St Johns Church Cinderford (General)

by probinson , S. Oxon, Sunday, July 29, 2018, 20:47 (2098 days ago) @ Hornbeam

The hall (which I remember frequenting in my childhood) was originally a school. Built about 1840.

From British History Online (https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol5/pp405-413)

"In 1840 the colliery owner Edward Protheroe built a school at Cinderford Tump for the benefit of families in his employ (fn. 18) and funded it by fees and a levy on his workforce. (fn. 19) After 1843, when he handed it over to the Crown in part payment of debts, Protheroe was in dispute with the minister of the neighbouring church of St. John the Evangelist about the school's management and in 1847 the Commissioners of Woods acting for the Crown placed it under the sole care of the deputy surveyor of the Forest. (fn. 20) During that period attendances, by children and adults up to the age of 22, sometimes exceeded 280, (fn. 21) and income included a grant from the Great Western Railway Co. besides the Crown's contribution and school pence, (fn. 22) In 1855, following a reduction in funds, control of the school was transferred to St. John's parish. (fn. 23) As St. John's school it reopened in 1857 with boys' and girls' departments and soon had an average attendance of 112, (fn. 24) A National school, it received regular financial support from the Crawshay family and the Crown. (fn. 25) In 1883 it passed to the school board, which ran it with junior mixed and infants' departments until 1887, when it was replaced by St. White's school. (fn. 26) The building was a church hall in 1992."