The Chelsea Houses
Chelsea Academy is divided into groups called “houses,” two
houses for boys and two for girls. Each house has students from across
the grades, and each of the boys’ houses is paired with one of the
girls’ houses, with family members belonging to the same house or pair
of houses. The houses are involved in various activities and competitions,
including field days, poetry recitations, peer tutorials, and service projects.
The houses serve several purposes. They provide membership in a smaller group
for all Chelsea students. They encourage interaction and friendships among
students across the grade levels. They promote camaraderie and healthy competition.
They contribute to creating strong school morale and solidarity.
The names of the Chelsea houses are associated with Thomas More:
- Fisher House: John Cardinal Fisher (1469-1535) was a trusted
friend of More and served as bishop of Rochester during the early sixteenth
century. A distinguished scholar of international renown, he put his life
at risk by supporting Catherine of Aragon in her efforts to resist her husband
Henry VIII’s attempt to annul their marriage in defiance of the Pope.
After refusing to recognize the Act of Supremacy, which declared Henry VIII
the head of the Church of England, Fisher was martyred for the Catholic Faith.
He was made a cardinal shortly before his execution in 1535. In 1935, Pope
Pius XI declared Fisher (and Thomas More) a saint.
- Holbein House: Hans Holbein (1497-1543) was a draftsman
and painter responsible for the most famous portrait of More. Holbein came
from a family of artists in Germany and distinguished himself as one of the
premier portrait painters of his generation. In addition to his celebrated
portraits of More and Erasmus, Holbein is known for his sketch of More’s
household at Chelsea.
- Colet House: John Colet (1467-1519) was a scholar and
priest who served as young More’s spiritual advisor. A man of great
learning, Colet studied at Oxford, Florence, and Rome before holding the
position of dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Beginning in 1509,
Colet devoted his life and vast inherited fortune to the founding of St.
Paul’s School, one of England’s oldest and most prestigious secondary
schools.
- Roper House: William Roper (1496-1578) married More’s
devoted daughter Margaret (1505-1544) and wrote the first biography of More.
As a young man, Roper spent much time in the More household and enjoyed close
relations with his father-in-law. He served in Parliament during the reign
of Queen Mary, and throughout his life he was respected for his character
and learning. His wife, Margaret Roper, received a liberal arts education
that included literature, languages, history, mathematics, science, and philosophy,
and she earned a reputation among her contemporaries for her scholarly command
of Latin.
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