Bearwood College
Encyclopedia
Bearwood College is a secondary
co-educational independent school
located at Bearwood House at Sindlesham
, near Wokingham
, in the English
county of Berkshire
. Before the 1990s, it was the Royal Merchant Navy School.
John Walter (1818-1894)
, who was an editor of The Times
newspaper, bought the 5000 acres (20.2 km²) estate in which the school is now located. He built a mansion within it, which used bricks created from clay extracted from a site within the estate, and it served as his country seat. A dam was constructed around the site, which was then flooded to form a 47 acres (190,202.4 m²) lake.
after the First World War, and the Royal Merchant Navy School moved there from Snaresbrook
in March 1921. The Royal Merchant Navy School was originally a Merchant Seamen's Orphanage, founded in October 1827 in the City of London
. The purpose of the orphanage
was to care for the children of those who were lost at sea, whilst educating them. By 1862, the orphanage with the support of Albert, Prince Consort (the husband of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom) and John Russell, 1st Earl Russell
(a British prime minister
), had raised enough money to construct new buildings at Snaresbrook. In 1902, King Edward VII of the United Kingdom approved the application of the title "Royal" to the establishment, and King Edward VII changed the name of the orphanage to the Royal Merchant Navy School. The school moved from Snaresbrook because of circumstances relating to the First World War.
By 1961, the number of orphans being cared for by the school had reduced compared to the number in the late 19th century, as a result of the smaller size of the British merchant fleet relative to the same period. The school then accepted fee-paying scholars, and changed its name to Bearwood College. From 1961 to 1996, the school allowed only boys to become pupils but now allows both genders entrance. The school does continue to accept some orphans. The college has a preparatory school
, which was opened in September 2007.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
co-educational independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
located at Bearwood House at Sindlesham
Sindlesham
Sindlesham is an estate village in the civil parish of Winnersh, Borough of Wokingham, and county of Berkshire, in South East England. Located by the M4 motorway, it is south-east of Reading and adjoins Winnersh village...
, near Wokingham
Wokingham
Wokingham is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire in South East England about west of central London. It is about east-southeast of Reading and west of Bracknell. It spans an area of and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 30,403...
, in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. Before the 1990s, it was the Royal Merchant Navy School.
History of the house
John Walter (third)
John Walter was an English newspaper publisher and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1847 and 1885....
, who was an editor of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
newspaper, bought the 5000 acres (20.2 km²) estate in which the school is now located. He built a mansion within it, which used bricks created from clay extracted from a site within the estate, and it served as his country seat. A dam was constructed around the site, which was then flooded to form a 47 acres (190,202.4 m²) lake.
History of the school
The mansion was acquired by Sir Thomas Devitt and Sir Alfred YarrowAlfred Yarrow
Sir Alfred Fernandez Yarrow, 1st Baronet, of Homestead was a British shipbuilder who started a shipbuilding dynasty, Yarrow Shipbuilders.-Life and career:...
after the First World War, and the Royal Merchant Navy School moved there from Snaresbrook
Snaresbrook
Snaresbrook is an area of north-east London, mostly in the London Borough of Redbridge. A small part falls within the London Borough of Waltham Forest...
in March 1921. The Royal Merchant Navy School was originally a Merchant Seamen's Orphanage, founded in October 1827 in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. The purpose of the orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
was to care for the children of those who were lost at sea, whilst educating them. By 1862, the orphanage with the support of Albert, Prince Consort (the husband of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom) and John Russell, 1st Earl Russell
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, KG, GCMG, PC , known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was an English Whig and Liberal politician who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century....
(a British prime minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
), had raised enough money to construct new buildings at Snaresbrook. In 1902, King Edward VII of the United Kingdom approved the application of the title "Royal" to the establishment, and King Edward VII changed the name of the orphanage to the Royal Merchant Navy School. The school moved from Snaresbrook because of circumstances relating to the First World War.
By 1961, the number of orphans being cared for by the school had reduced compared to the number in the late 19th century, as a result of the smaller size of the British merchant fleet relative to the same period. The school then accepted fee-paying scholars, and changed its name to Bearwood College. From 1961 to 1996, the school allowed only boys to become pupils but now allows both genders entrance. The school does continue to accept some orphans. The college has a preparatory school
Preparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
, which was opened in September 2007.