The Thame Royal British School, for a time known as the Park Street School and in 1907 renamed "John Hampden School", was built in 1837 on land purchased from Sarah Richmond in Brick-kiln Lane. The decision to found the school was taken on 22 June 1836 in a public meeting at the Market Hall. The school was based on the principles of the nonconformist British and Foreign School Society (BFSS), to provide scriptural and secular elementary education for the children of the poor from all denominations. The school was attended by children above 5 from all surrounding villages. Boys and girls were taught separately by a master and mistress respectively, hence the plural "British Schools" (sometimes with the addition "of Industry") which was mostly used. The school was paid for by subscriptions and donations, later supported by a government grant. At the time of its foundation there was some competition with the Thame National School Society, which was established in November 1836 "for the Education of the Poor of the Established Church" and won the support of Lord Abingdon, whose patronage had previously been sought by the British School Committee (see S273/1/C4). The Duchess of Kent, however, agreed to be the school's patroness, which accounts for the name of the "Royal" British Schools. Classrooms were added in 1852 and 1913, and an infants' class was started in 1869. The school became a junior and infants' school in 1929, the seniors being transferred to the Church of England school. In 1947 it ceased to be a voluntary school and was taken over by the county council. Please see CC4212 for other records of this school.
The school records, which cover the period 1836 -1953, were deposited in May 1961 as accession 401 and have previously been catalogued as T.I-VI. A conspectus is to be found in the end of this folder.
Catalogued by Heleen van Rossum April 1993