John Cooke was a former city Mayor and an important and wealthy Gloucester man. In his will he set aside monies to endow a new free school for the education in grammar of local children. It was however left to his wife Joan to actually establish the school which she did by founding the Crypt School in 1539.
Sir Thomas Rich's School (known as the Bluecoat hospital until 1882) was founded by Sir Thomas Rich, Bt., of Sonning (Berks.), a native of Gloucester who became a wealthy London merchant. In his will dated 1666 he gave the city corporation a house on the north side of Eastgate Street for the use of the school which is still owned by the charity to this day.
In 1882 the Crypt school and Sir Thomas Rich's school with their ancient endowments were made part of one foundation, the Gloucester United Endowed Schools. The governing body, comprising an equal representation of city councillors, municipal charity trustees, and co-opted members, was empowered to build two new girls' high schools and provide scholarships. Several city charities administered by the charity trustees were annexed to the foundation, together with a charity of William Bond, who had bequeathed £40 a year to be divided among four Bluecoat boys on completion of their apprenticeships.
The Girls' Lower school (later to become Denmark Road High School) was opened in 1883 and the two boys' schools were provided with new accommodation in 1889.
In 1906 a Scheme amalgamated the United Schools governors with the governors of the Gloucester municipal schools, who ran the Schools of Science and Art under the city education committee. The new body, comprising city and county councillors and 6 co-opted members, carried on the Crypt, Sir Thomas Rich's, and the girls' school (renamed the Girls' High) as public secondary schools for 8 to 18 year olds, with an income drawn from the old endowments, local education authority and Board of Education grants, and tuition fees.
In 1907 some land was sold to pay for a new building for the Girls' High school which opened in 1909. Further sales were made in 1921 to finance the establishment of a second high school, Ribston Hall. Ribston Hall, though managed by the United Schools governors, was later maintained entirely by the city education committee.
In 1937 the endowments of the United schools were transferred to the direct control of the education committee and the governors were reconstituted as a body made up of city and county councillors. The governors managed the schools until 1945 when a new governing body for all the city's secondary schools was appointed.
At a reorganization under the 1944 Education Act, completed in 1949, the four United schools became secondary grammar schools
Today, the Gloucester United Schools charity (Registered Charity no. 311744) still acts as landlord for:
- Land at Podsmead (occupied by the Crypt School, and Blackbridge Jubilee Athletics Track
- Land at Denmark Road (occupied by the High School for Girls)
- Former Sir Thomas Rich's Headmaster's house on Eastgate Street currently occupied by Gloucester City Mission.
- Land off Wellington Street (Managed as the Hampden Way public car park Managed by Ash & Co on behalf of the Trustees)
With income from a portfolio of investments managed by Smith & Williamson, GUS makes annual grants to the four schools to support their educational needs not otherwise funded through the state funding mechanism. Previously grants have suported the purchase of computer suites, science lab equipment and sports equipment.
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