Page 10 - Oundle Life February 2023

MAKING
OUNDLE
Part Three
By the 19th century, some 3,000 souls called Oundle their home, but the town didn’t develop to any great extent during this period.
from around the world.
Like every other town in Britain, Oundle
was impacted by the two World Wars and the
Even the opening of the railway station in 1845 didn’t lead to much increase in trade or visitor numbers but, in 1892, the appointment of Frederick William Sanderson as headmaster
of Oundle School did have a lasting impact on the town.
many of Oundle’s businesses owe their existence to the success of the school
memorial at the foot of New Street was built in 1920, at a cost of £600, to commemorate the 68 local men who gave their lives in WWI. Following the Second World War, a further 27 names were added to the grim list of loss.
After World War II (during which movie star Clark Gable was temporarily stationed at nearby Polebrook), the town grew steadily and the population rose to over 5,000 by the end of the
Sanderson transformed the school,
adding the Great Hall, the Yarrow,
the Science Block, and four houses on Milton Road, to the existing Cloisters
and the School House. When he took up his position, Oundle was just a minor country boarding school but, by the time of his death in 1922, it was recognised as one of the finest public schools in England, attracting pupils
20th century, much as it is today.
With growing numbers of students being
domiciled in the school, many local businesses sprung up to cater for them. Cafes, Bistros, restaurants, pubs, bookshops, art and crafts
10