ENFIELD GRAMMAR SCHOOL
The origins of Enfield Grammar School are confused
and obscure. The accepted date for its foundation is
25 May 1558 (fn. 77) and from this time onwards it has
a continuous history, but it inherited part of a
charity called Poynetts, originally established at
South Benfleet (Essex) by the will of Robert
Blossom (d. 1418). This property became the
endowment of a chantry at Enfield in 1471. On the
dissolution of the chantries in 1547 the property
passed to the Crown, but the Court of Augmentations declared the King's title doubtful and in 1550
the property was restored. (fn. 78) Three years later
Queen Mary relinquished all claims and in 1558 an
attempt was made to endow a school with the
Poynetts estate. One of the proposed trustees died
before the deed could be executed; unfortunately
for the school a second deed granted only £6 13s. 4d.
(the salary of the former chantry priest) for the
school, while the residue was to be used for the
relief of the poor. The schoolmaster was to teach
the children of the poor of Enfield Latin and English
'according to the trade and use of grammar schools'. (fn. 79)
In 1586 William Garrett left £50 to build a schoolhouse, and this money was probably used to erect the
Tudor school which was still in use in 1963. (fn. 80)
The first known headmaster was William Bradshawe, who either died or left in 1600, since Thomas
Taylor received 14s. to serve out Bradshawe's time
and was then himself appointed master. Taylor was
succeeded by Richard Ward (1606-47). (fn. 81) In 1615
James I attempted to reclaim Poynetts and actually
sold the rents, but four years later they were bought
back for £100 by the parish. In 1621 a new trust
deed was drawn up; the master was to receive £20
a year and was to teach the children of the inhabitants of Enfield the cross-row or alphabetical letters,
writing, grammar, and arithmetic; (fn. 82) Prouns' house,
adjacent to the school, which had been purchased
by the parish in 1516, became the master's house,
but the use of the chamber and garret over the
school was reserved to the trustees and vestry. (fn. 83)
Dr. Robert Uvedale, the botanist, was master
from 1664 to 1676. He established a private school
in the manor-house, and was accused by the parishioners of neglecting the grammar school; although
he won his case he decided to resign and devote his
time to his private pupils and his botanical studies.
The school has adopted the Uvedale coat of arms
and motto, and possesses part of his Hebrew testament, including the flyleaf on which he recorded
the birth-dates of his children. (fn. 84)
The Revd. John Allen (1732-61) was so successful
that the school was extended. The vestry gave up the
upper part of the school-house, which was then
fitted up for boarders, and a new master's house
was added to the building. (fn. 85)
The Revd. Samuel Hardy (1762-91) was an
author and theologian. (fn. 86) During his mastership
Thomas Liley, the parish clerk was appointed usher,
the first whose name is recorded. He was the 'ingenious schoolmaster' who in 1779 established the
dimensions of a cedar tree planted by Uvedale and
for many years a local landmark. (fn. 87) During this
period the school suffered financially, for between
1773 and 1795 the timber on the Poynetts estate was
sold for £1,849 and the proceeds applied to the
relief of the poor-a proceeding which reduced the
parish rate but did nothing for the school. (fn. 88)
The next master, the Revd. John Milne (1791-
1831), was successful during the first half of his long
headmastership. There were about 110 boys, aged 7
to 14, all the sons of parishioners both rich and poor
alike. They were taught reading, writing, and arithmetic; geography, mathematics, and classics were
available for those willing and able to profit from
their study. The parents provided the books and
stationery, but there were no fees, although some
parents whose boys benefited from the higher
education made gifts to the master. The latter did
not take private pupils, but he occasionally coached
university entrants. In 1818 Milne was first asked to
resign and then dismissed on account of his severity
to the boys. He contested the dismissal and claimed
a further increase in his salary which then stood at
£100. (fn. 89) He was at length successful and in 1825 a
new scheme was drawn up for the government of the
school. The master was to receive a salary of £120
a year, but if the number of boys fell below 60 his
salary was to be cut by one-third. The master, with
the assent of the trustees, might appoint an usher
at a salary of £50 a year, but the usher was to be
dismissed if the numbers fell below 60. There were
to be three hours of teaching each morning and
afternoon; instruction was to be given in reading,
writing, and arithmetic, and the master and boys
were to attend church on Sundays and prayer days.
The trustees seem to have been smarting from their
defeat, for they pointedly demanded Milne's strict
compliance with the provisions regarding hours of
attendance and holidays. (fn. 90)
Relations with the next master, James Emery
(1831-46), were also unhappy, and an unsuccessful
attempt was made to eject him for neglect of duty.
He was eventually bought out by his successor,
Charles Chambers (1847-74). In 1858 the trustees
fell out with Chambers and attempted to dismiss
him, an action which had the support of the Charity
Commission. (fn. 91) Chambers refused to go and the
trustees appointed another master. This course was
opposed by the Vicar of Enfield, J. M. Heath, who
thought that further litigation would be both costly
and unsuccessful; he added that being bankrupt
did not make a man a worse schoolmaster. Chambers
won his case and the school had to meet a further
heavy bill for costs. Since 1819 the charity had spent
in all £2,838 on litigation at a time when its normal
expenses were £230 a year.
The uncertainty and expense occasioned by the
lawsuits naturally affected the school adversely,
while rival National and private schools all benefited. This was confirmed by the Schools Enquiry
inspection in 1865. There were then 75 boys who
were taught the elementary subjects and history,
grammar, and geography. There was no Latin,
French, or drawing, nor were there examinations or
prizes; the books were antiquated, the school was
badly organized, and the buildings were unsatisfactory. Chambers kept an entirely separate private
school of 17 boarders and 5 day boys and was therefore unlikely to be able to give proper attention to
the grammar school. (fn. 92)
In 1872 a parish meeting was held to discuss the
future of the school and it was decided to apply to the
Endowed School Commissioners for a new scheme.
This permitted the sale of the Poynetts estate and
the introduction of school fees. A pension was to be
provided for Chambers, who eventually retired in
1874. Despite his differences with the governors he
appears to have retained the affections of his former
pupils, who presented him with a silver salver at a
dinner held in his honour. (fn. 93) The estate was sold for
£6,000, debts were paid off, and in January 1876 the
school reopened with 11 boys under the headmastership of W. G. Macdonald. The curriculum included
mathematics, history, geography, French, natural
science, and vocal music, for a fee of £6 a year;
Latin, German, and drawing were extras at £1 a
year for each subject.
Macdonald stayed for only a year and was succeeded by W. S. Ridewood, who remained headmaster until 1909. During this period numbers
increased to 159 and several extensions were made to
the school buildings. The first of these was a headmaster's house, the gift of Edward Ford, one of the
governors. In 1894 the South Block was erected with
the aid of a grant from the Middlesex County
Council, and six years later the 18th-century
Assembly Rooms were purchased; these additions
provided laboratories, a library, a staff room, and
several classrooms.
In 1908 the school passed under the control of the
County Council and in the following year E. M.
Eagles became headmaster. The school continued
to grow and in 1909 a new hall and three more classrooms were erected. In 1924 the balance of the money
derived from the sale of the Poynetts estate was used
to purchase Enfield Court; the house accommodated
the junior forms and the grounds became playing
fields.
L. C. Soar was appointed headmaster in 1934.
In 1938 a new hall was begun and other additions
included a new library, classrooms, and laboratories.
These extensions involved the demolition of the old
Assembly Rooms. Under the 1944 Education Act
the school became a voluntary controlled school. (fn. 94)
In 1964, when there were 778 pupils, Mr. Soar
retired and was succeeded by Dr. L. Whitworth.