Bear Wood

Introduction

The photograph on this page of Bear Wood by Brendan and Ruth McCartney as part of the Geograph project.

The Geograph project started in 2005 with the aim of publishing, organising and preserving representative images for every square kilometre of Great Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man.

There are currently over 7.5m images from over 14,400 individuals and you can help contribute to the project by visiting https://www.geograph.org.uk

Bear Wood

Image: © Brendan and Ruth McCartney Taken: 17 Apr 2005

Bear Wood College. In October 1827 a Merchant Seamen's Orphanage was instituted in the City of London to care for and educate the children of those lost at sea. With the support of the Prince Consort and Earl Russell in 1862 sufficient money had been raised to build new and imposing buildings at Snaresbrook near London. In 1902 King Edward VII granted the title "Royal" to the establishment and King George V changed the name to that of the Royal Merchant Navy School (RMNS). Circumstances after the First World War dictated a move and Sir Thomas Devitt and Sir Alfred Yarrow bought the mansion of Bearwood to which the school moved in March 1921. By 1961 the reduction in the British merchant fleet meant that the number of such orphans had fallen. The school accepted fee paying scholars and also became an Independent School under its new name of Bearwood College. Only boys were then accepted, a position which reverted 35 years later. Bearwood College still has strong links with the Royal Merchant Navy Foundation and continues to take foundationers whose fees are paid for. The college is now a co-educational boarding and day school, taking scholars from 11 to 18.

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