Schools 2

A New School Needed

A Londoner builds a school in Guisborough. George Venables visited Guisbrough in 1790 and saw the need for a Charity School – a need which had escaped the notice of the Church and the Chapel.

In 1792 he built a school with accommodation for the master and the mistress at the Westgate end of New Road. When the school closed 86 years later in 1878 it had done more to raise the standard of literacy in the township than any other single institution.

Two views, one from the north, the other from the south, show how the school was enlarged by the provision of additional buildings till it occupied all the site facing the houses in New Road.

Earlier in the 18^th century there was a small charity school controlled by the Ward family but it is not known how long this functioned.

Bishop Pursglove’s Grammar School was unfortunately ineffective through the limitation imposed by the founder’s Statutes and its meagre income: the pensioners of the Jesus Hospital were the real beneficiaries.

Private schools met the needs of fee-paying pupils.

Guisborough County Modern School

Election of the First School Board for the Parish of Guisborough

Under the Act of 1873 the setting up of the School Boards became possible. An unsuccessful attempt to form a School Board was made soon after the passing of the Act, but the Board was not elected until 1876. This was not unusual. The fear of increased rate charges and the dislike of State regimentation resulted in the deferment of the election. There were 18 nominations and 7 candidates were elected. The highest number of votes went to the “developer” of the day – Robert Wilson, a builder. The inference is that he would emphasise the need for stringent economy and professional oversight in the erection of the new schools in Northgate and Providence Street. Rector Morgan was closely associated with the old charity school – the Providence School – situated in New Road. Without some knowledge of the undercurrent feelings of the time it is difficult to account for the for the comparatively low number of votes cast for Admiral Chaloner. With the establishment of the Local Board eleven years earlier in 1865 it is possible that some of the candidates for the School Board had already achieved a reputation for public service. John Buckworth with 29 votes was a character and his election literature was of a serio-comic nature. Extracts from one of his efforts are given overleaf (missing). Joseph Brown, another builder, who received 400 votes, suggests that as in the case of the most successful candidate, Robert Wilson, the developers of the 1870s had a shrewd awareness of participation in public administration. Northgate School (erected 1879-81) with a house for the master cost £5,068. There was accommodation for 500 boys and 200 infants. The Providence School (erected 1879), with three houses for head teachers, cost £ ? and accommodated 400 girls and 275 infants.

Northgate School Staff Group

Back row: not known – J Lynas – J Merryweather – Miss Ord – MISS GELDER – J Dickinson – MissTones (Mrs Hunter?) – H Pollard

JM Grant – R (‘Dickie’) Comins

Front row: Fred Raine – Miss F Robson (Mrs Holland) – not known – Bert Maskell

Photo: J Logan, Photographer, Mayfield St, Stockton on Tees

(James Logan, 12 Lucan St, Stockton on Tees)

School in Chapel Yard. Mr Carr schoolmaster. see Mr Henry Robson in Law and Order file.

SCHOOLS – Baines’ 1823 Directory, Vol II.

The Grammar School	Geo Sunley (Commercial Day) Mkt Place
Ann Best (Ladies’ Day)	Joseph York (Commercial Day)
Wm Chipchase (Day) Church St	Mary West (Ladies’ Day) Westgate

The Providence School – an earlier charity school in 18C established by grandmother of Ralph Jackson – therefore, Ralph Ward’s mother – see Ralph Jackson’s Diary – M’bro Ref. library.

(SAUNDERS) Marriage of Thomas Saunders par. of Guisborough. Danby Par. reg. 1585 – 1812.

SANDERS (see Venables) Geo Young’s History of Whitby, Vol II, p 557.

re sail-making. Messers Jon and Jos Sanders. Begun business in Whoitby about 1756, by late Ion Sanders. 3 branches; 2 in Whitby, 1 in Guisborough. – 16 rooms. (Poor gravestone in churchyard.) One Preswick a branch in Church St Whitby 1758. Guis. 2 breweries 1817.

Baines Directory Vol II 1823 Thomas Sanders, Gent, Westgate. Also see under N in this index Conveyance 18 April 1789 (29 yr Geo III) Samuel Sanders, yeoman (of/cf? 2^nd part) signed W^m Sanders.?

ZJB. GG School Calendar Vol III 11/11 – 6 “John Sanders elected about 18 years ago, in place of W^m Jackson , remained until 1786.” (ie, JS elected as a warden).

Robert Frankland, Clark of Guisbro, & Elizabeth Thrush, Licence, 24 Sep^t 1791. In Kirckleatham (printed) Regs 1789 – 1794.

SCHOOLMASTERS

See History of Grammar School for list of Masters.

1718 John Colthirst, schoolmaster, buried 19 July (Earlier syled “Gentn”)

1738 John Harr, a son baptized 2 January

1777 Peter Cavalier, schoolmaster, a child baptized.

1777 Thomas Pratt, schoolmaster, dr Mary baptized.

1793 John Shepherd, schoolmaster, buried 29 June

1794 James Scott, a daughter baptized. Master at new Providence School

1814 Thomas Dent, schoolmaster, buried. Check parish register for age?

1817 George Sunley, dr bapt. Dec 29 1813-41 reg. J Wilcock offic. minister.

1821 Thomas Yorke, son bapt (1813-41 reg)

1831 George Lowe, 1813-41 bapt reg, son Henry bapt July 26.

1831 Joseph Flockton 1813-41 bapt reg, dr bapt.

1837 Henry Cross, appointed assistant overseer, 6 Decr (see Select vestry Minutes) School in junction Patten lane and Church St. House in Patten Lane. (re Rate Books, M’bro Archives)

1871 Wm Cockerlyne, 24, bachelor, schoolmaster, married Mary Coleburn, spinster, schoolmistress, both of Westgate. (Providence School)

Stone in churchyard to ? Blezard, master of Providence School.

Sextons

1743 George Morley buried

1753 William Attley (a son baptized)

1808 John Bulmer buried “sexton for 40 years”.

Ward School.

Bequest of £300. John and Ralph Ward and their heirs to ay £13 towards maintaining a school. 1721. Mary Ward died 1723. A reference in the Ward Diaries. Any subsequent connection with Henry Cross?

Yearby School Log

1880

3 May

Master – Mr J Jones – 6 children left school to go to new school at Guisborough. Reason stated by parents: handy for children to do marketing without being absent from school. No fault found with Yearby school or teacher.

10 May

2 boys left for Guisborough school.

24 May

Mr Rutherford (correspondent) promised to write to Admiral Chaloner to use his influence to prevent children from going to Guisborough school, as they go there merely to avoid attendance officer.

1881

7 Feb

Declined to give attendance officer list of absentees until such time as he arranged with the Guisborough School Board that they declined to receive our children without their giving reasonable cause for leaving this school.