Barham House

From Historical Hastings
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Alternative namesFellowship of St. Nicholas
General information
Address
c1870-
66 London Road
Location
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Barham House is a ​building​ at 66 London Road, occupied by the Fellowship of St. Nicholas since 1999.[1]

History of Building

A columnist reports that around 1870, Barham House (a private boys school) was the only ​building​ on the west side of London Road between Christ Church (then only a 'sandstone rock') and Tower Road[2]

1872 It is reported that a new ​road​ (Clyde Road) is being cut between Barham House and the 'new pleasure gardens' to open up a route between London Road and Charles Road.
1881. A resident of the property is named as Robert Holdsworth Walker in connection with witnessing cruelty to a horse.
Circa 1882 Building is used as a preparatory school for young men under the tutelage of the Rev. J. Wright and Rev. R. Walker with G. W. Bryant listed as Headmaster and an associated junior school in Dane Road.
July 1888 Report of three boys being charged with stealing cricket equipment, the property of the Rev. Robert Walker of Barham House, London Road.
1901 The property was put up for auction, but did not meet its reserve price.
1905 An E. L. Hawkins advertises for a gardener, knife cleaner and window cleaner.
31/05/1913 The Executors of the late E. L. Hawkins sale of contents of Barham House 66 London Road. During July of the same year, the house was put up for auction, being described as being 'well set back from the ​road​ with a carriage sweep, having 17 bedrooms, two dressing-rooms, bathroom, library, study, servants' hall, housekeepers-room, domestic offices and cellars.All this was set in matured grounds of about one acre which included space for stabling'. The property was still for sale the following year.
1921 The Rev. George Rainey founded a school in his name at the premises for 'delicate London Children' - sickly girls from Shoreditch and other east end boroughs, treating about 600 children per year, of which up to 64 were in residence for six weeks at a time.
1928 'Vigilant' notes in the letters column that Barham House sends over 600 children per year to the castle and benefit greatly from lessons held in the 'Ancient Ruins'. In the same year, an extension for an additional classroom was added to the ​building​.
1/07/1939 The school re-opens after extensive alterations and repairs by Adams & Jarrett.
May 1941 It is reported that training courses for the Communal Meals Service were held at Barham House, starting on the 28th. This was part of the 'British Restaurant' established during WW2 by the Ministry of Food to ensure communities and people who for whatever had run out of rationing coupons were able to eat. This proved so popular that by June of the same year, they had to duplicate the courses.
1946 the British Restaurant moved down the ​road​ to the Congregational Church hall.

Post war, the George Rainey school re-started with boys being admitted together with girls and the stay of the children was now extended to three months. The school continued operating until 1996. Until the 1970s, there was a Victorian Postbox outside on the corner of London Road and Clyde Road.[3]During 1999, the Fellowship of St. Nicholas took on the ​building​ to act as the head office of their charity and a base for classes and a nursery.

References & Notes