Built and opened in 1877, Laindon Park is the oldest
remaining school in the Laindon/Langdon Hills area of Basildon. The school opened as
Laindon Board School and became Laindon Council School when Board schools were abolished under
the Education Act 1902. It remained Laindon Council School into the 1930s before another name
change to St. Nicholas Lane Council School and later still St. Nicholas Lane County Primary. It was renamed again
in 1957 to Laindon Park County Primary, and remains so today. A small school had previously existed close by in
the St. Nicholas Church annexe. The last schoolmaster, James Hornsby, who also lived above the schoolhouse, taught there
for 48 years. Among the many former headteachers was Mrs. Margaret Donaldson. She took charge sometime around 1920
through to the late 1940s. During this time the school was colloquially known to locals as Donaldson's.
The schools' address is Church Hill though in the past this was sometimes seen in print as Basildon
Road (as in the case of the school house; 1911 Census) and Nicholas Lane during the 1930s.
Other points of interest:
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