St Luke’s tribute

As St Luke’s College moves into the 21st century with bold research and highly sought after degree programmes in Education, Sports and Health Sciences and Medicine the University acknowledges the role of its predecessors.

Professor Neil Armstrong, Deputy Vice Chancellor of External Affairs views St Luke’s to be a very significant institution in his life as he was awarded his PhD and became Professor of Paediatric Physiology where he created the Children’s Health and Exercise Research Centre and later established the School of Sport and Health Sciences. Professor Armstrong said, ‘Much of the success of St Luke’s is owed to the hard work and dedication of the individuals who have led the College over the last 150 years. I would like to pay tribute to all of the principals that it commemorates and to St Luke’s Club for their continued support in keeping former students connected to the University.’

St Luke’s began in 1839 with just 19 teacher training students at the Exeter Diocesan Training College in Cathedral Close, in the former house of the Archdeacon of Totnes. The first Principal of the Training College was Revd G Martin who was just 24 years of age and was said to be a ‘humble, cheerful man, content and thankful to do his daily round, never discouraged, hardly ever elated.’

In 1853 John Hayward (who was later responsible for the Royal Albert Memorial Museum) was commissioned to design a purpose built premises for the college on Heavitree Road. The name at the time was still the Exeter Diocesan Training College but from this date in 1854 (St Luke’s Day) it was unofficially known as St Luke’s.

The Principal who held the post for 35 years from 1869 went by the exciting name of Revd J.G Dangar. For a while, Principal Dangar banned the game of rugby at the College because he considered it to be “too rough and dangerous for students”.

Another Principal, Revd R.L Collins found that his fate, its students and that of the College would be shaped by wider events when he was appointed on the eve of the First World War in 1914. Principal Collins followed many of his students into the Army and became an army Chaplin. On his return he went onto lead the College for many years. Unfortunately, the Second World War was only around the corner with devastating consequences.

On the night of 3rd May 1942 the city of Exeter was bombed and suffered much damage. Two high explosive bombs fell in the College playing fields and a third landed close to the swimming pool and emptied the emergency fire-fighting water supply. A number of incendiary bombs then fell directly onto the main College building. Luckily, none of the 113 students resident at the time was injured. In fact, most were helping to put out fires at the city hospital opposite.

More than one hundred years of history were destroyed in a few minutes. But the post war years saw the College re-open and its buildings restored and as time went on the College grew even stronger and continued to develop. The original areas such as religion, morality and citizenship, whilst no longer predominating, continue to feature in the education and training of all teacher trainees. The history and philosophy of teacher training continues to be concerned with character as well as their academic qualifications and in the Times Good University Guide for 2009 it ranks the University of Exeter’s School of Education and Lifelong Learning third in the country.

The Lord Bishop of Exeter Michael Langrish unveiled the plaque.