Thomas Rotherham College
The Thomas Rotherham College is situated on Moorgate, set well back from the road by the sweep of playing fields. Prior to 1967 it was Rotherham Grammar School for Boys, which was the direct descendant of the College of Jesus. The college complex consists of a number of buildings, some quite new, but the area you can see in the photograph is a listed building which I believe dates from 1876. The original building was erected as a training college for Congregational (Independent) Ministers and cost £26,000. The Congregational authorities decided to move the training college to Bradford and the building was sold to the Feoffees for £8000, and Rotherham Grammar School moved there in 1890.
Although I attended the College for a couple of years way back in its infancy I have to admit that when I came to write this page I had forgotten just about everything I knew about the place. I will find out more information I promise.
The old Grammar School pupils continued to be taught on the same buildings and for the first year I think that there was a Grammar School Upper Sixth and four years of younger boys. A formal Inauguration Day Ceremony for the new college was held on 15 March 1968 followed by a Founders' Day Service at All Saints Church, and a good tea was had by all.
The College originally taught a wide variety of subjects at A level, S level and gave the opportunity to take or re-take O levels. It now provides a wide variety of courses to suit everybody.
As far as I know there are no open days and no tours around what I remember as a nice and, in places, quirky building. It is no great age I supposed, although it is listed, so all you can do is walk by.
Address:- Moorgate Road, Rotherham, S60 2BE. Tel. 44 (0)1709 300600. Website at www.thomroth.ac.uk/web/website/index.php.For information about Rotherham Grammar School and the College of Jesus visit The History of Rotherham >> Rotherham Grammar School.