Reverend Athawes on his horse Roger, taken in 1905.
Click here to see Phoebe Hall's Religious Studies Certificate
Click here to see some of Walter Wells' work done at the school
The Reverend Athawes was Rector of Loughton for 32 years from 1883 to 1915 when he retired and the school closed. His father, also called the Reverend John Athawes, was Rector of Loughton in his time and one of the contributors to the Loughton School House. John Athawes senior founded the National School in Loughton sometime around 1848 at which time some 60 children were taught in a cottage, and in rooms at Elm House.

Reverend John Thomas Athawes, shown here in 1905 on his horse Roger, was associated with education all his life. Before becoming Rector he taught at St John the Divine School in Kennington, London for 15 years.
He was also very well known locally, he sat on the Newport Pagnell Board of Guardians, the Bucks County Education Committee and was an inspector of schools under the Oxford Diocesan Board, as well as being Chairman of the Board of School Managers of Loughton School.

He took a keen interest in the Loughton National School, providing references for the children when they left school to go to work. You can read a practise letter by Walter Wells, one of the school children, in a later page.

He was widely regarded as being a great force for improvement in Loughton and was sadly missed when he went into retirement.