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From: 164 Autumn 2026
Author: Peter Simth
We all know of the Freemen’s historic interest in Port Meadow. Some of you may recall hearing mention of another now long past Freemen focus - Nixon School. For the benefit of those admitted to the Freedom in recent years, here is a brief overview gleaned from various on-line sources.
Nixon School was a free grammar and writing school for initially 40 rising to around 50 (and at one point 60) sons of poor Freemen engaged in the trades. Privileged Freemen’s sons were excluded for political reasons and links to the University. It was founded by Alderman John Nixon, a zealous Puritan, seemingly anti “gown” and thrice Mayor, in around 1658 with an endowment of £600pa.
It used accommodation built for the purpose within the courtyard of the old Town Hall in St Aldates, apparently Alderman Nixon having been granted a 1,000 year lease at a nominal rent in return for his generous endowment. Boys were elected to the school by the governors. They entered at around nine or ten, and could stay for seven years. There was a one off fee of 12p with 1p per annum towards candles.
The school unusually for elementary schools taught Latin to older boys, able to then call itself a grammar school. Its fortunes were changeable but there was a top up in 1845 and 1850 when the freemen sold some land on the south east side of Port Meadow for the new railways being built by the Oxford & Rugby Railway and Buckinghamshire Railway. A scheme to buy land for a new school around this time was aborted.
William Lucas, a pupil there from 1868-1876 wrote that the school was an old gabled building, well lit along its front but with uneven floors. The schoolroom was upstairs and overall, it was felt not by the 1870s to be particularly suitable as school premises. The school room was recorded as being cold and draughty, with a single fire insufficient for the winter months. It was custom in the 1870’s for the whole school to attend St Martins Carfax church (on the corner of Queen Street and Cornmarket, demolished in the 1890s for road widening purposes) on Sunday mornings and evening, but Thursday afternoon was a recreation period.
One compensation for the fairly tough school experience was the annual treat by the newly elected Mayor, to a piece of cake and a glass of wine in his Parlour! Some help was apparently given by the Mayor to trying to place pupils in jobs when they left.
The school struggled and it’s condition deteriorated badly during the 19th century and, in light of the planned redevelopment of the Town Hall, and failed attempts to establish a replacement, it closed in 1894 and was demolished along with the adjacent Town Hall. It had survived, benefiting Freemen, for 235 years. Closure was strongly resisted by the Freemen but was ultimately required following a very negative report from the Government Inspector. The new Town hall was finished in 1897.
Following closure there continued some debate between the Freemen and the charity bodies responsible for schooling, around how to continue to provide places for sons of poor Freemen. Those discussions apparently went on until 1899, centred around priority entry and “exhibitions” (subsidised/free places) into the new High School upon passing an entrance examination.
John Nixon portrait attributed to J Taylor
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