The Alleynian 706 2018

PARTNERSHIP, COMMUNITY AND LIFELONG LEARNING

Ringing the changes at Bell House

Named after the bell that summoned aid to put out village fires, historic Bell

House in Dulwich Village has once again become a site of support for the community. SamSchulenburg (Year 12) delves into its history B uilt by a Master Stationer in the 18th century, Bell House has recently become home to a charitable organisation that focuses on offering educational opportunities to the community. The house was built in 1767 by businessman Thomas Wright, who made his money in stationery, notably though his printing of almanacs, and went on to become Sheriff of the City of London, and Lord Mayor of London. After his death, the house was owned by many intriguing historical figures including Anthony Harding, founder of the first department store. In 1926 Dulwich College bought the lease, and the following year, Bell House became the official residence of the Master. During the Second World War, Bell House fell out of use, when the then Master, Christopher H. Gilkes, moved his family into Ivyholme. From 1947 the building became Dulwich College’s second junior boarding house. It was sold into private ownership in 1992 following the decrease in demand for junior boarding. In 2016 the house came into the hands of the educational charity that owns it today. The volunteer-led organisation has two main goals: to provide support for people with dyslexia and other specific learning differences and to offer enrichment through learning beyond the school curriculum and beyond school age. Courses have been offered so far in art and film-making skills, gardening, traditional crafts and cooking, as well as social media, information technology and business skills. Courses are free, and open either to the public or to specific local groups. There are plans to make courses available online, for those beyond the immediate locality.

Bell House is currently undergoing architectural work in order to maximise the educational possibilities of the site. The gardens are being renovated and the entire ground floor of the building is being remodelled to allow for a gallery space, several classrooms and a café, in the hopes of widening the reach of the programmes. Effort is being made on the part of the Bell House team to make the resources offered available for all those who seek it, rather than just those who are of school age. The hope is that the renovations to the building and the site’s strong historical educational link will encourage members of the community to seek out support. The Bell Blog was established to document the progression of the building and also to exhibit the aforementioned historical links of Bell House, with articles about previous owners and current building work posted frequently. Bell House is funded primarily by the letting of the house and grounds for other events. The gallery space and gardens will be available for non-educational use; however, priority will be given to events which reflect its educational purpose. The Bell House team have taken a building rich in educational history and modernised it, allowing members of the community to have access to state-of the-art educational facilities, courses and events. From Bell Blogs to bee-keeping, the vast variety of enriching educational experiences offered by Bell House bodes well for its future as a core part of the community’s educational framework.

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