EDUCATION.
A few poor children from the
parish attended Raye's school in Cheveley
between 1767 and 1790 at the expense of Francis
North, earl of Guilford and owner of the
Kirtling estate. (fn. 41) Ashley had no school in 1818 (fn. 42)
but by 1833 there were day and Sunday classes (fn. 43)
and in 1847 the parochial school taught 41 children in the former chapel on the green while
another 28 attended a dame school. (fn. 44)
A school board, formed in 1874, at first set up
school in the chapel, where the inspectors in
1876 found 'utter squalor and neglect', but in
1879 built a brick and flint school with a master's
house on a site in Mill Road given by the duke
of Rutland. In the early 20th century the roll
was over 100, and the school was enlarged in
1901 and 1910. Pupils over 14 years old transferred to other schools from 1945, those over 11
from 1960, and those over 9 from 1974. (fn. 45) Ashley
was federated with neighbouring schools in 1978
and closed in 1980. (fn. 46)
Footnotes
| 41 |
Bodl. MSS. North b. 16, ff. 179v., 241v., 297v.; d. 11,
ff. 22-3; d. 19, f. 83v.; d. 21, f. 8v.; K.S.R.L., uncat. North
MSS., EA:Ca:22, p. 1. |
| 42 |
Educ. of Poor Digest, 55. |
| 43 |
Educ. Enq. Abstract, 50. |
| 44 |
Nat. Soc. Inquiry, 1846-7, 2-3; Gardner's Dir. Cambs.
(1851), 399. |
| 45 |
G. S. Rickson, 'Ashley Sch., 1874-1974' (TS. 1974 in
Cambs. Colln.), esp. 1-2, 4-5, 18, 33, 37, 42. |
| 46 |
Camb. Evening News, 25 Jan. 1977, 22 Jan. 1980;
Camb. Ind. Press, 2 Aug. 1979; Guardian, 29 Jan. 1980,
p. 11. |