Collegiate Celebrates Charter Day

Today, Collegiate School celebrates an important date in its calendar: Charter Day.

The Society of Merchant Venturers (SMV) recognises Charter Day each year on 10th November to commemorate the granting of the Royal Charter by King Edward VI in 1552, endorsed by King Charles I in 1639.

On this day, the new leader of SMV for the ensuing year takes office and is sworn in at Merchants’ Hall after a special service in Bristol Cathedral.

To mark Charter Day, Collegiate’s choir will sing at the Cathedral – in previous years, pupils would have also been presented with bibles, prayer books, shillings and special buns, as can be seen in these photos from 2001 and 1932.

Former student J.P. Quayle (1929-34) recalled his experience of the day:

"After a service in a city church, we finished up at the fine old hall of the Society of Merchant Venturers. There, pupils who had left the school in the previous year were presented with bibles and prayer books embossed with the crest of the SMV in gilt. 

"We also had buns, which were nicer than the miserable assortment which used to be brought round on trays in prep, but some of these children were very hungry in those days. We also received a beautiful mint shilling. These would be worth quite something these days, for their silver if for nothing else. As it was, they were squandered in the 'dug out' (the cellar in which a tuck shop opened up) at the first opportunity."