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National School, St Paul’s Day and Sunday School, Russell Street

History of St Paul's School

St Paul’s Day School

According to 1959 Royal Commission on Historical Monuments Survey of Cambridge the school was established in 1845. Two extensions of the south side were subsequently made and the boys entrance port was heightened to two storeys. In 1952 the girls’ timber staircase was replaced by one of concrete.

Plan of National School, Russell Street

1913:

A B Chandler, headmaster [sic]

Mrs Buckwell, head mistress

Mr A George recalled in 2001 how in 1934 the headmistress [sic], Miss Chandler, took seven of the oldest children privately in her study every day to coach them for the scholarship exam. Two of them went to the Perse School and the other five to the County Boys High School.

1962:

St Paul’s (C of E) Junior Mixed and Infants’ Primary School

19/5/1978 Cambridge City Council has applied for St Paul’s school in Russell Street to be listed as a protected historic building. Built in 1845 it is the earliest elementary school in Cambridge and was designed by Ambrose Poynter, possibly the only classical school building by him in England. For 10 years there have been plans to build a brand new school on an adjoining site but now there are proposals to remodel the old one to allow more classroom space. (Cambridge News)

8/6/1978: St Paul’s school in Russell Street, Cambridge is one of the earliest elementary schools in Cambridge. It dates from 1845 and was designed by Ambrose Poynter, probably the only classical school building in England ever designed by him. Now it could be in danger of partial demolition since the school managers have decided rebuild on a site that cuts right through it. It unlikely demolition will occur because the old building is on one side of Russell Street and plans for the new building are on the other side of the road. Now the City Council has asked for the building to be listed. (Cambridge News)

26/8/1982 Preservationists have won a long fight to stop the old St Paul’s School buildings in Russell Street from being demolished. They are the oldest primary school buildings in Cambridge, designed by Ambrose Poynter, a pupil of the great Regency architect, John Nash. They have not been used since the new school was opened a year ago. (Cambridge News)

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