There is some justification for the
claim, made 50 years ago, that Newcastle had been
the educational centre of North Staffordshire for
three and a half centuries. (fn. 2) It had produced in the
Grammar School and the Orme School, re-formed
after 1872 as the High School, the main means of
secondary education for most of the area, including
the Potteries. (fn. 3) The early history of the Grammar
School falls within the scope of another volume, but
its later history after the merging of all the educational endowments of the town in 1872 (fn. 4) is treated
here. The first mention of a schoolmaster in the
town occurs in 1565 (fn. 5) and the Grammar School arose
from various endowments, not becoming in effect a
grammar school until the end of the 17th century. (fn. 6)
Until then it was the town school. (fn. 7)
The Orme School was founded under the will of
the Revd. Edward Orme (d. 1705), at one time
master of the borough school, who left various lands
in trust, the revenue to be applied to educating and
apprenticing the poor children of Newcastle. (fn. 8) After
his term as master of the borough school the character
of the school had been altered by William Cotton's
endowment of 1692 from that of an English school
to a grammar school, and Orme's endowment was
designed to remedy the lack of a school where more
elementary education could be provided. (fn. 9) The
school was established in the Presbyterian meetinghouse near St. Giles's Church, (fn. 10) but after the burning
of the meeting-house by rioters in 1715, a separate
school building was erected in the chapel yard. (fn. 11)
Meanwhile, in 1708 a scheme for regulating the
school had been drawn up by John Fenton. (fn. 12) One
of the regulations required the teaching of the
Church Catechism. Reading, writing, and accounting, however, constituted the greater part of the
curriculum. (fn. 13) In 1709 the trustees invested part of
the funds in the purchase of a farm at Knutton. (fn. 14)
In 1715 dissension arose over Henry Hatrell's
administration of the trust, particularly over the
expense incurred in building the new school and
schoolhouse. New trustees were ordered to be appointed in 1727, but the order was subsequently set
aside on legal grounds. (fn. 15) In 1773 the school received
further endowments under the will of John Cartwright. (fn. 16) The endowments of the school in 1825
were reported to consist of a farm at Knutton (48
acres), a close at Knutton (2 acres), a malthouse at
Newcastle (£21 p.a.), land in the recently inclosed
Pool Field (2 roods), land in the recently inclosed
Stubbs Field (3 acres), land at Knutton (2 acres), a
small allotment upon the recently inclosed Knutton
Heath (1 acre), and the school and schoolhouse in
Newcastle, the total yearly income being £165. The
number of pupils was then reported as being 50
annually since 1797, and the syllabus covered reading, writing, and arithmetic.
The accounts of the charity were in such confusion
by 1825 that in the Charity Commissioners' opinion
the funds could not be further expended without a
Chancery order. (fn. 17) The school was closed from the
date of the inquiry for twenty years (fn. 18) while a suit
about the financial difficulties of the trust was in
progress, until finally in 1845 new trustees were
appointed in Chancery. (fn. 19) A new trust scheme was
drawn up in 1847 (fn. 20) under which the trustees sold
the former school and built a new one on the site
of the former corporation workhouse in Higherland
bought by them in 1846. (fn. 21) The Orme School reopened in the new building in 1851. (fn. 22) Total receipts
of the trust in 1847 amounted to £292 and by 1856
the amount invested was £2,673. The mineral rights
of the Knutton farm were by this date providing a
valuable additional income in royalties, amounting
in 1856 to £1,882, in 1857 to £2,420, and in 1858
to over £7,000. The investments of the charity
exceeded £15,000 by 1862 and £22,000 by 1866,
and by 1872 were just under £29,000. (fn. 23)
Meanwhile the size of the school grew as it increased in prosperity. Until the end of 1855 the
average number of pupils had been about 70. In
December 1855 50 new boys were entered following
the appointment of an additional master. From 1856
until the end of 1863 there were 120 pupils, increased
to 150 in 1864 after the appointment of another
master. (fn. 24) Extensions to the buildings were proposed
in 1868, and in 1869 an inquiry into their necessity
was held by the Charity Commissioners. Almost
immediately after the report appeared the Endowed
Schools Act (fn. 25) was passed. This gave the commissioners the right to alter the purpose of and to consolidate educational trusts. (fn. 26) On the basis of a report
made in 1868 (fn. 27) by T. H. Green, the philosopher, the
entire system of secondary education in the borough
was revised.
Although the Orme School at this date was
flourishing, the Grammar School had declined.
Green reported of it that 'an impression that the
school is unwholesome has definitely prevented boys
from being sent to it' and 'the professional men
seemed to have quite given up using the Grammar
School.' (fn. 28) He further reported that 'among the more
educated inhabitants of the Potteries [he] found a
general sense of the want of a good middle and
grammar school.' (fn. 29) Hitherto pupils in the Orme
School had been nominated to the school by the
trustees, not especially on grounds of poverty, and
had usually come from the National and British
schools. Green recommended that instead of this
system pupils be admitted on merit, so that the
Orme School would become superior to these two
schools. Further, exhibitions from the Orme School
to the Grammar School should be provided if the
latter were reorganized. (fn. 30)
A third endowed school, 'a dame school for
young children', existed in the borough by 1694. (fn. 31)
Founded under the will of John Cowell (codicil
dated 1655) and further endowed by Thomas Bagnall, by will dated 1675, and by Ralph Keeling, by
will dated 1704, the school had started by 1694 when
Jane Fernihough was appointed as school dame. In
1721 she was discharged and it was laid down that
the dame should teach only children selected by the
mayor, justices, and aldermen of the borough. (fn. 32) In
1825 there were only about 20 children in the school
and when the then dame died in 1827 (aged 77) no
successor was appointed. (fn. 33)
In 1871 the Charity Commissioners proposed the
amalgamation of all the educational charities of
Newcastle and the foundation of three schools, an
upper school for boys called the High School, a lower
school for boys called the Middle School, and a
school for girls to be called the Orme Girls' School. (fn. 34)
Despite strong local opposition this scheme was
carried out in 1872. (fn. 35) The Middle School was
housed in the Orme School buildings in Higherland
and new buildings were erected for the High School
and the Orme Girls' School. The scheme was
amended in 1898 and 1907 (fn. 36) to meet changing conditions in education. Under the 1872 scheme (fn. 37) the
curriculum of the High School, which had an upper
age limit of nineteen years, was the normal grammarschool curriculum with emphasis on experimental
chemistry because of the trade and manufactures of
the district. Not more than 10 per cent. of the pupils
were to be foundation scholars, of whom one-third
to one-half were to come from the Middle School.
The Middle School was open to boys between the
ages of eight and sixteen. All pupils were charged
tuition fees and were required to pass an entrance
examination in reading, writing, and arithmetic. The
curriculum included writing, arithmetic, algebra,
geometry, mensuration and land surveying, English,
history, geography, political economy, at least one
branch of the natural sciences, French, Latin, drawing and music, with special attention to drawing and
chemistry as these subjects had most bearing on the
manufactures of the district. There were a certain
number of exhibitions to it, half of which were to be
given to boys at elementary schools in the school
district of Newcastle. Arnold Bennett was a pupil of
this school and in June 1885, shortly after leaving,
passed the London Matriculation Examination in
the first division. (fn. 38) The Orme Girls' School was open
to girls between the ages of eight and seventeen and
the curriculum consisted of English, Latin or French
or German, or any two of these, arithmetic and mathematics, history, geography, drawing, music, at least
one branch of the natural sciences, domestic economy,
needlework, and any other subjects which the governors might add. Half of the exhibitions to this school
were to be open only to children from the elementary
schools of Newcastle school district.
As at the same time the governors of the endowed
schools paid £2,500 to the Newcastle-under-Lyme
School Board towards the erection of public elementary schools and £300 p.a. for providing free places
in these schools and various other amenities, by the
end of 1872 a system of graded education had been
established in Newcastle whereby children could
by means of scholarships and exhibitions acquire
a grammar-school education. The majority of the
pupils at the endowed schools would, however, be
paying fees. (fn. 39)
The first unendowed school, St. Giles's, was established in 1825. It was affiliated to the National
Society. St. Patrick's Roman Catholic School followed in 1833, Newcastle British School in 1834,
affiliated to the British and Foreign Schools Society,
and a second National school, St. George's, in 1835.
These four schools provided elementary education
within the borough at a small fee until 1870. All
were aided by government grants. In the area which
later became part of the borough there were National
schools at Chesterton, established in 1814, Silverdale (then called Knutton Heath) established 1847,
and Wolstanton, established 1841. The Church
of England was mainly responsible, therefore, for
primary education in the borough proper and the
surrounding area until 1870.
An unexpected result of the Education Act of that
year was an immediate increase in the number
of church and nonconformist schools. Longbridge
Hayes National School was established in 1871, Red
Street National School in 1872, Cross Heath Church
School in 1876, Chesterton (Dunkirk) Church School
in 1876, Knutton Church School in 1874, Wolstanton Wesleyan School in 1871, Silverdale Primitive
Methodist School in 1872, and Newcastle Wesleyan
School in 1871. Two school boards were formed
covering the area of the present borough with the
exception of Clayton, Newcastle School Board in
February 1871 (fn. 40) and Wolstanton School Board in
March 1874. (fn. 41)
The first Newcastle School Board (1871–4) did
little of its own accord to further primary education.
Using the £2,500 given by the Endowed Schools
Trust, it built Ryecroft Schools, costing £3,868 and
accommodating 800. (fn. 42) The second board (1874–7)
did more, taking over the British school in 1876, (fn. 43)
which became Friarswood School, and Newcastle
Wesleyan School in 1877 for which new buildings in
Hassell Street were erected in 1881. No schools were
erected by subsequent Newcastle School Boards.
The first Wolstanton School Board (1874–7) opened
schools at Silverdale (1875) and Chesterton (1876).
In 1881 the Wolstanton Wesleyan School was taken
over by the Wolstanton School Board. Thus in July
1903 on the formation of the Newcastle Education
Committee (fn. 44) there were three local authority elementary schools in the area and two independent
schools, St. Giles's and St. George's Church of
England School, and St. Patrick's Roman Catholic
School. In Wolstanton, where an education committee was formed in 1905, (fn. 45) there were two public elementary schools at that date, Ellison Street Schools
and May Bank School, and two church schools,
Wolstanton and Cross Heath.
Various areas had been detached from Wolstanton
for educational purposes after the Education Act of
1902 and there were county elementary schools at
Silverdale and Chesterton (two). Clayton School
had also been transferred to the county from Stoke
School Board. (fn. 46) There were church schools at Silverdale, Knutton, Red Street, and Chesterton.
Between the formation of Newcastle and Wolstanton Education Committees and their merger in 1932,
no new school was built by the former and only
one by the latter, namely Watlands Infants' School
to replace Wolstanton Church of England Infants'
School. In the same period the county built a school
at Knutton in 1914 to take the children formerly in
the infants' department of Knutton Church of England School.
In the 1930's, however, Newcastle began to put
into effect the proposals of the Hadow Report (1926)
and separated children over the age of 11 from those
younger. In 1931 the Orme Boys' Senior School was
opened in the buildings of the Orme Middle School,
purchased by the committee in 1928, (fn. 47) to take senior
boys from Hassell Street and Ryecroft Schools. (fn. 48)
Broadmeadow Senior School at Chesterton was
opened in 1931, taking senior pupils from Chesterton Church School and Albert Street School. (fn. 49)
Knutton Senior School was opened in the following
year to take seniors from the Knutton and Silverdale
area, from both church and county schools. (fn. 50) Westlands Senior Girls' School to take the senior girls
from the central Newcastle schools was not opened
until 1936, however. (fn. 51) Reorganization on these lines
had been completed by the end of 1936 with the
exception of St. Giles's and St. George's Church
School and the Roman Catholic schools. The Roman
Catholic senior pupils were separated in 1938. In
the field of elementary education, however, Newcastle was expanding only slightly in the 1930's to
meet the needs of new housing areas. Priory Road
Infants' school was built in 1934. The need for increased elementary education had been eased by the
building of the new senior schools or, where these
were housed in the existing buildings of an elementary school, by the provision of a new school for the
juniors and infants. (fn. 52)
In the field of grammar-school education Newcastle made great advances in the period between the
two world wars. The endowed grammar schools continued to be aided on a per capita basis by the county
and Stoke-on-Trent. (fn. 53) The Orme Middle School,
condemned in 1923 by the Board of Education, (fn. 54)
was closed by 1927, and in 1928 the buildings were
bought by Newcastle Education Committee. (fn. 55) The
school was replaced in the same year by the erection
of a new local authority Grammar School at Wolstanton. (fn. 56) It was designed for 500 boys and laid out
on a double quadrangle plan. The school is open to
boys from the county area and adjacent parts of
Cheshire. (fn. 57)
Under the 1944 Education Act Newcastle was
made an excepted district. In the post-war period
the chief problem has been to find school accommodation for the growing child population of Newcastle. The education committee has had to provide
much temporary accommodation and also has frequently had to house children from one school in
another. (fn. 58) New primary schools have been built to
meet the need for schools in new housing areas:
Bradwell C.P. School (1951), Broadmeadow C.P.
School (opened as such 1958), Crackley Bank C.P.
School (1956), Hempstalls C.P. School (1953),
Langdale C.P. School (1954), and an independent
school, St. Wulstan's R.C. Aided Primary School
(1959).
One new secondary modern school has been built,
Bradwell County Secondary Modern School, the
senior schools established in the 1930's having been
converted into secondary modern schools as a result
of the Education Act of 1944. (fn. 59) The local authority
in 1948 opened a girls' grammar school at Clayton
Hall while the two endowed grammar schools, the
High School and the Orme Girls' School, not having
an income sufficient to qualify them as direct grant
schools, became specially aided schools under the
terms of the Act. The trust maintains the fabric of
the main buildings and the local authority provides
for the general running costs.
About one-third of the children in the four
grammar schools now come from the county area.
Roughly 360 children are admitted to the grammar
schools each year, between 20 and 30 from Stoke, (fn. 60)
220 from Newcastle, and 110 from the county. Provision is made in each of the boys' grammar schools
for technical education, since there is no technical
school in the borough. At the secondary modern
schools there is a 4th-year commercial course for
selected pupils. Entrance to the grammar schools is
by the 11-plus examination, but pupils are later
transferred from secondary modern schools to the
grammar schools and vice versa, the number affected
each year being about 15 to 20. In the secondary
modern schools there is a leaving examination
assessed by the Education Department of the University College of North Staffordshire but at the
present time (1960) there is no provision for taking
the General Certificate of Education examination. (fn. 61)
Table I - List of Schools (fn. 62)
C.P. = County Primary C.S. = County Secondary C.E. = Church of England C.E.V.P. = Church of
England Voluntary Primary C.E.V.C. = Church of England Voluntary Controlled R.C. = Roman Catholic
R.C.A.P. = Roman Catholic Aided Primary R.C.V.S. = Roman Catholic Voluntary Secondary
B = Boys G = Girls J = Junior I = Infants JM = Junior Mixed M = Mixed / = Separate
departments
|
| School | Date of opening | Changes in organization | Buildings |
|---|
| Albert Street C.P. Schools, (fn. 63) Chesterton | 1876 | Opened as B/G/I. Senior pupils
transferred 1931 to Broadmeadow Senior School. Boys'
department became Broadmeadow C.P. School in 1958. | Opened in Primitive Methodist
Sunday School buildings. New
buildings later in 1876. Girls'
school erected 1877, infants'
school 1891. Annexes to girls'
school erected 1949, annexe to
boys' school at Broadmeadow
C.S. School 1953. Infants in
former boys' school since 1958
when girls' school took over
former infants' buildings. For
boys after 1958 see Broadmeadow C.P. School. |
| Bradwell C.P. School, (fn. 64) Cauldon Ave., Bradwell Estate, Porthill | 1951 | Built to serve Bradwell housing
estate; see also Watlands C. P. S. | Aluminium building. Since 1953
2 classes housed at Hempstalls
C.P. School. |
| Broadmeadow Council School, (fn. 65) Hodgkinson St., Chesterton | 1904 | Infants' school. JM/I by 1912.
Became Broadmeadow Senior
School in 1931 (q.v.) when infants and juniors transferred to
Albert Street Schools. | |
| Broadmeadow C.P. School, (fn. 66) Hodgkinson St., Chesterton. | 1958 | Albert St. junior boys transferred
to these buildings Dec. 1958. | Occupies former Broadmeadow
School buildings (ground floor). |
| Broadmeadow C.S. School, (fn. 67) Hodgkinson St., Chesterton | 1931 | Secondary mixed from 1931 to
1958 when girls transferred
to Chesterton C.S. School. | Occupies former Broadmeadow
Council School buildings. Upper story added 1931. |
| Chesterton C.P. School, (fn. 68) Church St., Chesterton | 1931 | Former National School. Became
infants' only in 1931. | Former National School buildings. |
| Chesterton National School, (fn. 69) Church St., Chesterton | 1814 | Opened as a charity Sunday
school and leased as a day
school. M/I until 1855. B/G/I
from 1855, when it benefited
under Betton's Charity. In 1931
school taken over by L. E. A.
as infants' school (see Chesterton C.P. School). Other pupils
sent to Albert St. C.P., and
Broadmeadow C.S. Schools. | Possibly rebuilt 1847. Girls' school
erected 1855. |
| Clayton C.P. School, (fn. 70) Clayton Rd., Clayton | 1874 | Opened as mixed all-age. Infants
only by 1953. Closed 1954. | Enlarged 1892. Used St. James's
Church also 1951–4. Since 1954
used as annexe to Langdale
C.P. School. |
| Cooper Street Board School, (fn. 71) Wolstanton | 1875 | Closed, date unknown. | Used buildings of St. John's Wesleyan Sunday School. |
| Crackley Bank C.P. School, (fn. 72) Chesterton | 1956 | | Extended 1958. |
| Cross Heath C.E.V.P. School, (fn. 73) Liverpool Rd., Cross Heath | 1876 | Established as mixed all-age
school. | Former mission church of St.
Michael and All Angels. Church
hall also used by 1953. |
| Dunkirk C.E. School, (fn. 74) Heath St., Dunkirk, Chrsterton | 1876 | Founded as GI. Closed, date unknown. | Held in mission church. |
| Ellison Street C.P. Schools, (fn. 75) Wolstanton | 1881 | Formerly Wolstanton Wesleyan
(q.v.). Taken over by School
Board in 1881 when BG/I.
Since 1932, when seniors transferred to Watlands Senior
School (q.v.), run as separate
JM/I schools. | Used Wolstanton Wesleyan School
building till 1895 when present
buildings completed. In 1953
using St. John's Sunday School,
and St. Andrew's Church Hall. |
| Friarswood C.P. School, (fn. 76) Friarswood Rd., Newcastle | 1876 | Formerly Newcastle British
School (q.v.). Taken over by
School Board 1876. Mixed allage school till at least 1924. | Former building of the Newcastle
British School (q.v.). Alterations
made in 1877. Rooms at Higherland Methodist Church used
as temporary accommodation
from c. 1928. In 1948, permanent annexe at Blackfriars, formerly Royal Navy buildings,
acquired. |
| Hassell Street C.P. Schools, (fn. 77) Newcastle | 1877 | Formerly Newcastle Wesleyan
School (q.v.). Taken over in
1877. Until 1881 M/I. After
1881 B/G/I until 1931 when
senior boys transferred to
Orme Boys C.S. School and
G/I until 1936 when senior
girls transferred to Westlands
C.S. School. | Used former Wesleyan School
(q.v.). buildings in School Street.
Present buildings erected 1881. |
| Hempstalls C.P. School, (fn. 78) Collard Ave., Cross Heath | 1953 | | Building erected 1953. |
| Knutton C.E.V.P. School, (fn. 79) High St., Knutton | 1874 | Opened as M/I. Infants transferred to Kuntton Temporary
Council School in 1913. Seniors
transferred to Knutton C.S.
School in 1932. | Enlarged 1878 and 1895. Since
1949 used two classrooms at
Knutton C.S.M. School, and
since 1947 a Y.M.C.A. hut. |
| Knutton C.P. School, (fn. 80) High St., Knutton | 1914 | Took infants from Knutton Temporary Council School. In
1953 was retaining 1st year of
Knutton C.E.V.P. school due
to overcrowding there. | Enlarged 1938. Used one classroom in Knutton C.S. School
temporarily in 1953. |
| Knutton C.S. School, (fn. 81) High St., Knutton | 1932 | Took senior pupils from Knutton
C.E.V.P. and Silverdale
C.E.V.P. Schools and Silverdale C.P. School. | Erected 1932, extended 1936, 1949. |
| Knutton Temporary Council School, (fn. 82) Black Bank Rd., Knutton | 1913 | Took infants of Knutton
C.E.V.P. School 1913. Closed
1914 and pupils transferred
to Knutton C.P. School. | Used United Methodist Sunday
School, Knutton. |
| Langdale C.P. School, (fn. 83) Langdale Rd., Clayton | 1954 | | |
| Longbridge Hayes National School, (fn. 84) John St., Longbridge Hayes | 1871 | Used for girls and infants. | Mission church. |
| May Bank C.P. School, (fn. 85) High St., May Bank | 1903 | | Extended 1927. |
| Newcastle British School, (fn. 86) Friarswood Rd., Newcastle | 1834 | Associated with British and
Foreign Schools Society from at
least 1846. Taken over by Newcastle School Board 1876, and
reopened as Friarswood School
(q.v.). | Site given by Duke of Sutherland.
Received government building
grant. |
| Newcastle Wesleyan School, (fn. 87) School St., Newcastle | 1871 | Opened as M/I school, closed in
1877 when taken over by School
Board (see Hassell Street
Schools). | Used Sunday-school buildings
of Brunswick St. Wesleyan
Chapel. |
| Orme Boys C.S. School, (fn. 88) The Higherland, Newcastle | 1931 | Took senior boys from Hassell
St. and Ryecroft Schools (q.v.) | Using buildings of former Middle
School (see pp. 65, 66). |
| Priory Road C.P. School, (fn. 89) Newcastle | 1934 | | Temporary weather-board additions, 1939. |
| Red Street C.E.V.P. School, (fn. 90) Chesterton | 1872 | Founded as an all-age National
School. | Mission church. |
| Ryecroft C.P. School (fn. 91) | 1872 | Opened as B/G/I. Senior boys
transferred to Orme Boys C.S.
School 1931, girls to Westlands
C.S. School in 1936. | Opened in Methodist New Connexion Sunday School. New
building 1874, enlarged 1891. |
| St. George's National School, (fn. 92) Liverpool Rd., Newcastle | 1835 | Opened in Holborn as infants'
school. Moved to Liverpool
Road 1854–60, when it became
BG/I. Closed between 1872 and
1876 when merged with St.
Giles's National School. | |
| St. Giles's And St. George's C.E.V.C. School, (fn. 93) Bow St., Newcastle | 1825 | Opened as St. Giles's National
School. Benefited under Hatrell, Bagnall, and Cowell Charities. B/G/I until 1948 when
B/G merged into one department containing JM section
and SM section. | Original infants' school in School
Street and original boys' and
girls' school in Bath Street.
Present buildings erected 1895.
In 1947 two huts erected and
additional accommodation used
in St. John's Sunday school,
Liverpool Road. In 1948 former
Domestic science centre at
Ryecroft School acquired as
additional accommodation and
from 1950 St. George's Institute has been used. |
| St. Luke's C.E.V.C. School, (fn. 94) Church St., Silverdale | 1847 | Opened as National School for
B/G. Evening School for boys
in 1855. Subsequently B/G/I.
In 1932 senior children were
transferred to Knutton Senior
School and school reorganize
as JM, I. | Land given and school built by
Ralph Sneyd. Buildings enlarged 1894. |
| St. Mary's R.C.A.P. School, (fn. 95) Stanier St., Newcastle | 1938 | Annexe to infants' school opened
in Wolstanton in 1953 (and see
St. Wulstan's School). | |
| St. Patrick's R.C. School, (fn. 96) London Rd., Newcastle | 1833 | Started as mixed school. B/GI
from 1865. In 1938 juniors
and infants transferred to St.
Mary's R.C.A.P. School (q.v.).
this school becoming St. Patrick's R.C.V.S. School (q.v.). | Orignal school under same roof
as church. New building 1864.
Extensions 1883, 1895–1910.
New infants' school 1897. |
| St. Patrick's R.C.V.S. School, (fn. 97) London Rd., Newcastle | 1938 | | Used buildings of former St. Pattrick's R.C. School. |
| St. Wulstan's R.C.A.P. School, (fn. 98) Church Lane, Wolstanton | 1959 | Took children from Wolstanton
annexe of St. Mary's Infants'
School and children from St.
Mary's Junior School. | |
| Silverdale C.P. School, (fn. 99) Mill St., Silverdale | 1875 | Formerly Silverdale Primitive
Methodist School (q.v). B/G/I
until 1932 when seniors transferred to Knutton C.S. School
and school reoganized as
JM/I. | New buildings erected 1877.
Infants' department erected
1886 on opposite side of road.
Extensions to junior school in
1909. Infants' school requisitioned 1939–45 by Civil Defence. |
| Silverdale Primitive Methodist School. (fn. 100) | 1872 | All-age school. Taken over by
Wolstanton School Board 1875
(see Silverdale C.P. School). | Primitive Methodist Sunday
School buildings. |
| Watlands Council School, (fn. 101) Garnett Rd. West, Porthill | 1913 | Took children from Wolstanton
C.E. Infants' School which
then closed. Pupils transferred
to Waltands C.P. School in
1932. | |
| Watlands C.P. School, (fn. 102) Loring Rd., Porthill | 1932 | | Temporary accommodation provided 1949–51 to house infants
living in Bradwell area until
opening of Bradwell C.P.
School, 1951. |
| Watlands C.S. School., (fn. 103) Garnett Rd. West, Porthill | 1932 | Took senior children from Ellison
Street Schools and Wolstanton
C.E. School in 1932. | Used buildings of former Watlands Council School. |
| Westlands C.S. School, (fn. 104) Abbots Way, Newcastle | 1936 | Took senior girls from Hassell
Street and Ryecroft Schools
(q.v.). | |
| Wolstanton C.E.V.C. School, (fn. 105) High St., Wolstanton | 1841 | Opened as all-age National School.
Infants transferred to Watlands
Council school in 1913. Seniors
transferred to Watlands C.S
School in 1932. | Rebuilt 1872. |
| Wolstanton Wesleyan School, (fn. 106) Wolstanton | 1871 | Opened as B/G/I/ Closed 1881
when taken over by School
Board (see Ellison Street
Schools). | Using Sunday School buildings of
St. John's Wesleyan Church. |
Charities for the Poor
As will be seen
from the table below, the corporation, either at the
express wish of the donor or by its acquisition of the
charity lands, (fn. 107) administered from the 17th century
onwards an increasing number of the borough
charities. Some of these were applied in relief of the
poor rate under the decree of 1740. (fn. 108) From 1807
seventeen of the charities which were by then vested
in the corporation were consolidated with ten in the
hands of the churchwardens. The annual income
from the former was £12 12s. (by at least 1824)
and from the latter £13 5s. 4d. and was expended in
bread and money doles on St. Thomas's Day (21
December). (fn. 109) The distribution, organized by the
churchwardens and overseers, was held at the parish
church and elsewhere in the town and attended by
the rector and leading residents. (fn. 110) In 1896 all surviving Newcastle charities for the poor were vested
as the United Charities in a body of trustees on
which the corporation had five representatives.
The moneys were thenceforward applied in general
benefits to the poor of the borough, (fn. 111) often in large
grants to the charitable organizations of the district. (fn. 112)
In 1952 £47 10s. was distributed in money at
Christmas to 47 poor. (fn. 113) In 1955 the United Charities,
the funds of the District Nursing Association, and
the charities of Eliza Hinds and Richard Mountford
were vested as the Amalgamated Charities in a body
of twelve trustees, six of them nominated by the
borough council and six co-opted. Apart from sums
reserved for special purposes such as sermons and,
in the case of the Nursing Association, the sick poor
of the borough, the income was to be applied in
general relief, including weekly doles of between
2s. 6d. and 10s., to the poor of the borough 'as constituted from time to time'. (fn. 114)
By 1663 the corporation had at its disposal several
almshouses. (fn. 115) An order was made in 1667 for their
repair at the expense of the borough, although in one
case the inmate was expected to contribute towards
the cost under pain of ejection. (fn. 116) A house near the
Castle Pool was taken into the corporation's hands
in 1684 and converted into further almshouses. (fn. 117)
The corporation almshouses seem to have been
superseded by the workhouse (fn. 118) in 1731. (fn. 119)
By the will of Christopher Monck, Duke of Albemarle (d. 1688), a sum of £1,500 was bequeathed for
the erection of almshouses for 20 widows, not necessarily from Newcastle, with a further £4,500 as
endowment. As a consequence of disputes about the
testator's property, it was not until 1743 that his
heirs, Grace, Countess Granville, John, styled Lord
Gower, and Bernard Granville, erected the 20 almshouses. They also agreed to keep them in repair and
provide £160 annually for the maintenance of the
widows; out of this sum £20 was to be spent each
Michaelmas on gowns and petticoats of blue cloth
which were to be worn by the inmates whenever
they were in public. Each of the three above-mentioned heirs, with their heirs after them, was to
present six of the widows and appoint the remaining
two in rotation. By 1824 clothing had not been provided for some years, and the whole £160 was paid
in money at the rate of 3s. a week to each widow with
an additional 4s. each about Christmas time. The
inmates were still chosen from other districts besides
Newcastle. (fn. 120) The right of presentation, as well as
that of appointing the trustees, remained in the
Leveson-Gower family (dukes of Sutherland from
1833) until 1940 when the 5th duke settled a sum of
£6,400 stock in redemption of the annual £160 and
his responsibility to maintain the premises. By 1914
the 20 sets were occupied by 19 almswomen and
a matron; most of the inmates then came from
Newcastle, but some were widows of tenants
on the Trentham estate. Since the site was required for road purposes, the building was bought
in 1940 by the Ministry of Transport for £4,500
which was invested to meet the cost of new
premises. Owing to the war, demolition was not
carried out, and by agreement ten of the almshouses
remained with the trustees rent-free for needy
widows and the rest were taken over by the borough
for housing. (fn. 121)
The building, which stands at the junction of
Bridge Street and Lower Green, is of red brick with
a hipped roof and consists of two ranges at right
angles to one another. The range facing Bridge Street
contains three cross-passages with staircases, each
giving access to four sets of rooms, two on each floor.
The individual sets consist of living room, bedroom,
and pantry. The shorter range facing Lower Green
has two entrances and contains eight sets of rooms,
similarly arranged. On both facades the doorways
and casement windows are surmounted by stone
lintels with raised keystones, the upper windows
having stone aprons below the sills. The doors and
windows at the rear are contained in plain brick
openings. In the centre of the Bridge Street front
is an open pediment supported on stone console
brackets, below which is an inscribed tablet, now
(1960) almost illegible. (fn. 122)
Table II - Charities for the Poor
|
| Founder | Instrument | Endowment | History |
|---|
| John Barker (fn. 123) | Will of 1607 | £40 at discretion of his
brother Ralph. | In 1612 paid by Ralph to corporation;
laid out in purchase of rent-charge of
£2 6s. 8d. for distribution to 10 poor on
St. Thomas's Day (21 Dec.); by 1760
distributed in Lent in sums of 2s.; by
1824 part of general distribution of
bread and money on St. Thomas's Day;
one of United Charities from 1819 and
still in force 1955 but then no longer
vested in corporation. |
| John Bagnall (fn. 124) | Deed of 1619 | 6s. 8d. rent-charge vested in
corporation. | Among United Charities from 1896 and
still in force 1955. |
| Ralph Brereton of London (fn. 125) | Will of 1630 | £100 | Laid out by corporation in 1639 in purchase of an estate let for £5. Income
distributed in bread every Sunday,
and remainder on first market-day
after Christmas, to 20 poor. In 1740
consolidated with other money in the
corporation's hands in aid of poor rate;
£4 6s. 8d., however, continued to be
distributed in 20 loaves each week until
corporation treasurer stopped the practice in 1820. |
| Alice, widow of Thomas Clayton (fn. 125) | Unknown but by 1639 | £10 |
| Randle Astbury of Trentham (fn. 125) | Unknown but by 1639 | £10 |
| Unknown (fn. 125) | Unknown but by 1639 | £5 |
| Henry Smith of London (fn. 126) | Deed of 1641 putting into effect various deeds made in and after 1620 | £12 rent-charge, vested
in churchwardens and
overseers but by 1729 in
corporation. | By 1729 distributed in clothing; by 1824
allowed to accumulate for periodic distribution in clothing; among United
Charities from 1896 and still in force
1955. |
| Sir John Bowyer of Knypersley (fn. 127) | Deed of 1661 | £5 8s. rent-charge for apprenticing 2 children (£2
10s. each) of poor burgesses
and buying them each a
bible. | At first on apprentice selected by Sir
John and his heirs and the other by
corporation; by early 19th century
mayor selected both; among United
Charities from 1896 but lapsed by 1953. |
| Thomas Bagnall (fn. 128) | Will of 1675 | 12s. rent-charge on Cold Fair
tolls for bread for 12 poor
on 12 Sundays after Cold
Fair (8 Nov.) through corporation. | By 1824 part of St. Thomas's Day distribution; among United Charities
from 1896 and still in force 1955. |
| Richard Heath, alderman (fn. 129) | Will of 1685 | 10s. interest on £10 for bread,
vested in corporation. | By 1760 distributed on Sunday after Cold
Fair; by 1824 part of St. Thomas's Day
distribution; among United Charities
from 1896 and still in force 1955. |
| John Lowe of Marston Montgomery (Derb.) (fn. 130) | Deed of 1685 | 10s. rent-charge for bread on
Quadragesima and Palm
Sundays. | Among United Charities from 1896, by
which time it was vested in corporation,
and still in force 1955. |
| William Beard (fn. 131) | Deed of 1690 | 10s. rent-charge vested in
corporation for bread for
poor attending sermon on
St. Mark's Day. | Among United Charities from 1896 and
still in force 1955. |
| Sir William Leveson-Gower (d. 1691) (fn. 132) | Unknown | £2 12s. rent-charge for bread
every Sunday, vested in
church wardens. | Rent-charge redeemed 1861; income 1888
£2 11s. 2d. interest on stock; among
United Charities from 1896 and still in
force 1955. |
| John Colclough of Trentham (fn. 133) | Will of 1699 | Interest on £5 for bread on
Sunday after 11 Oct. | Distribution at executor's discretion; apparently in hands of corporation by
1746; lapsed by 1760. |
| Francis Wells (fn. 134) | Unknown but by 1700 | £1 interest on £20 for 40
loaves yearly. | In hands of corporation by 1725; by 1760
distributed on Easter Day; by 1824
part of St. Thomas's Day distribution;
among United Charities by 1896 and
still in force 1955. |
| Mr. Cotton (fn. 135) | Unknown but by 1701 | £5 probably for apprenticing. | In 1701 corporation ordered charity to be
used in apprenticing poor boys at discretion of justice 'out of the liberty of
the town'; nothing further known. |
| John Baddeley (fn. 136) | Will of 1701 | 6s. 8d. rent-charge for bread,
vested in churchwardens. | By 1760 distributed on Shrove Tuesday
and by 1824 on St. Thomas's Day;
among United Charities from 1896 but
lapsed by 1955. |
| Richard Bagnall (fn. 137) | Deed of 1703 | £1 rent-charge for bread,
vested in mayor and other
trustees. | Between at least 1746 and 1821 applied
in apprenticing; distributed in money
by 1866 but apparently lapsed by 1896. |
| Revd. Edward Orme (d. 1705) (fn. 138) | Will of 1705 | £5 rent-charge for apprenticing 2 children under corporation's supervision. | By 1824 spent by custom on clothing for
boys chosen; among United Charities
from 1896 and transferred to control of
Ministry of Education on formation of
Amalgamated Charities in 1955; still
applied in apprenticing in1958. |
| John Mare (fn. 139) | Will proved 1708 | 5s. rent-charge for bread on
Christmas Day, vested in
churchwardens. | By 1824 part of St. Thomas's Day distribution; among United Charities from
1896 and still in force 1955. |
| Ralph Bailey of Normacot Grange. Stone (fn. 140) | Will—date unknown but by 1711 | £2 12s. rent-charge visted in
minister and churchwardens. | Distributed in Lent by 1760 in sums of
2s.; lapsed 1806. |
| Katherine, Dowager Lady Gower (d. 1723) (fn. 141) | Unknown | £1 interest on £20 for bread. | In hands of corporation by 1725; by 1760
distributed in August; by 1824 part of
St. Thomas's Day distribution; among
United Charities from 1896 and still in
force 1955. |
| Nathaniel Beard (fn. 142) | Unknown but by 1725 | 10s. rent-charge for bread on
Sunday after St. Luke
(18 Oct.), vested in churchwardens. | By 1824 part of St. Thomas's Day distribution; lapsed 1861. |
| Samuel and Obadiah Rock (fn. 143) | Unknown but by 1725 | 10s. interest on £10 for bread
on Sunday after 22 May. | In hands of corporation by 1740; formed
part of St. Thomas's Day distribution
by 1824; among United Charities from
1896 and still in force 1955. |
| Samuel Sunderland (fn. 144) | Unknown but by 1725 | 10s. interest on £10 for bread
on Sunday after 13 May. | In hands of corporation by 1725; part of
St. Thomas's Day distribution by 1824;
among United Charities from 1896 and
still in force 1955. |
| Isabel, wife of Samuel Sunderland (fn. 145) | Unknown but by 1725 | 5s. interest on £5 for 20 loaves
on Sunday after 13 May. | In hands of corporation by 1725; part of
St. Thomas's Day distribution by 1824;
among United Charities from 1896 and
still in force 1955. |
| John Browne (or Bourne) (fn. 146) | Unknown but by 1725 | £1 interest on £20 for bread
in November, vested in
corporation. | Part of St. Thomas's Day distribution by
1824; among United Charities from
1896 and still in force 1955. |
| Samuel Bell (fn. 147) | Will—date unknown but by 1725 | 5s. rent-charge for bread,
vested in churchwardens. | By 1760 distributed c. 20 January and by
1824 part of St. Thomas's Day distribution; among United Charities from
1896; by then vested in corporation,
and still in force 1955. |
| William Boughey (fn. 148) | Unknown but by 1725 | 10s. interest of £10 for bread
on Easter Day, vested in
churchwardens. | Lapsed 1806; revived after 1824; finally
lapsed 1856. |
| John Boughey (fn. 149) | Unknown but by 1752 | 10s. rent-charge for bread on
whit-Sunday. | Lapsed 1806; revived after 1824; finally
lapsed 1856. |
| Bridget Cook (fn. 150) | Unknown but by 1725 | 10s. rent-charge. | By 1760 distributed probably by churchwardens in bread; by 1824 part of St.
Thomas's Day distribution; among
United Charities by 1896, by which
date vested in corporation, and still in
force 1955. |
| Samuel Collier (fn. 151) | Unknown but by 1752 | 10s. interest of £10 for
bread on St. Thomas's Day,
vested apparently in corporation. | Among United Charities from 1896 and
still in force 1955. |
| Hannah Bagnall (fn. 152) | Will of 1727 | £1 interest of £20 for bread
on 2nd Sunday in Lent,
vested in corporation. | By 1824 part of St. Thomas's Day distribution; among United Charities
from 1896 and still in force 1955. |
| John Ward, cr. Vis-count Dudley and Ward 1763 (fn. 153) | Deed of 1 Oct. 1730 | £30 interest on £600. | Consolidated with charities in aid of poorrate 1740. |
| John Smith (fn. 154) | Will of 1729 | 10s. interest on £10 for
bread on 1 January. | In hands of corporation from 1734; by
1824 part of St. Thomas's Day distribution; among United Charities
from 1896 and still on force 1955. |
| William Annion of Clayton (d, 1736) (fn. 155) | Will of 1736 | £1 interest of £20 for bread
on Easter and Christmas
Day, vested in corporation. | By 1824 part of St. Thomas's Day distribution; among United Charities
from 1896 and still in force 1955. |
| Mary Lowe (fn. 156) | Unknown; between 1725–40 | 5s. interest on £5 for bread
in November. | In hands of corporation by 1740; part of
St. Thomas's Day distribution by
1824; among United Charities from
1896 and still in force 1955. |
| John Fenton (fn. 157) | Deed of 1742 | £1 interest on £20 for 20
loaves on each Sunday in
Lent, vested in corporation. | Part of St. Thomas's Day distribution by
1824; among United Charities from
1896 and still in force 1955. |
| John (or William) Horderen (fn. 158) | Will of 1753 | 10s. interest of £10 for bread.
vested in corporation. | By 1760 distributed on St. Thomas's Day;
among United Charities from 1896 and
still in force 1955. |
| John Hulme (fn. 159) | Will of 1757 | £1 interest pf £20 for bread
on Sunday after 29 December, vested in corporation. | By 1824 part of St. Thomas's Day distribution; among United Charities
from 1896 and still in force 1955. |
| Ann Hulme (fn. 160) | Will of 1757 | £1 interest of £20 for bread
on 1st Sunday after 14
August, vested in corporation. | By 1824 part of St. Thomas's Day distribution; among United Charities from
1896 and still in force 1955. |
| John Bourne (fn. 161) | Probably deed; probably 1758 | £5 interest of £100, vested
in corporation and distributed by churchwardens. | Among United Charities from 1896 and
still in force 1955. |
| James Taylor (fn. 162) | Will between 1752 and 1760 | £1 rent-charge for bread on
1st Sunday after 22 May,
vested in corporation. | By 1824 paid direct to churchwardens and
part of St. Thomas's Day distribution;
among United Charities from 1869, by
when vested in corporation, and still in
force 1955. |
| Ralph Cartwright (fn. 163) | Will of 1776 | £1 10s. rent-charge for bread
for 20 poor on 2 January. | Paid through the Presbyterian minister
until 1805 when it lapsed; by 1896 it had
been revived and vested in corporation;
and thenceforward among the United Charities, being still in force 1955. |
| Thomas Fletcher (d. 1783) (fn. 164) | Will of 1781 | £1 interest on £20 for bread
on Sunday after 2 February, vested in rector. | By 1824 customarily distributed to 20
poor widows; by 1896 paid as interest
on £40 stock and still in force as such
1955. |
| Richard Mountford of Tottenham High Cross (Mdx.) (fn. 165) | Will proved 1833 | £100 for bread on Sunday
after 25 March, vested in
overseers of the poor. | As £98 10s. stock it formed part of the
Amalgamated Charities from 1955. |
| Henry Dobbs of Norwood (Surrey) (fn. 166) | Probably deed of 1841 | £1 10s. interest on £30
for bread, vested in corporation and distributed
through rector and churchwardens. | First distribution in 1842; lapsed by
1896. |
| Eliza Hinds of Newcastle (fn. 167) | Will proved 1899 | Residual estate to establish
the Eliza Hinds Fund for
poor and distressed of
Newcastle or for charitable
institutions there. | Income 1953–4, £60 9s. 2d. interest on
£2,015 6s. 3d. stock; then, and for
some years before, distributed in sums
of 10s., with £1 1s. also to St. George's
Parish Poor Fund; among Amalgamated Charities from 1955. |
| Edward Turner of Newcastle (fn. 168) | Will proved 1904 | £1,000 to be called the
Maria Turner Charity;
income to be distributed
in money and kind at
Christmas by rector and
churchwardens of St.
Giles to poor of parish. | Income 1951–2 £28 2s. 4d., distributed in
36 5s. grocery tickets, in gifts of £2 or
more, and in sending patients to convalescent homes. |
| Mayor's Poor Relief Fund (fn. 169) | | Public subscription in 1921
and transfer of £251 16s.
3d. from other charity
funds. Alleviation of distress caused by miners'
strike in first instance. | Between 1921 and 1950 £476 18s. 2d.
distributed by successive mayors to
persons in distress; assets in 1950 consisted of £774 16s. 3d. in stock and
cash, and the fund is used for occasional
relief e.g. grants towards maintenance
of the almshouses. |
| Annie Dutton of Sidmouth (Devon) (fn. 170) | Will proved 1933 | One-third of residual estate
for Christmas gifts for
poor of St. George's
parish. | In 1958 still distributed at the vicar's discretion at Christmas and, where funds
are available, during the year as required. |