Tamworth Road (British) Schools

Corporate body

Tamworth Road (British) Schools

1847

The Croydon British Schools opened in 1812 following a meeting held on 30 September of that year at the Crown Inn to establish a school to be run on Lancastrian principles (that is those established by Joseph Lancaster, using older children as monitors to teach the younger ones). The British Schools were non-conformist foundations, whereas Croydons National School, also set up in 1812, belonged to the Church of England. The schools were at first in Surrey Street, then in Mint Walk and after that in North End on the corner with Tamworth Road, (where the Railway Bell public house later stood). Following the extension of the London and Brighton Railway Companys line from West Croydon to Epsom, the schools moved to the south west end of Tamworth Road, where they opened in January 1847. A girls school opened in 1812 seems to have closed in 1903. An infants school also opened in 1812 closed permanently in 1906. The local education authority took over management of the schools on 18 October 1904 and the schools were renamed Tamworth Road, although the term British continued in use after that date. In 1915 the old buildings were replaced, the pupils being accomodated temporarily in the hall of Scarbrook Road Baths. The new buildings comprised a Senior Mixed School and a Junior Mixed and Infants [or Lower] School and opened on 24 October 1919. In January 1924 the schools were reorganised to take only seniors, with separate boys and girls departments. The boys school finally closed in August 1935 and the girls school on 27 July 1951.

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