Fay Twydell has provided this photo from 1997 showing St Paul's School.

The school opened in 1873 for primary, junior and infants, following the opening of St Paul's Church in 1867/8. An 1874 trade directory noted: 'St Paul's National schools, for boys and girls, erected 1873 at a cost of about £3,300, will accommodate 518 scholars'. Some of the earlier school teacher names are noted below.

The 1894 OS map shows the school had three adjoining buildings and was sited on the opposite side of St Paul's road to the church. Behind the school, between Lateward and Albany Roads, was a recreation ground with an obelisk and drinking fountain.

40 years later, the 1935 OS map shows a quarter of the recreation ground adjacent to the rear of the school now used as the children's playground. Both maps show schools grounds (at rear) split into two areas: one for boys, the other girls?

Headmasters

1874: Jonathan Fearnley, master; Miss Elizabeth Naish, mistress; Mrs McMaster, infants' mistress

1878: Jonathan Fearnley, master; Miss Annie Kirby, mistress; Miss Aitchison, infants' mistress

1882: Jonathan Fearnley, master; Miss Alice Kemp, mistress; Miss Elizabeth Lowe, infants' mistress

Although "Jonathan Fearnley" appears in three directories, he seems to have called himself 'John Fernley' (from checking censuses). He was born in Cheshire and married Sarah Clarke in Lambeth in 1870. Their first daughter, Sarah Annie, was born the following year and her birth was registered in Brentford. The Fernley family lived in Brentford End in 1871 and London Road, Isleworth in 1881.

1898: Hilton Grundy, master; Miss Cox, mistress; Miss M Cole, infants' mistress; the directory notes teh school was built for 774 children and average attendance was 187 boys, 134 girls and 318 infants (a total of 639; and why were there more boys than girls?)

1926: Major JEC Stroud, master; Miss M Cole, infants' mistress; 'This school is controlled by a sub-committee of 6 managers; Rev. Robert Beaty Dand, St Paul's vicarage, chairman and correspondent.'

See other photos provided by Fay dating from 1997.

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Published June 2011