Arnold House Preparatory School, Llanddulas
Motto:
Laborare Est Orare
Arnold House Preparatory School was founded circa 1867 at 29 Parkgate Road Chester, by the Reverend James Clement Collier Pipon and his wife Susan Augusta Griffiths. Tragically she died shortly after the birth of their only child Philip James Griffiths Pipon in 1874. This could have led to his decision in 1875 to relocate the school from Chester to Llanddulas on the North Wales Coast.
The new school was rebranded as Arnold House School, Llanddulas and was officially opened in 1875. It was classified as an independent Preparatory Boarding school for boys aged between 7 and 13 years old and catered for the sons of the gentry, clergy, middle classes, business leaders and high ranking members of the armed forces.
Arnold House School, Llanddulas was extremely successful in preparing young men for Common Entrance Scholarships to famous public schools and naval colleges. These young man went on to be prominent clergyman, politicians, armed forces leaders and many others joined law, teaching, acting, medicine and other professions. One famous Old Boy was Geoffrey Francis Fisher, Baron Fisher of Lambeth; who was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1945 to 1961.
Due to the school’s success in mid-1920s, it saw an increase in pupil numbers and the headmaster at the time, Mr Charles Pierce Banks divided the school into three houses, Bingham’s, Pipon’s and Conwy’s. The houses were named after three distinguished Old Boys, who all attained the Rank of Admiral in the Royal Navy. These were Rear Admiral The Hon. Edward Barry Stewart Bingham VC, Vice-Admiral Sir James Murray Pipon and Rear- Admiral Rafe Grenville Rowley-Conwy, DSM.
The school closed it doors circa 1943, due to a mixture of reasons; the two main ones being a reduction in pupil numbers and world events.
Headmasters:
1867 – 1901 – Reverend James C C Pipon
1901 – 1903 – Mr Donald S Bird
1903 – 1928 – Mr Charles P Banks
1928 – 1932 – Mr Charles C Banks
1932 – 1939 – Mr Robert W FitzAucher
1939 – 1941 – Mr Keith A Gaskell
1941 – 1943 – Mr James C Robinson
School Crest
