Mayford Centre History

The Mayford Centre at Mayford Green, south of Woking, has a history spanning almost 140 years. It has evolved from a Victorian industrial school for boys into the modern business centre it is today.

Origins (1885–1887)

The building was commissioned by Surrey County Council during the late Victorian period as part of a nationwide movement to educate and train disadvantaged children. Industrial schools were created under the Industrial Schools Acts to provide education, vocational training and accommodation for children considered neglected, homeless or at risk of offending.

In 1885, Surrey purchased land at Mayford for a purpose-built industrial school.
The new Surrey Industrial School for Boys opened in 1887, replacing an earlier school at Byfleet.

The imposing red-brick building was designed around a large courtyard in an "H"-shaped plan. It originally formed a complete quadrangle with workshops, classrooms, dormitories and service buildings.

Industrial School years (1887–1933)

The school housed boys sent there by magistrates or local authorities. Although called an "industrial school", its purpose was broader than teaching trades. It combined:

elementary education
agricultural and manual training
strict discipline
residential care

Many pupils came from difficult family circumstances rather than having committed crimes. Admission registers from 1895–1907 survive and record each boy's age, family background, education and reason for admission. These records are now held by the Surrey History Centre.

Approved School (1933 onwards)

Following reforms to child welfare legislation in the early twentieth century, the institution became an Approved School in 1933.

Approved Schools replaced many earlier industrial and reformatory schools and were intended to provide education and rehabilitation for children who needed residential supervision. The Mayford site continued in this role for several decades.

Closure and redevelopment

As Britain's child welfare system changed during the 1960s and 1970s, many Approved Schools closed or were reorganised. The Mayford school closed in 1984, but rather than being demolished, the Mayford buildings were converted for commercial use. The Victorian architecture was largely retained while the interior was divided into offices, workshops and studios.

Units 101 and 115/115A/115B were dormitories, each accommodating 44 boys.
Unit G15 was the dinner hall, and still displays its parquet floor, wood panelling and grand fireplace.
Unit X2 was called the 'Glass Room' and stored spare windows and window panes ready to replace those broken by the belligerent boys!

Architectural significance

The building is recognised by Woking Borough Council as a locally listed heritage asset because of its historical and architectural importance.

Its significance includes:

an excellent surviving example of a late Victorian county industrial school
a landmark building in Mayford
evidence of nineteenth-century approaches to education and social welfare
group value with the associated staff houses on Mayford Green, which were built at the same time.

The Mayford Centre is therefore an important survivor of Victorian social history. While its original purpose reflected nineteenth-century ideas about educating and reforming disadvantaged children, its careful adaptation has allowed the historic buildings to remain in active use, making it one of Woking's more distinctive heritage sites.

Source: ChatGPT, Woking Borough Council, Surrey County Council