| 1796-1818 |
In 1796 Robert Piggott (a philanthropist) bequeathed just over £6000+ for the education of 20 poor boys and 20 girls (in 2 separate schools) in Wargrave.
The original school buildings were on Wargrave High Street and pupils aged between 7 – 12 years attended |
| 1818-1862 |
In 1818 ‘Piggott’s School’ joined with the local Church School (then in Victoria Road) and prospered there until 1862. |
| 1862-1910 |
By 1862 the school had grown so big that it needed new premises – these were built on School Hill in 1862 (current home of the Robert Piggott Junior School). |
| 1910-1930s |
But population growth meant that this was still not big enough, so the infants moved out, back to the Victoria Road site in 1910 (new buildings were eventually built for them in Beverley Gardens in 1963). |
| 1930s |
That’s how it remained until 1930s, when local people and the Church decided a new school for secondary-age children only should be built.
This was driven by Canon Stephen Winter, the local vicar.
A local landowner, Mr Bond, offered some of his land. |
| 1935-1936 |
In 1935 plans were underway to build a new school of 352 children.
It would take boys and girls up to the age of 14 years, but it took an Act of Parliament in 1936 before the plans could be formally agreed.
This enabled local communities, the Church and local politicians to work together for the first time to form new schools. |
| 1937-1938 |
Final agreement for the Wargrave School was given in 1937.
The Local Authority agreed to pay 75% of total costs if local people came up with the remaining amount – this amounted to just over £6000. |
| 1939 |
After two years of fund raising, building finally started in 1939, on 11 acres of land given by Mr Bond.
Builders moved on to site in August 1939:
20 men, earning 1/- (one shilling - equal to 5p) an hour. All the work and building was done by hand – there wasn’t even a cement mixer!
Total cost: £23,166 – part of which being a loan that the Local Authority took out and then took 30 years to pay back.
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The Foundation Stone was laid on 12th October 1939 at 12 noon in a Founders Day Service attended by the Bishops of Oxford, Buckingham and Dorchester.
The new school would serve families in:
Wargrave, Twyford, Hurley, Waltham St Lawrence, White Waltham, Charvil and Sonning
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Foundation Stone - photo taken in 2009 | |
| 1940 |
The school was officially opened on 18th September 1940 by Canon Winter.
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The school was originally built for 320 children. It was too small as soon as it was opened in 1940, because war had broken out and a massive evacuation programme was underway (2 million children moved out of London in 3 days). This meant a doubling of the local population of children and far more children had to be accommodated.
Morning school was therefore organised for ‘home’ children’. Afternoon school was for the ‘visitors’. | |
