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History and Archive

The Latymer Foundation was created in 1624 by Edward Latymer, a wealthy lawyer and man of property, when he donated a part of his estate for the clothing and education of “eight poore boyes” from Hammersmith.

Between 1624 and 1895 the revenues from the Latymer Foundation’s lands paid for local boys (and for 140 years, girls) to receive an education.

Then, in 1895, the Trustees of the Latymer Foundation decided to establish Latymer Upper School which opened its doors on King Street with 106 pupils.

Latymer has always strived to be as inclusive and diverse as possible and provide financial support to as many children as possible.

Access to the full online archive is available here.

By 1919, 25% of students were attending Latymer thanks to either a bursary supported by the local London education authority or from the Latymer Foundation. 

In 1944, following the introduction of the Butler Education Act, Latymer became a Direct Grant school, where half of all places were reserved for scholarship pupils, with the rest available for fee-paying families. However, a number of these fee-paying families were actually financially supported by the Latymer Foundation, resulting in almost 80% of students being able to attend Latymer throughout the 1950s, 60s and 70s on a free place.

The support given by the local authority fell significantly during the 1970s, and the Direct Grant scheme was abolished altogether in 1976. Whilst a new ‘Assisted Places’ scheme was introduced by the Government in 1981, its impact was short-lived and Latymer’s ethos of offering a first class education to children from all backgrounds was threatened for the first time.

Without the support from the Government, the Governors of Latymer were forced to take the difficult decision to set fees at a realistic level to ensure the School stayed solvent. This required all parents to pay for their child’s place, and made it far more difficult to accept boys from poorer backgrounds. By 1998 there were only two permanent free places funded by the Foundation.

The trustes of the Latymer Foundation were not happy about this situation and resolved to find a way to move back in line with the ethos of Edward Latymer. In 2004, Latymer’s Development Office (now known as the Foundation Office) was established. Since then, it has sought to secure donations of all sizes in support of Latymer’s bursary programme, which has expanded from just two free places in 1998 to 268 funded places in the academic year 2022/23.

However there is still more to be done to enable us to reach the next milestone on our journey towards needs-blind admission to Latymer Upper School, which is to have sufficient funding to allow 25% of our students to be financially supported by the Foundation by 2024.

1600

1600

London had a population of around 200,000 of whom approx 1,000 lived in Hammersmith.

1603

Death of Elizabeth I, accession of James VI/I

1605

The Gunpowder Plot

1611

The King James Version of the Bible published, the new authorised translation

1622

Edward Latymer acquires Butterwick Manor in Hammersmith as an investment; he never lives there

1624

Edward Latymer writes his Will, contemplating the bequest of almost 30 acres of Butterwick Manor to pay for the upkeep of 6 almsmen and the education of 8 poor boys in Hammersmith.

Hammersmith residents petition for a chapel-of-ease to be built in the hamlet, avoiding the need to travel to All Saints Church in Fulham for services

1627

Edward Latymer dies

Eight Latymer Foundation boys attend petty schools in Fulham

1629

Charles I suspended Parliament, and started 11 years of personal rule

1631

St Paul’s chapel-of-ease in Hammersmith opens

1642

Civil War breaks out. Royalist army halted at the Battle of Turnham Green. Temporary bridge of boats built to convey Parliamentary troops from Putney.

1649

Execution (“regicide”) of Charles I

1650

Ralph Griggs rents waterfront property (the current Riverside House)

1655

Great Plague, infections especially rife in the waterside villages including Hammersmith

1657

A Hammersmith parish charity school is established. Schoolhouse is constructed at St Paul’s Church and Latymer pupils join.

1658

Cromwell dies.

1660

Accession, Charles II

Catholic Queen Dowager of Charles II, Catherine of Braganza, takes up residence at Riverside House on Upper Mall. She illegally sets up a Catholic school for girls opposite Butterwick Manor, now called Sacred Heart Girls.

1666

The Great Fire of London

1667

Milton’s Paradise Lost published, first printed at St Dunstans in the West

1674

Isaac Le Gooch (Charles II’s jeweller) moves into Hyde Lodge, where the LUS boathouse currently stands

1679

Catherine of Braganza sets up a Catholic nunnery, called The English Ladies, in Hammersmith

1685

Death of Charles II, accession James II

1689

Accession, William III & Mary II

1695

Bank of England issues bank notes, the money economy begins

1700

1700

London had rapidly expanded to become Europe’s largest city, with a population of around 575,000, eclipsing Paris and Naples

1702

Death of William III, accession, Anne

1714

Death of Anne, accession, George I

1724

Bishop of London issues a directive re charity school curriculum and requires every teacher to be a member of the Church of England and “of known affection to King George I”

1727

Death of George I, accession, George II

1729

Hammersmith Workhouse built, following passage of the 1722 Poor Relief Act allowing parishes the power to acquire premises for the accommodation of the poor. The workhouse stood on two parcels of land owned by Latymer and Nicholas Crispe and overseers paid £37 per year to the two charities. The Hammersmith workhouse housed 132 boys who were employed in chopping wood, making fruit baskets, tailoring and shoemaking.

1730

London distilling around 10 million gallons of gin a year

1756

New schoolhouse was built on the north side of the churchyard, the boys occupied the upper floor and the girls occupied the lower. The costs of this building work was split between the two schools.

1760

Death of George II, accession, George III

1790

Louis Weltje, clerk of the kitchen to the Prince Regent, buys Seagreens Nursery, land now currently occupied by the West London Free School

1800

1801

Hammersmith population stands at 5,600; 871 houses are recorded in the parish

1808

Rivercourt House built on the site of Queen Dowager, Catherine of Braganza’s former home

1816

Sir Francis Ronald invents the electric telegraph on Upper Mall, beside Kelmscott House

1819

The St Paul’s churchyard schoolhouse was further enlarged to accommodate a growing number of girls and boys.

1820

Death of George III, accession, George IV

1826

Gas street lighting in Hammersmith

1827

Hammersmith’s “Suspension Bridge” built, London’s first suspension bridge, collecting tolls.

1830

Death of George IV, accession, William IV

1832

Reform Act, broadens suffrage to approx. 6 million citizens, previously limited to freeholders only (440,000 out of total population of 20 million)

1836

Two rooms erected at north end of the churchyard adjoining the Latymer school, as a National School for 240 children.

1837

Death of William IV, accession of Victoria

Railways arrive in Hammersmith with station in Harrow Road

1841

Chimney Sweep Act

1844

West London Railway links Hammersmith with Kensington

1851

Hammersmith population stands at 17,000, with the single largest profession being brickworking

1863

The Latymer Foundation School sets up in a new building on Hammersmith Road, designed to accommodate 200 boys

Female Charity School remains in the schoolhouse in St Paul’s churchyard and becomes the girls department of St Paul’s National School

1869

Ravenscourt Park tube line opens

1870

The Forster Education Act, making elementary school education free and mandatory for all expenses to be covered by rates. London School Board becomes the authority in Greater London.

1878

Endowed School Act, Latymer Foundation School is now publicly funded with Latymer Foundation contributing no more than £250 per year, allowing the school to fix tuition fees at between 2-9 pence per week per student.

Distinctive Latymer school uniform and numbered badges discontinued

1881

Hammersmith population stands at 72,000

1882

St Paul’s Church is rebuilt

1883

The Latymer Foundation began to plan for establishing a new, secondary, Latymer Upper School. The process began of acquiring ownership of the rest of the Hyde Lodge site, completed by 1889.

1887

Hammersmith Bridge rebuilt; a temporary wooden bridge built alongside to accommodate pedestrians

1893

The foundation stone of the new Upper School was laid.

1895

January 9th, Latymer Foundation Upper School opens on King Street, 106 day boys with fees fixed at £2-£5 per year.

1900

1900

Mendel Trachtenberg became the first Latymerian to win an award at Cambridge, an Exhibition in Mathematics at St John’s College. (His brother Henry followed him to Trinity College the following year.)

1901

Death of Victoria, accession, Edward VII

Hammersmith population stands at 112,000

1904

The Latymer Foundation took on the recently closed Sir William Godolphin’s Grammar School, in order to reshape it as the Godolphin and Latymer School for Girls. During work to refurbish and alter the Iffley Road buildings, the Godolphin and Latymer girls were taught in what is now ‘E’ Block on the King Street site.

1905

The Governors acquired the sports field at Wood Lane, previously a military training ground.

The Cadet Corps was set up

1906

The School buildings were extended to house the growing numbers of pupils.

1907

General Sir John French opened the Rifle Range.

Godolphin & Latymer school opens funded by Latymer Foundation (£8,000 investment plus £500 p.a. to cover operating costs)

1908

Swimming began at Lime Grove baths, built by the Borough of Hammersmith on what had been Latymer Foundation land.

1910

Death of Edward VII, accession George V

1914

In the First World War over 1,200 Latymerians volunteered to join the armed services. Two hundred and twenty former pupils and one member of staff, Mr P.H.A.T Brill, lost their lives.

1915

The first Prefects were appointed.

1922

The foundation of The Gild under the first Reve, Mr F.J. Skinner.

1928

The first known overseas tour by Latymerians, to St Germain-en-Laye, near Paris. Regular tours to Germany and Austria followed until the Second World War

1930

Hammersmith population reaches 300,000 between the two World Wars, but then falls as people move away to less crowded areas

1932

Hammersmith Odeon opens, gaining a legendary reputation with several iconic gigs played there by Bob Marley and The Wailers in 1976. It is now known as the Eventim Apollo.

1933

Riverside Studios begins life as a movie studio. It is later taken over by the BBC hosting such productions as Dr Who.

1936

Death of George V, abdication of Edward VIII, accession of George VI

1938

Rowing begins, using the boathouse of the Furnivall Sculling Club.

1940

1940 to 1945 Approximately 5,500 H&F residents are killed by Nazi bombings.

1944

Butler Education Act, Latymer Foundation School becomes

1945

Following the Butler Education Act in 1944, Latymer Upper School becomes a Direct Grant Grammar School.

1947

The Johanneum Exchange begins

1948

The first Johanneum boys visit Latymer.

1949

The first Latymer visit to Hamburg

The Dedication of the Memorial Window in the Hall, honouring the 119 Latymerians who fell in the Second World War.

Rugby at Latymer begins

1951

The Governors acquire Rivercourt House, to be used for the Preparatory Department and Sixth Form.

1952

Death of George VI, accession, Elizabeth II

1955

Latymer boys take part in the first French exchange with the Lycee Chaptal in Paris.

1957

The School takes part in the first pilot project of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme.

1962

A record number of places (32) are won at Oxford and Cambridge by Latymerians

1963

The Latymer Foundation School on Hammersmith Road closed.

1964

The Boat House opens

1965

The Beatles play at Hammersmith Odeon.

1966

The Combined Cadet Force at Latymer disbands

1971

The Dining Hall and ‘ABC Block’ buildings were opened by the Minister of Education, the Rt. Hon. Margaret Thatcher, MP

1975

The Swimming Pool opens

1976

Latymer Upper School becomes independent, with the end of the Direct Grant system.

1980

The Sports Hall opens

1981

The start of the Assisted Places Scheme

1996

The Sixth Form becomes co-educational

1997

Assisted Places scheme abolished

1999

The Latymer Arts Centre and the Edward Latymer Theatre open

2000

2003

Co-education introduced to Years 3 and 4 at the Prep School

2004

Foundation Office opens - fundraising for bursaries begins

Girls are welcomed into Year 7 as the school becomes fully co-educational

2008

The Latymer Performing Arts Centre, including the Recital Hall and Dance Studio, open

2010

Governors award the first Latymer Foundation bursary to a Prep pupil

2012

Olympics held in London

2014

The Inspiring Minds campaign launches to raise £40m for bursaries by 2024

2015

The Latymer Sports Centre opens

2022

Death of Elizabeth II, accession of Charles III

2023

75th year Anniversary of the Hamburg Exchange

2024

400th anniversary of Latymer Foundation

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