The Royal Alexandra and Albert School
Encyclopedia
The Royal Alexandra and Albert School is a co-educational, comprehensive, state maintained boarding school located in Reigate
, Surrey
. The current, full-time headmaster is Mr. Paul Spencer Ellis. The Royal Alexandra and Albert School Act, of 1949, united The Royal Alexandra School, which was founded in 1758, and The Royal Albert orphan School, which was founded in 1864 as a national memorial to Prince Albert.
. The school expanded under the secretaryship of Joseph Soul
in Hampstead. It continued to expand and it opened a linked convalescent home in Margate
.
The other part of the school was known as the Royal Albert Orphan Asylum, being named in memory of Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert
. It was situated in Camberley, just outside Bagshot's boundary, and was opened in 1864. The second school was intended for children between the age of five and eight and was founded by the Orphan Working School with Joseph Soul as the first honorary secretary. In 1867 Queen Victoria planted a Wellingtonia Gigantica tree during an "Inauguration Ceremony" for the school. A "stone" at the site was engraved VIR 1867 and is mistakenly thought by some to be the foundation stone of the building. The Wellingtonia survives to this day. After the school left, the site was for a while used as the WRAC College. As well as learning, the boys at the school were required to work: for example on the farm, in the gardens, in a tailor's shop and in a cobbler's workshop.
were previously owned by Sir Jeremiah Colman
of Colman's mustard
and were extensively landscaped by celebrated 18th century landscape garden
er Capability Brown
.
Reigate
Reigate is a historic market town in Surrey, England, at the foot of the North Downs, and in the London commuter belt. It is one of the main constituents of the Borough of Reigate and Banstead...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. The current, full-time headmaster is Mr. Paul Spencer Ellis. The Royal Alexandra and Albert School Act, of 1949, united The Royal Alexandra School, which was founded in 1758, and The Royal Albert orphan School, which was founded in 1864 as a national memorial to Prince Albert.
History of The Royal Albert orphan school
The earliest link in the school's history goes back to the Orphan Working School which was founded in 1758 by fourteen men meeting in an Inn led by the Rev. Dr. Edward PickardEdward Pickard
Rev. Dr Edward Pickard was a dissenting minister who founded the Orphan Working School in 1758. The Orphan school would eventually become a school in Reigate in Surrey. He also led a group who tried to change the law restricting the rights of dissenting ministers.-Biography:Pickard was born in...
. The school expanded under the secretaryship of Joseph Soul
Joseph Soul
Joseph Soul was a nineteenth century British reformer who worked for 36 years to assist the plight of orphaned children in London and in support of the abolition of slavery...
in Hampstead. It continued to expand and it opened a linked convalescent home in Margate
Margate
-Demography:As of the 2001 UK census, Margate had a population of 40,386.The ethnicity of the town was 97.1% white, 1.0% mixed race, 0.5% black, 0.8% Asian, 0.6% Chinese or other ethnicity....
.
The other part of the school was known as the Royal Albert Orphan Asylum, being named in memory of Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert
Prince Albert
Prince Albert was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria.Prince Albert may also refer to:-Royalty:*Prince Albert Edward or Edward VII of the United Kingdom , son of Albert and Victoria...
. It was situated in Camberley, just outside Bagshot's boundary, and was opened in 1864. The second school was intended for children between the age of five and eight and was founded by the Orphan Working School with Joseph Soul as the first honorary secretary. In 1867 Queen Victoria planted a Wellingtonia Gigantica tree during an "Inauguration Ceremony" for the school. A "stone" at the site was engraved VIR 1867 and is mistakenly thought by some to be the foundation stone of the building. The Wellingtonia survives to this day. After the school left, the site was for a while used as the WRAC College. As well as learning, the boys at the school were required to work: for example on the farm, in the gardens, in a tailor's shop and in a cobbler's workshop.
History of Gatton Park
The school's grounds, Gatton ParkGatton Park
Gatton Park is a country estate set in parkland near Gatton in Surrey, England.Now owned by The Royal Alexandra and Albert school, Gatton Park constitutes of manor and parkland. The property is Grade II listed and is in part administered by the National Trust...
were previously owned by Sir Jeremiah Colman
Sir Jeremiah Colman, 1st Baronet
Sir Jeremiah Colman, 1st Baronet was a well-known industrialist who developed Colman's Mustard into an international concern.-Career:...
of Colman's mustard
Colman's
Colman's is a UK manufacturer of mustard and various other sauces, based at Carrow, in Norwich, Norfolk. Presently an operational division of the multinational Unilever company, Colman's is one of the oldest existing food brands, famous for a limited range of products, almost all varieties of...
and were extensively landscaped by celebrated 18th century landscape garden
Landscape garden
The term landscape garden is often used to describe the English garden design style characteristic of the eighteenth century, that swept the Continent replacing the formal Renaissance garden and Garden à la française models. The work of Lancelot 'Capability' Brown is particularly influential.The...
er Capability Brown
Capability Brown
Lancelot Brown , more commonly known as Capability Brown, was an English landscape architect. He is remembered as "the last of the great English eighteenth-century artists to be accorded his due", and "England's greatest gardener". He designed over 170 parks, many of which still endure...
.