top of page

Wesley House in the 1960s

The Rev Dr John Barrett

Buildings

There were no major physical changes to the buildings during the 1960s until the very end of the decade. 26 Jesus Lane, part of the Victorian terrace near to the Dining Hall was substantially refurbished in the summer of 1968 to accommodate the first resident married students, though two years later the terrace was demolished to make way for the erection of the Rank Building (now West Court, part of Jesus College).

 

The chapel was refurbished in the summer of 1968, and, controversially, the murals were painted over.

 

There was one other significant change mid-decade and that was the repainting of many of the walls in pastel shades - an initiative of Peggy Skinner, I believe.

 

Otherwise everything remained exactly as described by Brian Beck in the 1950s. The lawns remained sacrosanct, students being expected to stick rigidly to the paved paths. The Principal would have had a heart-attack if he had seen the prams and toys that littered the lawns in later years!

bottom of page