Have you ever heard of the "Brixton Hill School" in London?

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Permalink Reply by Mary Hester on July 13, 2009 at 6:46am

Hi

Try these two sites which I found by Google UK

http://www.brixtonsociety.org.uk/trailone.htm

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=49767

Mary

Permalink Reply by Kathleen Fox Allen on July 13, 2009 at 7:09pm

Thank you Mary!

According to my research notes, I found the Brixton Society website before, but either overlooked (in my late-night, bleary-eyed research efforts) the reference to the school or the information about the school was added later. It looks like the school was founded later than I would have expected, but this is finally confirmation that it did exist!

I hadn't found the second source at all... thank you again!

Permalink Reply by Caroline Bradford on July 14, 2009 at 5:54pm

Hi Kathleen

I hate to be a party-pooper, but are you sure you have the right family? George seems to have been born in Marylebone in the first quarter of 1859 (GRO Index via FreeBMD), which matches him very neatly with the George T METCALFE in the 1861 in Farringdon (RG9; Piece: 221; Folio: 118;). The mother in the census is Charlotte and there is a brother Charles H, but the father is Charles W METCALFE (which also ties in with a marriage of a Charles Wilson METCALFE and Charlotte THORNTON in the third quarter of 1855). Charles is a bookbinder in the 1851 and 1861.

Best wishes

Caroline

Permalink Reply by Kathleen Fox Allen on July 14, 2009 at 9:05pm

Actually, Caroline, one of the reasons I was pursuing the school was that it was one of the few lines I had an idea how to tug. (I should confess that I'm still horribly confused about how to track down information for my relations from England; notwithstanding that most of the rest seem to have come to the US in the early 1700's.) It also doesn't help that I've had very little time to dedicate to research in the last few years. So rather than being a party-pooper, you've given me some very helpful information.

The George that you found, and his brother Charles H, fit quite well with the George and Charles that I found on the 1880 US census in New Jersey. That census is where I got the earlier birth dates for the brothers. The later birth dates, as well their parents' names and their father's occupation, were part of research left behind by my uncle. Unfortunately, my uncle did not document his sources well. If my GG-Grandfather was actually named Charles, that would explain why I've been striking out on Henry.

Charlotte Thornton has always seemed to fit, since my great-grandfather, my grand uncle and my uncle (he of the poorly documented sources) all had the middle name "Thornton." :-)

I greatly appreciate the guidance!

Permalink Reply by Caroline Bradford on July 15, 2009 at 7:07am

Hi Kathleen

Glad to be of help. Researching your English ancestors in the 19th century is a relatively straightforward process using census information (available on sub or pay per view with various providers) and civil registration certificates of births, marriages and deaths (from July 1837 onwards). The latter can be purchased for 7 pounds each (including postage) from www.gro.gov.uk. On no account should you ever be tempted to get them any other way - they will cost you more and take longer to arrive! To order certificates you first need the GRO reference and you can normally get this via www.freebmd.org.uk - a volunteer project which is transcribing the indexes.

Best wishes

Caroline

Permalink Reply by Kathleen Fox Allen on July 16, 2009 at 6:00pm

Thanks again!

Permalink Reply by Helen Glenn on July 18, 2009 at 1:48pm

Kathleen you could try the education archive at the London Metropolitan Archives or the Society of Geneologists in London might be able to point you in the right direction. This caught my eye as i grew up in Brixon & know it well but even my 88 year old mother didn't recall the school. good luck Helen

Permalink Reply by Kathleen Fox Allen on July 18, 2009 at 5:30pm

Thank you (and your mother,) Helen. According to brixtonsociety.org (from Mary Hester) Brixton Hill School is now Richard Atkins Primary. And after looking at the information that Caroline Bradford mentioned, I tend to think that the school may not be part of my family's history. But I did enjoy finding a picture of the building - what lovely architecture.

I plan on closing this discussion, but I have greatly appreciated everyone's gracious help.