Old Salopians explore Shrewsbury's historic links to Bloomsbury

The Salopian Arts Society enjoyed a walking tour and a visit to the Foundling Museum.

It is perhaps not widely known that the Main School Buildings were constructed in 1758 as an outpost of the orphanage in Coram Fields in North London.Former Deputy Headmaster and English teacher Peter Fanning (staff 1981-2012) started the day with a walking tour around the blue plaques on the buildings which were home to many of the leading lights of the Bloomsbury set including Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell. The route finished at the Foundling Museum which tells the story of the orphanage set up by Captain Coram and supported by luminaries such as the painter Hogarth and the composer Haydn. It’s a fascinating and moving story of deprivation and philanthropy in a time of great societal change in Britain.

Afterwards the group moved on to The Perseverance in Lamb’s Conduit Street to mull over the day and the origin story of the building at the heart of our school.

The Arts Group is a thriving society dedicated to the celebration and support of Old Salopians interested in arts and culture. Look out for more events coming soon.