John Roan school
Encyclopedia
The John Roan School is a secondary comprehensive school in Greenwich
, South London
that was a member of The Beacon Schools program.
directly east of the world-famous Greenwich Park
, where it has stood since 1928, having moved there from Victorian purpose-built premises in Eastney Street (now Feathers Place). The local council intended to relocate it to the Greenwich Peninsula, but found itself facing growing local opposition , resulting in the plans being scrapped.
The school is currently split over two campuses—Maze Hill, where the 1920s neo-classical building (architects Percy Dannatt and Sir Banister Fletcher) stands, and Westcombe Park—named after the roads on which they lie. The Westcombe Park site will be rebuilt and the Maze Hill site given a major refurbishment and remodelling using the BSF funding that was originally granted when the school was due to move to East Greenwich. The former girls' school in Devonshire Drive, Greenwich, is now flats but retains most of its original design.
at school, that is to reading, writing, and cyphering, and each of them forty shillings per annum towards their clothing until each of them shall accomplish the age of fifteen years. The said poor children shall wear on their upper garment the cognisance or crest of me, John Roan." The stag's head badge - derived from John Roan's personal coat-of-arms - and green uniform have been worn by Roan school children ever since. The first chairman of the governors of the school was Dr Thomas Plume
the vicar of Greenwich. For much of the 18th century, the school was in the charge of the Herringham family who provided four successive head masters from 1702 to 1785. The first Head Master of the boys' school from 1877, when it opened in Eastney Street, was Mr C.M.Ridger who held the post for thirty-three years. He was succeeded by Mr T.R.N.Crofts (1911-1919), Mr A.H.Hope (1919-1930), Mr W.J.Potter (1931-1938), Mr H.W.Gilbert (1938-1958)and Mr W.L.Garstang (1959-1974) all of whom made significant contributions to the Roan's reputation as one of south London's top grammar schools. The Hope Memorial Camp at Braithwaite, nr Keswick, Cumbria was established in Mr Hope's memory shortly after his death in 1930. The first Head Mistress of the Roan Girls' School was Miss M.M.Blackmore (until 1895) followed by Miss M.S.Walker (1895-1919), Miss M.K.Higgs (1919-1944), Miss M.E.Barnsdale (1944-1962), Miss M.S.Chamberlain (1962-1968) and Mrs M.J.Barber (1968-1980).
In its place and still being planned is the possible re-furbishment of the Maze Hill site and an entire re-build of the Westcombe Park site, into a 3 story building, with much better educational facilities.
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, South London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
that was a member of The Beacon Schools program.
Location
Situated in London Borough of GreenwichLondon Borough of Greenwich
The London Borough of Greenwich is an Inner London borough in south-east London, England. Taking its name from the historic town of Greenwich, the present borough was formed in 1965 by the amalgamation of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich with part of the Metropolitan...
directly east of the world-famous Greenwich Park
Greenwich Park
Greenwich Park is a former hunting park in Greenwich and one of the largest single green spaces in south east London. One of the Royal Parks of London, and the first to be enclosed , it covers , and is part of the Greenwich World Heritage Site. It commands fine views over the River Thames, Isle of...
, where it has stood since 1928, having moved there from Victorian purpose-built premises in Eastney Street (now Feathers Place). The local council intended to relocate it to the Greenwich Peninsula, but found itself facing growing local opposition , resulting in the plans being scrapped.
The school is currently split over two campuses—Maze Hill, where the 1920s neo-classical building (architects Percy Dannatt and Sir Banister Fletcher) stands, and Westcombe Park—named after the roads on which they lie. The Westcombe Park site will be rebuilt and the Maze Hill site given a major refurbishment and remodelling using the BSF funding that was originally granted when the school was due to move to East Greenwich. The former girls' school in Devonshire Drive, Greenwich, is now flats but retains most of its original design.
Grammar schools
The current school was originally two grammar schools. The boys' school was founded in 1677 and the girls' school in 1877 through a charitable endowment by John Roan, Yeoman of Harriers to King Charles I, who left a substantial amount in his Will "to bring up so many poor town-born children of GreenwichGreenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
at school, that is to reading, writing, and cyphering, and each of them forty shillings per annum towards their clothing until each of them shall accomplish the age of fifteen years. The said poor children shall wear on their upper garment the cognisance or crest of me, John Roan." The stag's head badge - derived from John Roan's personal coat-of-arms - and green uniform have been worn by Roan school children ever since. The first chairman of the governors of the school was Dr Thomas Plume
Thomas Plume
The Reverend Doctor Thomas Plume, B.A., D.D. was an English churchman and philanthropist, founder of a school which still stands today, the Plume School, in Maldon, Essex.-Family life:...
the vicar of Greenwich. For much of the 18th century, the school was in the charge of the Herringham family who provided four successive head masters from 1702 to 1785. The first Head Master of the boys' school from 1877, when it opened in Eastney Street, was Mr C.M.Ridger who held the post for thirty-three years. He was succeeded by Mr T.R.N.Crofts (1911-1919), Mr A.H.Hope (1919-1930), Mr W.J.Potter (1931-1938), Mr H.W.Gilbert (1938-1958)and Mr W.L.Garstang (1959-1974) all of whom made significant contributions to the Roan's reputation as one of south London's top grammar schools. The Hope Memorial Camp at Braithwaite, nr Keswick, Cumbria was established in Mr Hope's memory shortly after his death in 1930. The first Head Mistress of the Roan Girls' School was Miss M.M.Blackmore (until 1895) followed by Miss M.S.Walker (1895-1919), Miss M.K.Higgs (1919-1944), Miss M.E.Barnsdale (1944-1962), Miss M.S.Chamberlain (1962-1968) and Mrs M.J.Barber (1968-1980).
Comprehensive
It became a comprehensive in 1983, when Roan Grammar School for Boys and Roan School for Girls merged with Charlton Boys School. Since then the school has considered moving to a site at Greenwich perninsula, however, this idea was put down by stiff critisism by parents and local residents. Who argued that the current sites were good, but the money going to be spent on this project should instead be used to refurbish the current sites. Also, the new site would be right next to a old gas cylinder, which would need to be de-constructed (for safety reasons) costing millions of pounds. Another critisism was that the proposed site would be situated next to the A2, were it goes through the blackwall tunnel; a very dangerous and traffic full area. Therefore, this proposition was soon scrapped.In its place and still being planned is the possible re-furbishment of the Maze Hill site and an entire re-build of the Westcombe Park site, into a 3 story building, with much better educational facilities.
Alumni
- See also Category:Old Roans.
- Asad AhmadAsad Ahmad-Education:Ahmad was educated at the state comprehensive John Roan School on Maze Hill in Blackheath, south-east London, followed by the University of Bristol, where he studied law.-Early life:...
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- Asad Ahmad
Roan Boys' Grammar School
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- Prof David Hamblen CBE, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery from 1972-99 at the University of GlasgowUniversity of GlasgowThe University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
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- Prof Douglas Inman, Professor of High Temperature Electrochemistry from 1986-1996 at the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine and Founding Editor of the Journal of Applied Electrochemistry
- Rev Brian Pearson, Director General from 1997-2000 of the Church Pastoral Aid SocietyChurch Pastoral Aid Societyis an Anglican evangelical mission agency which works with a wide variety of churches across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Its aim is to ‘enable churches to help every person hear and discover the good news of Jesus’. It provides a range of tools, training and resources to churches to develop...
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from 1983-7, and brother of Arthur Smith - Prof Anthony TrewavasAnthony TrewavasAnthony J. Trewavas is a professor at the University of Edinburgh, best known for his research in the fields of plant physiology and molecular biology....
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- Prof James Watson, Professor of Psychiatry from 1974-2000 at Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ School of Medicine of King’s College LondonKing's College London School of Medicine and DentistryKing's College London School of Medicine is the medical school of King's College London, and one of the United Hospitals...
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Roan School for Girls
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