City of London School

The City of London School, founded in 1834 through a private Act of Parliament, has a history rooted in a bequest of land made by John Carpenter, Town Clerk of London, in 1442 to educate poor children in the City of London. The school initially stood on Milk Street before relocating in 1879 to a new site on Victoria Embankment, a move made possible by the City of London School Act of 1879. This site, located at Blackfriars and overlooking the Thames, became home to a grand building designed by the architects Davis and Emanuel.

The Victoria Embankment building is an impressive example of high Victorian architecture through its steep, chateau-like roof with echoes of Italian Renaissance design. Despite its age, a preservation order has preserved and protected the building. By 2017, it had become the headquarters of the investment bank JPMorgan. The school's legacy lives on through its former pupils, known as Old Citizens, who continue to uphold the traditions and values of the institution.

Milk Street (1837–1883)

The City of London School's original building was located on Milk Street. This structure was designed by J.B. Bunning, who served as the architect of the City of London and was also an alumnus, or "Old Citizen," of the school. Bunning's design for the school embraced the neo-Gothic Tudor style, reflecting the architectural preferences of that era.

Victoria Embankment (1883–1986)

In 1883, the school relocated to a grand new building on Victoria Embankment, a structure often described as being in the Italian Renaissance style,[JL1] 

The design of the Victoria Embankment building was seen as unconventional for a school, with some describing it as "amazingly unscholastic" and more akin to a permanent Exhibition Palace than a traditional educational facility. The building's facade was adorned with statues of prominent figures such as Shakespeare, Milton, Bacon, and Newton, representing the school's dedication to literary and scientific education. Additionally, a statue of Sir Thomas More was included, symbolizing the school's connection to legal, religious, and philosophical traditions, given More's roles as a religious martyr, a lawyer, and the author of Utopia.

This building served as the home of the City of London School for a century, during which time the site expanded significantly. The original structure on Victoria Embankment was supplemented by a series of buildings that extended along John Carpenter Street, named after the school's founder. Additional structures were also constructed along Tudor Street at the back of the site. These buildings housed the school's playground, Fives courts, and cloisters, creating a comprehensive educational complex. The City of London School was also adjacent to the City of London School for Girls, founded by the City of London Corporation in 1894, which moved to its present site in the Barbican in 1969. The school's location was further enhanced by its proximity to Fleet Street, the traditional home of the British newspaper industry.

The Victoria Embankment building remained the City of London School's base until the move to Queen Victoria Street 1986. After the school vacated the premises, the auxiliary buildings on John Carpenter Street and Tudor Street were demolished. However, the main Victoria Embankment building remains and has been preserved under a protection order. Despite its change in function, the building continues to bear the school's name above the door, serving as a lasting reminder of its educational legacy.