CENTENARY celebrations at Rugby’s home of lifelong learning have come to a close with the unveiling of a bespoke plaque at a special event.
The Percival Guildhouse invited supporters, donors, staff, trustees and dignitaries to an evening of music, literature and fun at Rugby School to mark the day 100 years ago when the learning centre first opened its doors.
Mayor Barbara Brown revealed the plaque, which reads ‘The Percival Guildhouse. Celebrating 100 years of lifelong learning 1925-2025. Enriching Every Stage of Life.’
The plaque will be fixed to the wall by the Guildhouse front door.
Named in honour of a Dr John Percival, a former head master at Rugby School, the Guildhouse promoted his ambition for education to be available to adults from all walks of life.
The Old Rugbeians, former Rugby School pupils, bought antiquarian Matthew Holbeche Bloxam’s house in St Matthew’s Street, opening a centre there in 1925.
Tim Day, the school’s Director of Development and Alumni, said the Rugbeian Society was proud of its role in founding the Guildhouse and was pleased to have helped in organising the closing centenary event.
The society now focuses on supporting youth education through organisations such as The Arnold Foundation, its transformational boarding bursary scheme, which it created in 2003, and which has provided fully-funded places for 200 talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Rob Close, Guildhouse Chair of Trustees, applauded each generation of students and volunteers that had seen the Guildhouse through periods of severe economic downturn, a world war and withdrawal of all municipal funding – enabling it to continue today as an organisation unique to Warwickshire.
He spoke of the post-pandemic challenge being faced to restore student numbers – but also of the determination to work towards future anniversaries.
A highlight of the closing event was a presentation of prizes to winners of a short story writing competition among secondary schools in Rugby which was organised by Guildhouse member Andy Roughton, and the reading of the winning stories. Music at the start of the evening was provided by four talented Rugby School pupils.
Guildhouse Centenary Committee Chairman David Dove thanked all who had helped, and said he hoped the 100-year anniversary and the public platform it had provided would serve as the springboard to a secure future.
