Cranford: Schools

SCHOOLS.

There was a charity school in Cranford in the earlier part of the 18th century, (fn. 1) but this had been discontinued by 1819, when the poor were said to be 'destitute of the means' to provide education for their children. (fn. 2) A Sunday school was started in 1828 which was instructing 59 children by 1833. (fn. 3) In 1845 they were taught by a master and mistress. (fn. 4) In 1833 there was only one other parish in the county, and that a small city one, where the sole education was provided by a Sunday school. (fn. 5) Until 1870 there was usually a private academy or dame school in the village, but these seem generally to have been fairly shortlived. (fn. 6) In 1848 a National school was opened jointly by Harlington and Cranford. It was in Harlington, though at one time the parish clerk of Cranford was the master. (fn. 7)

In 1883 a National school for girls and infants was established in Cranford itself. (fn. 8) The older boys continued to attend the Harlington school for some years, but were also accommodated at Cranford by 1899. (fn. 9) The school consisted, as opened, of two rooms, and was taught by a certificated mistress. (fn. 10) In 1931 it was reorganized to take 108 juniors only and the building was removed from the Board of Education's list of defective premises. (fn. 11) It was closed in 1938. (fn. 12)

The borough of Heston and Isleworth opened Cranford junior and infants council school in Berkeley Avenue for 400 pupils. It was intended to relieve the pressure on accommodation at the Church school and also to take some pupils from Hounslow Heath School. (fn. 13) By 1958 four other schools had been opened for the Cranford area of Heston and Isleworth, but only one was in the ancient parish: this was Woodfield Secondary Modern School, which was opened in 1954. (fn. 14) Cranford Park School, Roseville Road, in the part of the old parish that now lay in the urban district of Hayes and Harlintgon, was opened in 1939. (fn. 15)