Common Road The Boys’ School

Due the number of pupils growing so quickly, the original school (the National School on the Common founded 1847) was deemed inadequate, so a separate boy’s school was built on land given by the Earl of Verulam in 1879. There was part work at the Silk Mill and part schooling -three hours at school on alternate days! Many left at age 13 to work full time. There were annual inspections by H.M. School Inspectors and it was important to impress these visitors as the amount of ‘grant’ given to the school was decided by their report. This was the football team of 1929/30. The school was finally closed in 1967.

The building is now used for nursery and pre-school children.