Benthal Primary School, Hackney

Post from July 2019

This week Benthal Primary School celebrate their 70th anniversary. But the site of this current building of the school occupies the former name and building of Rendlesham Road school which was built in 1876 and later had its name changed to Benthal road school in 1903, but got hit by a high explosive bomb during the blitz in WW2 on the 19th/20th December 1940. The school was closed and rebuilt in 1949 and then given the name Benthal Junior school until 2006.

In 1966 a new infant school was built which later became a junior school; the two buildings are separate but are linked by an inter-connecting corridor. Benthal was the first school to be designed by the architect Paul Maas who used the inspiration of caves and tents to design the cosy buildings and archways.
In 1967 they added more buildings and completed the school.
The separate Junior and Infants Schools were amalgamated into one primary school on September 1st 2006.

I went along to the talk by the author Ken Worpole this week which he spoke about ‘The Island: The Life and Death of an East London Community, 1870-1970. Which was published by Centerprise Trust Limited in 1979. Everyone from the island would have attended this school. I will be doing a post with some more info about The Island soon. I also went along to the pop up museum to celebrate the 70 years anniversary. And I found myself in a class photo from 1997 (back row fourth one along) many fond happy memories of my childhood here. Then I turn the corner and see my daughter in the whole school photo to commemorate 70 years.

This Friday Benthal Primary School are having a 1940s dress up day followed by an afternoon tea party at 2pm all ex pupils and staff are welcome ☕️ 🍰 🎉

I have included some photos with this post as well as memoirs taken from residents from ‘The island’ who also attended Benthal.