Robinites was built on the plateau above Godalming in the early days of the school's migration from London, directly opposite Bodeites on Hindhead Road. If the structure still existed today it would be on Twycross Road, opposite the road's junction with Frith Hill Road. Like so many of the school's former "outhouses", it was demolished and its grounds are now covered over by housing although the house name lives on as a replacement boarding house was built within the school's grounds.

It was never one of the bigger outhouses. In 1881 there were 21 boys in residence, in 1891 20 boys were there and in 1901 21 boys lived in^[1]. The school's first historian, A. H. Tod, recorded 29 boys in Robinites in the 1910-1919 era and the number of boys living there was to be raised. Robinites and Bodeites had both taken on a slightly larger number of boys, and the accommodation in both houses was said to be greatly improved. They were also lit by electricity^[2].

Robinites was a contraction of Robinsonites^[2], named after George Henry Robinson (1842 -10 Sep 1909) who was the first housemaster as well as the school's organist and music master^[3]. He had received the degree of Mus. Bac. at a Convocation of the University of Cambridge in 1885^[4]. He retired in 1901 and was succeeded as organist by Mr. E. D. Rendall^[2]. George Robinson passed away at 62, The Parade, Leamington in 1909 although he was living at Fareham at that time^[5]. He was survived by his wife Jenny / Jennie^[6].

By 1911 Oswald Hawkins Latter, M.A. (1864-11 Oct 1948), was the housemaster of Robinites; A. R. Radcliffe and R. C. Slater were also residing there with 30 boy boarders^[7]. The number of boarding pupils was slowly creeping up! Mr. Latter had previously been at Laleham, which was nearby and a former home of the Huxley family; for a time he was the acting headmaster^[8]. When Charterhouse school's museum was built in 1891 there were two rooms, one mostly devoted to archaeology and the other covering Natural Science, designed respectively by G. S. Davies and O. H. Latter^[9].

Mabel Pope was the matron of Robinites for over 20 years^[10], so she would have served under both Mr. Latter and his successor Francis William Bolton Smart (post war Lt. Col. Smart^[11]). The 1939 Register shows Aubrey H Scott as the housemaster of Robinites.

In 1962, following an appeal to raise funds, Girdlestones had been modernised and Robinites was next on the list^[12]. The property was to be demolished a few years later.

Bodeites

Hodgsonites

Lockites

Weekites

References:

^[1] Pupil numbers extracted from census returns.

^[2] 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.

^[3] George H Robinson, who was born in Leamington Spa, is listed in the Post Office Directory, 1878 and Kelly's Directory, 1891. Both he and his wife can also be found in the 1881, 1891 and 1901 census returns which is where the pupil numbers were recorded. In 1891 his sister Amy was living with the couple.

^[4] "Leamington Spa Courier", 19 December 1885. Musical.

^[5] "Leamington Spa Courier",17 September 1909. Announcement of death.

^[6] "Leamington Spa Courier", 13 September 1912 and 1911 census.

^[7] 1911 census. Alan Fenwick Radcliffe was housemaster of Pageites by 1913 and Mr. Slater eventually went to Daviesites. O. H. Latter was to move to The Elms on Charterhouse Road by 1924; it remained his home until he passed away.

^[8] Veale, W (1957) "From a New Angle. Reminiscences of Charterhouse 1880-1945". P & G. Wells, Ltd., Winchester.

^[9] Jameson, E. M. (1937) "Charterhouse". Blackie & Son Limited, London and Glasgow.

^[10] "The Times", 23 May, 1938. Notice of Miss Pope's death.

^[11] Kelly's Directory of 1924 shows him still at Robinites (Smart, Lt. Col, F. W. B. T.D., M.A.). By 1939 Lt. Col. Smart was retired although he was still in Godalming, living opposite the school at Rathmoyle on Hurtmore Road.

^[12] "The Times", 9 Sep 1962. E. J. Hartwell had become housemaster, replacing Mr. Dicken.