The future of Peterborough School looked bleak during 2007 and 2008. Despite protests from local parents  and campaigns by supporters, closure looked iminent and future proposals for the site included a French academy and private housing.

Former pupils featured on this Website with fond memories of the School and who very much regret the its fate include Carole Stanbury, Maureen Elster, Brenda Beresford, William Wilcox, Colin Riddlestone, Vivien Hicks, Sue Hallam, Derek Webb, Linda White, Philip Donleavy, Alan Crack and Janet Ball, better known as the journalist and broadcaster Janet Street-Porter.

The history of the School was well documented in a centenary booklet published in 2001 by 'local historian' Sue Pierson, who also published a history of St Matthew's Church, where she is the current Deaconess. Below are edited extracts.

On January 22nd 1901 Queen Victoria died and an era came to an end but for the Peterborough schools, life was just beginning. Named after the Earl of Peterborough's estate on which it was built, the schools were to take around 1200 pupils. Girls Boys and Infants were to be kept strictly apart as the names over the entrances still show. The design of the building was an improvement on the barrack-like character of other schools. As the Fulham Chronicle noted: "Judiciously ornamented by terracota, well lighted and surmounted by a fleche, the appearance of the building is decidedly pleasing."

The schools had been opened on 26th August 1901 at the insistence of Head office though the Clerk of Works had wanted them to wait another week. Consequently scaffolding was still up and workmen were in the building. In the May 1908 edition of The Peterborough magazine the infants Head teacher Miss Gay looking back described the first day as "chaos!" 200 infants had turned up and only two rooms were ready. Not all the children were 'clean' which was something she had to deal with. Her staff consisted of two certificated teachers and two pupil teachers (young people gaining work experience before going to college).

Lord Reay, chairman of the London School Board formerly opened the schools in October 1901. 800 pupils had been admitted since August.

The monthly magazine, which ran from 1908-1915 gives a vivid picture of the schools early life. Students from Hockerill College, Bishops Stortford working in the infants department spoke of the "nice tone" and were impressed with the childrens' training to be kind, courteous, unselfish and patriotic. The latter meant saluting the Union Jack every morning.

In November 1912 the school doctor gave advice to parents. This included leaving the bedroom window open at night in all weather as "an open window is better than an open grave." The boys were advised not to brace their trousers up too tight or round shoulders would follow. Girls were advised to wear woolly combinations, serge knickers and a tunic dress with the addition of a woolly vest in winter.

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Rumour has it that (Headmaster Mr Fooks) used to sit in the top hall all day with his cane in front of him.

By 1921 the Boys School was described as "large"  having 10 classes and supervised with rare ability and tact by Mr Elliott. Inspectors said the teaching of PE "is a commendable feature that most teachers themselves strip for the work and approach the subject in a business like manner."

The Boys' log book for 1930-39 records staff absences and changes. It was noted that attendance dropped when some disappeared to work in the hop fields in the country, in the summer time in general when measels or flu was rife.

At outbreak of War many children were evacuated to Woking, Surrey and some of the teachers. Mr Williams was one and his wife went with him and helped to provide dinners for large numbers of children. Woking was not a success. The residents did not want Fulham children thrust on them and some children started to walk home.

Peterborough Mixed Emergency School was opened in 1940 for any left behind with seven staff and Miss Tremer in charge. Air raid shelters were made out of two bricked up classrooms and two lobbies on the ground floor for 250 children. 275 were admitted when it oopened but 585 had asked for admission. Eventually this was managed by having half time schooling for those aged 8 to 13+. On September 11 the school closed because of delayed action bombs dropped in the area and on September 19 incendiary bombs landed on the roof and part of the top floor was badly damaged. The school was closed indefintely but re-opened in October 1941 but attendance was bad because of repeated air raids. The children were spending long hours in the shelters during the day.

Mr Whibread, head of the Boys was described as a man of energy and an experienced traveller who brought with him a collection of stuffed birds and a stuffed polar bear from a Polar expedition.

The Admissions Register for 1938-54 records not only addresses of the pupils but the fathers' occupations. The children came from both sides of the Wandsworth Bridge Road and north of New Kings Road. Their fathers were; plumbers, painters, street traders, clerks, lorry drivers, window cleaners,chemists, coal porters, shoe repairers, engineers and dairymen etc. By 1939 there were more jobs associated with the army, RAF, ARP, police plus ships' painters and aircraft factory workers. In 1947 the jobs include railway worker, tinsmith, slater, shop manager, postman, joiner and Power Station workers. In 1954 there was  an even wider variety including civil servant, secretary, chartered accountant, professional football coach, teacher, building society rep, tv engineers, bus driver and commissionaire as well as skilled labourers.

In 1950 the boys numbered 284 under new head Mr Matthews. The library became Mr Matthews pride and joy and he kept it locked! Mrs Smart was head of the girls with eight staff and 273 girls. Two years later the boys were housed in the newly built Sullivan school while major repairs were done to the Peterborough roof.

Supervised boxing was also organised by Mr Hall and Mr Williams. "Those who wanted to participate paired off with a friend for contests that were held in the top hall. Nobody got hurt- our arms soon became so tired owing to the weight of heavy gloves that we could barely lift them to throw a punch."

The school had a good sporting tradition as the picture below shows.

The Queen Mother as she became known visited Peterborough on July 17 1952 on behalf of the London Flower Lovers league as the children had won a first class diploma for their Nasturtiums. She made a further visit in July 1963 to see the girls and infants garden.

King George VI died in 1952 and pupils remember sitting in the hall with teachers facing them in tears, which was something teachers didn't do. After the coronation of  Queen Elizabeth II  in 1953 there were street celebrations and pupils were taken to the cinema to see 'A Queen is crowned' followed by Coronation Tea. Each child received a silver propelling pencil as a gift from the London County Council.

Former pupils during the 1950s remembered unpleasant incidents such as animosity between the boys of Peterborough and Holy Cross. On one occasion a force of at least 100 Holy Cross boys armed with bats, clubs, torn down branches and dustbin lids advanced down Studdridge Street towards the smaller band of Peterborough boys, who took off either to their homes or back into school. For the next hour or so there was alot of police and teacher activity.

Discipline at the school was generally strict. It was normal proceedure when in the school hall to follow strict drills- each class had to be in absolutely straight lines, head up, shoulders back and thumbs in line with trouser seams. Smacks on the head were fairly normal treatment and when a certain teacher lost his temper he would grab a boy by the wrist and suspend him with feet just touching the floor and then slam into the boy's backside with his open hand using long sweeping strokes.

Music in the Girl's department was of a high standard taught by Miss Morris whom everyone reckoned was over eight years old. We were terrified of her but she achieved great things with us. In the classroom Miss Morris would suddenly announce that someone was singing out of tune and she would then shuffle along the line, bent double, hanky in a somewhat shaking hand ready to pounce on the growler with an "it's you!".

The 1968 Inspectors report commented: "The social background of pupils was at one time mainly professional but the advent of new blocks of flats and housing schemes has given the school a much wider social composition."  By 1969 the school was experiencing falling rolls and at the start of the 70s house prices were rising and Fulham was becoming gentrified. The Peterborough Estate became highly desirable and those buying up the houses sent their children to private schools. It was decided in July 1969 to amalgamate the Boys and Girls Departments into a Junior Mixed School with Mr Matthews as head.

Miss Gurry, one of the infants teachers left in 1969. She was on the staff for over 20 years and was much loved by her children. She had been a Peterborough pupil herself winning an L.C.C Junior Scholarship in 1920, a fact immortalised on the Honours Board.

During the Easter holidays in 1971 Headmaster Mr Matthews decided to retire at 61 "to make way for someone younger and before he became too hardened in his ways." Mrs Mason, Deputy Head of Infants also retired after 29 years. Mr Williams became acting head and there were 257 children in the juniors. In January 1972 Miss Affentranger took over and Mr Williams retired in July after 41 years at Peterborough.

By 1982 numbers had dropped so much that the future of the school was in doubt. It soon became clear that the infants and juniors could not remain in separate schools.  In 1983 Miss Affentranger bcame head of Peterborough Junior Mixed and Infants. No school was closed but falling rolls left all Fulham schools feeling under threat. By 1986 there were only 139 children. This meant more than one age group in each class to make the numbers viable.

"Our School has been Saved" said the Governors' report for 1991. After a hard fought campaign to keep the school open it was decided to bring Queensmill, a school for children with severe language and communications difficulties to share Peterborough's building. A new block was built, a joint nursery and major renovations were needed inside the building. But the need to increase the role, 185 in June 1995, continued as now more than ever children meant more money for the school.

That fight lasted well into the new millenium but now sadly seems to have been lost...