History of Sedbergh School in 50 Objects #37: Robertson House
Robertson House is situated in buildings which were originally the school’s sanatorium, Sedbergh’s on-site hospital. For 90 years the sanatorium provided medical care both to inpatient boys, and to those well enough to remain resident in their boarding houses. The sanatorium was staffed initially by a visiting doctor and by nursing sisters who lived in to take care of boys requiring around the clock care. In the late 19th and early 20th century many broken legs were re-set, and appendixes removed in the operating table of ‘the san’. The building had taken two years to build, with the foundation stone laid in 1884. When epidemics hit the school, such as measles, influenza, mumps and scarlet fever, infected boys were moved out of their boarding houses and in to ‘the san’. During some particularly virulent periods of infection the san filled to capacity, leading to a two storey extension being built that was begun in 1927 to the west end of the building.
When Cressbrook School in Kirkby Lonsdale (founded in 1913 by Felix Dowson, Evans House 1892-1897) closed in July 1976, arrangements were made to take in the senior boys from the school. To do this the medical facilities of the school were concentrated in the eastern end of Sanatorium and the remainder of the building was converted for use by the Cressbrook boys and staff. Major alterations were undertaken in 1979-1980 by which time the junior house had become a permanent feature of the school. Part of the work at this time was the construction of a proper link between the two halves of the building. Major changes followed in 1983 when a new sanatorium opened elsewhere and the whole of the previous building became the junior house, Cressbrook. With improved transport links and general medical care it was no longer a priority to have a large scale residential medical facility for pupils on the school site.
In September 2002 Cressbrook House underwent another transformation, becoming the second girls’ house as the number of girls at the school blossomed. In 2003 it received a new name, Robertson House, in honour of Michael and Maureen Robertson. The former was a member of Winder House from 1929-1933 and the latter, his widow, left the bulk of her estate to the school when she died. The girls of Robertson House thrived as the new house quickly filled with girls who enjoyed the expansive grounds and adapted spaces of the building. The garden has featured rope courses, a giant paddling pool, tire swings and hammocks. The garden has also played host to the Head of School’s goats, Augustus and Agamemnon. Imogen Schofield was the second female Head of School (2011 – 12), the first, Freya Findlay was also from Robertson House. During her time as Head of School Imogen asserted two out of three privileges traditionally granted to Heads of School at Sedbergh, choosing to keep a goat and a bicycle on the School grounds. She chose not to attempt the third privilege, or any parody of the privilege and did not seek to grow a beard. After a little research Imogen learnt that goats prefer to live in the company of other goats, rather than alone. She was granted permission for two goats to live in the grounds of Roberton House.
The house is currently in the care of Gwyneth Parry, seasoned Housemistress who has been at the helm of Marshall house, Lupton House, and now Robertson.
