Commonweal Lodge
Encyclopedia
Commonweal Lodge was an independent
school for girls aged between eleven and nineteen, located on the Webb Estate in Purley
operating between 1916 and 2010.
In 1925, it was extended by the construction of seven new classrooms, a library, extended cloakrooms, kitchens and a new staffroom. In 1931, a swimming pool was added. During World War II
, air raid shelters were built underneath the tennis courts. From 1941 to 1943, the school moved to Ardock, Lewdown, Devon, and the school buildings were occupied by military personnel, but by Autumn 1945 it was back, and by then had 70 pupils. In 1966, a gymnasium was built. In 1973, a second storey was added to the classrooms.
In 1997 the school merged with Downside School to create the association, Lodge School. Mixed pupils from the age of three attended the infant school, Silverdene Lodge, then continued in Downside Lodge from the age of six, and girls continued further in Commonweal Lodge from the age of eleven.
The school closed without prior warning during the Summer school holiday 2010, but the other two constituent schools of Lodge School remained open after the buildings were controversially bought for two million pounds by Linda Jenkins. The last head of the school was Pamela Maynard.
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...
school for girls aged between eleven and nineteen, located on the Webb Estate in Purley
Purley
- in England :*Purley, London**Purley Way, out-of-town retail area*Purley-on-Thames, in Berkshire- People :*David Purley , British race driver*Purley, several members of a fictional family in 1996's Secrets & Lies...
operating between 1916 and 2010.
History
The school was opened in 1916 by Margery Frances Bray (1895–1962), together with Elsie Bourne (1879–1937), after she had been asked to do so by William Webb, who planned and built the Webb Estate, in 1915. The school opened in the "Woodcote" Smithy near the village green with eight pupils, including Mary Webb, daughter of William Webb. In January 1917, it moved to the purpose built construction designed by Sidney Tachell located in Woodcote Lane, where it remained until its closure.In 1925, it was extended by the construction of seven new classrooms, a library, extended cloakrooms, kitchens and a new staffroom. In 1931, a swimming pool was added. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, air raid shelters were built underneath the tennis courts. From 1941 to 1943, the school moved to Ardock, Lewdown, Devon, and the school buildings were occupied by military personnel, but by Autumn 1945 it was back, and by then had 70 pupils. In 1966, a gymnasium was built. In 1973, a second storey was added to the classrooms.
In 1997 the school merged with Downside School to create the association, Lodge School. Mixed pupils from the age of three attended the infant school, Silverdene Lodge, then continued in Downside Lodge from the age of six, and girls continued further in Commonweal Lodge from the age of eleven.
The school closed without prior warning during the Summer school holiday 2010, but the other two constituent schools of Lodge School remained open after the buildings were controversially bought for two million pounds by Linda Jenkins. The last head of the school was Pamela Maynard.
School heads
- 1916-1960 Margery Frances Bray
- 1960-1966 Molly Lockwood
- 1966-1982 Miss Blunden
- 1982-1995 Miss Brown
- 1995-1998 Mrs Law
- 1998-2010 Pamela Maynard
Notable former pupils
- Sheila CameronSheila CameronSheila Morag Clark Cameron, CBE, QC, DCL , is a British lawyer. She was Dean of the Arches and Official Principal of the Arches Court of Canterbury from 2000 to 2009, and was therefore the senior ecclesiastical judge of the Church of England in that period. Since 1983 she has been Vicar-General of...
, lawyer
External links
- Lodge School at MyDaughterMyDaughterMyDaughter is a British website set up by the Girls' Schools Association offering advice to parents of daughters on all aspects of raising and educating girls...