Catalogue description SOUTH METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT

Administration and registers

South Metropolitan School District, 1849-1902

• Local educational bodies

The South Metropolitan School District formed by an order of the Poor Law Board dated 12 March 1849, comprised at the date of its formation the St. Olave's Union and the Parishes of St. Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, St. Mary, Rotherhithe, and St. Giles, Camberwell. The Greenwich Union was added in October 1849, the Parish of St. Mary, Newington, in July 1854, the Woolwich Union in June 1868, and the Stepney Union in April 1873. Although it was not the wish of the parish authorities St. Mary Newington was separated from the School District on its annexation to the St. Saviour's Union in October 1869. Attempts of the St. Olave's Union (1879) and the Parish of Camberwell (1893) to withdraw from the School District were unsuccessful.

Land for the Brighton Road School was purchased in 1851, the main building was erected in 1852-55 (a portion of it was destroyed by fire in 1856), and occupied from April 1855 to September 1902. Further land was purchased and additional buildings erected during the period 1865-1894.

Land for the Banstead Road School was purchased in 1880, the building was erected in 1882-84, and occupied from September 1884 to May 1902.

The Herne Bay School, originally a seaside hotel, was purchased and extensively altered in 1875, and was occupied from July 1876 to December 1897.

Witham School, the former Witham Union Workhouse, was purchased, and extensively altered in 1882, and occupied from August 1882 to November 1900. Further land was purchased and additional buildings erected during the period 1884-1898.

The report of the Poor Law Schools Committee of 1896, which was opposed to large schools, appears to have been decisive in determining the fate of the School District. On 22 November 1897 the Local Government Board stated that the school accommodation was inadequate and an order dissolving the School District would be issued. To allow sufficient time for the disposal of properties, and for the Boards of Guardians to make arrangements for their children elsewhere, the order was to come into force as and from 30 September 1899, but owing to difficulties in making these arrangements the dissolution had to be postponed five times before it finally became operative on 29 September 1902.

The Metropolitan Asylums Board purchased the Herne Bay School in 1897 for £17,000 and after protracted negotiations, in 1900-1902 agreed to purchase the other schools for £203,000. The Herne Bay School was renamed St. Ann's Home. Brighton Road School, renamed Belmont Institution, was, except for a small portion of land which became Belmont Laboratories, sold in 1908 to the Fulham Guardians. Banstead Road School became the Downs Hospital, whilst Witham School, renamed Bridge Industrial Home was attached to Darenth Training Colony.

The Parish of Camberwell and the Woolwich Union, having successfully made arrangements for their children, were separated from the District under a Local Government Board Order from 29 March 1902.

Although the School District was dissolved on 29 September 1902, the last Acting Managers continued to meet until 21 June 1905. This was almost solely due to the difficulty of arranging for the transfer to the Acting Managers of the Stock held by the Bank of England since the Bank considered that the existing statutory powers were inadequate. An unsuccessful action was brought against the Bank on 6 February 1904, which led to the passing of the Poor Law Authorities (Transfer of Property) Act, 1904. This laid down procedures for dissolution and transfer of stock, its provisions being made retrospective to cover the difficulties of the South Metropolitan School District. The Bank, however, was still not completely satisfied, and the issue was not resolved until a Local Government Board Order of 21 March 1905 allowed the transfer of stock to take place.

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