Walton Road School

Last updated

Cornwell secondary modern school (formerly Walton Road School) was a school in the district of Little Ilford, now within the London Borough of Newham, but formerly in Essex that was notable for having among its alumni one of the youngest recipients of the Victoria Cross, after whom the school was later renamed.

Little Ilford human settlement in United Kingdom

Little Ilford is a district of London, England in the London Borough of Newham and the name of a ward in that borough.

London Borough of Newham London borough in United Kingdom

The London Borough of Newham is a London borough formed from the former Essex county boroughs of West Ham and East Ham, within east London, the name being a portmanteau word reflecting its creation while combining the compass points of the old borough names.

Essex County of England

Essex is a county in the south-east of England, north-east of London. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and London to the south-west. The county town is Chelmsford, the only city in the county. For government statistical purposes Essex is placed in the East of England region.

Contents

History

The school began life as the Bessborough Road board school built by the Little Ilford school board in 1900. [1] The school was situated on Walton Road, Manor Park, and became called Walton Road School. Jack Cornwell, who won the Victoria Cross at the Battle of Jutland, was a pupil at the school. On 29 July 1916, when Jack Cornwell's body was exhumed and carried by gun carriage from East Ham Town Hall to Manor Park Cemetery, boys from Walton Road School joined the procession. [2] At the school scholars and staff erected a plaque in his memory which was unveiled by Lady Jellicoe, wife of First Sea Lord Admiral J. Jellicoe. [2]

Jack Cornwell Recipient of the Victoria Cross

John Travers Cornwell VC, commonly known as Jack Cornwell or as Boy Cornwell, is remembered for his gallantry at the Battle of Jutland during World War One. Having died at the age of only 16, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Cornwell is the third-youngest recipient of the VC after Andrew Fitzgibbon and Thomas Flinn.

Battle of Jutland 1916 naval battle during World War I

The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle fought between Britain's Royal Navy Grand Fleet, under Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet, under Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer, during the First World War. The battle unfolded in extensive manoeuvring and three main engagements, from 31 May to 1 June 1916, off the North Sea coast of Denmark's Jutland Peninsula. It was the largest naval battle and the only full-scale clash of battleships in that war. Jutland was the third fleet action between steel battleships, following the long range gunnery duel at the Yellow Sea (1904) and the decisive Battle of Tsushima in 1905, during the Russo-Japanese War. Jutland was the last major battle in world history fought primarily by battleships.

In 1929 the school was renamed Cornwell School and was reorganised for senior boys, senior girls, and infants. After the Second World War, in 1945 the school was again reorganised for secondary boys and junior mixed, and finally in 1957 for secondary boys only. [1] However, the school only lasted another twelve years and was demolished in 1969. [2]

Notable former pupils

Victoria Cross Highest military decoration awarded for valour in armed forces of various Commonwealth countries

The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces. It may be awarded posthumously. It was previously awarded to Commonwealth countries, most of which have established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service and to civilians under military command although no civilian has received the award since 1879. Since the first awards were presented by Queen Victoria in 1857, two-thirds of all awards have been personally presented by the British monarch. These investitures are usually held at Buckingham Palace.

Related Research Articles

Ilford district in east London, England

Ilford is a town in east London, England, located 9.1 miles (14.6 km) east of Charing Cross. Ilford Town is also the administrative centre of the London Borough of Redbridge. Identified as a metropolitan centre in the London Plan, Ilford is classed as a significant commercial and retail centre for the wider south east of England.

Stratford, London district of the London Borough of Newham in East London, England

Stratford is a district in the East End of London, in the London Borough of Newham, England. It is 6 miles (10 km) east-northeast of Charing Cross and is in East London. Stratford is part of the Lower Lea Valley and includes the localities of Maryland, East Village, Mill Meads, Stratford City and Forest Gate. Historically part of the ancient parish and subsequent County Borough of West Ham, which became the western half of the modern borough within a Greater London in 1965. Historically an agrarian settlement in the county of Essex, Stratford was transformed into an industrial suburb after the introduction of the railway in 1839.

West Ham western part of the London Borough of Newham

West Ham is a district and a former parish and borough in East London, located 6.1 mi (9.8 km) east of Charing Cross, forming the centre western part of the modern London Borough of Newham, there is a West Ham electoral ward covering part of the central area. West Ham is part of the traditional county of Essex, but for administrative purposes has been part of Greater London since 1965, following the passing of the London Government Act 1963.

Plaistow, Newham urban area in the London Borough of Newham

Plaistow is a district in the London Borough of Newham in east London, England. It forms the majority of the London E13 postcode district.

East Ham Suburban district of London, England

East Ham is a district of the London Borough of Newham, England, 8 miles (12.8 km) east of Charing Cross. East Ham is identified in the London Plan as a Major Centre.

Manor Park, London area of London, United Kingdom

Manor Park is a residential area and district of the London Borough of Newham in east London, England. The area is bordered by Ilford to the east, Forest Gate to the west, Wanstead to the north, and East Ham to the south. Further west lies Stratford and the City of London, and further east lies Romford and the Essex boundary.

Forest Gate area of London

Forest Gate is a residential district in east London, England, in the London Borough of Newham.

Ilford County High School school in Redbridge, UK

Ilford County High School is a selective secondary grammar school for boys located in the town of Barkingside of the London Borough of Redbridge. It was formerly called Park High Grade School and as a result old boys are referred to as Old Parkonians.

County Borough of East Ham

East Ham was a local government district in the far south west of Essex from 1878 to 1965. It extended from Wanstead Flats in the north to the River Thames in the south and from Green Street in the west to Barking Creek in the east. It was part of the London postal district and Metropolitan Police District.

Municipal Borough of Barking

Barking was a local government district, and later civil parish and borough, in southwest Essex, England from 1882 to 1965. It was known as Barking Town from 1882 to 1931. The district included the town of Barking, eastern Beckton and the southwestern part of the Becontree estate. The district was within the Metropolitan Police District and experienced a steady increase in population during its existence. It now forms the western part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and the eastern extremity of the London Borough of Newham in Greater London.

Brampton Manor Academy school in Newham, UK

Brampton Manor Academy is an 11–18 mixed, secondary school and selective sixth form with academy status in East Ham, London, England. It is the second largest school in the London Borough of Newham.

George Mitchell School is a community school for children aged 3 to 16 in Leyton in London, England. It is attended by students who mainly live in the local area, with some from further afield. Examination results at the end of Key Stage 4 have improved dramatically over recent years, as have the Key Stage 2 results. George Mitchell School is a popular, over-subscribed and increasingly successful mixed, multicultural comprehensive school with a nursery. The school is currently located across several sites – on Crawley Road, Farmer Road, Burchell Road and Vicarage Road.

Langdon Academy is a mixed all-through school with academy status, located on Sussex Road, in the London Borough of Newham, England.

Cornwell Scout Badge

The Cornwell Scout Badge is an award for youth members of The Scout Association of the United Kingdom and some other Scouting associations within the Commonwealth of Nations. It is awarded in recognition of devotion to duty, courage and endurance. The badge was created in memory of a boy sailor and Scout, Jack Cornwell, who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross after he was mortally wounded at the Battle of Jutland in 1916.

St Nicholas Chapel, Manor Park Newham, Greater London, E12

St Nicholas' Chapel, Manor Park is a Roman Catholic parish church in Manor Park, east London.

St Stephen's Church, Little Ilford is the Roman Catholic parish church for Little Ilford and Manor Park, two areas in Newham, east London. It was first built in 1924 as a chapel to St Nicholas', Manor Park. St Stephen's was rebuilt in 1959 and became the parish church, with St Nicholas' as its chapel, the status both churches still hold today.

References

  1. 1 2 'East Ham: Education and charities', A History of the County of Essex: Volume 6 (1973), pp. 38-43. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42747&strquery=walton Date accessed: 7 August 2011
  2. 1 2 3 Newham History - Jack Cornwell

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.