Schoolroom

I went to Harrow School.

Not as a schoolboy, you understand:  but I visited today as part of the Open House London event where buildings, many not usually open to the public, open their doors to visitors.

This room is the "Fourth Form Room" in the "old" school - the first of the current buildings to be built (opened in 1615) - although there was an earlier building from 1572 which this replaced.  It was the only school room in the original school.  There were two master's desks, one at each end, and two monitor's (senior boys) desks, one each side.  The room housed four classes (apparently the origin of the name "Fourth Form").

The masters (who were required to remain unmarried as the founder, John Lyon, didn't want the school sullied by women!) lived on the upper floors.

The walls of the schoolroom are covered in the names of former pupils, carved into the wooden panelling.  These include the name of several former prime ministers (including Winston Churchill) and notable artists and writers.  One William Talbot (later the inventor of the negative/positive photographic process) was also a pupil, and he also carved his name into the panelling (see extra).

A very interesting visit, helped by the well informed, and informative, volunteer guides.