1710, bequeathed the SPG two plantations in Barbados “to maintain a convenient number of professors and scholars”. Bishop William Fleetwood viewed the gift as the foundation for a college devoted to the education of black children. In Britain, there were plans drawn up for the proposed college and construction started in 1717. The funds for construction came from the two plantations. It was not until 1745, however, that the college opened under Thomas Rotherham and established itself as a grammar school for white boys only. This was far from the intention of the college as it was originally conceived. It was not until the beginning of the nineteenth century, when John Hothersall Pinder was appointed catechist, that the religious education of black children began at Codrington. The funds from the two estates were not sufficient and the school closed in 1775. When it reopened in 1797 under Mark Nicholson, who remained college president for the next 24 years, the SPG faced renewed pressure from elements in Britain to take a more active role in the conversion of enslaved children to Christianity. In 1824, William Hart Coleridge was appointed the first Bishop of Barbados. Coleridge was anxious to improve education. Under his guidance, the scope of educational policies widened extensively. Thus, in 1830 he opened a new Codrington College for training candidates for the Anglican ministry. The old grammar school continued, as the Lodge School. Following the Emancipation Act of 1834, greater efforts were made to educate black children and to build schools for the newly emancipated. Far from the intention of the original college, the founding of the grammar school served to help establish a “gentry” in Barbados. On the other hand, the problem of gaining recruits for the theological college was to prove grave. Thus, whilst the schools in Barbados flourished, Codrington College fell on hard times after 1887 and only the celebration of the SPG bicentenary in 1901 revived its fortunes. Arthur Henry Anstey was appointed principal and proved a great success. After 1955 the Community of the Resurrection took over the running of Codrington College.
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Agents' papers: Marmaduke Trattle, London
Contents: C/WI/COD/131: Accounts of sales of sugar at London, 1784-1804. - C/WI/COD/132: Accounts of sales of sugar at London, 1804-1831. - C/WI/COD/133: Various accounts, 1800-1831. - C/WI/COD/134: Invoices of goods...
Date:1784-1840Contributor:Bodleian Library
Identifier:72276cod8a
College : new status, 1824-1898
Contents: C/WI/COD/106: General correspondence re new status, 1828-1829. - C/WI/COD/107: Codrington College Council minutes, 1829. - C/WI/COD/108: Correspondence & reports of Rev. J.B. Pinder, Principal, 1829-1835. - C/WI/COD/109: Application, correspondence...
Date:1824-1898Contributor:Bodleian Library
Identifier:72276cod6
Accounts, 1710-1840
Contents: C/WI/COD/152: Estate accounts, 1710-1712. - C/WI/COD/153: Estate accounts, 1713. - C/WI/COD/154: Estate accounts, 1719. - C/WI/COD/155: Estate accounts, 1720. - C/WI/COD/156: Estate accounts, 1721. - C/WI/COD/157: Estate accounts, 1722....
Date:1710-1840Contributor:Bodleian Library
Identifier:72276cod7
Agents' papers: Thomas Daniel & Sons, Bristol
Contents: C/WI/COD/127: Accounts of sales of sugar at Bristol, 1785-1846. - C/WI/COD/128: Correspondence of Daniel & Sons to SPG, 1801-1846. - C/WI/COD/129: Various accounts, 1794-1838. - C/WI/COD/130: Invoices of goods...
Date:1785-1846Contributor:Bodleian Library
Identifier:72276cod8
Building the College, 1713-1728
Contents: C/WI/COD/17-25 & 146.
Date:1713-1728Contributor:Bodleian Library
Identifier:72276cod2
Catechists and chaplains, 1714-1848
Contents: C/WI/COD/62: Testimonials to Rev. Joseph Holt, 1714-1715, signed by many inhabitants of Barbados. - C/WI/COD/63: Appointment of Charles Love as catechist, 1716. - C/WI/COD/64: Correspondence re Thomas Wilkie, catechist,...
Date:1714-1848Contributor:Bodleian Library
Identifier:72276cod3
The school, 1745-1842
Contents: C/WI/COD/78: Letters from Rev. Thomas Rotherham, 1745-1751. - C/WI/COD/79: Letters from Joseph Bewsher, 1741-1749, including a printed advertisement, 1748. - C/WI/COD/80: Letters from William Bryant, 1746-1749, including: correspondence re...
Date:1745-1842Contributor:Bodleian Library
Identifier:72276cod4
Estate management, 1711-1845
Contents: C/WI/COD/26: Papers re Rev. Alex Cunningham, 1717-1720. - C/WI/COD/27: Correspondence from John Smalridge, Attorney, 1722-1728. - C/WI/COD/28: Draft letters from SPG to Barbados, 1722-1724. - C/WI/COD/29: Copy papers of...
Date:1711-1845Contributor:Bodleian Library
Identifier:72276cod5
