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A history of the Greenwich Blue Coat Schools

This picture taken in 1972 from the Rectory field known as ”The Rec” shows the original

1911 building in the middle with the 1961 addition (right) and the 1963 addition (left)

On 7th September 1959 Blackheath & Bluecoat School opened in the Blackheath & Kidbrook Schools building in Old Dover Road with additional girls from the Girls’ Blue Coat School Greenwich to make a two form entry school. The Head Master was Mr Galloway and the Deputy Head Mistress was Miss Tinniswood. The old Blue Coat School buildings at Point Hill in Greenwich continued to be used as an annex for Home Economics until Whitsun 1963.

In 1960 the L.C.C. proposed enlarging the school to three form entry and the governors produced a scheme to extend the school in three stages. Stage 1 was completed in 1961 with the addition of a two storey building at one end of the school providing a workshop for woodwork and metalwork and a science laboratory. In 1962 land adjoining the school was purchased with a view to future development. This initially provided a playing field affectionately known as “The Rec”, as it was part of the Rectory Field.

Following the sudden death of the Head Master, Mr Galloway, Mr John Williams was appointed to lead the school in April 1963 and also in that year Stage 2 of the extension was realised with a building added to the front of the building to provide specialist rooms for commerce, geography, housecraft and catering, and also a library and Head Master’s office. In 1966 the governors agreed to Mr William’s suggestion that the school should be known as Blackheath Bluecoat School.

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