The Boatman'S Institute

TQ 1777 787/19/10081

Brentford THE BUTTS The Boatman's Institute

11-MAY-00

II Boatman's institute, later house. Built in 1904 for The London City Mission by architect Noel Parr. Arts and Crafts style. Comprised two schoolrooms on the ground floor with living accommodation above.

EXTERIOR: Brick and pebbledashed with red brick quoins and pantiled roof with two brick chimneystacks. Two storeys: irregular fenestration. First floor has central large wooden window based on Sparrowe's House Ipswich, replaced in later C20 in replica. This is a triple window supported on four moulded wooden brackets. Above is a curved gable with the date 1904 and "BOATMAN'S INSTITUTE". This is flanked by two tall narrow windows, the upper halves with glazing bars, the lower with central division. Very tall ground floor, to accommodate the height of the schoolrooms, has at the top a continuous eight-light window. Below this is a projecting central battered porch with wide entrance flanked by two triple windows. To the left is a cambered casement window and to the right a cambered doorcase. Beneath the ground floor windows are a series of small tablets to benefactors which include the wife of the architect. The rear elevation has stock brick ground floor and pebbledashed first floor. Red brick quoins and band between floors. Three 12-pane sashes to first floor. Ground floor has late C20 brick extension.

INTERIOR: Ground floor retains original folding wooden and glazed screen separating the larger and smaller schoolroom. Original wooden dogleg staircase with stick balusters and urn finials to newel posts. Several good quality metal Art Nouveau firegrates remain and original four-panelled doors.

HISTORY: The Boatman's Institute provided basic education including religious instruction to the children of boatmen and two rooms of the living accommodation above were used as maternity provision for boatmen's wives until the National Health Service was set up. Only five or six examples of boatmen's institutes are thought to exist nationally.

[See Carolyn and Peter Hammond "Brentford" in the Archive Photographs Series Tempus 1998 p109.]