Royal Masonic School for Boys

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Royal Masonic School for Boys
Former Royal Masonic School for Boys, Bushey
Address
Map
Bushey

Hertfordshire

England
Coordinates51°39′08″N 0°22′13″W / 51.6522°N 0.3702°W / 51.6522; -0.3702
Information
TypePrivate school
Established1903 (1903)
Closed1977 (1977)
Local authorityHertfordshire County Council
GenderBoys
Age range4–18
Websitehttps://www.oldmasonians.org

The Royal Masonic School for Boys was an English private school for boys at Bushey in Hertfordshire.

History

The origins of the school lie in the charities established in the late 18th century to clothe and educate the sons of Freemasons near their homes. These charities amalgamated in 1852 and established a boys' school at Wood Green in North London in 1857.[1] The foundation stone for a new school in Bushey was laid by the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn.[2] It was designed by Gordon & Gunton[3][4] and completed in 1903.[5] A Junior School was added on the other side of The Avenue in 1929 and by 1939 there were 800 boys at the school.[1][6]

Following a decline in pupil numbers the junior school closed in 1970, with the senior school closing in 1977. The site of the junior school is now occupied by The Grange Academy. The Royal Masonic School for Girls, based at Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, was unaffected by the closure.[7]

The site was acquired by Comer Homes in 1998; the buildings were rented out to the United States International University (Europe) (later Alliant International University) until 2009 when Comer Homes began redeveloping the site as Royal Connaught Park.[8]

Notable alumni

From the 1950s until recently[when?], the senior and junior school were used for films, including It's Great to Be Young (1956), Lucky Jim (1957), Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983), and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). The opening scenes of the 1960s children's series Thunderbirds were filmed in the old science block. The senior school and its grounds were used throughout the long-running 2000s series Judge John Deed, starring Martin Shaw, employing the teaching block as the judges's chambers and other parts of the senior school for the in-court scenes.[citation needed] The interior was used for the 1990 comedy Nuns on the Run.[10][11] The school's dining hall was used as the Great Hall for the Harry Potter films.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b G. Montague Hall (1938). A History of Bushey. Bushey: Bournehall Press.
  2. ^ "New-build News: Live at Potter's place… or would you prefer St Trinian's?". Metro. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  3. ^ "Architecture of Hertfordshire". 28 June 2009. Archived from the original on 6 August 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  4. ^ "Gordon & Gunton". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  5. ^ Nunn, JB (1987). The Book of Watford. Watford: Pageprint (Watford) Ltd. ISBN 0-9511777-1-0.
  6. ^ Bushey, Hertfordshire: Official Guide. Bushey: Bournehall Press. 1956.
  7. ^ "RMS for Girls". The Royal Masonic School for Girls. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  8. ^ "Royal Connaught Park". The Comer Group. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  9. ^ Phillips, Nigel (28 September 1995). "Speaking in the tongues of Mon and Khmer". The Guardian. p. 18.
  10. ^ "Nuns on the Run Filming Locations".
  11. ^ "Reelstreets | Nuns on the Run".
  12. ^ Mansion Global (27 July 2024). "Living at the 'Harry Potter' Set, a Gilded Age Mansion in N.Y. and More". Mansion Global. Retrieved 8 August 2024.