Chatham Ragged School
Chatham Ragged School is a former ragged school in King Street, Chatham, Kent. Built in 1858, it served as a free school for poor and destitute children under the Victorian “ragged school” movement. The modest one-storey brick structure still bears its original “RAGGED SCHOOL” stone plaque above the entrance. On April 21, 2020, it was designated a Grade II listed building in recognition of its historical importance. Ragged schools were 19th-century charities providing free basic education to the poorest children. The movement began with individuals like John Pounds (who taught street children for free in Portsmouth from 1818) and was organized nationally by the Ragged School Union (founded 1844). By 1870 around 350 ragged schools operated in Britain. In Chatham, a lecture by the Field Lane Ragged School secretary in 1849 inspired local volunteers to open a school for destitute children. Chatham Ragged School began in April 1849 in a small house on Queen Street. It quickly outgrew this site as demand grew in the densely populated Brook-area slums. In 1856 local supporters raised subscriptions to build a permanent school on new land provided at the top of King Street. 1849: Chatham ragged school opens in a Queen Street cottage (inspired by a lecture at the Mechanics’ Institute). 1856: Fundraising begins for a purpose-built school; the War Office grants a site at King Street and £20 towards costs. 7 October 1858: Foundation stone is laid (by Lady Harriet Smith, wife of Sir Frederick Smith, local MP). £250 of the £400 cost had been raised, with a gala bazaar in 1860 clearing the remaining deficit. c. 1860: New school building completed and opened. Designed by architect John Young (who gave his services free). Late 19th/Early 20th century: The ragged school operates for several decades; its exact closing date is unknown. It appears on an 1898 map as a school, but by 1903 maps still label it as “school” and by 1932 as a “hall”. 1930s: Much of Chatham’s Brook-area slums are demolished in clearance programs. The ragged school building survives as a rare vestige of the pre-20th-century community.
Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Chatham Ragged School (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).Chatham Ragged School
King Street,
Geographical coordinates (GPS) Address External links Nearby Places Show on map
Geographical coordinates (GPS)
| Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|
| N 51.383276 ° | E 0.529257 ° |
Address
The Old Ragged School
King Street
ME4 4LX
England, United Kingdom
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