Stanley Technical School

Stanley Technical Trade School was founded by William Ford Stanley in March 1907. It was located on the site of the Stanley Halls. The School was built for £50,000 and was endowed with £25,000 in local property.

It was not the first trade school in the UK however it is often referred to as ‘the first of [its] kind’. This is perhaps in reference to Stanley’s particular vision for the operation of a trade school, laid out in his essay Technical Trade Schools.

The school consisted of five ‘divisions’ for general learning, including a science class with raised seats and library, and a workshop, fitted for wood work and metal work. The instructors were experienced mechanics e.g. engineers, joiners and the general instructions were given by qualified teachers.

The School’s purpose was to ‘educate the sons of mechanics from the age of 12 to 15 years, to form the ground work of knowledge for scientific, artistic workman’. The main objective was to teach the elements of mechanics, science and applied art and manual skills and dexterity using workshop practice before entering apprenticeship programmes.

Stanley was compelled to found the school by what he saw as the declining fortunes of Britain and its working men. The steam engine and the factory had done away with the need for specialised skills. But without skilled workers, Britain could not achieve the excellence in manufacturing. As a result, Britain had lost “the important position we once possessed in being able to carry to ideas and inventions”.

William Ford Stanley was born in Hertfordshire on the 2nd February, 1829. In 1853 he set up a business as a maker of drawing office equipment. He died on 14th August 1909 in South Norwood.