★★★★★ 5.0
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Waltham Forest College
87 years separate you from the moment this Art Deco masterpiece first welcomed students as South-West Essex Technical College in 1938, but locals still call it "the people's university." That striking frieze carved above the entrance you're looking at right now? It's part of what makes this the only locally listed college facade in Walthamstow, and those geometric patterns were considered revolutionary when they first appeared on Forest Road. But here's what'll blow your mind... during World War Two, this entire building transformed into HMS Shrapnel, a proper naval training base where Auxiliary Territorial Service members learned their trades from 1942. The classrooms you're about to enter once echoed with military drills instead of lectures. Step inside and you'll discover The Mallinson Restaurant, opened in 1977 and named after Sir Stuart Mallinson, who used to dine here with none other than Squadron Leader Douglas Bader, the legendary RAF flying ace. The restaurant still operates today, training the next generation of chefs in the very spot where wartime heroes once shared meals. What started as a technical college for 22 pupils now welcomes over 4,500 students from all 31 London boroughs, making this unassuming building on the Victoria Line one of London's most successful educational powerhouses.
Did You Know?
- The college was originally founded in 1938 as the South-West Essex Technical College and School of Art, and during World War II, it became a vital naval base—training military and service personnel, including members of the Auxiliary Territorial Service from 1942, making it a significant part of both local and national wartime history.
- Waltham Forest College has a distinctive coat of arms granted in 1959, featuring a shield divided into silver and red, an open book symbolizing the arts, and cog-wheels representing the sciences, all topped by a golden stag holding a silver seax (a traditional Saxon dagger)—a nod to the area’s heritage and the college’s motto, 'Ductus Per Scientiam' (Leadership through Knowledge).
- A recent history project uncovered archives hidden away for over 50 years, revealing forgotten stories and the college’s evolving response to social changes—a treasure trove for families and history enthusiasts interested in exploring the college’s role in the community beyond the classroom.