Bluecoat school
A Bluecoat school is a type of charity school, the first of which was founded in the 16th century. Most of these have closed, some remain open as schools, often on different sites, and some of the original buildings have been adapted for other purposes. They are known as "bluecoat schools" because of the distinctive blue uniform originally worn by the pupils.[1] The colour blue was traditionally the colour of charity, and was a common colour for clothing at the time. The uniform included a blue frock coat, and yellow stockings with white bands.[2]
History
The first school to be established was Christ's Hospital. This was founded by Edward VI in Newgate Street, London, in 1552, as a foundling hospital with the purpose of caring for and educating poor children. Between the 16th and late 18th centuries about 60 similar institutions were established in different parts of England. These were not connected with Christ's Hospital, but if their pupils wore the blue uniform, they were known as bluecoat schools. The original Christ's Hospital, while retaining its name, has moved its site, and developed into an independent school, with much of its costs being met by a charitable foundation.[1]
Schools
| Name | Location | Founded | Closed | Notes | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Mary's School | Banbury | 1705 | 3000 | A primary school | |
| Bluecoat School | Bath | 1711 by Richard Nelson | 1921 By 1921 | The building was replaced in 1859. | [3] |
| Birmingham Blue Coat School | Birmingham | 1722 | 3000 | An independent junior prep school | |
| Queen Elizabeth's Hospital | Bristol (Clifton) | 1586 | 3000 | also known as The City School | |
| Bluecoat School | Chester | 1717 | 1949 | Its name has been incorporated in Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School, Chester. | |
| Christ's Hospital | Horsham | 1552 by King Edward VI | 3000 | the first and oldest surviving Bluecoat school, known as The Bluecoat School | |
| Coventry Blue Coat Church of England School | Coventry | 1714 | 3000 | a comprehensive school | |
| The King's Hospital | Dublin | 1669 | 3000 | also known as The Blue Coat School | |
| The Blue Coat School | Dudley | 1869 | 1989 | ||
| Sir Thomas Rich's School | Gloucester | 1666 | 3000 | a grammar school | |
| Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School | Hereford | 1973 | 3000 | ||
| Lincoln Christ's Hospital School | Lincoln | 1602/1614 | 3000 | Set up under the will of Dr Richard Smith, who died in 1602, but established in 1614 in the St Mary's Guildhall, Moved to Christ's Hospital Terrace Lincoln in 1623 where the boys school continued until 1883, when the endowment was transferred to a new Christ's Hospital Girls school. Became Grammar School in 1906 and a state comprehensive in 1974 | |
| Liverpool Blue Coat School | Liverpool | 1708 | 3000 | a grammar school formerly at Bluecoat Chambers, moved to Wavertree in 1906 | |
| Blue Coat School | Northampton | 1755 by the Earl of Northampton | 1811 | Merged with the Orange School and the Green Coat School to form the Corporation Charity School. In 1923 this closed and funded the Blue Coat Corporation Charity School Foundation | [4][5] |
| The Nottingham Bluecoat Academy | Nottingham | 1706 | 3000 | a church school | |
| The Blue Coat School | Oldham | 1834 | 3000 | ||
| Pilton Bluecoat Academy | Pilton, Devon | 2015 | 3000 | a junior school | |
| Reading Blue Coat School | Reading | 1646 | 3000 | a secondary school | |
| Boys' Charity School | Sheffield | 1706 | 1939 | Popularly known as the Bluecoat School | |
| Bluecoat Primary School & Nursery | Stamford, Lincolnshire | 1775 18th century | 3000 | ||
| Stanhope School | Lewisham | 1715 by George Stanhope | 1894 | Merged with Addey School in 1894 to form Addey and Stanhope School, still extant | |
| Old Swinford Hospital | Stourbridge | 1667 | 3000 | Formerly sometimes called "Foley's blue coat school [or hospital]" | |
| Old Bluecoat School | Thatcham | 1707 | 1914 | Housed in a former chapel built in 1304 | [6] |
| York Bluecoat School | York | 1705 | 1947 | ||
| Blewcoat School | Westminster | 1709 | 1926 | later a National Trust gift shop | |
| The Blue School | Wells, Somerset | 1641 by Ezekiel Barkham | 3000 | ||
| Bluecoat School CofE Junior School | `Durham | 1708[7] | Founded in 1708 by local traders and began above a pub ("Ye Bull's Head") in the corner of the market place near St Nicholas’ Church and stayed there until 1811. Now housed in a modern building in Newton Hall. |
See also
- Bluecoat, type of school uniform
- Bluecoat (disambiguation)
References
- 1 2 Records of Christ's Hospital and Bluecoat Schools (pdf), London Metropolitan Archives, 2010, retrieved 24 Nov 2015
- ↑ A brief history of the school, Liverpool Blue Coat School, archived from the original on 7 July 2013, retrieved 29 May 2013
- ↑ Bluecoat House, Listing, retrieved 28 July 2014
- ↑ "The Corporation Charity School, Northampton, Northamptonshire". Heritage Explorer. Historic England. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- ↑ Page, William (1930). "The borough of Northampton: Schools". A History of the County of Northampton:. Victoria County History via British History Online. pp. Volume 3 pages 61–62. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- ↑ "History: Recent Years". The Old Bluecoat School, Thatcham. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- ↑ "Blue Coat C of E Junior School Celebrates itsTercentenary | Blue Coat CE (Aided) Junior School". www.bluecoatcofejunior.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-09-27.