The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-19 00:00:00

' Warehousemen and Clerks' Schools.

Yesterday his Royal highness the Prince of Wales
formally opened this large range of charitable
schools, which have been erected at much expense
in the neighbourhood of the Caterham Junction,
near Croydon, and the first stone of which was laid
by the Prince on July 11, 1863. The design of the
institution is to clothe, maintain, and educate the
children of warehousemen, clerks, and agents of
every wholesale trade who have been engaged in
warehouses or manufactories in any part of the
United Kingdom, without distinction of sex or reli-
gion. The building was completed in March last,
and the children, 200 in number (140 boys and GO
girls), who had previously been lodged in temporary
houses near Forest-hill, were then moved into it.
It was not found possible, however, to formally in-
augurate the opening of the asylum till yesterday,
when his royal highness, on being applied to, at
once consented to preside at its inauguration. The
royal visit, of course, created no little excitement in
the neighbourhood, and every preparation in the
way of marquees, flags, garlands, and evergreens
was made to do honour to the occasion. Two im-
mense tents were erected and beautifully decorated
—the first, in which the simple ceremony of the in-
auguration was to be held, was capable of accom-
modating 1,000 spectators, and it was full yester-
day ; the second tent was laid out with a sumptu-
ous dejeuner for GOO guests, and that also, when the
appointed time arrived for its discussion, was
equally crowded. The weather, unfortunately,
as is frequently the case in England, was
not quite favourable to ally out-door festivi-
tics. In fact, throughout the day the only intermis-
sions between the cutting_ rain were those which
were effected by a high, cold wind, and everything
and everybody, therefore, was more or less damped
and depressed by the cheerless atmospheric in-
fluences around. Still these had no manner of effect
on the numbers who attended. The large tent
was thronged long before the Prince was expected,
and as almost all the ladies present had collected
purses to present to his Royal Highness in aid of
the funds of tho charity, it may be doubted whe-
ther any amount of rain short of a second deluge
would have kept them back.

The Prince of Wales arrived shortly before two
o'clock. With his Royal Highness also came Lord
Russell, president of the charity, Lady Russell,
General Knollys, Colonel Keppel, and Major Grey.
The Prince was received by the Bishop of Win-
chester, who wore his episcopal robes and blue
riband as prelate of the Order of the Garter, by the
Lord Mayor, the High Sheriff of Surrey, the mem-
bers of the board of management, the building com-
mittee, trustees and the treasurer of the institution,
Mr. William Leaf, and the treasurer of the building
fund, Mr. Greatorex. His Royal Highness did not
enter the great tent reserved for what may be
called the public visitors, but passed at once into
the main building, where in the committee-room he
partook of lunch with some of the members of his
suite and Lord and Lady Russell, the Bishop of
Winchester, and the Lord Mayor. The Prince then
requestdll that he might be shown over the new
building. Mr. H. White, the secretary, and Mr.
Bland, the architect, therefore, at once conducted
him through every room and corridor of the fine
edifice. Not a part of it, from its basement
kitchens to its topmost dormitories, was passed over.
Lifts, storerooms, offices, and even cellar's, were all
examined, and withthe arrangements of each and all
his Royal Highness expressed his entire approbation.
These new schools have been erected on a lofty emi-
nence called Russel l-hill , near the Caterham Junction,
arid one of the most picturesque and healthy sites in
Surrey. They present a frontage of 280 ft. The
outline is much varied with high pitched roofs, dor-
mers, and turrets, and the general effect is striking
and elegant. The materials are red bricks, with
blue 'and white brick strings, ornamentally disposed,
and dressing of Bath stone. The roofs are covered
with blue and green slates in patterns.
The front comprises a central building four stories
in height, with a lofty hipped roof, surmounted by a
clock turret. Buildings on either side, of two stories,
serve to connect the centre with the wings, which
are of three stories. The principal entrance is in
the centre, through a deep-mould and carved arch-
way with shafted jambs, to a hall divided by arches,
carried on polished granite columns. The interior
faces of the walls of the hall are furnished with red
an.dwhite bricks inpatterns, and a staircase of stone,

Hot and cold baths on each floor for the use of the
respective dormitories and lavatories have been
arranged with every regard to cleanliness and con-
venience. The building stands in the centre of 20
acres of fertile land, part of which has been laid out
for playground, while covered playsheds have been
erected for both schools, to provide against exigen-
cies of weather. In fact, the whole structure, both
in the style of its design and the excellent manner
in which it has been finished, seems as perfect as
such institutions ever can be made by thoughtful