Video: Rich history of school displayed in Horsham Museum

The exhibition which opened on Wednesday, January 8, will give the public a chance to see artefacts, paintings and manuscripts providing glimpses into the history and daily life of this fascinating School from its foundation 460 years ago to the present day.

Jeremy Knight, curator of the museum, said: “The reason for the museum deciding to put on an exhibition like this is because Christ’s Hospital been part of Horsham for over 100 years but it’s almost like an alien, it’s Horsham but it’s not Horsham.

“It’s a great educational institution and Horsham should be very proud if having it on it’s doorstep.”

The display, Christ’s Hospital - 460 Years in the Making, is a collaboration between Horsham Museum and Christ’s Hospital, to showcase the heritage of a school that came from the City of London to Horsham over 110 years ago.

It will be in two galleries with one displaying engravings and pictures from the school’s collection in oil, watercolour and pencil.

There are also cartoons by the artist Frank Brangwyn for the wall paintings in the Chapel, paintings of pupils from the early 19th century and a watercolour portrait by the Second World War poet and artist Keith Douglas, which has not been previously displayed in public.

The distinctive long Tudor style uniform will also be shown, from which the name ‘Bluecoats’ originates and which for the boys, has hardly changed since the School’s foundation in 1552.

The uniform will also be available for children to try on as they sit at a Victorian Christ’s Hospital desk to copy intricate examples of Calligraphy, or ‘Penmanship’ from the early 19th century.

John Franklin, head master at Christ’s Hospital, said: “We are delighted to be raising our profile in Horsham.

“Sadly, pupils stopped wearing their uniforms into town about 20 years ago so people aren’t as aware as they once were for what we are about.

We are an extraordinary institution and unique amongst the big schools in this country

“We are one of the best kept secrets in Sussex so this helps to dispel some of that secrecy.”

The exhibition is free to enter and is open from January 8 to February 23 2013.