Craufurd College Maidenhead

[zaccycat]

Does anyone have any information about Craufurd College in Maidenhead? It was founded in about 1830 by J.D.M. Pearce and stood on Gringer Hill. The college was huge and the grounds extended right down to College Avenue where the current Claires Court Girls school is (formerly the Convent of the Nativity).
I have tried the Library, Google and the Berkshire Record Office with very little success!
I am particularly interested in why it got its name.

Many thanks!

[nanny jan]

Hi,

Welcome to Rootschat.   

This might give you the answer.....scroll down a little;

http://craufurdarms.co.uk/2.html


Nanny Jan

[zaccycat]

Thanks Nanny Jan but that is my website! We took on the pub back in March.
I understand that J D M Pearce was gifted a fortune by a Mrs Craufurd so I am trying to track her down to see if he named the College and the pub after her.
Many thanks though!

[Little Nell]

Have you been in touch with the Maidenhead Heritage Centre at all?  They may be able to help you.  The main local historian is Luke Over, but I've not seen him around for a while.

Nell

[zaccycat]

Thanks Nell and yes I have.
I have not been able to contact Luke Over though as I was told that he is not well and not accepting contact.

[Philaben]

Hello,
I went through Rootschat to Craufurd College. I just know that my grandfather Moses Abensur studied at this college in the 1910. I have a letter addressed to him by one of  his cousins at "Craufurd College, Maidenhead".  My grandfather appears in the 1911 census together with other pupils and schoolmasters. I wonder if anybody has located archives of this college. It seems it no longer exists.
Thank you for any information!
Regards,
Philip

[newburychap]

From 1897 to 1926 it was a boarding school for Jews (see http://www.maidenheadcivicsoc.org.uk/group/2086/Newsletters/NFeb14.pdf).  Prior to that it was a prep school, the earliest mention I can find in a quick trawl is multiple items in newspapers from 1847 when an school at Craufurd House, Maidenhead is advertising for pupils. I suspect the name predated the school and was a private residence originally.

The name is so unusual that it must surely come from the Scottish surname of Craufurd - there were a number of notables of that name who may have had a house in the area, but no immediately obvious one.

[stanmapstone]

I suspect the name predated the school and was a private residence originally.

The name is so unusual that it must surely come from the Scottish surname of Craufurd - there were a number of notables of that name who may have had a house in the area, but no immediately obvious one.

From the Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette 02 January 1847

[Philaben]

Thank you, Newburychap! It clears something. While living in Tangier, Morocco, my greatgrandfather was Jew and naturalised British by Parliament Act. He certainly wanted his son to study in a British and Jewish college and naturally chose Craufurd college. Quite emotioning to see a photo of the college in the link to Maidenhead Civic Society News, though it is a shame it no longer exists.

Thanks also to Stanmapstone for his historical newspaper extract about the creation of the college!