Ardale School for Boys, Grays, Essex
In 1901, the Stepney Board of Guardians erected a cottage homes development for its pauper children at Stifford, near Grays, Essex. In 1930, the establishment was taken over by the London County Council and in June, 1935, was certified for use a boys' Approved School, adopting the name Ardale School. The headmaster in 1936 was Mr John Atkinson.
The School provided accommodation for up to 140 Senior Boys, aged between their 15th and 17th birthdays at their date of admission. Training was provided for the boys in woodwork, metalwork, poultry farming, gardening and horticulture.
The site prior to its conversion to an Approved School is shown on the 1920 map below.
Ardale School site, Grays, c.1920.
By 1965, management of the School had passed to Essex County Council. The capacity of the premises was now 133 places, and the headmaster was Mr G.H.B. Shaw.
In 1973, the School became a Community Home with Education (CHE), now under the control of Newham London Borough Council.
The site has now been converted to private residential use, with most of the original buildings demolished. However, the water tower and two of the 'cottages' survive.
Former Ardale School for Boys, Grays, 2005. © Peter Higginbotham
Former Ardale School for Boys, Grays, 2005. © Peter Higginbotham
Records
Note: many repositories impose a closure period of up to 100 years for records identifying individuals. Before travelling a long distance, always check that the records you want to consult will be available.
- The
Ancestry UK
website has two collections of London workhouse records (both name searchable):
- The Find My Past website has workhouse / poor law records for Westminster.
- London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London EC1R OHB. Has extensive plans of the buildings.
Bibliography
- Higginbotham, Peter Children's Homes: A History of Institutional Care for Britain's Young (2017, Pen & Sword)
- Hyland,Jim Yesterday's Answers: Yesterday's Answers: Development and Decline of Schools for Young Offenders (1993, Whiting and Birch)
- Millham, S, Bullock, R, and Cherrett, P After Grace — Teeth: a comparative study of the residential experience of boys in Approved Schools (1975, Chaucer Publishing)
Links
- The Therapeutic Care Journal — has a number of articles relating to Approved Schools.
Except where indicated, this page () © Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.
