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 is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London fr ...

and the East London and St. Saviour Workhouse Unions in 1857. It was built on the land of Cuckoo Farm on Cuckoo Hill in 190 acres of

Hanwell Hanwell () is a town in the London Borough of Ealing, in the historic County of Middlesex, England. It is about 1.5 miles west of Ealing Broadway and had a population of 28,768 as of 2011. It is the westernmost location of the London post t ...

. 20 acres 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 140-acre site around the school. This was completed in 1939. Some damage due to a

flying bomb A flying bomb is a manned or unmanned aerial vehicle or aircraft carrying a large explosive warhead, a precursor to contemporary cruise missiles. In contrast to a bomber aircraft, which is intended to release bombs and then return to its base for ...

was sustained during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. 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 are a Grade II listed building since 19 January 1981. In 2015 the

London Welsh School The London Welsh School ( cy, Ysgol Gymraeg Llundain) is a Welsh medium primary school in London, England. Welsh is the language predominantly used for all classes and activities. The school offers a bilingual education to children aged four t ...

moved into the building.

Notable former pupils

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (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 consider ...

Sydney Chaplin Sydney John Chaplin (; 16 March 1885 – 16 April 1965) was an English actor. Chaplin was the elder half-brother of actor and director Charlie Chaplin and served as his business manager in later life. Through their mother Hannah, they were o ...

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