The largest building on Headington campus (and home of Headington library) is the John Henry Brookes building, or JHB to its friends. But who was John Henry Brookes?

John Henry Brookes, OBE (1891-1975) was an English craftsman, artist, educator and administrator. His art training and craft workshop experience encouraged him to apply for and secure the post of headmaster of Oxford School of Art in St Ebbe’s in 1928. From the outset he tried to bridge the artificial division between art and technical education.

In 1934 he was appointed Principal of the newly merged Schools of Technology, Arts & Commerce. By 1944 the college had spread over 19 buildings throughout Oxford. He campaigned ceaselessly for new buildings and eventually in 1947 the City Council bought 33 acres of land on Headington Hill. In 1949, the School moved on to the site. Brookes referred to the move as ‘setting foot in the Promised Land’. The junior technical school, named Cheney School, opened in 1954, and the Oxford College of Technology (next door) opened during 1955, the year before Brookes retired.

His contribution towards educational developments and ceaseless campaigning for a purpose built technical college made him a worthy recipient of the OBE in 1953.

If you’d like to know more, you can borrow John Henry Brookes : the man who inspired a university by Bryan Brown from Headington library. You may also be interested in the historic and archival materials in the Oxford Brookes University Collection, which is part of our Special Collections.