Walking From Victoria station to Charing Cross I saw this wonderful modern glass building reflecting its surroundings. But close by on a side street I found a completely different building approximately 300 years older.
This is the back view of the 'Blewcoat school built in 1709'
This is one of the Bluecoat's schools set up by a charity to educate poor children. The school was set up in 1688 but did not move into this building until 1709 with 50 boys. In 1713 it admitted girls for the first time. It continued as a school until 1939. It is now used as a shop for the National Trust.
Impressionnant ce batiment et la statue est tres belle j aime bcp les couleurs ;o)
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting fact I did not know. Did you know there is bluecoat school in Reading.
ReplyDeleteFor first shot is amazing and the perfect contrast to the old school. The history is sad in many ways, but at least the poor children were getting an education ... hopefully they found upward mobility through learning. Very interesting and touching ....
ReplyDeleteAndrea @ From The Sol
lovely reflection in the glass. the statue is quite unique. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a contrast between the old London and the new. Interesting about the blue coats, and I certainly hope for the children's sake the saffron colored socks did the job!
ReplyDeleteInteresting that it took in girls in 1713. Marked as poor by blue coats?
ReplyDeleteCreative reflection photo and lovely other photos ~ Happy New Year to you ~ xxx
ReplyDeleteLove your first photo of the buildings reflected in the glass building.
ReplyDeleteInteresting history! Rats nibbling at children's feet? Perish the thought!
ReplyDeleteImpressive reflection but I was entranced by your tale of the Blewcoat School.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to compare the old and the new. I love the statue, and all it tells about the young people who attended there. I'm learning so much from you! :-)
ReplyDeleteIndeed and interesting comparison between the old and the new - and an interesting history as well!
ReplyDeleteNot very nice this uniform to show that you are "poor" ! The school uniforms in Belgium are all dark blue with white blouses or shirts. Poor or rich. I don't know how you manage that the sun is always shining in London ! I am running out of "sunny" pictures, it mostly rains !
ReplyDeleteI imagine that the children would have been pleased to receive a free uniform, food and education and not have worried about the colour.
DeleteWell, now I have the perfect rat antidote - that's if it actually worked!!!! And besides being unflattering, being a walking advertisement for your own poverty gives this school uniform the thumbs DOWN!!!
ReplyDeleteI like the sculptures of the girls in the blue dresses.
ReplyDeleteThe sculpture is of a boy wearing the uniform. This is how they would have looked in the 1700s.
DeleteI like the composition of the first photo. Very interesting.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year and have a wonderful weekend!
Alexander
Alex's World! - http://www.kakinan.com/alex
What a great find, these old building are beautiful. It's extra special that the status is intact.
ReplyDeleteThere's a Bluecoat school In Manchester - I wonder if they are connected in some way.
ReplyDeleteI think they would be connected as they were originally set up as charity schools in opposition to Catholic schools. Bluecoat refers to the clothes the children wore.
DeleteDearest Fun60;
ReplyDeleteOh, I truly enjoyed your picture of the old and new buildings and what they are♬♬♬
Love the statue with uniform. I thought that the contrast or between new and old close by, is kind of same in my country. Oh, I wish I could have a chance to visit your country again(*^_^*)
Lots of Love and Hugs from Japa, xoxo Miyako*
What a great find and wonderful bit of preserved history. And Oh my gosh... the saffron stockings story gave me the shivers (I mean I knew what it was like back then, but the idea that they thought of stockings as a preventive and didn't do anything else....)
ReplyDeleteI never knew that blue dye was the cheapest cloth dye. Fascinating! How awful that kids needed stockings to keep RATS for nipping their ankles! EW!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful reflection shot! Interesting old building too.
ReplyDeleteLiz