Monday 20th March 2023  

The Old Primary School

The original school was built in 1834-5 and known as the National School. It later became St Bartholomew's Primary School. The school located to new premises on Willowcroft in the early 1970s.

Here is a recollection of Thomas Dexter of his time at the school in the early 1890s:

"I can remember as far back as my first morning at school. In those days children were sent to school soon after they had passed their third birthday and I remember that I started on the first day of free elementary education, this was I believe in 1891. My brother, two years older than me, had been at school two years and scholars had to take their "school money" on Monday morning. I think it was a case of no money, no school until the money was forthcoming. I think it was 2d per week. I remember the tale that went around, Miss So and So said you hadn't to pay anymore, and another Miss So and So said you had to pay as usual. Fortunately my father and mother were a little more, shall we say, knowledgeable and they had no doubts that payments for school were abolished.

One thing I cannot remember is whether on my first day at school I wore a frock and petticoats or whether I was in my first "breeches". In those days little boys often wore a frock and petticoats until they were about 4 years old."

Submitted on: 2010-06-09 Submitted by: Don Wix Artefact ID: 834 Print: View artefact in printer-friendly page or just on its own.