The story of the Roecroft Centre begins at the start of the 19th century, at a time when George III was on the throne.
Henricus Octavius Roe was a successful businessman and the son of Samuel Roe, the vicar of St Mary the Virgin in Stotfold from 1754 to 1780. H.O. Roe was a generous area benefactor and also built the Church Alms Houses located on Mill Lane in Stotfold.
H.O. Roe deeded the school in 1808 to the Vicar and Churchwardens to operate a school for poor children “particularly in the Church catechism and the principles of the Christian religion.”
The school was initially located in 97 Church Road. The school was transferred to the School Board in 1870. In 1873 a building was added and 97 Church Road became the school master’s house. Access to the new school was through the lobby on the south side of the building.
In 1891 two new rooms, boundary walls and “office” (toilets) were added. The enlarged school opened with three masters and 130 boys.
The Roecroft School was relocated and in 1980 the Local Authority handed back possession of the school to the Vicar and Churchwardens.
The Stotfold Old Boys School Management Committee was formed in 1983 and aided by grants from Stotfold Town Council, Mid Beds District and Bedforshire County Councils, the committee renovated the buildings so that the community centre could open its doors to the public in November 1983. Later The Roecroft Centre Charitable Trust Ltd. was formed and under the leadership of Mrs Shelia Bundock and other local volunteers it managed the Roecroft Centre as an affordable community centre for local people for a variety of activities.
In 2020 The Roecroft Centre Charitable Trust Ltd decided to hand over management of the community centre to the H.O. Roe Charity, a Vicar and Church Wardens trust, which began managing the Roecroft Centre in January 2021.