From a Draft Chapter 12 of the Survey of London:
“In the centre were the intended garden at Brassey Square and the adjoining site on Grayshott Road for the proposed hall, library and cooperative store. North of this was the London School Board’s Holden Street School, then erecting. The (Artizans’, Labourers’, & General Dwellings) company had opposed its building here on health grounds, contending that it would overshadow the open space at Brassey Square, so it was turned to face Holden Street.”
From the Historic England entry:
“Shaftesbury Park (formerly Holden Street) School
is the main primary school on the Shaftesbury Park estate, facing Holden Street and backing on to Ashbury Road (below).
First built in 1875-7 by Wall Brothers, to Robson’s three-storey designs, it originally accommodated 1,104 children. As often with early board schools, the want of central halls was soon felt, so in 1898 T. J. Bailey devised radical improvements. Though the Government’s Education Department objected on cost grounds, W. Johnson & Co. were eventually able to proceed with these in 1901. In November 1904 fire caused damage at one end. As the school appears today, the end wings are probably of 1875-7, the whole centre and southward projection of 1901. But parapets and gables have been simplified, and a staircase turret has disappeared from the west end of the Holden Street front. Next to this, the schoolkeeper’s house at No. 35A is of 1888.”
Julia Upton 