Cuckoo Schools was a large school for children of destitute families which was created as the Central London District Poor Law School by the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

and the East London and St. Saviour Workhouse Unions in 1857. It was built on the land of Cuckoo Farm on Cuckoo Hill in of

Hanwell Hanwell () is a town in the London Borough of Ealing. It is about west of Ealing Broadway and had a population of 28,768 as of 2011. It is the westernmost location of the London post town. Hanwell is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. St ...

. were kept as a working farm to educate and feed the children. The school was closed down in 1933. In the same year a large housing estate began to be built on the site around the school. This was completed in 1939. Some damage due to a flying bomb was sustained during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The estate which became known as the Cuckoo Estate is now a conservation area. The school buildings which remain, consisting of the old administrative block, are now used as the Hanwell Community Centre on Westcott Crescent, and they have been a Grade II listed building since 19 January 1981. In 2015 the London Welsh School moved into the building.

Notable former pupils

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...

* Sydney Chaplin

References

1857 establishments in England 1933 disestablishments in England Buildings and structures in the London Borough of Ealing Defunct schools in the London Borough of Ealing Educational institutions established in 1857 Educational institutions disestablished in 1933 {{london-stub