The Vaughan Library Harrow

The Vaughan Library Harrow

The Vaughan Library Harrow is a listed Grade II listed building located in Harrow on the Hill. This blog was put together by Plumbers Harrow with the aim of keeping you informed. If you are ever on the lookout for plumbers in Harrow, then you know where to go. So, read on!

Sir George Gilbert Scott between designed the building and built it between 1861-1863, in red brick and in a Polychromatic Gothic Style.

Furthermore, Scott dressed the brick with Blue-Gray cladding and ashlar and the built on a slope the library contains a series of classrooms below.

However, based on a rectangular plan, the building layout presents a West Central Porch and and east central canted bay. The building is decorated with stain glass windows by J. C. Bell, 1883 and 1885.

Storing  33,000 items, the library is part of Harrow School, and is particularly rich in content.

Harrow is an independent boarding school for boys. It is for ages 13-18. The library was refurbished in 2010.

According to the librarian Margaret Knight, since the recent introduction of a new computer catalogue system, the library logs all the sessions with both pupils and teaching staff.

Its name  is a permanent memorial to Dr C. J Vaughan. It’s the head mastership of Harrow School. Accordingly the duration is between 1845 to 1859. It is considered one of the finest building within the school.

Controversy

Charles John Vaughan was an English clergyman. He is the headmaster of harrow between 1845 to 1859.

According to records, homosexual behaviour was rife in Harrow in the 1840’s and 50’s. Vaughan clamped down on it, forbidding the sending of love letters between boys.

However, in 1859,  the threat of exposure by the father of one of the pupil’s forced Vaughan to resign. As Vaughan himself was having a passionate affair with one of the pupils.

The threat was renewed four years later, therefore making Vaughan to withdraw his acceptance of appointment as Bishop of Oxford.

In later years, Vaughan became Master of Temple in the City of London and also became president of University College Cardiff.

Furthermore, interesting stories about Harrow are listed on the homepage of Local Plumbing Company Harrow website.

Recent Posts