I was aware that a fire had occurred at School in 1926 as it is covered briefly in books by Richard R Oakley and Cristopher Symons, although not in any detail. 

The early years of the twentieth century from 1900 until the arrival at School in 1920 of Headmaster R Williamson were troublesome times for Oswestry School. The outbreak of World War One in 1914 only added to its difficulties and pupil numbers were falling to perilously low levels. Three Headmasters came and went in swift succession, unable to steady the ship and halt the slide in pupil numbers. 

Headmaster R Williamson, MA (my Headmaster from 1952-1958)

R Williamson took over the helm in 1920 and devoted his whole life and career to Oswestry School, retiring 38 years later in 1958 just two years before I left School myself. Slowly, but surely, he began to steer the ship into calmer waters and having gained the confidence of the local community, pupil numbers began to grow.

A glowing tribute was paid to the new Headmaster by the editor of The Oswestrian in the first two pages of the 1921 edition of the magazine, as can be seen below, and the great fire of 1926, coming so soon after his arrival from Hereford Cathedral School, must have been a dreadful body blow and setback for Headmaster R Williamson in his plans for the consolidation and improvement of the School in general.

The Oswestrian editorial comments from 1921, page 1.

Page 2.

Tucked away in the archives of Hidden Oswestry I came across an article which describes the conflagration in detail and more information on this topic can be found in Oswestry Town Museum. Apparently, the fire occurred towards the end of Summer Term 1926 when the Headmaster and his family were, fortunately, out of the building

Starting in the upper reaches of Headmaster Williamson's domestic quarters, flames were soon spotted by an onlooker who immediately summoned the town fire brigade which appeared on the scene within minutes.Despite the early intervention of Captain Lacey and his team of firefighters the blaze spread rapidly along the roof space through eight bedrooms destroying personal belongings and gutting the roof above.

The front entrance to School House and Mr Williamson's quarters.

Trunks and cases full of clothes and possessions of boarders all went up in smoke with water from the fire hoses adding further damage, causing the lower ceilings to collapse onto classrooms and other parts of the old school..

While the firemen were engaged in putting out the fire, a rescue operation was put in place by staff members who, with the help of the boys who were excused from their lessons, began salvaging furniture, books and valuables from rooms at risk of being consumed by the fire.

Eyewitnesses remarked how chaotic everything appeared as the servants' quarters and dining hall were cleared. Boys who volunteered to help were all praised for their initiative and cooperation with Masters and other staff members, and junior boys who did not volunteer seemed excited to watch their school become engulfed with smoke and flames as the Town firefighters went about their business. No doubt the boys would be anticipating an extended holiday period during the time required to reconstruct and refurbish the old school.

If that was the case the boys had seriously underestimated  the grit and determination of their benign mannered Headmaster, who was made of sterner stuff and who possessed an inner steel that helped carry him through the crisis, and he determined that there would be no extension of school holidays for the excited youngsters.

Quite the contrary. A shrewd man to boot, he probably calculated that his next move would do his and his school's reputation, in the eyes of parents and townspeople alike, absolutely no harm at all. Instead it would demonstrate that the man in charge at Oswestry School was a person of considerable resolve who had risen to the challenge at the hour of need.  As the saying goes, "cometh the hour, cometh the man."

Headmaster Williamson had not buckled under pressure in the face of adversity. Under the circumstances he could have been forgiven for taking the easier option of immediately closing the School until repairs had restored the building to its former self. However, that was not Ralph Williamson's style.

He showed great leadership by galvanizing together the whole school in a plan to continue schooling for all the pupils. Tents were pitched on the lawn to enable Masters, staff, and the boys to continue with their schooling, and nearby residents allowed boys to stay with them until their dormitories were made habitable again

The beautiful weather allowed Oswestry School to operate, effectively, as an outdoor school, and when School broke up for the summer holidays the builders immediately moved in to reconstruct the rooms and refurbish the building. By September, Oswestry School was fully restored with more modern furnishings ready to return to normal schooling as though the fire had never happened. 

Thereafter the incident was often referred to as the "Term of the Fire".