South Camden Community School - History

History

The school dates from 1873, when the London School Board leased the site, although a school had existed there before. The new school was completed and opened in 1877, as "Medburn Street School". In 1904, it was renamed the "Stanley School", reversed in 1910 to avoid confusion with another nearby Stanley School. It originally took children up to age eleven, later extended to older pupils.

After 1938, following various reorganisations, the school only took students older than eleven. In 1951 it merged with part of the North London Polytechnic school for pupils over age 11, based in Prince of Wales Road, Kentish Town, and became "Sir William Collins School" taking boys only. It was named after Sir William Job Collins. Collins (9 May 1859 - 12 December 1946) was born in London and educated at University College School, and St. Bartholomew's Hospital. He became a Fellow, Scholar and gold medallist in Sanitary Science and in Obstetrics at the University of London and received Honours in Physiology, Forensic Medicine and Surgery. During his career Collins was also involved in many aspects of anatomy and ophthalmology, receiving the Doyne Ophthalmic Medal for the latter from the University of Oxford in 1918. He was knighted in 1902. He was also Vice-Chancellor of the University of London, 1907-1909, 1911–12, and a member of the University Senate, 1893-1927. He was also a member of the Royal Commission on Vaccination, 1889-1896; Liberal Member of Parliament for St Pancras West 1906-1910, and for Derby, 1917–18; London County Councillor for St. Pancras West, 1892-1904; and Vice-Lieutenant of the County of London, 1925-1945.

The school added "Secondary" to its title around 1960 when it became a comprehensive school still for boys only. This was part of the London County Council policy at the time for all inner London schools. It became co-educational in 1981 and then became "South Camden Community School" in 1993.

The original Victorian school buildings were located between Chalton Street and Medburn Street; Medburn Street was used as the address. Medburn Street was demolished when, between 1958 and 1961, the London County Council extended the site and buildings to Charrington Street. Charrington Street became the new address with the school offices located on that side. The new extensions were officially opened in October 1961 by the eminent engineer Sir Willis Jackson (later Lord Jackson of Burnley). The extensions had, however, already been partially occupied in 1960 out of necessity with the large expansion of pupils, to approximately 1,100 at the time, which made it one of the largest schools in inner London. A portrait of Sir William Collins hung in the new main entrance during the 1960s.

The site for the new extension was about 5 acres (20,000 m2). The cost at the time was £375,000, and a further £36,500 with furniture and equipment. The architect was Mr William Crabtree, FRIBA and the general contractor Gee, Walker & Slater Ltd. The design was of interconnected quadrangles with as many rooms looking inwards as possible. Crabtree's other work in London included the famous Peter Jones department store in Sloane Square, Chelsea, a Grade II listed building. Crabtree also worked on the John Lewis Department Store in Oxford Street, London, another outstanding building. In 2011 a major £25m re-building project was undertaken to be completed in 2013 to provide modern facilities and with the school re-named 'Regent High School'.