| Biography | The Royal Masonic School for Boys was an independent school for boys in England.
From 1798 charities were set up for clothing and educating sons of needy Freemasons. They originally provided education by sending them to schools near to their homes. A specific masonic boys' school was set up at Wood Green in North London in 1857 following amalgamation of the charities in 1852.
A new school was built in Bushey, Hertfordshire in 1903] and a Junior School was added on the other side of The Avenue in 1929. By 1939 there were 800 boys at the school.] Following a decline in pupil numbers the junior school closed in 1970; the site is now occupied by Bushey Academy. Numbers continued to fall, and the senior school closed in 1977. For a time, the buildings housed the United States International University (Europe). Both schools were commonly used for films (such as Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, Lucky Jim (twice), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and numerous TV shows) from the 1950s until recently. They have now been redeveloped as luxury housing.
The Royal Masonic School for Girls at Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire still thrives today |