History of Sedbergh School in 50 Objects #12: Lupton House
The building now named Lupton House was built originally by a local firm as three terraced family homes. The houses were built speculatively at a time when Sedbergh was thriving as a market town. Sadly, for the builder, there was little interest in purchasing the properties and they sat empty for several years. The School leased them in 1884 and later purchased them, renaming them Jackson’s buildings initially. One of the front doors was blocked up and a staircase dispensed with to make more efficient use of space.
Lupton received its permanent name in 1908, named in honour of the School’s founder, Roger Lupton. Two years later the House became one of the first buildings on the School site to have electric lighting fitted.
Its first Housemaster was Mr Bernard Tower, who transferred himself and some boys to the newly built Hart House in 1890 leaving Mr Ralph St John Ainslie to take over Lupton. Mr Ainslie was the writer of most of the School Songs and an excellent caricaturist.
Several changes have been made over the years with Footer View and the Gorton Rooms being added and by an extension to the rear of the main house. Footer View was given to the School in 1949.
During the 1990’s the School experienced a marked decline in pupil numbers and made the difficult decision to close Lupton House. The following year’s Upper Sixth boys remained in the house for their final year under the guidance of Housemaster David Vigar. The Lupton Centre was opened on the site in 1995, offering group accommodation for hire.
In 2000 Sedbergh made the momentous decision to become co-educational, welcoming girls for the first time. Over the following 12 months, the house underwent a rigorous transformation in preparation for the arrival of girls. The pioneer girls who arrived in 2001 threw themselves into Sedbergh life, embracing the existing traditions and creating their own new ones.
All three female Wilson Run record holders have been Luptonians, Kate Vigar, Jacqui Boothman and Mel Hyder, who holds the current record. In long held tradition, the Wilson Run starts from the foot of the steps of the girls’ entrance and, on Wilson Run day, the Lupton flag with its motto Nova virere fronde (turn over a new leaf) flies proudly from the House.
Amongst the famous sons of the house are Freddie Spencer Chapman (1921 – 26), war hero, explorer, author and teacher, and Sir Christopher Bland (1951 – 56), Chairman of the Board of Governors of the BBC, Chairman of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Chairman of British Telecommunications.
The House magazine, when it appeared, was called the Luptonian although it had a prototype called the Silhouette. The house colour is black. Lupton is believed to be home to several ghosts, including one named ‘little George’ by the current (living) inhabitants of Lupton, after George Armour Russell (Lupton House 1926 – 27) who died of pneumonia aged 14 in February 1927.
