Ragged School’s old Victorian crane is ripped off—to be repaired
THE historic Ragged School Museum in London’s East End has begun restoration with a post crane being removed from the front of the canalside building. The crane is 130 years old and one of the original features of the Grade II-listed Victorian building which began life as three warehouses along the Regent’s Canal at Mile End
THE historic Ragged School Museum in London's East End began restoration this week when a post crane was removed from the front of the canalside building for renovation.
The crane is 130 years old and one of the original features of the Grade II-listed Victorian building which began life as three warehouses along the Regent's Canal at Mile End.
Ian Clark, an international authority on industrial heritage conservation, is pictured (above) on a 'cherry picker' cradle dismantling it.
The Victorian social reformer Thomas Barnardo converted the original warehouse in 1877 into one of London's busiest 'ragged' schools which educated thousands of destitute East End children for more than 30 years.
The Ragged School Museum at 46-50 Copperfield Road is a unique insight into Barnardo's extraordinary philanthropic work.
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Museum Director Erica Davies has begun a fundraising drive to continue the restoration.
"We are looking for money to complete the work for 2012," he said. "Then more of this remarkable building can be seen by the public."
The work got started with grants from Tower Hamlets council and the historic Ironmongers' City livery company.
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The Ragged School closed in 1908 when the building reverted to a warehouse and was later turned into a factory making motorcycle leatherwear.
But preservationists raised funds to buy the dilapidated building and opened the museum in 1989, featuring a Victorian classroom with wooden desks, blackboard and writing slates.
Visitors today can brave the 'dunces' cap on the first Sunday of each month as well as feel the wrath of the fearsome 'Miss Perkins' and experience the strict discipline of 19th century education.
