The Girl's National School had no special school building, but used part of the old Trinity Hall. In 1819, there were 130 girls being educated there. In the year 1821, disaster came to the school. Berrow's Journal gave a dramatic picture of the event:
' 14th February, 1821. An alarming fire broke out in the heart of the city on Friday afternoon. Soon after one o'clock, the room occupied by the Girl's National School, in the Trinity, was discovered to be enveloped in flames; the feelings of those who immediately hastened to the spot were harrowed up to the highest pitch by the knowledge that many girls whose parents reside in the country, and who take theor dinners with them to school, were then in the room. The rapidity of the flames was such that the communications by the stairs was already cut off, and the poor children were seen at the upper windows (for the school was at the top of the building) in a state of distress which may be more easily conceived than described; ladders were immediately procured and the most prompt assistance rendered, several were rescued by this means, whilst others suspended themselves from the windows and dropped from an elevation of near 20 ft. into sheets and blankets held to receive them; and we rejoice to be able to add that all the children to the number of 14 were thus providentially saved. The building with the exception of the upper storey was occupied by Mr.Lea as a drug warehouse. For the present the Girl's National School is removed to Berkeley's Chapel. We are sorry to add that the school has lost upon this occasion, property to the amount of nearly £100 '. .
