HISTORY OF
THE BRITISH & RAGGED SCHOOLS
OF BRENTFORD
The National Schools were very much under the wing of
the Anglican Church and in 1810 the British and Foreign
School Society was formed to establish non-denominational
schools which were known as' British Schools in 1834 non
conformists opened a British School in Old Spring Gardens
(which was just east of the County Court) In 1859 it moved
to purpose built premises on the north side of the High
Street (a site now occupied by Alexandra House, the Community
Resources Centre). This school, financed by local benefactors
was considered to be one of the best in London in 1872. So
generous were the Rothschild family of Gunnersbury Park that
the school had been renamed the Rothschild School by 1906.
It was taken over by the Borough of Ealing in 1919 and closed
in 1930 when Brentford Secondary Modern School was opened.
The building was demolished in 1936. The Ragged School Union
opened free Ragged schools for the very poorest children. The
Union ran Sunday schools in Brentford from 1854 and in 1867
opened a free weekday school in the former premises of the
British School in Old Spring Gardens. After 1873 children
from the Ragged school attended St Paul's school.