About Us
When the Reverend Percy Warrington founded Canford School in 1923, his aim was ‘to fit boys to take their place in the battle of life and develop their character in every way’. This foundation was based on Christian values focused on building a tolerant, caring and compassionate society for all. A century later as Canford celebrated its centenary in 2023, those values endure. Canford is a school community welcoming and open to all, which is committed to educating young men and women to make a real and positive difference in a challenging, diverse and often inequitable world.
We are proud of our history and pleased to share this with you via this online facility. This fully searchable archive is a collection of all kinds of material dating back as far as the 1700s. It includes magazines, registers, photographs, books, newsletters and other memorabilia. It is by no means complete but we hope that Old Canfordians will enjoy a trip down memory lane and may also be able to fill in some of the gaps and information that may be missing.
If you would like help on how to access the archive, please don’t hesitate to contact Jess Bichard – archive@canford.com
Thank you,
Rowena Gaston Development Director
Recent Articles
-
We all know that snow at Christmas can be a rare sight, practically across most of Britain. In Dorset, it is not a likely spot in the country to see snow. When snow appears, it is a pretty sight for …0 0202405/12/2024
-
Riverside Stompers
This week, the Canford Community looks forward to the Music School's annual FCS Jazz Concert. Always a spectacular affair, this concert continues Canford's longstanding tradition of jazz music, showc…0 0202413/11/2024 -
The Canford Festival
In 1998, the first - The Canford Festival took place. It was organised by John James, as part of the Candford’s 75th anniversary celebrations, taking place from 15th to 21st October 1998. Various eve…0 0202413/11/2024 -
1985 Reunion
We are very much looking forward to welcoming the class of 1985 to Canford for their 40 year reunion.0 0198506/11/2024 -
Pringle Trophy Victory
In 2014, contingents from the CCF set off for the weekend long competition involving a series of gruelling tasks testing their teamwork and leadership skills. The CCF Royal Marines section made up of…0 0201415/10/2024 -
Swimming at Hatch Hole
In Canford's early years, long before Canfordian's had the luxury of a purpose built swimming pool for swimming lessons and recreation, pupils used the area just within the bursars arch entrance to s…0 0193015/10/2024 -
Ghana Trip 2014
10 years ago, a small team of five lower sixth pupils and three members of staff set off for the first trip to Awutu-Winton High School in Ghana on the first day of the summer holidays. During the vi…0 0201402/07/2024 -
Summer Concert
Every year, the music school celebrates the extensive musical talents of Canford pupils in the annual summer concert. 1975 was no different, but that year, the music school decided to host the concer…0 0197502/07/2024 -
Canford Manor then and now
Since Canford opened its doors as a new school for the first time in 1923, there has been continued development going on around the school site. At present, the new Sixth Form centre and boarding hou…0 0192202/07/2024 -
Art Exhibition 1952
As the Art Department is busy preparing its end of year exhibition of GCSE work and the A Level Summer Show, we take a look back at the Art Shows of years gone by. Back in the summer of 1952, the Art…0 0195214/06/2024 -
Celebrating 25 years of the Layard Theatre
On the 14th May 1999, the official opening of The Layard Theatre took place. The opening was a grand event, with former Artistic Director of The Royal National Theatre, Sir Richard Eyre, formally ope…0 0199914/06/2024 -
House Regatta 2007
This Saturday, Canford Boat Club will be hosting its annual House Regatta and Boat Club Dinner, a formal Canford event for at least the past 50 years in which the houses go head-to-head to battle it …0 0200704/06/2024
Featured Articles
-
Canford School Show 1993
In May 1993, Canford School hosted a charity family fun day, opening its grounds to the public for a day-long country fair style show. Staff and pupils helped host and run the event which included jo…0 0199308/02/2024 -
Girls U16 Win National Hockey Championship 1999
In March 1999, the Canford School Girls’ under 16s Hockey team travelled to the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes to take part in the U16 Womens’ British Aerospace School Championships. After …0 0199908/02/2024 -
1994 Reunion Lunch
On Saturday, we welcomed the Class of 1994 back to Canford for their 30 year reunion lunch. It was wonderful to see the OCs being reunited - some who had not been to Canford since their speech day in…0 0199428/02/2024 -
1988 Trip to Sukhumi - Anglo Soviet Computing Exchange
In September 1988, ten pupils from Canford visited Sukhumi in Georgia, near the Black Sea, and were joined by pupils from Moscow and Tbilisi - the Georgian capital, forming the first Anglo-Soviet Sch…0 0198825/10/2023 -
Canford's First Cricket Team
Canford's first Cricket team in 19230 0192330/10/2023 -
Geography Trip Morocco
"At the beginning of last summer holiday, twelve Canfordians left for a geography expedition to Morocco, not at all sure what we would find. On arriving at the airport we found out that the plane had…0 0200527/10/2022 -
House Regatta 2007
This Saturday, Canford Boat Club will be hosting its annual House Regatta and Boat Club Dinner, a formal Canford event for at least the past 50 years in which the houses go head-to-head to battle it …0 0200704/06/2024 -
The first whole school photo of Canford School (1923 to 192…
Wow - this is the very first whole school photo in our archive from 1923. In 1923 there were just 109 boys on the school role aged between 11 and 18. The entire photograph collection can be found h…0 0192327/09/2023 -
CCF Parade
Last week, the Canford CCF held their annual parade, which takes place in March each year. The parade is an opportunity for the CCF to display the professionalism and smartness of the unit as a whole…0 0196425/03/2024 -
Cricket Notes Season 1923
Although our first season at Canford has not been marked by any particular success, it has nevertheless been most enjoyable in every way. We did not have very many fixtures, but the matches were all …0 0192327/10/2022 -
Ten Tors Training Expedition
Last weekend, 6 teams of Ten Tors hopefuls braved the elements for a weekend on Dartmoor training for the Ten Tors challenge coming up, led by Mr Hooker. We took a look back at the training weekend …0 0200429/02/2024 -
Celebrating 25 years of the Layard Theatre
On the 14th May 1999, the official opening of The Layard Theatre took place. The opening was a grand event, with former Artistic Director of The Royal National Theatre, Sir Richard Eyre, formally ope…0 0199914/06/2024
Most Popular Articles
-
In the Mountains
Over the February half term, the 4th form CCF set off on a cross-country skiing trip to Norway, and the Lower Sixth CCF spent a week mountaineering in the Cairngorms. We took a look back at previous…0 0199921/02/2024 -
Fame Academy
In November 2005, Canford held its annual Fame Academy competition. The acts who made it through the auditions meant that the final performances were of such a high quality that the teachers judging …0 0200512/02/2024 -
Canford's First Rugby Team
This is Canford School's very first Rugby XV, from 1923.1 0192330/10/2023 -
House Debating 2005
This evening, Friday 15th March 2024, each house will go to John of Gaunts Kitchen to take part in the annual House Debating Competition. The use of John of Gaunts for debating continues a school tra…0 0200515/03/2024 -
Celebrating 25 years of the Layard Theatre
On the 14th May 1999, the official opening of The Layard Theatre took place. The opening was a grand event, with former Artistic Director of The Royal National Theatre, Sir Richard Eyre, formally ope…0 0199914/06/2024 -
House Regatta 2007
This Saturday, Canford Boat Club will be hosting its annual House Regatta and Boat Club Dinner, a formal Canford event for at least the past 50 years in which the houses go head-to-head to battle it …0 0200704/06/2024 -
Canford's First Cricket Team
Canford's first Cricket team in 19230 0192330/10/2023 -
1st VIII wins Schools Head of the River Race
On 20th March, Canford's rowing teams headed up to London for the School Heads of the River Race, which Canford have been taking part in for over 60 years now! Whilst this year wasn't a winning one f…0 0200005/04/2024 -
Whole school PE
PE at Canford looks a little different nowadays in comparison to 60 years ago… Here are a few great shots of whole school PT on and around the sunken lawn in 1961. I think it's safe to say that the v…0 0196122/03/2024 -
Stone Carving
In December 2023, the Canford Sphere was officially unveiled. The sphere was created by award-winning sculptor Zoe Wilson to commemorate the Canford Centenary. To celebrate this, we took a look back …0 0200712/02/2024 -
Ten Tors Training Expedition
Last weekend, 6 teams of Ten Tors hopefuls braved the elements for a weekend on Dartmoor training for the Ten Tors challenge coming up, led by Mr Hooker. We took a look back at the training weekend …0 0200429/02/2024 -
New Science Laboratories
On Speech Day 1959, Lord Lyle and Sir Hugh Beaver formally opened two new blocks of Laboratories and Classrooms, which cost nearly £50,000 (nearly £1.5 million in today's money). These labs stand in …0 0195925/03/2024