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 trustees 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. Thanks to philanthropic donations from the Latymer community, we have significantly expanded our bursary programme from just two free places in 1998 to offering bursaries to 1 in 4 Upper School students for the 2024/25 academic year.
Reaching ‘1 in 4’ is a key milestone on our journey towards a socially inclusive Latymer community. It’s encouraging that 20% of our bursaries are endowed in perpetuity. We are continuing to build our endowment to realise our ultimate goal of needs-blind admission to Latymer.
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
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