Lockites was one of a number of substantial boy's boarding houses, or outhouses^[1], that were built on Sandy Lane (now Charterhouse Road) in the early days following the school's move from London to Godalming. It was sited just below the Memorial Chapel and next to the bridge, where the Chapel Field flats are today. Like the other houses it was named after the master who built it^[2].

This was Sidney Wills Lock, who had been living in London at Sutton's Hospital in Charterhouse in 1871 with both other members of staff and the school's pupils^[3], many of whom subsequently moved to Godalming with the school. He was a son of Francis Lock of Dorchester. His father was a coal merchant and postmaster in 1861^[4] who went on to be an alderman and magistrate in the borough, where he owned a large number of properties. Lock married Julia Sophia Long at SS. Peter and Paul on 19 Oct 1874^[5], by which time he was a Fellow of the Cambridge College Gonville and Caius where he had taken his degree^[6]. He was also an assistant master at the newly opened school, teaching mathematics. The couple had two sons^[7], both of whom were educated at Charterhouse. By 1891 the Locks had moved to Woodcote on Hindhead Road (today Frith Hill Road) although he was still an assistant master at Charterhouse^[8]. By 1901 the Lock family had moved away from Surrey and were all living at 2, Lansdowne Place, Hove^[9] where Julia Sophia passed away the following year. Sidney was by this time living on his own means. He remarried in 1904 and died aged 74 at Gwydyr Mansions, also in Hove, on 8 Nov 1921^[10]..

Mr. William Moss, M.A. had taken over at Lockites in 1890 and at the beginning of the twentieth century there were 56 boys in residence^[1]. Mr. Moss had studied at St. John's College, Cambridge and was appointed to an assistant mastership at Charterhouse in 1875. He retained the position until his retirement to Weeke Gore, Winchester^[11]. He passed away on 15 Oct 1916 at St. George's Terrace, Regents Park but was returned to Godalming for burial which took place four days later. The service was conducted by Gerald S. Davies, a former housemaster who had become Master of The Charterhouse in London in 1909^[12].

In early 1919, almost twelve months after a serious fire had damaged Verites, a major fire broke out at Lockites. The 60 pupils who resided there had only just returned to school after the Christmas holiday. The School brigade with the manual engine turned out and kept the flames in check until help arrived from Godalming and Guildford. There was no wind, so many of the contents were able to be saved, but the fire destroyed the roof and the topmost storey of this substantial four storey building and caused damage of about £1500^[13]. The electrical installations in the school and its houses had been checked a few days before^[14]. According to E. M. Jameson the boys and their master, Frederick R. L. Wilson, moved into temporary quarters in a large house at the bottom of Farncombe Hill^[15].

Frederick Wilson, M.A., was still at Lockites in 1924 but in 1939 Reginald H. Poole was the housemaster and Constance A Martin the Matron^[16].

By August 1940 there were 1,031 evacuees billeted in the borough, of whom 954 were children. There was the possibility of a further 500 children being evacuated to the town. The Walter St. John's School moved into Lockites^[17] and there were 60 boys at the boarding house, supervised by Mr. John Edward Taylor and his wife. They returned to London in 1945^[18].

On the image there are two large Xs across the fourth window from the left on the first floor and the fourth from the left on the third floor. They must indicate where the sender's room was in 1908 and perhaps a common room or study as the message on the reverse of the postcard reads "I will try to get to Farncombe station by the time you arrive but if I should not be able to ask the right way to Charterhouse".

See Weekites about the decisions specifically affecting both Weekites and Lockites in the 1970s.

Read more about what happened to Robinites and the other outhouses in the 1960s and 70s, including the Markenhorn project.

Bodeites

Hodgsonites

Pageites

Robinites

Weekites

References:

^[1] Tod, A. H., M.A. (2nd Ed., Revised) (1919) "Charterhouse". Handbook to the Great Public Schools. London : George Bell and Sons Portugal St. Lincoln's Inn W.C. Cambridge: Deighton, Bell & Co New York : The MacMillan Co Bombay : A. H. Wheeler & Co. With grateful thanks to Clive Carter, a former Charterhouse headmaster, for the loan of this book.

^[2] "The Bystander", 22 September 1909. This was an article about the school, written by Gerald S. Davies.

^[3] The 1871 census shows him as being 24 years old.

^[4] 1861 census, an announcement of his death in the "Bristol Mercury" of 24 August 1889 and sales notices in various newspapers following his death.

^[5] "Hampshire Advertiser" 7 Nov 1874. Announcement of marriage. The bride's father, who was the Vicar of Godalming, officiated alongside Rev. William Haig Brown, the headmaster of Charterhouse.

^[6] He took his B.A. in 1869 and became an M.A. in 1872.

^[7] P.O. Directory, 1878. Census returns 1881, 1891 and 1901.

^[8] Kelly's Directory, 1891 and the 1891 census..

^[9] 1901 census, 1902 newspapers and probate records.

^[10] "West Sussex Gazette", 5 January 1922.

^[11] "Surrey Advertiser, 23 October 1916. Mr. William Moss, M.A. The 1911 census shows him as aged 58 and born in the City of Lincoln. His funeral was at Godalming Old Cemetery.

^[12] "Evening Mail", 4 January 1909. See: The Charterhouse, City of London.

^[13] "Dundee Evening Telegraph", 20 January 1919. Fire at Charterhouse School.

^[14] "The Times", 21 January, 1919.

^[15] Jameson, E. M. (1937) "Charterhouse". Blackie & Son Limited, London and Glasgow.

^[16] Kelly's Directory 1924 and the 1939 Register.

^[17] "Surrey Advertiser", 3 August 1940. Godalming Council Topics.

^[18] "Bedfordshire Times and Independent", 3 May 1946.