Comments on: At The Rochelle Infants’ School

By: Elizabeth cornwell

Elizabeth cornwell — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 07:56:29 +0000

What an interesting story,& what a good point made by oxana,why cant these old schoolbuildings be adapted to modern times & modern teaching ideas.Much better than some of these awful 60 s buildings that are falling down already.

By: annie

annie — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 13:38:45 +0000

Thank you for a very interesting article on the Rochelle School.

I have had the pleasure of seeing inside on two or three occasions in the past few years when it has been used to show art exhibitions, it’s such an interesting building.
I had assumed that it was built at the same time as the Boundary Estate so was very interested to read it had been there in the times of the original slum.
I really hope it can be saved in it’s original form.

By: Save The London Fruit and Wool Exchange

Save The London Fruit and Wool Exchange — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:30:26 +0000

Hopefully, it will be a unanimous NO from Tower Hamlets members tonight – just as it was TWICE NO for the demolition of the London Fruit and Wool Exchange. These were both historic public buildings in our Borough that are now only viewed as development opportunities by their new owners. Local history groups or historians like Tom Ridge, are never consulted on these applications. Why? Then the similarly excluded wider communities who live and work near, in or around these historic Tower Hamlets buildings are left with no voice except to sign petitions to object.
We have been through Mother Levy’s Jewish Maternity Home, Spitalfields Market’s Exchange (also The Gun pub, Barclays Bank and Dorset Street), and now the Rochelle Street Infants School – all have had to resort to petitions to try and protect Tower Hamlets’ built heritage.
Mother Levy’s was tragically demolished – it did not even make it to Committee. Let that be the last, please. (English Heritage are yet to decide on Listing for the 1929 Exchange.)
Thank you to the Gentle Author for once again showing the world the wonderful historic buildings we have and for highlighting another campaign to stop this seemingly endless destruction.

By: Ron Pummell

Ron Pummell — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:19:57 +0000

I attended Columbia Rd Junior School from 1942 until July 1948. At one time we walked to Rochelle Street School for our Lunch. The Headmaster at Columbia Rd. was Mr Nelson and other male staff were M/s Bridle, King, Hawkins and Norman. Female teachers included Misses Clarke, Doe and Johnson. The milk lady was Mrs Smith who lived in that court between Ezra and Shipton St opposite the bakers.
I well remember Mr Norman, who always wore a bowler hat outside, helping a youny 10 year old boy to walk quicker back to his classroom after morning assembly.

By: aubrey

aubrey — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 10:10:43 +0000

Its architecture fits perfectly with the surrounding Boundary Estate. Extensive alterations would be a travesty. Should radical refurbishment be carried out then, in my opinion, a historic building would have been destroyed. Mores the pity. Although I was not educated at this institution, I did attend some activities in the evenings after school.

By: Oxana

Oxana — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 09:43:39 +0000

What puzzles me about London is that former schools (purpose built and planned buildings) are used for anything but schools and modern schoolchildren attend places which were never intended to be a school. (My kid for example goes to a places which used to be a printing house)

By: gary

gary — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 08:56:05 +0000

in years to come this blog could well be important witting testimony to a London long gone, very well done and I think we should have more of Mr Pussy in every post after all he is your muse!!!!!! Well Done, start protesting now.

By: Vicky

Vicky — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 08:30:01 +0000

Another beautiful building about to be desecrated, but lets hope the outcome here is a better one. Surely a use can be found for these buildings which does not destroy their symmetry and beauty. Tom Ridge has done another sterling job researching the history of the school, as he did with the Jewish maternity hospital recently.
Tower Hamlets Development Committee – you won’t let us down, will you?