Addey and Stanhope School

Addey and Stanhope School is a voluntary-aided, co-educational secondary school, located in Lewisham, London, England. It is a former grammar school and sixth form, with origins dating to 1606. The headmistress is currently Jan Shapiro. History The Addey School The School's origins date to 1606 when John Addey (1550–1606), Master shipwright at Deptford Dockyard, having made his fortune in shipbuilding, left £200 to help the poor of Deptford; this money was then invested in land and the rent from that land was to be given away as charity. This amounted to 40 shillings each, per annum given to 100 parishioners of Deptford. However, in 1820 the trustees felt that this type of poor relief encouraged fecklessness and instead decided to found the Addey School in 1821 on Church Street, Deptford. 'A Topographical Dictionary of England' (1848) it is explained that the Addey School "by direction of the court of chancery, erected a spacious building containing two large schoolrooms, with houses for the master and mistress; the school is wholly supported by the endowment, from which also 48 aged persons are paid £2 each annually.". Later in 1862 the School was enlarged. To commemorate Addey's charity and the help given to the poor of Deptford, a plaque was erected in St Nicholas Church, Deptford in 1862, following is quoted the inscription on the tablet: