Princess St. was opened up in 1863. Buildings on plot No 22 in Victoria St belonging to George Haines were demolished in 1859 to allow access. It was named to honour Princess Alexandra of Denmark who had married the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) in that year.
Tithe map 1840
The Princess Hall (top of page) was built in 1868-69 as a Market and Town Hall and also used for local government administration. It has also seen service as a fire station, with large folding doors being constructed in the left hand end of the frontage for vehicle access.
An article in the Western Gazette on 13th Dec 1867 mentions that the hall was planned to accommodate the Local Board of Health, the Post Office, an Assembly Room above and market accomodation behind.
Nos. 1 & 2, now A.K. Auto Spares, was previously Harry Parkes Auto Spares during the 1970’s and 80’s. Baker Brothers Bakery had occupied these premises from around 1914 into the 1930’s. By 1950 this business was run by Tinkers but under the same name (advert below from Burnham Guide of 1950).
Chapman & Gibbs Bed & Breakfast establishment & Restaurant, corner of Princess St. and Oxford St.
The building currently occupied by Burnham Upholstery was previously Swinton Insurance Brokers (above) for many years and had before that been occupied by other insurance and solicitors businesses. at the rear of this site there was once a forge and also a museum of Burnham in an outbuilding.
In 1910 a temporary structure, known as the ‘Tin School’ was set up opposite the Princess Hall to take the infants classes from the National School (by this time known as St Andrews) in College St. This was replaced in 1914 by the infants school building which later served as the Somerset Skills and Learning Centre but is currently empty.
Above: the ‘tin school’ undergoing demolition.
Below: The 1914 infants’ school building in 1990.
The new library was built in 1985. The petrol station was rebuilt and enlarged in 1991-92. Prior to that ‘Hardson’s’ Builders (Hardwidge’s) occupied part of this site and also possibly some of the land on which the new library was built.
Above: the New Library under construction (note Hardson’s behind car wash); the Mobil Petrol Station before 1991 rebuild.
(Information courtesy of Winston and Robert Thomas: ‘The Book of Burnham on Sea’ among other sources)
Hello Caroline,
Despite much research I cannot answer your question. My feeling are that it must have been Council or Government funded. There were many private schools and Commercial Academies in Burnham in the 1800’s – the last record is for 1883. George Reed was a prominent figure but he died in 1869.
A group of people are cataloguing and filing Bob Thomas’s archive but as yet your question still remains unanswered. Should any details be found I will get back to you.
I was a pupil at this school in 1954 and would love to see this building saved. I have been trying to get the Heritage Trail sign reinstated on the fence but so far with no luck.
John
John
The old Burnham Infants School – I know it was opened in 1915 and it replaced the Tin School. I was wondering if you know who built it, who funded it, whether there were any covenants on the building?