ST. MARYLEBONE GRAMMAR
SCHOOL (THE PHILOLOGICAL SCHOOL)
In 1792 Thomas Collingwood and other charitablyinclined gentlemen founded a school in Mary Street
(later renamed Stanhope Street, N.W. 1). Here they
gathered to read lectures, the boys being required
to listen and then to write essays. The object of the
school was to afford relief 'to the heads of families,
who by unexpected misfortune, have been reduced
from a station of comfort and respectability', and
who consequently could not provide an education
for their children 'which would qualify them for
those respectable situations to which their connexions
in life may still entitle them to look up'. (fn. 44) There
were 40 boys-10 destined for the Church, 10 for
the Navy, and 20 for mechanical occupations. Subscribers might nominate pupils, and the whole
institution was called the Philological Society.
Collingwood's organization seems to have been
unsatisfactory. A bogus collector was allowed to
rob the society of £1,000 before he was detected,
and the Revd. Basil Wood, a vigorous member of
the board, resigned in disgust at the conduct of the
school, although later he returned. (fn. 45) In 1800 there
was reorganization and retrenchment; (fn. 46) a new
prospectus was issued which stated that the aims of
the school were to instil the principles of religion
and habits of industry, so that 'boys of good capacities
may not be buried in obscurity, but may, by the
plan of education which the Society adopts, receive
that assistance which may fan the latent sparks of
genius'. Nine years later the school removed to
King Street, Edgware Road (later renamed Nutford
Place). Standards of discipline and learning were
low. (fn. 47)
In 1827 the school moved to its present site in
Marylebone Road and its fortunes improved. This
was largely through the efforts of Edwin Abbott, (fn. 48)
who for 45 years proved an able and efficient headmaster. The school enjoyed the patronage of George
IV, the Duke of Wellington, the Bishop of London,
and other notables, and was admitted to union with
King's College, London; it was described by the
historian of the parish as a 'most respectable and
valuable institution' with 127 boys, (fn. 49) but the governors regretted the embarrassment caused by the
nomination of boys who were socially unacceptable
by reason of their parents' lowly estate. (fn. 50)
To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the
foundation the board made a special appeal for the
enlargement of the school. Already, it was claimed,
nearly 2,000 youths had received a liberal and
Christian education and had gone forth 'fitted to
regain by honest exertion that station in society
which their parents once filled'. Only sons of clergymen, officers, professional men, merchants, and 'the
higher order of tradesmen' were to be admitted;
every subscriber of five guineas was entitled to
nominate a boy for admittance, but he was warned
that his nominee would be excluded should his
subscription not be renewed. Other boys were admitted at a fee of eight guineas a year, which included
the cost of books and stationery. (fn. 51) In 1852 there
were 83 foundationers (listed by their parents' social
status), 51 fee-payers, and a staff of three assisted by
writing and French masters. (fn. 52) In 1857 the older part
of the present building in Marylebone Road was
opened. (fn. 53) By 1864 there were 240 boys and a staff of
six assisted by three visiting masters. The senior
master took boarders. Although no boy had recently
gone to the university, several had passed on to the
City of London School, (fn. 54) of which Abbott's son
became a distinguished headmaster.
By the end of the century the financial position of
the school had deteriorated, and in 1908 it was
accepted in trust by the London County Council
and renamed St. Marylebone Grammar School.
After the First World War the building was extended
and during the headmastership of P. A. Wayne, in
many ways the third founder of the school, a playingfield was acquired, a country base established near
Leith Hill (Surr.), and artistic activities were
developed. During the Second World War the
school was evacuated to Cornwall. As part of the
1947 London County Council education plan it was
proposed that the school, now numbering about 500,
should be incorporated in a comprehensive school,
but the governors successfully petitioned for voluntary controlled status. (fn. 55) In 1954 Dr. H. Llewellyn
Smith became headmaster. New laboratories and
workshops were added by the London County
Council in 1964-5 on a neighbouring site.