Collection KCSD - KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA SCHOOL DISTRICT

Identity area

Reference code

KCSD

Title

KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA SCHOOL DISTRICT

Date(s)

  • 1876-1934 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

16.38 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The 1834 Poor Law Act led to improvements in the arrangements made for the education of pauper children. Poor Law Unions, and parishes regulated by local acts, were persuaded to establish schools and to appoint schoolmasters. The policy of separating the children from their parents (who were generally considered to be a bad influence on their children) and sending them, if possible, to the country was continued and in 1866 several Middlesex metropolitan authorities were sending children to schools outside London. The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1844 made possible a further development in this field which was of significance for the metropolitan area. Unions and parishes were empowered to unite and to form a School District which then set up a large separate school for the education of all the indoor pauper children of the constituents of the district. These were usually industrial schools where both boys and girls were taught the basics of a useful trade which, it was hoped, would provide them with better prospects in future.

Kensington and Chelsea School District was founded in 1876, comprising the Poor Law Unions of Kensington and Chelsea. The School District decided not to construct a large district school, instead establishing a cottage homes development at Banstead in Surrey. This took the form of small houses reminiscent of a family home, with separate school buildings, workshops and recreation facilities. A branch school, Marlesford Lodge, was constructed in Hammersmith. This acted as a 'filter school', preventing unsuitable children from being transferred to the Banstead Homes, such those with parents in custody, those with infectious ailments and those under the age of 4.

Source of information: Peter Higginbotham at The Workhouse website.

Archival history

KCSD 1876-1934 Collection 16.38 linear metres Kensington and Chelsea School District

The 1834 Poor Law Act led to improvements in the arrangements made for the education of pauper children. Poor Law Unions, and parishes regulated by local acts, were persuaded to establish schools and to appoint schoolmasters. The policy of separating the children from their parents (who were generally considered to be a bad influence on their children) and sending them, if possible, to the country was continued and in 1866 several Middlesex metropolitan authorities were sending children to schools outside London. The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1844 made possible a further development in this field which was of significance for the metropolitan area. Unions and parishes were empowered to unite and to form a School District which then set up a large separate school for the education of all the indoor pauper children of the constituents of the district. These were usually industrial schools where both boys and girls were taught the basics of a useful trade which, it was hoped, would provide them with better prospects in future.

Kensington and Chelsea School District was founded in 1876, comprising the Poor Law Unions of Kensington and Chelsea. The School District decided not to construct a large district school, instead establishing a cottage homes development at Banstead in Surrey. This took the form of small houses reminiscent of a family home, with separate school buildings, workshops and recreation facilities. A branch school, Marlesford Lodge, was constructed in Hammersmith. This acted as a 'filter school', preventing unsuitable children from being transferred to the Banstead Homes, such those with parents in custody, those with infectious ailments and those under the age of 4.

Source of information: Peter Higginbotham at The Workhouse website.

Records received along with the records of the successor organisation. Additional minutes received in 1983 (ACC/1846).

Records of Kensington and Chelsea School District, 1876-1934, including minutes and agendas of the Board; Superintendent's reports; Education Committee, Finance Committee, Garden Committee and Visiting Committee minutes; papers concerning schools at Banstead and Hammersmith; financial accounts; inspection reports; annual reports; regulations, standing orders and instructions; general correspondence; correspondence with and orders of the Local Government Board and the Ministry of Health; inventories of furniture at Marlesford Lodge; admission and discharge registers and creed registers for Marlesford Lodge and Banstead Schools; Superintendent's weekly returns and journals; registers of staff; buildings plans of Banstead School and Marlesford Lodge.

Arranged in 12 sections: Minutes; Superintendent Reports; Agendas; Committee papers; School papers; Finance; Tenders; Reports; Correspondence; Inventories; Admission and creed registers; Staff; Plans.

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Copyright: City of London
English

Fit

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

For the Kensington Poor Law Union see reference KBG, for the Chelsea Poor Law Union see reference CHBG.

For a detailed history see website 'The Workhouse' (http://www.workhouses.org.uk).

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. April to June 2009 Disadvantaged groups Disadvantaged children Educational management School inspections Educational institutions Schools Educational administration School boards Educational governing bodies Social welfare Child welfare Construction engineering Building design Building standards Accommodation Housing Residential care homes Health services Care Care of children Visual materials Plans Building plans Information sources Documents Education records School admission registers Kensington and Chelsea School District Kensington and Chelsea Cottage Homes School , Banstead, Surrey Marlesford Lodge , Hammersmith Ministry of Health Hammersmith and Fulham London England UK Western Europe Hammersmith Chelsea Kensington Banstead Surrey Kensington and Chelsea Europe

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Records received along with the records of the successor organisation. Additional minutes received in 1983 (ACC/1846).

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of Kensington and Chelsea School District, 1876-1934, including minutes and agendas of the Board; Superintendent's reports; Education Committee, Finance Committee, Garden Committee and Visiting Committee minutes; papers concerning schools at Banstead and Hammersmith; financial accounts; inspection reports; annual reports; regulations, standing orders and instructions; general correspondence; correspondence with and orders of the Local Government Board and the Ministry of Health; inventories of furniture at Marlesford Lodge; admission and discharge registers and creed registers for Marlesford Lodge and Banstead Schools; Superintendent's weekly returns and journals; registers of staff; buildings plans of Banstead School and Marlesford Lodge.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Arranged in 12 sections: Minutes; Superintendent Reports; Agendas; Committee papers; School papers; Finance; Tenders; Reports; Correspondence; Inventories; Admission and creed registers; Staff; Plans.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright: City of London

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

For the Kensington Poor Law Union see reference KBG, for the Chelsea Poor Law Union see reference CHBG.

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area