Finchley’s fifth blue plaque

The last blue plaque . . .

Time to honour the last of our “Blue Plaques in Finchley “ – saving the best until last, as the saying goes – on what was the old site of the St. Mary-at-Finchley primary school.

The school dates back to 1777 when a local philanthropist donated £200 towards building a Charty School in Willesden. A Sunday school was founded in 1809, extended to a day school in 1818 and long before the Education Act made education available for all children.

Church End, situated east of the centre of Brent, is in the heart of the original parish of Willesden.

St.Mary’s Church, Church End, once also known as Crouch (Cross) End,  was located on the edge of marshland, an equal distance from the three main settlements in the area.

The school was founded to educate the children of the parish and to bring them up in a sound Christian environment where physical, mental and spiritual needs could be taught.

I’m delighted that our sons spent happy years at the school and each went on to universities of their choice as have our two grandsons.   Hopefully many of them will be back for Christmas and the annual late afternoon Christmas Eve service which has special qualities for family members of all ages.

— Lynn Radnedge