THE SCHOOL

The  Schools  of  Thurlby

Before the Reformation the education of children in rural areas was undertaken very often by chantry priests, where such did exist.   Thurlby Church had several chantries, and though there is no evidences it can be assumed that some provision was made for some of the children of the parish.  All this came to an end when the chantries were suppressed in 1547.

The earliest record of a school in Thurlby is dated 1585, when “William Baker was master of the grammar school in Thurlby.”

The next record was made in 1848  by Archdeacon Bonney, who in his ‘Notes’ mentioned that the “North Aisle and the north side of the Chantry Chapel is now a school room.”

In 1853 the present Old Church School was built on the south side of Church Street.  The fabric suggests that at a later date it was enlarged.  The only school master whose name we know was John Groom.

At the same time a Miss Barber had a Dame’s School which finally closed in 1886.  This was held in her house at 41 High Street in 1883 a Mrs. Smith had a school for infants in Northorpe.

In 1889 another Private Adventure School was started in the village.  There is no record as to how long either existed.

At Miss Barber’s school children paid four pence a week, and an extra shilling at the beginning of winter towards the cost of the heating of the room.  The charge at the Board School – now the Coun­cil School – was a graduated one, no family to pay more than nine-pence a week, no matter how many children there were.

When it was decided to close the Church School in 1678 the Education Authority intended to build a new School and School House at Baston.   That would have meant a long journey every school day for the Thurlby and Northorpe children.   The parish should be grate­ful to Messrs Bryan, Goodacre and Ringham, who organised so strong a protest that a School and School House were secured for Thurlby. The Board School was opened in 1876.  It was called a Board School because it was managed by a Board of five Managers chosen by election, and a Clerk.  Mr. B.C.E. Brodie was appointed Head Master, at a salary of £80. plus half grant from all sources, a six roomed house and a quarter acre of land.  He was assisted by Mrs Brodie, his mother. He started with 27 children and later the number on the Register rose to 152.   The attendance of children was most irregular, and disgruntled parents tended to transfer their children to the Dame’s School.

Thurlby Board School – 1878 – 1894.

In the early days teaching must have been most difficult. Mr. Brodie complained that the premises were often dusty and dirty that in winter the cold was so intense that the children had to take turns to warm themselves before the fire that the ventilation and the lighting were bad, that most of the children were backward for their age.

Though Mr. Brodie seems to have received little encourage­ment from the parents or the School Board, he was given three months notice, and ceased to be Head Master in 1879.  The late Mr. Arthur Cappitt described him as a strange character who grew unpopular through upholding the doctrine ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’. The mother of one of the children assaulted him before the whole class, seizing him by the beard.  The sequel was a summons before the magistrates at Bourne, who bound the mother over to keep the peace.

The School Board’s choice for the next Head Master was Mr. Henry Judson, who came from York.  Mr. Arthur Cappitt was under him for seven years, and described him as a splendid teacher, a strict disciplinarian, but kindly and generous, giving of his best.   He held office until 1894, when he transferred to Billingborough School.   During that period he had as Assistant Teachers or

Monitors

• Mrs. Martha Judson,                                  1879 – 1894.
• Miss Susannah Emily Ringham,            1860 – 1885.
• Miss Maud Judson,                                      1885 – 1888
• Miss Ethel Maria Bryan,                            1885 – 1891.
• Miss Ellen J. Holmes,                                 1888 – 1891.
• Miss Martha Helen Judson,                     1891 – 1896.
• Miss A.M. Carrie Judson,                          1892 – 1894.
• Miss Mary Tyers,                                           1892.
• Miss Mary Elizabeth Clarke,                    1893 – 1898.

Mr. Judson had his difficulties.   There were no lights in the School, and the School Board wished him to do without them. Children were often absent on the excuse that farmers, even members of the Board, required them for work in the fields.   On May Day it was the custom, so he wrote, for the girls to go round with garlands Then there were Bourne Fair, Bourne Statute and Bourne Circus, Club Feasts, Thurlby Feast, Thurlby Flower Show & Sports, Baston Feast, Church Sunday School Treat, Wesleyan Sunday School Anniversary, Free Methodist Sunday School Anniversary and Band of Hope Festival.   He needs must give a day’s holiday, he comments: They would not have come anyway.

Thurlby Council School  1894 – 1914.

In 1893 Harry Smith and Gertrude Judson gained Thurlby and Bytham Scholarships to Stamford School and Stamford High School respectively.   It would be interesting to learn more about this Scholarship.

In 1894 Mr. John Davies was appointed Head Master.   The number of children on the Register varied from 153 to 182.  He had as Assistant Teachers or Monitors

• Miss Ellen Andrew,                           1899 – 1902.
• Miss Mary Isabella Bates,               1895.
• Miss Edith Brutnell,                          1904 – 1910.
• Miss Mary Elizabeth Clark,             1902 – 1907.
• Mrs. E.M.C. Davies,                             1894 – 1913.
• Miss Hilda Mabel Fancourt,           1899 – 1906.
• Miss Florence Fairchild,                  1910.
• Master Tom Fairchild,                      1899.
• Miss Bessie Garfoot,                           1910 – 1911.
• Miss Winifred Alice Garwood,       1901 – 1902.
• Miss Isabell A. Gray,                          1896.
• Sergeant Instructor Hippie,           1900 – 1902.
• Miss Hettie Holmes,                           1899.
• Miss Ethel Ellen Horn,                      1896 – 1901.
• Miss Elizabeth May Inkley,             1910 – onward.
• Miss Alice Louisa Jones,                  1898 – 1899.
• Miss Florence Mary Knipe,             1901 – 1904, 1910 – onward.
• Miss Ethel May Marshall,                1908 – 1910.
• Miss Bertha Meek,                              1907 – 1908.
• Miss Helen Nisbet,                             1894 – 1896.
• Miss Dorothy Patience,                    1913.
• Miss Edith Annie Rodgers,             1911 – 1912.
• Miss Annie Spendlove,                    1913 – onward.
• Miss Gladys Mary Stynes,              1906 – 1910.
• Mrs. Katherine Whitethread,      1913 – onward.

During the period under review H.M. Inspectors reported that the work of the School developed from ‘fair’ to ‘efficiency maintained^’   They complained frequently of irregular attendance on the part of the children, and urged the Board of Managers to bestir themselves – but with little effect.  They said that lighting and ventilation were insufficient: better heating and cleaning were required.

One of the improvements noted was that a curtain was pro­vided to divide the main room into two class rooms.   Teachers had to be tough in those days.

A time line for the schools of Thurlby with thanks for this to Joyce Stevenson