The listed building near Twickenham and Isleworth where the college was from 1946 Maria Grey Training College was a training college in London, England, for teachers from 1878 to 1976. When it opened, it was the first teacher training college for women in Great Britain. It was named for Maria Georgina Grey, a promoter of women's education and a founder of the organisation that became the

Girls' Day School Trust The Girls' Day School Trust (GDST) is a group of 25 independent schools, including two academies, in England and Wales, catering for girls aged 3 to 18. It is the largest group of independent schools in the UK, and educates 20,000 girls each yea ...

History

The college was opened as the Teachers' Training & Registration Society College on 1 May 1878 in the Clergy House, Skinner Street,

Bishopsgate Bishopsgate was one of the eastern gates in London's former defensive wall. The gate's name is traditionally attributed to Earconwald, who was Bishop of London in the 7th century. It was first built in Roman times and marked the beginning o ...

(now Pindar Street). In some literature it is recorded as the first teacher training college for women, however

Whitelands College Whitelands College is the oldest of the four constituent colleges of the University of Roehampton. History Whitelands College is one of the oldest higher education institutions in England (predating every university except University of Oxford, ...

(now part of the University of Roehampton) opened in 1841 as a women's teacher training college and was the first such college in England for women. The Teachers' Training & Registration Society was created by the Women's Education Union to promote women's right to education and the professional recognition of female teachers. The Society was promoted by Maria Georgina Grey, who had also been fundamental in the founding of the Union. In 1885, it moved to

Fitzroy Square Fitzroy Square is a Georgian architecture, Georgian garden square, square in London, England. It is the only one in the central London area known as Fitzrovia. The square is one of the area's main features, this once led to the surrounding di ...

, and in March 1886 it was renamed Maria Grey College after its founder. The college was attached to Brondesbury and Kilburn High School so that the trainee teachers could test their skills in a classroom situation. New buildings for the college and high school were erected in 1892, designed by architect J. Osborne Smith, at a cost of £11,500 (£ as of ). In 1892, it attracted Alice Woods as its new head. She was not a great administrator but she focussed on raising the quality of the student's work. Under her leadership, she was able to have lecturers who were all graduates for every area except for the kindergarten. The teachers learnt about teaching methods developed by

Maria Montessori Maria Tecla Artemisia Montessori ( ; ; 31 August 1870 – 6 May 1952) was an Italians, Italian physician and educator best known for her philosophy of education (the Montessori method) and her writing on scientific pedagogy. At an early a ...

and Froebel. In 1946, it moved to

Twickenham Twickenham ( ) is a suburban district of London, England, on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historic counties of England, Historically in Middlesex, since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, who ...

. In 1976, the college merged with

Borough Road College The West London Institute of Higher Education (WLIHE), a two-campus academic establishment, was located in Isleworth and East Twickenham, West London, UK from 1976 until 1995 when it became Brunel University College. In 1997 it was fully integra ...

and Acton & Chiswick Polytechnic to form the

West London Institute of Higher Education The West London Institute of Higher Education (WLIHE), a two-campus academic establishment, was located in Isleworth and East Twickenham, West London, UK from 1976 until 1995 when it became Brunel University College. In 1997 it was fully integra ...

. In 1995, the West London Institute of Higher Education became part of

Brunel University Brunel University of London (BUL) is a public research university located in the Uxbridge area of London, England. It is named after Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a Victorian engineer and pioneer of the Industrial Revolution. It became a university ...

. The site was sold when the department moved to

Uxbridge Uxbridge () is a suburban town in west London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon, northwest of Charing Cross. Uxbridge formed part of the parish of Hillingdon in the county of Middlesex. As part ...

in 2005.

Primary sources

The records of the college are now held in the Brunel University Archives.

Notable alumni

Margaret Emily Hodge Margaret Emily Hodge (8 January 1858 – 13 August 1938) was a British educator, suffragist, Pacifism, pacifist and urban district councillor who established teacher training courses in Australia. She was a member of feminist organisations in ...

* Charlotte Laurie *

Madiha Omar Madiha Umar (1908 – 2005 in Aleppo) () was an Iraqi artist who was known for incorporating calligraphy with abstract art. She is generally perceived as the first Arab artist to have done this. Therefore, she is seen as the precursor to the ...

Mary Russell Walker Mary Walker (1846 – 20 November 1938) was a Scottish teacher who was the founding head of the first Scottish teacher training college (St George's Training College) and the head of the first Scottish day school, St. George's High School for Gi ...

was trained here before creating a similar college in Scotland

History

Primary sources

Notable alumni

References

See also