Beneath our feet lies a road with tales to tell. Borough Road in Southwark. It stretches east to west. It connects St George’s Circus and Borough High Street. Its story is intertwined with education and innovation.
Borough Road came about due to road improvements. These improvements followed the completion of Westminster Bridge in 1750. The road gave access to Southwark from the West End. It bypassed the need to travel through the City of London. Southwark Bridge Road intersects Borough Road. The railway to Blackfriars station also runs overhead. This is at the junction where Borough Road Station once stood.
London South Bank University dominates the south side of Borough Road. Its main entrance is on Borough Road. The address is 103 Borough Road. The building is known as the Borough Road Building.
Borough Road has been a hub for education for over two centuries. Joseph Lancaster established his school here in 1798. Lancaster’s school was an early example of a free school. It used the monitorial system. It became known as a British School.
A teacher training institute was founded in 1804. It was called Borough Road College. In 1889, the college relocated to Isleworth. Later, in 1975, it merged with Maria Grey Training College. They formed the West London Institute of Higher Education. This became Brunel University’s Osterley Campus from 1995 to 2006.
London South Bank University has its roots on Borough Road. It began as the Borough Polytechnic Institute in 1892. The National School of Bakery was founded in 1894. It is now the oldest bakery school in the world. The Institute evolved over time. It became the Polytechnic of the South Bank in 1970. It was then South Bank Polytechnic in 1987. University status came in 1992. The name changed to London South Bank University in 2003. A bust of Joseph Lancaster stands at the university. It was a gift from John Passmore Edwards.
The London School of Musical Theatre is at 83 Borough Road. The Borough Road Gallery opened in 2012. It features paintings by David Bomberg and the Borough Group.
Borough Road Station served the area. It opened in June 1864. It was on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway. The line ran to the City of London.
From 1885, Borough Road became the first stop south from St. Paul’s. This followed the closure of Blackfriars Bridge station. In 1879, frequent trains stopped at Borough Road. They ran between Moorgate and Victoria. Other trains ran between Moorgate and Clapham Junction. There were also trains from Kentish Town to Victoria.
Competition led to the station’s demise. The City & South London Railway’s Borough station opened nearby in 1890. Passenger numbers declined. Borough Road closed in April 1907. The former entrance still exists below the Southwark Bridge Road viaduct.
Borough Road has evolved over time. It has been a site of education. It has been a transport hub. It remains a vital part of Southwark’s story. As you walk along Borough Road, remember its rich past. Consider its contributions to education and the city’s development.