Trent College - Our History

In 1865, Francis Wright proposed the foundation of Trent College at a meeting of the Midland branch of the Clerical and Lay Association. At the time, he intended Trent College to be one of many schools established in the region; in fact, it was the only one of its kind in the area.

Francis Wright was an influential man, a partner in the Butterley Company - the greatest industrial concern in Derbyshire by the time of his death - as well as High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire (1842) and Deputy Lieutenant in the counties of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. He and many of the notable men of Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Nottinghamshire became the founding Directors of Trent College.

The School opened its doors in April 1868 to the first contingent of 53 boys. Four months later, the school roll had risen to 118 and, by 1870, 225 boys were registered as pupils. The School's initial success was hit by the outbreak of Scarlet Fever in 1873 and the death of its first Headmaster, Thomas Ford Fenn, in 1883. However, the School experienced a new peak of success in 1875 when the Chapel was opened. Francis Wright was actively involved with the School until his death in 1873.

For more of our history please go to the Trent Association website and the Trent History page.

The book pictured to the right is a beautifully bound book, which looks at each Headmaster's era in turn since the School opened in 1866, and attempts to give an impression of the central achievements and issues which Trent College faced from its earliest days to the present.

The instigation for the project came from there being large gaps in the School's history, especially for the early period, and from a number of inaccuracies being passed down orally. Some of the foundation for the content was the 1927 M.A.J. Tarver historical account of Trent College. This has been used together with the Trent College archives and a wide variety of contributors to put together this superb book.

The author is Toby Leadbetter, Head of Politics and Director of Whole School Programme. He has also published two other books; the first is Two Historical Articles: Albert Ball VC, young hero and tragic loss and Francis Wright, Victorian philanthopist and benefactor. Secondly an article about Francis Wright, founder of Trent College and a driving force in the building of St Pancras Railway Station.

If you would like to order any of these books then please contact:

Ann Randell Tel: 0115 849 5043 or Fax: 0115 849 4997 or by email at: ann.randell@trentcollege.net