| AdminHistory | Thomas Parmiter, silk merchant of Bethnal Green left a will of 1682 which provided for six almshouses and a free school in Bethnal Green. These opened in 1722 and by 1730 30 boys were being educated.
The first school and almshouse buildings were purchased in 1838 by the Eastern Counties Railway. A new school and almshouses designed by Sir William Tite were built in Gloucester Street, later renamed Parmiter Street. These operated until 1885 when the school closed for a new site. The almshouses remained until they were destroyed by a V2 bomb in February 1945 and the site was sold to the London County Council in 1959. The new school site opened in Approach Road in 1887. The School was extended in 1898. In 1920 land was purchased in Highams Park, Walthamstow to provide better physical exercise and recreational facilities through a sports ground.
By the 1870s 70 boys were being educated at Parmiter's School. Charitable regulations were introduced in 1884 which required entrance examination and fees to be charged. 40 foundation scholarships were reserved for boys from Bethnal Green. By 1887 the school accommodated about 150 boys. From 1889 it received grants from the London County Council (LCC) which in 1894 secured the right to appoint representative governors and from 1913 awarded scholarships to the School.
On the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 the school was evacuated to The Corn Hall, North Walsham, Norfolk. In June 1940 staff and pupils then moved to Stockwell Street, Leek, Staffordshire. Meanwhile the school's buildings were used to accommodate the North East London Emergency School for Boys which was run by one of Parmiter's School's teachers. The school reopened in Approach Road in September 1943.
In 1981 Parmiter's School moved away from Tower Hamlets and later became based at New High Elms, Watford, Hertfordshire. The vacated buildings in Approach Road were later occupied by Raine's Schools Foundation.
The Old Parmiterians' Society was founded in 1898 to connect 'old boys' (former pupils) who had left the school, through social meetings, annual dinners, dramatic performances, sports and other activities. The Society had its own president and honorary secretaries.
For further information explore resources in the Local History Library:
'History of Parmiter's Foundation and account of the opening of the school', 1887 (LC12068; class 820.3).
'The History of Parmiter's Foundation' by M. J. Fletcher, 1971 and 1987 (second edition). (references: LC15003 and L3158; class 820.3 FLE).
See also 'A history of the Parmiter's Estate Charity' by Andrew Lewis and Brian Coulshed, 1999 (reference LC628; Class 370.3). |
| ArchNote | First catalogued by the Local History Librarian after 1981. The collection was originally split by format into the Local History Library with a further manuscript series (referenced BG/555-562).
The collection was re-catalogued by Genova Messiah and Richard Wiltshire in 2020-2021. The aim being to reunite and maintain original provenance, under the school name.
The following items were listed in the original deposit list but not identified in 2021. Their references assigned by the Local History Librarian after 1981 are given in square brackets. The items remain to be extracted and re-coded under I/PAR:
- 'The Parmiter Magazine' individual issues: 1 (Midsummer 1890), 24 (Apr 1903), 43 (Jul 1909), 49 (Jul 1911), 70 (Jun 1918), 92-95 (Nov 1925; Apr 1926; Jul 1926; Nov 1926), 121-122 (Dec 1937; Jul 1938) [24, 43 and 49 were referenced LP4808]
- 'The Parmiterian' individual issues: 1-6 (Dec 1938-Jul 1941); 8-19 (Jul 1942-Dec 1950)
- Rationing during First World War:
Bethnal Green Ration Book Day: memorandum to staff, 30 June 1918 [cuttings]
Ministry of Food: Child's ration book (issued at Bethnal Green Food Office); and National ration book [both LP58]
Circular: from Mayor of Bethnal Green, Jul 1918 [cuttings]
Circular from Executive Officer, Bethnal Green, Nov 1918 [cuttings]
Application form for ration books, 1918 [LP120]
- General reference publications:
War Office: The inadvertent disclosure of military information, 1916
London County Council: Coronation of TM King George VI and Queen Elizabeth - handbook showing arrangements for the assembly of 37,000 school children...', 1937 [LP4807]
Victoria Park Congregational Church magazine, souvenir edition, volume 44, number 7, Dec 1952 (front cover only) [cuttings]
- Parmiters Almshouse and Pension Charity: list of candidates for an almshouse, 1929; blank proforma relating to applicants, 19-- [both in cuttings] |