Workhouse and Schools

Mortlake workhouse was built in 1733 on Vineyard Path by order of the parish vestry. Life in the workhouse was harsh – those who could work were given menial jobs such as cleaning the streets. Food consisted mainly of bread and stewed vegetables with a weekly ration of meat that was mainly offcuts and scraps. There were 44 inmates in 1826. The workhouse closed in 1836 when the workhouses in Barnes, Mortlake, Petersham and Kew were transferred to the Richmond Union Workhouse in Grove Road.

The first reference to a school in Mortlake was in 1634 when John Blackwell offered the parish money to build a charity school. A schoolhouse was established within the vestry, and it was later housed in a separate building within church grounds. From 1815 the school became the National School and was open to all the poor children in the parish. The number of pupils continued to grow and in 1843 the old workhouse building was acquired by the school. By 1867 there were 411 pupils.

An infants school was built in 1890 to the east of the old workhouse, to the left of Betts' drawing. Boys and girls were taught separately until 1909, the curriculum was wide ranging, and the HM Inspector's reports indicated that the standard of education was good. However, many school days were lost due to sickness – infectious diseases often meant that the whole school would have to be closed and disinfected. The photograph to the left shows the school assembled for Empire Day in 1909.

During the 1960s the number of pupils slowly declined so that a decision was made to close the school in July 1982. The old workhouse building was converted into Capel Court in 1987. The junior school was demolished, and Addington Court built in its place; the old infant school became Mortlake Hall for community use.