Reference
BMS/CWK
Title
Bedford Modern School. Papers dated to the headmastership of Cecil William Kaye
Date free text
1901-1917
Production date
From: 1901 To: 1917
Admin/biog history
Kaye was born 25 June 1865 the son of James Kaye barrister at law and his wife Elizabeth. He was baptised as William Cecil Kaye at St John the Baptist, Potters Bar. By the time he was 15 in 1881, and a boarder at Marlborough, Kaye's forenames have been changed around and he seems to have always been known as Cecil William from at least that date. He was educated at Marlborough College; University College, Oxford and the University of Würzburg. He was headmaster of three schools; Loughborough Grammar School, 1893–1900; Bedford Modern School, 1901–1916 (and Principal of Bedford Evening Institution 1901–1916); and St Bees School West Cumbria, 1916–1926. His subjects were English Literature and Divinity.
He was a firm disciplinarian but as a teacher was remembered for a rather incoherent approach (see article by L R Conisbee in Bedfordshire Magazine). While at Bedford Modern School he was successful in getting extensions and improvements to the school buildings (new blocks of class rooms, new labs and workshops and the removal of the gymnasium from the field to the school). 'He supported the trend in education reform which by scholarships brought more pupils from the elementary schools to free places.' However, according to Conisbee, activities such as musical and dramatic societies were of low quality and the museum became moribund and the library neglected.
Kaye married Dora Millicent, daughter of late Judge William Barber, QC in 1893 and they had two children: Dora Elizabeth (later Mrs Gordon) born 1897 and James William born 1899.
Kaye died 15 May 1941.
Level of description
sub-fonds