History of Eton House School – 1898 to 1993
Eton house School, an independent school with pupils from 3 to 18 years, was founded by Francis Blows, an established schoolmaster, in 1898 when four boys were enrolled at premises on the south side of Southend Victoria Railway Station in Victoria Avenue. At this time Victoria Avenue continued southwards to join the High Street at its junction with Southchurch Road and the area to the north around Prittlewell was still largely fields. Francis Blows died in 1904, but before his death he arranged to move the school across the road to Nos 9, 11 and 13 Victoria Avenue. Charles Cragill took over the Headmastership until 1909 when he passed it jointly to Mr C.R. Tutton and Mr C. In 1915 during World War 1 the school again changed leadership to Francis Geech who brought the school through the war years until his retirement when he passed the school on to Mr R.B. Scott. During 1926 when the economy of the country was in sharp decline and Eton House, like many other such schools of its time was struggling for existence. It was at this point in its history that Stuart Tomlinson, who was born in Derbyshire and attended Nottingham University, came to Southend. He bought the school and with youth and enthusiasm took over as headmaster. He started out with 28 existing boys and 3 new pupils, assisted by 3 teachers. Over the next few years under his leadership the school continued to grow. In 1936 with his usual foresight, Mr Tomlinson bought the house and grounds at Southchurch Lawn. In 1937 Eton House School was moved to Southchurch Lawn. The existing stable block adapted and new classroom block added. The upper part of the house was converted into dormitories and both boarders and day pupils were accepted. In June 1940, at the time of the Second World War, Eton House was evacuated from the area when the school was commandeered by the army. Eton House was relocated, still under the leadership of Mr Tomlinson, to Banbury in Oxfordshire. In April 1945 the school was able to return to Southchurch. In 1946 David Thomas – a pupil at EH from 1926 to 1938 - become a master at EHS after fighting in the second world war from 1938
In 1958 Eton House became a day independent secondary school, with the boys sitting 'O' and 'A' Levels, aiming for university or employment. In 1971, after 50 years as headmaster of Eton House, Mr Tomlinson became Principal and handed over the day to day running of the school to Mr David Thomas, the Senior Master and himself an old boy and trusted friend. Mr Tomlinson continued as Principal of the School and to live in the house at Southchurch Lawn until his death. In 1978 Mr Trevor Sharp, another old boy, was appointed Assistant Headmaster and in 1980 Headmaster following the sudden death of Mr Thomas. In 1987 children were accepted from 3 to 18 years with G.C.S.E. and A-Level being offered. By 1989 a new classroom block to house Craft, Design and Technology was being built. On 27th October 1990 Mr Stuart Tomlinson died, and with him the heart of the school he loved so much and whose boys he had devoted his life to. During the last years of Mr Tomlinson's life the school numbers had been falling, particularly in the upper school as parent's removed their boys, either for economic reasons or because with the succession of headmasters, the continued future after Mr Tomlinson's death seemed uncertain. In 1993 Alleyn Court Preparatory School bought Eton House School and incorporated it into Alleyn Court, becoming fully coeducational extending teaching to pupils up to 16 years, carrying on the tradition of taking G.C.S.E. at the newly called Alleyn Court Eton House School. In 1996 Alleyn Court reverted to a traditional preparatory school called Alleyn Court Preparatory and the Eton House name was dropped, with pupils sitting Scholarships and Common Entrance Examinations at 11, 12 and 13, as well as offering the examination at 11+ to local Grammar Schools. Alleyn Court Preparatory School celebrated its centennial year in 2004 and continues today as a coeducational school for pupils from 2 to 11 years. http://www.alleyn-court.co.uk/
