Catalogue description NATIONAL SCHOOLS

This record is held by London Metropolitan Archives: City of London

Details of ACC/1341
Reference: ACC/1341
Title: NATIONAL SCHOOLS
Description:

The plans (this term includes elevations and sections etc.) for each school are kept together in their original envelope on which is written the name of the school and a number.

 

Name of School.

 

The name of the school is taken from the plans and is supplemented by information from the envelope e.g. N[ational] S[chool]. If the school name is not on the plan it is taken from the envelope.

 

Type of plan.

 

The order of the plans is usually site plans, block plans, ground plans, elevations and sections respectively, except where plans are fastened together or where they are numbered in which case the numbered items are placed in sequence at the beginning. Chronological order has not been adhered to because many plans are not dated.

 

Plans are of proposed buildings or extensions to buildings. Occasionally the present building plans are also given in which case "present" and "proposed" are inserted appropriately to make the distinction clear.

 

Elevations are only marked "north", "south" etc. where the elevations of a school occur on different plans. "Coloured" means that several colors have been used and not just two different shaded of the same colour.

 

Doors, windows, W.Cs etc. are often marked as "details".

 

Size.

 

Measurements are accurate to the nearest ½cm.

 

Scale.

 

The scale is given as a fraction of an inch to one foot where practicable.

 

Architect.

 

Where no indication is given as to whether a signature is that of the architect "Kelly's Directory of Middlesex" and the "Post Office London Directory" have been consulted. By using the street or trades directories it is possible to discover whether the person in question was an architect, builder or civil engineer. If the name has not been found "not given" is written.

 

Original number.

 

This is the number on the envelope containing the plans. Any additional number is the number on the plan.

 

Date.

 

The date is taken from the plan. If the only date on the plan is the date where the contract was signed, then the year only is given in square brackets.

Date: 1851 - 1871
Held by: London Metropolitan Archives: City of London, not available at The National Archives
Language: English
Creator:

National Society for promoting the education of the poor in the principles of the Established Church, 1811-1870

British and Foreign School Society, 1814-1870

Physical description: 67 Series
Publication note:

Sources.

 

L. Woodward, "The Age of Reform 1815-1870" (End ed. 1962). Oxford History of England.

 

"Guide to the Contents of the Public Record Office" Vol. III (1968). "Encyclopaedia Britannica" (1947).

Administrative / biographical background:

Prior to the 1870 Education Act, most elementary education was in the hands of religious societies and reflected the rivalry which existed between the established church and the non-conformists. In 1815 the two most important societies were the "National Society for promoting the education of the poor in the principles of the established church" (founded in 1811) and the "British and Foreign School Society" (founded in 1814). The former taught the liturgy and the catcechism of the Church of England, the latter enforced bible reading, but excluded denominational teaching.

 

The earliest entry by the state into the field education was in 1833 when parliament voted £20,000, "for the purposes of education", thus initiating the system of the annual grant voted by Parliament. The funds were to be confined to the erection of school buildings and to be administered through the National, and the British and Foreign School Societies. Preference was given to schools in large towns and the grant was available only in cases where voluntary contributions met half the cast of the new school.

 

The funds granted by Parliament were administered by the Treasury between 1833 and 1839 and subsequently by the Committee of Council on Education until statutory provision for building grants cased in 1870. After the passing of the 1870 Education Act building grants were continued temporarily for those who applied before 31 December 1870.

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