This is a very early and faded sepia photo of my eldest uncle at school. His name was Lindfield Tugwell and he was born in 1895, possibly in Pevensey Road.He is the the last one on the right,third row down.
The slate board in the front reads Lewes Road Boys school. No 10.
I am unable to say if this is the school attached to the Congregational church and chapel in Lewes Road or is it the very first stage of what became Fairlight? The bricks in the wall look quite ‘fresh’ so possibly the latter.
Can anyone shed any light on this? If you can help, please post a comment below.
Comments about this page
Hi Maureen. Lewes Road Council School stood on the corner of St. Leonard’s Road and comprised a boy’s school, a girl’s school and an infant’s school. The head of the boy’s school in 1905 was George H. Brooks, who might possibly be included in the photo. Regards, Andy
Hello Maureen, from the National Archives website re: Fairlight Primary School: “From 27 January 1873 children up to 7 years of age, under the Headmistress Miss H Weekley, were educated in a room in the Lewes Road Congregational Chapel. The site for the new school at Fairlight Place was compulsorily purchased after fierce local opposition and the new school opened for the infants’ and girls’ departments on 17 January 1876; the boys’ department moved in on 27 March 1876. The school was also known as the Lewes Road Schools. The school was enlarged in 1883 and 1901, and rebuilt in 1932. In 1928 the school was reorganised: infants’, junior mixed and girls’ departments were formed, the boys’ department was closed and the pupils moved to the Central Schools (E/SC/16). The girls’ department, which from September 1947 was known as Fairlight County Secondary School, was closed in 1962 and amalgamated with Elm Grove County Secondary School (E/SC/20). The junior mixed became Fairlight Middle School and then Fairlight Junior School. In July 1992 the junior school merged with Fairlight Infants’ School to form Fairlight Primary School.”
Does anyone have any photos of Fairlight School at completion, or during rebuilding in 1932? I remember that in about 1952, all the children were given a special commemoration book about the school, but sadly I have since mislaid it.
My ancestor, John Hannaford, was Master at the Lewes Road School in 1882 and of Fairlight in 1899. He died in 1903 so I wonder if he was the older man on on the left.
He lived at 21 Hanover Crescent with wife Jane Damper. He was born in London in 1836 and his father and grandfather born in Ipplepen in Devon. He worked as a private tutor in the Regents Park area of London before moving to Brighton.
I would like to make a correction to my comment above. John Hannaford was listed as Master at Fairlight in the 1878 Post Office Directory for Sussex and as Master of Lewes Road in the 1899 Kelly’s Directory. Apologies.
Add a comment about this page