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Strand School
Address
Elm Park

Tulse Hill,Lambeth
,
London

England
Information
TypeGrammar School
MottoAdvance
Religious affiliation(s)Church of England
Established1893
FounderWilliam Braginton
Closedc.1979
Genderboys
Age11 to 18
AlumniOld Strandians

Strand Schoolwas a boys'grammar schoolin theTulse Hillarea ofSouth London.It moved there in 1913 from its original location atKing's Collegein London'sStrand.

Distinguished in its heyday for its contribution of young men to thecivil service,it finally closed its doors in 1979 after hotly contested attempts by the education authorities from the early 1950s onwards to turn it into acomprehensive school.

Former pupils included a leader of theGreater London Council,figures prominent in the world of entertainment, and the scientist and environmentalistJames Lovelock,originator of theGaia hypothesis.

History

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Origins

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Strand School got its name from the fact that it originated in the evening department ofKing's Collegein London's Strand. The teaching of evening classes commenced there in 1848; under Alfred Barry, principal between 1868 and 1883, these were "considerably extended":[1]

When in 1875 the government extended the range of the Civil Service entry examination, William Braginton... set up private classes in rooms atKing's Collegein the Strand, for those seeking entry into the lower grades. The prestige of being associated with the university college was an added benefit.[1]

The Civil Service Department, as it was known in the early years, started with an intake of 172 men: it did not yet constitute a school for boys. In 1892 Braginton got permission to run a correspondence course, and day classes, for pupils wishing to compete for "boy clerkships" and "boy copyistships". Thus, in 1893, began Strand School.[1][dead link‍]

The school's name was not apparent, however, till 1897, whenKing's College Schoolmoved toWimbledon,making it possible for the commercial school to move into the college basement. Examinations on offer had by this time increased beyond those of the civil service as such, to include telegraph learners, assistant surveyorships, as well as those for customs and excise appointments.[2]The success rate of Strand pupils was noteworthy.[2]Many Old Strandians, as they became known, went on to distinguished careers in the civil service.[3]In 1900 theLondon County Council(LCC) agreed that intermediate county scholarships could be held there, and in 1905 it was allowed to become a centre for the training of pupil teachers.[2]

Relocation to South London

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In 1907 theBoard of Educationdetermined that a mere basement was insufficient for a school. The threat of withdrawal of grant support caused the LCC to undertake to provide new buildings in Elm Park, between Tulse Hill andBrixton HillinSouth London.In 1909 government of the school was handed over to a committee, which included LCC representatives.[2]As a condition of the incorporation of King's College into theUniversity of London,under the terms of theKing's College London (Transfer) Act 1908(8 Edw. 7.c. xxxix), the civil service classes for adults had to be placed under separate administration, so Braginton agreed to make the necessary arrangements: he relinquished the headmastership in 1909, to run St George's College for women, Red Lion Square, and St George's College for men in Kingsway. R.B. Henderson took over as headmaster of Strand School in 1910, and he it was who supervised the move to South London in 1913.[2]

After the move to its new red brick premises, Strand flourished as a grammar school. Though its priority had been to prepare candidates for the civil service, it went on to offer courses leading to the Ordinary and Advanced levelGCEexaminations. Extra-curricular activities included a variety of sports such as football, cricket, swimming, athletics, boxing andfives.Games and social activities were organised on aHouse system,with boys being allocated a house on entering the school and thereafter being guided by a housemaster. There was active competition between the school's six houses: Arundel, Bedford, Exeter, Kings, Lancaster, and Salisbury. These are the names of streets off theStrand,plus Kings College. Salisbury Street no longer exists.[4] The school had an annual sports day, which was held on the school field until 1952, when Tulse Hill Comprehensive was built there.[5]

There were a number of societies, including a debating society, a dramatic society and, in later years, a film society. Thecadet force,had air force and army sections, the latter affiliated to theKings Royal Rifle Corps.[3]The school published each July and DecemberThe Strand School Magazine.A printing press in the gallery above the main hall turned out three school calendars a year, one for each term, visiting cards, membership cards for school societies and letter-headings, as well as programmes for school plays.[6]

1936: Tragedy in the Black Forest

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Main article:English Calamity
"Engländerdenkmal" ( "Monument to Englishmen" ), atSchauinsland,Black Forest,Germany

The school suffered a major tragedy on 17 April 1936 when a hiking party of 27 were caught in a blizzard in theBlack Forest,nearFreiburg, Germany,and five boys froze to death. They had set out on a three-hour hike between hostels, viaSchauinsland,4200 feet.[7]The master in charge, Kenneth Keast ignored local terrain, the weather reports indicating severe weather, and multiple warnings from locals, directing his group up the steepest flank of the Schauinsland in severe weather, ultimately stranding his group on the southeastern mountain flank.[8]The event was used by the Nazi regime as a propaganda tool in which Keast was absolved from blame. Initially commended for his courage by theLondon County Council's committee of enquiry,[9]subsequent investigative reports, including a 2016 article inThe Guardianhighlighted the negligence of the master in charge.[10]

In 1938 theEngländerdenkmal( "Monument to Englishmen" ) of architect Hermann Alker was erected by theHitler Youthin commemoration.[11]

World War II

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During theSecond World WarStrand School was evacuated toEffinghaminSurrey.

Crossword security alarm

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The school in 1944, via its then-headmasterLeonard Dawe,was involved in what became known as theD-DayDaily Telegraphcrossword security alarm.

1956: Tulse Hill Comprehensive School and the final years

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Strand served its surrounding area for most of the twentieth century as the local boys' grammar school, with nearbySt Martin-in-the Fields High Schoolproviding for girls.

In the mid-1950s came the first serious threat to Strand School's existence, when two largecomprehensive schoolswere opened locally:Dick Sheppard Schoolfor girls in 1955,[12]and the giantTulse Hill Schoolfor boys in 1956, the latter built on what had been the Strandplaying fields.[13]Only by a narrow margin – following an intense campaign by parents, old boys and school governors – had the school beaten off a plan to abolish it as a grammar school, and turn it into one of the two comprehensives: what became Tulse Hill Comprehensive was to have been known as "Strand Comprehensive."

The successful campaign provided what was to prove, in the end, only temporary respite. With the abolition of thetripartite systemin education, theInner London Education Authoritytook the decision to go fully comprehensive. So in 1972 the ILEA again proposed that Strand, described byLabour'sRoy Hattersleyas a "small maintained boys' grammar school in an elderly building," be turned into a comprehensive; its pupils were to be transferred to Dick Sheppard, with the Strand and Tulse Hill buildings merged to form a single new comprehensive school. Battle once again commenced.

Margaret Thatcher,at the timeSecretary of State for Education,later approved the closure, but not the Tulse Hill School alterations. Strand parents this time chose to contest the closure in the courts: in May 1972 aninjunctionwas granted forbidding closure. The Labour-controlled ILEA was forced to abandon immediate closure of Strand, but made a second application to the minister in July 1972.

Thatcher turned down this application in January 1973, saying that the change of heart was because she had "listened to the parents and watched their fight to save a small school which provided an opportunity for anyone who got there on a basis of merit, whatever his background."[14]

Around 1979 Strand School was closed down.[15]Its remnants were merged withDick Sheppard School,which became, for the time that remained, a mixed school. Of all four schools, the only one to survive the rigours of improvement and shifting education policy wasSt Martin-In-The-Fields High School for Girls.Tulse Hill Schoolclosed in 1990, and Dick Sheppard School in 1994.

Subsequent history of the building

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After Strand School's closure, the buildings became known as the Strand Centre and had various uses. They were used as temporary premises for schools being renovated and by an Albanian Youth Group.[16]In 2000 they were converted for use as a primary school to temporarily house Brockwell Primary School, while the new Jubilee Primary School was being built on Brockwell's site. When Jubilee Primary finally opened in 2003 the Strand premises again fell vacant.

2009, Elm Court School

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In 2007, to house Elm Court School, major renovation were made at the former Strand School site.[17]Elm Court is aspecial educational needsschool with capacity for 100 pupils at key stages 3 and 4,[18]"aged 9 to 19 years who have learning difficulties with associated social and communication needs. Many... pupils have autism".[19]The school moved from Elmcourt Road inWest Norwoodto make way for the newElmgreen secondary school.Elm Court School opened in Elm Park SW2 in March 2009.[18]

The school's architecture

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Wisdom teaches youth: thealto-relievoabove the school's main entrance in Elm Park

The buildings near the southern end of Elm Park were built by the London County Council between 1912 and 1914 under the direction of the chief architect W.E. Riley.[20]The style employed wasEdwardian,with a red brick frontage decorated withPortland stonedressings, enlivened by a central stone arched window incorporating a sculpture.[20]

Other features of the school were its main hall with itswar memorialto pupils and former pupils who died in theFirstandSecondWorld Wars, in the form of a largeorganbought by public subscription, thegymnasiumat the rear of the main building, and, on the top floor, what werelaboratoriesand thedining hall.[3]In the 1960s a two-storey art and woodkwork/metalwork block was built next to the gymnasium.

The school has been described as, "one of the finest secular buildings in terms of its architectural quality and character" and, "a splendid local landmark of significant historic and architectural interest in its own right."[20] A less obvious feature is[when?]the twofivescourts located behind the school. These are similar to those required forRugby fives.A photograph showing the right hand court in use (from 1914) exists in theFrith Collection.

Headmasters

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Brixton from 1913

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King's College, from 1893

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Notable former pupils

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See also:Category:People educated at the Strand School
School War Memorial to those who died in World War I
School War Memorial to those who died in World War II

Former pupils are known as Old Strandians.[3]They include the following:

References

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  1. ^abc"Strand School/ King's College London Archives".Archived fromthe originalon 7 October 2007.Retrieved26 August2007.
  2. ^abcdeKeith Dakin-White, 'History of Strand School, 1875–1913', written for MA in Science Education, Chelsea College, University of London, 1984
  3. ^abcdLondon County Council, (1962), Secondary Schools in Bermondsey, Lambeth and Southwark, Division 8, page 22
  4. ^"The Strand, southern tributaries – continued", British History online
  5. ^The Strand School Magazine,Vol. XII, no. 8, December 1953, p. 19.
  6. ^The Strand,Vol. X11, no. 13, July 1956, p. 29.
  7. ^The Times,20 April 1936, p. 15.
  8. ^"Fatal hike became a nazi propaganda coup" by Kate Connolly,The Guardianonline
  9. ^The Times,20 May 1936, p. 13.
  10. ^"Fatal hike became nazi propaganda coup" by Kate Connolly,The Guardianonline
  11. ^Egon Schwär:Sagen in Oberried und seinen Ortsteilen Hofsgrund, St. Wilhelm,Zastlerund Weilersbach.3. Auflage. Freiburger Echo Verlag, 2008,ISBN978-3-86028-199-4,S. 60;The Times,9 Nov 1938, p. 11.
  12. ^London County Council, (1962), Secondary Schools in Bermondsey, Lambeth and Southwark, Division 8
  13. ^London County Council, Secondary Schools: Division 8, April 1962, page 24.
  14. ^abHouse of Commons Speech by Margaret Thatcher (Secondary Education (Opposition motion)), (1 February 1973), (Hansard HC [849/1639-68])
  15. ^"King's College, London archives, show pupils' details 1946–1979".Archived fromthe originalon 14 August 2016.Retrieved6 July2016.
  16. ^Lambeth Planning Applications Committee, Case No. 06/02778/RG3, Page 100, (Lambeth Planning)
  17. ^Lambeth Planning Applications Committee,Case 06/02778/RG3 The Strand Centre,(2006), (Lambeth Planning)
  18. ^ab› Services
  19. ^Elm Court School
  20. ^abcEdmund Bird, (January 1997), Consultation Draft Report & Character Assessment Statement for the Proposed Brixton Hill Conservation Area, (London Borough of Lambeth Environmental Services)
  21. ^The Strand,Vol. XII, no. 13, July 1956, p. 3.
  22. ^Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (1992).The Alphabet of the Saints.ACL & Polar Publishing. p. 97.ISBN0-9514862-3-3.
  23. ^The Times,10 March 1920, p, 13.
  24. ^The Times,13 December 1911, p. 11.
  25. ^The Times,16 February 1911, p. 11.
  26. ^The Times,16 Dec 1910, p. 12.
  27. ^Watkins Shaw,The Succession of Organists of the Chapel Royal and the Cathedrals of England and Wales from c. 1538, Also of the Organists of the Collegiate Churches of Westminster and Windsor, Certain Academic Choral Foundations, and the Cathedrals of Armagh and Dublin,(1991), (Oxford Univ Pr)
  28. ^Australian Academy of Science
  29. ^Obituary: Charles Alfred Fisher, MA, D. Lit., 1916–1982The Geographical Journal,Vol. 148, No. 2 (Jul., 1982), pp. 296–297:[1]
  30. ^abDolman, Bernard, (1927),Who's who in Art,(Art Trade Press)
  31. ^HMS ENDURANCE Visit and Learn websiteArchived26 May 2007 at theWayback Machine
  32. ^Royal Society (Great Britain), (1955), Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, (Royal Society (Great Britain)
  33. ^"Mick Jones: interview - Time Out London 40th birthday heroes".Archived fromthe originalon 17 November 2015.
  34. ^ Lovelock's autobiography
  35. ^George Cross Database
  36. ^Ronald Henry Coase, (1995),Essays on Economics and Economists,Page 176, (University of Chicago Press)
  37. ^"An Interview with Jeremy Spencer of Fleetwood Mac: True blues music seems to have a healing quality for the heart".
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