History of St John’s Primary School

Our school site has a really interesting history. Looking back as far as the 1800’s, land was bought to build the first ever Invalid Convict Prison (Woking Invalid Convict Prison) designed to house criminals who were also mentally disabled. The men’s prison came first and the convicts were put to work to build the ladies prison, which was built on the site of our school.

By 1895 the buildings were transferred to the war department and renamed the Inkerman Barracks – named after the Inkerman battle as part of the Crimean War in 1854. During the 1st World War, the buildings were used as a military hospital.

Unfortunately by the 1970’s, most of the old buildings were destroyed. Only the old Prison Officers’ buildings on Raglan Road and Wellington Terrace, survived.