Walton Road School


Cornwell secondary modern school was a school in the district of Little Ilford, now within the London Borough of Newham, but formerly in Essex that was notable for having among its alumni one of the youngest recipients of the Victoria Cross, after whom the school was later renamed.

History

The school began life as the Bessborough Road board school built by the Little Ilford school board in 1900. The school was situated on Walton Road, Manor Park, and became called Walton Road School. Jack Cornwell, who won the Victoria Cross at the Battle of Jutland, was a pupil at the school. On 29 July 1916, when Jack Cornwell's body was exhumed and carried by gun carriage from East Ham Town Hall to Manor Park Cemetery, boys from Walton Road School joined the procession. At the school scholars and staff erected a plaque in his memory which was unveiled by Lady Jellicoe, wife of First Sea Lord Admiral J. Jellicoe.
In 1929 the school was renamed Cornwell School and was reorganised for senior boys, senior girls, and infants. After the Second World War, in 1945 the school was again reorganised for secondary boys and junior mixed, and finally in 1957 for secondary boys only. However, the school only lasted another twelve years and was demolished in 1969.

Notable former pupils