The former Swan Downer School
No 12
Gardner Street, now the Vegetarian Shoes store, was built as the Swan Downer
School in 1816. Just barely visible behind the shop sign is an inscription to
the Swan Downer School, which was founded by the bequest of a wealthy London
merchant for the education of 20 girls. It moved to Windsor Street in 1859,
after which the building became a pub, the Sussex Arms.
The school was funded privately under the will of Mr Swan
Downer,(a Brighton man who made his fortune from trade in London) stating “The
children of such parents as do not receive parish relief are to be the first
objects of the charity”. The school instructed its 50 pupils in “needlework,
reading and writing” and each girl had “two suits of clothes when first elected
and a cloak as often as the Trustees shall think fit”. Downer had left £7,000
for the endowment of the school and £5,000 to provide clothes for 48 poor men
and women. The schoolgirls wore a uniform of blue frocks with white collars and
cuffs.
The school moved to Windsor St in 1859 and to Dyke Rd in 1867
where it remained until 1939 when the remaining girls were transferred to St
Nicholas Memorial School.