E17 Higham Hill, Upper Walthamstow, Walthamstow
Henry Maynard Junior Schoolby Christine Joerres |
|
I chose to write about Henry Maynard Junior School as I was reading a book about the school, which had information about the fire in 1993. I then went on to find out more about it. On the second of April 1993 a fire burnt down the original Henry Maynard Junior School and Our Lady and St George Catholic Church to the ground. Father Conrad Smith the priest shook his head when he was asked who was responsible. “We don’t know but it was definitely arson” he replied. [See the pictures showing the damage] To answer my questions about the fire at my school I went to the Vestry House Museum archives in Walthamstow. Most of the information about the fire concerned the Church being rebuilt. There was very little about the actual school. However, the pictures I saw tell the story about how the school has been rebuilt. While I was looking for the information I started wondering why the school's emblem is an old fashioned sailing ship. Could Henry Maynard have been a pirate? I found lots of information about the Maynard family. The first mention of a Maynard appears to be one who came over from France after William the Conqueror. There are references to a Maynard living in Kent in 1267 who was pardoned by the King for sea roving off the Kent coast and joining in an uprising. In 1302 a Henry Maynard paid no fee at a market stall and rough handled the bailiffs. In 1344 a John Maynard of Great Yarmouth was pardoned for trespassing and felony, as well as plundering, oppression and the imprisonment of men. In 1352 Sir John Maynard got approval from the King. He was a warden of Brest Castle in France and provided equipment for 10 ships in 1360 when England was at war with France from 1346. Therefore, Henry Maynard came from a sea faring family and there is evidence that the earlier Maynard’s had engaged in pirate like behaviour. The floating craft of a foreigner was legitimate prey and there was no doubt that they engaged in pirating. The Maynard family by the 16th century were trading merchants. There was a John Maynard who was an MP for St Albans as well as a merchant. The Henry Maynard School is named after the son of Charles Maynard who moved to a manor house in Walthamstow. He is so well known in Walthamstow due to giving monies to the parish and church of Walthamstow - not for being a pirate! I also found that there was a Maynard who settled in the USA. A town of Maynard exists in Massachusetts. |
|
Disclaimer The Postcodes Project includes material submitted by users of the website. The Museum accepts no liability in respect of any of this material, and we are not responsible for its content and accuracy. |
 |
||||
|
 |
|
||