Greenwich Blue Coat Girls' School
Encyclopedia
Blackheath Bluecoat Church of England School is a secondary school in Blackheath, London
.
, John Flamsteed
who was appointed by King Charles II
in 1675. The school began with thirty poor girls who were taken in for four years to be trained in household matters as well as reading, writing and the church catechism
. The girls were found positions in service in local houses.
The school rented a building in London Street (later Greenwich High Road) and was closely associated with the Parish Church of St Alfege. It moved to Lime Kiln Lane (later South Street) in 1756 and then in 1825 to a site at the top of Royal Hill, later Point Hill, Greenwich. The school remained there until 1959.
On the other side of Blackheath
the St John's Church of England National School was founded in 1854 as the first Church of England School in Blackheath for boys, girls and infants. The girls and infants were on a site in Russell Place (now Reynolds Place)and the boys in a local Mission Hall. In 1907 the London County Council
withdrew its support from the Boys' School and an appeal was launched to build a new school. The result was the Blackheath and Kidbrooke National Church of England School which was built ona site adjoining the old school in Old Dover Road. The school became a secondary mixed school.
In 1945 the London County Council felt that the Greenwich Girls' Blue Coat School, which by then was a technical school
providing tuition
in Housecraft, Catering
and Needlework
to 60 girls aged 14–16, was too small. In 1959 the school amalgamated with the Blackheath & Kidbrooke School to form the Blackheath & Bluecoat School. The old buildings in Point Hill were used as an annexe until 1963 when extensions were completed on the Old Dover Road site. In 1965 the school became known as Blackheath Bluecoat School.
A scheme to expand the school came to fruition in 1972 when building began on land adjoining the school. The new school was fully comprehensive with a target role of 1050 pupils including Sixth Form
.
In 2009 a new phase in the life of the school began when it became part of a federation with St Cecilia's Church of England School, Wandsworth
near Wimbledon lawn tennis club.
The school has extensive archives which include the original account books and minute books from 1700 and many other interesting books, letters and articles covering the whole period of its history. (Further information from www.bluecoathistory.co.uk)
Blackheath, London
Blackheath is a district of South London, England. It is named from the large open public grassland which separates it from Greenwich to the north and Lewisham to the west...
.
History
The Greenwich Blue Coat Girls' School was founded in 1700 by "several charitable ladies of this town". It is also mentioned by Dorothy George in her book about London life in the 18th Century. One of leaders of these ladies was Mrs Margaret Flamsteed, wife of the first Astronomer RoyalAstronomer Royal
Astronomer Royal is a senior post in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. There are two officers, the senior being the Astronomer Royal dating from 22 June 1675; the second is the Astronomer Royal for Scotland dating from 1834....
, John Flamsteed
John Flamsteed
Sir John Flamsteed FRS was an English astronomer and the first Astronomer Royal. He catalogued over 3000 stars.- Life :Flamsteed was born in Denby, Derbyshire, England, the only son of Stephen Flamsteed...
who was appointed by King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
in 1675. The school began with thirty poor girls who were taken in for four years to be trained in household matters as well as reading, writing and the church catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
. The girls were found positions in service in local houses.
The school rented a building in London Street (later Greenwich High Road) and was closely associated with the Parish Church of St Alfege. It moved to Lime Kiln Lane (later South Street) in 1756 and then in 1825 to a site at the top of Royal Hill, later Point Hill, Greenwich. The school remained there until 1959.
On the other side of Blackheath
Blackheath, London
Blackheath is a district of South London, England. It is named from the large open public grassland which separates it from Greenwich to the north and Lewisham to the west...
the St John's Church of England National School was founded in 1854 as the first Church of England School in Blackheath for boys, girls and infants. The girls and infants were on a site in Russell Place (now Reynolds Place)and the boys in a local Mission Hall. In 1907 the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
withdrew its support from the Boys' School and an appeal was launched to build a new school. The result was the Blackheath and Kidbrooke National Church of England School which was built ona site adjoining the old school in Old Dover Road. The school became a secondary mixed school.
In 1945 the London County Council felt that the Greenwich Girls' Blue Coat School, which by then was a technical school
Technical school
Technical school is a general term used for two-year college which provide mostly employment-preparation skills for trained labor, such as welding, culinary arts and office management.-Associations supporting technical schools:...
providing tuition
Tuition
Tuition payments, known primarily as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in British English, Canadian English, Australian English, New Zealand English and Indian English, refers to a fee charged for educational instruction during higher education.Tuition payments are charged by...
in Housecraft, Catering
Catering
Catering is the business of providing foodservice at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, public house , or other location.-Mobile catering:A mobile caterer serves food directly from a vehicle or cart that is designed for the purpose...
and Needlework
Needlework
Needlework is a broad term for the handicrafts of decorative sewing and textile arts. Anything that uses a needle for construction can be called needlework...
to 60 girls aged 14–16, was too small. In 1959 the school amalgamated with the Blackheath & Kidbrooke School to form the Blackheath & Bluecoat School. The old buildings in Point Hill were used as an annexe until 1963 when extensions were completed on the Old Dover Road site. In 1965 the school became known as Blackheath Bluecoat School.
A scheme to expand the school came to fruition in 1972 when building began on land adjoining the school. The new school was fully comprehensive with a target role of 1050 pupils including Sixth Form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
.
In 2009 a new phase in the life of the school began when it became part of a federation with St Cecilia's Church of England School, Wandsworth
Wandsworth
Wandsworth is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Toponymy:...
near Wimbledon lawn tennis club.
The school has extensive archives which include the original account books and minute books from 1700 and many other interesting books, letters and articles covering the whole period of its history. (Further information from www.bluecoathistory.co.uk)
Notable former pupils
- Paul Elliott, British footballer
- Stephen LawrenceStephen LawrenceStephen Lawrence was a black British teenager from Eltham, southeast London, who was stabbed to death while waiting for a bus on the evening of 22 April 1993....
- Rio FerdinandRio FerdinandRio Gavin Ferdinand is an English footballer. He plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team...