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Matlock's Schools in Earlier Times |
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Despite a charitable donation in 1647 to found a free school,
the education Matlock's children received in the past was extremely
mixed. It was George Spateman in the seventeenth century and
Ernest Bailey in the twentieth century who, amongst others,
helped to make things happen.
Described here is how and why Matlock & District's schools
were set up, against the background of the development of the
English Education System. |
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 The English Education System |
A few key milestones in the development of English State Education
1870 : Elementary
Education Act.
'Better late than never'1
Universal elementary education was introduced, although a voluntary
system of schools, run by the established Church and other religious
voluntary bodies, was already in place. Where no voluntary school
existed, school boards were set up so that schools could be established.
Before this time, children of the poor had generally been mistreated,
including by their parents, and exploited for child labour.
'Only two-fifths of the children between the
ages of six and ten were attending school' in 1870'.2
One must also remember that there was a huge increase in the size
of families and therefore in the population as a whole in the nineteenth
century. Nevertheless, children's educational needs had been ill served
for a couple of centuries prior to this and the first aim was to get
children into school.
There were one or two 'dame' schools in the
district, as shown in the onsite early trade directories. A
'dame' school was just as it sounds - a school run by a female
- and the teaching was often done in a spare room in her house.
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 Three
local dame schools were mentioned in a book of 1840
Also see
early trade directories
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1899 : Board of Education Act
1902 : Education
Act
Local Education Authorities took over from the school boards.
1918 :
Education made compulsory to age 14.
1944 : Education Act.
A secondary education system was inaugurated. Until then, the
majority of children had been educated only in primary or elementary
schools
About Matlock's
secondary schools (below) |
Matlock School
Board
formed 17 Aug., 1895:
Rev. J. W. Kewley (Rector);
Mr. Job Smith (Churchman);
Dr. Moxon (Churchman);
Mr Slack (Nonconformist);
Rev. A. L. Humphries, Primitive Methodist (Nonconformist);
Mr. T. Cooper Drabble (neutral).
~~~~
Mr. Drabble became Chairman
(extracted from Bryan, p.243) |
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Matlock, unfortunately, did not have one of the long established
grammar schools that were to be found elsewhere in Derbyshire.
However, A.F. Leach says that the Matlock School founded by
George Spateman (see below) was founded as
a grammar school but became an elementary school4. |
Matlock's
free school, founded by Spateman, is mentioned in documents
in The Wolley Manuscripts, Matlock |
Before 1924, when Ernest Bailey established his co-educational
grammar school in Matlock, those local school children who were
lucky enough to win a grammar school scholarship attended schools
outside Matlock. Pupils who won scholarships at the beginning
of the twentieth century mostly went to mostly to either Herbert
Strutt's Grammar School at Belper by train or Lady Manners School,
Bakewell. Children whose parents could afford to pay fees were
also educated at public or private schools.
It is sad to reflect that some children within the two parishes
of Matlock and Matlock Bath who perhaps had the ability to receive
a grammar school education before the 1944 Act was passed were
too poor to afford either the fare or the uniform.
In earlier times Richard Arkwright had sent two of his sons
to Queen Elizabeth's at Ashbourne for a while in 1797 before
they went on to Eton5. |
Lower down this page see:
Ernest Bailey
Private schools
Matlock children attended schools in other towns and villages.
For example, Alison Uttley (nee Taylor) attended Lady Manners.
Read
a short biography of Alison Uttley
Lady
Manners School, Bakewell - Rosemary Lockie's webpage about
the school (this page opens in a new window as it is an external
link)
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| Matlock Town & Green |
Education in Matlock first began as early as 1647 when Mr George Spateman
of Tansley gave 80l. [£80] to found a free school in Matlock.
Anthony Wolley, in 1668, left a further 5l. [£5] per annum.
By 1817, the Lysons record there was an annual income of 43l. 14s
[£43 14shillings]6.
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In 1857 the annual income was £36 p.a. [£36 per annum]
- £30 to the school master; £2 for incidental expenses; £4
to the poor7. At
that time the school was open to the sons of all the inhabitants
of Matlock, 40 of whom were appointed by the trustees. They
were taught free, 'apart from a small charge for providing
books and fire7'.
Writing in 1862, Francis White said that 'having become greatly
dilapidated, a handsome new school was built of stone in 1829,
on Tagg Hill. Robert Bunting is the master. The Girls' School,
Matlock Town, was built by subscription, in 1816. Ann Cumming,
teacher8'.
New buildings were erected for Matlock Town
Endowed School in 1860 and 1889 to educate some 250 children.
By 1891 the average attendance was 100 boys and girls and
60 infants. (Attendance figures from Kelly's Directory1891).
When Miss Sladen retired from her post as headmistress of
the Town school, the High Peak News of 15 Nov 1919 reported
that two days before she had been presented with a testimonial.
Seventeen guineas had been collected from 'a very large number
of people of all ages' and Canon Kewley, the rector, and the
'Testimonial Committee' presented the gift together with a
list of all the subscribers to her in her Bank Road home.
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There is a list of pupils who applied to the Trustees in 1814
elsewhere on this website site
19th
Century Lists : Matlock School Charity, 1814
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Masters/mistresses
have included:
Joseph Bamford, master1876
Mrs. Angela Bamford, mistress1876
Joseph Sladen, Master1891
Miss Sarah Jane Sladen, mistress1891
Thomas Henry Williams*, Master1895,
1908
Miss Sarah Jane Sladen, mistress1895,
1908
Thomas Henry Williams* and Miss Sladen1916
George Smith1925
*T.H. Williams joined up in WW1; during
his absence G. E. Kenworth became acting headmaster but
Kenworthy himself then joined up and was subsequently
Killed in Action (see
Names of Matlock's Memorial) |
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Former pupil Tim Lomas writes that between 1966 and 1970 there were
3 members of staff: The infants teacher was Mrs McDonald, the lower
juniors were taught by Mrs Brough and the upper juniors teacher and
headmaster was Gordon Sidney Ecob.
Children who lived at Artist's Corner in Matlock Dale reached the
school by crossing the River Derwent by the footbridge and then walked
up the Pic Tor footpath. The school building has now been converted
into three dwellings and the adjacent school house, built on a bend
in the road, was demolished some years ago. There is now a new school,
St. Giles primary, which is next to Highfields Lower School further
up the hill.
The British School, Matlock Green (formerly a
Congregational chapel) was erected about 1863 for 350 pupils. In 1891
Edwin Davis was master; Miss Elizabeth Bridge was the mistress; the
average attendance was 150 boys and girls and 50 infants1891.
Davis was still the master in 1895 and Miss Elizabeth Beck had become
infants' mistress1895.
The Matlock School Board toook over the school in 1895 and Bryan states
that this school was closed on 1st June 18963.
See Chesterfield Road,
Matlock (below)
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| Matlock Bank - All Saints'
School |
In October 1873
the Education Department declared that the 'school
accommodation for the elementary education of the children of
the parish was deficient' (Bryan,
p. 2313).
This disgraceful situation was mostly due to the massive development
of the Bank - i.e. building the various hydros, shops and houses
- which had led to an enormous increase in the child population
of the town. As I have already written, families in the nineteenth
century tended to be large so there was an urgent need for another
school.
The Churchmen of the parish finally provided a voluntary school
and a site was bought from the Rev. John Woolley.
Mrs. James Arkwright laid the foundation stone on 6 November,
1874 and the Church National School (mixed) - All
Saints - was opened on 10th August 1875 for 200 pupils.
It had cost £1,000 to build. |
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All Saints' School |
At that time there was no church in Matlock Bank and Rev. Adam Lowe
held his services in the school until All Saints' Church was built
some years later. In 1891 the average attendance of pupils was 1631891.
An infant's school was built in 1899. By 1903 there was 'accommodation
for upwards of 400 pupils' (Bryan, p. 2323).
Peter Aspey was a pupil at All Saints in the 1950's and was
shown around the building a few years ago, writes:
"The main thing I can remember are the old wooden desks
with ink wells - and on my visit I saw they were still there,
only no ink pots in them now!"
Another pupil comments that the "temporary" classrooms
were there and looking less than new when he was a pupil in
the 1960's but today some pupils are educated at the Hurd's
Hollow site instead.
Mark Whitehead recalls the teaching staff from his time as a
pupil (1957-63). The teachers were Mrs Geeson (reception), Mrs
Hill, Miss Land (top infants' class and headmistress), Mrs Horner
(only there for about a year as a stand-in; she was the wife
of the Headmaster at Ernest Bailey), Miss Muir (Mrs. Burkimsher),
Mrs Bagshaw, Mr Stevens (churchwarden) and Mr Charles Laughton
("who was probably the best teacher I ever had").
Mr Burkimsher was the Headmaster.
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Masters/mistresses
have included:
Henry Barnard , master1887,
1891
Miss Clara Evans, mistress1887,
1891
Robert H Baker, master1895
Miss Catherine Brown, mist.1895
Robert H Baker, master1908
Miss Catherine Brown, mistress of the infants1908
Robert H Baker, master1916
Miss Gertrude Roberts, mistress of the infants1916
Robert Charles Newman, master1925
Miss Ethel E. Smith, mistress of the infants1925
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All Saints' School, another view |
Several old photographs of the teachers and pupils, dating from
around the year 1900, have been published in various books and
booklets about Matlock.
References
- Books and Other Publications
Many original photographs are held by the Derbyshire Record
Office
Contacting
the Derbyshire Record Office (onsite link)
Also see:
About
All Saints' Church |
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| Chesterfield Road, Matlock |
A Council School, built
of of local gritstone, was erected at the eastern end of Smedley
Street in 1897 as yet more school accommodation was needed in
the town. The school opened on 23 September and cost £5,401
9s 2½d to build (Bryan, p. 240-13).
In 1901 there were places for 326 boys and girls and 220 infants.
Edwin Davis was the first headmaster, transferring here from
the British School on Matlock Green where he had also been the
head. |
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Matlock County School |
A former pupil who attended the school during
WW2, writes:
"The headmaster of the council school was for many years a Mr
Mills who lived on Smedley Street East. His successor was Mr
Varnum. He lived at the top of the Dimple near All Saints' Church.
Teachers I remember from the Council School were Miss Gretton
and Miss Reeve. On my first day at the school I thought that
one went home at the morning break and Miss Gretton came to
our house to find me and return me to the school which wasn't
far from where we lived in Lynholmes. At that time [1938], Lynholmes
was a small development of 50 between-the-wars council houses."
"We recently visited Matlock and I took the opportunity
to look at the County Primary School of early days. The buildings
hadn't changed at all - still the bricked-up bicycle sheds converted
into air-raid shelters. How well I remember it all - especially
carrying gas masks to school. We were lucky to live in Matlock
during the War with little risk of being involved in bombing
raids and the like."
Masters/mistresses
have included:
Edwin Davis
James A. Mills & Miss H. Edmeston1908
James A. Mills & Mrs. K. Parrish 1916,
1925
Mr. Varnum |
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There's more information on this
website:
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| Starkholmes |
Mrs Thornewill conducted a Church School
here in 1872 and by 1875 some 50 children were attending. The
National School (mixed) was built of gritstone and opened at Easter
1879 for 80 pupils. In 1891 the average attendance was 401891.
The original school building closed and was demolished in about 1965;
it was suffering badly from subsidence and gradually slipping down
the hillside. Pupils were then educated in supposedly 'temporary'
building across the road, which became long term accommodation. This
also closed and now pupils from Starkholmes attend St. Giles.
Kirsten Burrell (nee Twiggs), a former pupil,
writes:
"The school buildings at the time I attended were on the
left hand side of the road going up Starkholmes Road above the
White Lion pub. We used to play in the overgrown grounds of
the original school; I remember that the playground was badly
cracked in places and this can only have been a few years after
the school was demolished. |
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In 1974 when the infant teacher, Mrs Carter
retired, I was the child who presented her with her bouquet
and have a photo of us standing outside the 'temporary' building.
Behind the purple doors on the photo was a lobby, at the back
of which were the cloakrooms. There were only 2 classrooms:
the infants on the left and the juniors on the right. There
was also the head's office beyond this and, at the far right
hand of the school, quite a palatial kitchen.
The roll of the school was falling - it was 56 children in 1980
- and the school closed in the late 80s/early 90s with the children
transferring to what was then 'the Town school' (St Giles' school
was built later). The wooden 'temporary' building was taken
down in about 1991."
See: Matlock Town
and Green (above) for info about the Town School
There's even the milk crate on the picture - for those who can
remember the days of (warm) free school milk. |
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| Holy Trinity School, Matlock
Bath |
The Church National School (mixed) - Holy Trinity
- was built in 1853 for 300 pupils. It was erected on the tufa shelf,
not far from the New Bath Hotel and Masson Mill, between what is now
the road to Cromford and the River Derwent. The stone building cost
£1,200. The money was raised from subscriptions, a parliamentary grant
of £205, the National Society gave £50 and the Lichfield Educational
Board gave £107.
The school's entrances and classrooms were at road level, with a basement
level below them for the headmaster's residence. The schoolroom was
55 feet in length and 33 feet wide; this was later divided into four
by folding wooden and glass partitions. Underneath the building were
the separate vaulted playgrounds for boys and girls; the pupils were
able to look, through the railings, down on the river Derwent some
distance below. |
Matlock Bath Holy Trinity School - the old school building
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In 1857 Mr John and Mrs. Cope were the master and mistress and
the average attendance was 1307.
White's Directory of 1857 recorded that 'there is a library of about
230 volumes in connection with the school, which is free to all
children but other parties pay an annual subscription of 5s [shillings]
and 2s and 6d [pence] or 1d [penny] per. volume7'.
By 1876 George James Rowland was the master and his wife, Mrs.
M. M. Rowland, was the mistress1876;
they were still there in 1891 and the average attendance then was
1001891. By 1903 the
headmaster no longer lived on the premises, but the Church Sunday
School was still held here. By 1908 Mr. William Henry Lees A.Mus.
T.C.L. was the headmaster1908
(also there in 19161916)
and he taught this writer's father, giving him a life long love
of music and art. Another headmaster was Mr. Saint, who retired
in 1950; the webmistress was chosen, as the school's youngest pupil,
to present a bouquet to Mrs. Saint.
Mr. Kenneth Bannister (1950-57) followed on from Mr. Saint. Mr.
Bannister loved cricket and had captained Matlock Cricket Club for
seven years; in 1950 he became the first Matlock player to take
500 wickets in postwar cricket. He moved away from Matlock and Mrs.
Moore then became headmistress.
Miss Annie Walker was a well respected class teacher at the beginning
of the twentieth century. Mrs Agnes Ethel Clay, sister to Charles
White, also taught at the school and in the 1950's Mrs. Wright,
Mrs. Cresswell and Mr. Boucher were on the staff.
In Mr. Lees time the pupils were taught to write using Copperplate
'Roundhand' and used both pencils and pen and ink for their work.
Pupils in the 1950's used the 'Marion Richardson' style of writing.
They did not wear a school uniform.
The building is no longer a school and the school itself moved
some years ago closer to the church, to a site on Clifton Road.
There's a little more information about the pupils and school sports
elsewhere on the site.
Old Pavilion
and Royal Hotel
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| Secondary Education for
all |
Until the twentieth century there was no provision for local children
to receive more than a basic elementary education unless their parents
had enough money to pay for private education (see
below). This has been discussed in The English Education
System (above). The move towards secondary education for all the
local children took place in several stages in Matlock and district.
First of all, Ernest Bailey set up his Grammar School, which is described
below. However, it was not until after the second world war that the
needs of all the children over 11 years of age were met in full. Those
who did not pass the 11+ examination and gain a scholarship place
at Ernest Bailey's were still being educated with those of primary
age until about September 1956. A Secondary Modern school was finally
built in Starkholmes and was named after Charles White, who had been
a local M.P. From then on, all pupils changed schools at 11, leaving
only the under 11's in the primary schools (i.e. infants and juniors).
When Derbyshire later changed over to the comprehensive system of
education, the two schools amalgamated and the name was changed to
Highfields School.
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| Ernest Bailey Grammar School |
The school's founder was Mr Ernest H. Bailey
(see below) who was born in 1870 and who owned Bailey's Flour
Mills in Lumsdale. It occupied a building in New Street that
had previously been a hydro; initially it had been called Bank
House Hydro and later became Wyvern House Hydro in what was
then Matlock Bridge. The school was founded in 1924 and was
co-educational.
Until 1944 the pupils were a mixture of those whose parents
paid fees and those who had won a scholarship. In the very early
stages very few scholarship places were awarded but by 1941
the numbers of fee payers and scholarship children were about
equal.
At this time the pupils sat for their School Certificate at
the age of 16, when they either 'Passed', gained a 'Credit'
or were awarded a 'Distinction'. Those who stayed on into the
Sixth Form 'Matriculated' at the end of their course of study.
A former pupil from those times recalls how strict they were
with the children during the war years, and everyone had to
be properly dressed in the school's uniform. Those who hoped
to continue their education past the age of 18 had to wait until
after the war to take up a university place. A former pupil,
who went to 'Bailey's' slightly later than this in 1944 recollects
that "from that year entry to grammar schools was by exam
only (presumably the start of the 11 plus system )". |
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Grammar School pupils in the 1950's were still expected
to stay at school until they were at least 16, though Matriculation
had been replaced by "O" (Ordinary) level examinations -
pupils sat for a variety of subjects. Those staying on until 18 specialized
with their chosen "A" (Advanced) levels and usually studied
only three subjects. In the year 2000 all pupils took GCSE (General
Certificate of Secondary Education) examinations usually in the academic
year they attained 16. There are, of course, exceptions to this.
One of the early headmasters was Dr. E. H. Chapman. The headmaster
at the end of WW2 was Mr B. C. Orme. One former pupil comments that
"he also played the viola and, together with my mother's influence,
engendered a love and interest in music which I have retained (only
as a keen listener, I would add). He was always keen that EBGS should
compete in Music Festivals. I still remember singing with the school
choir at the the Pavilion in the Matlock Bath Music Festival".
Keith Beardow was a pupil at Baileys from 1942 to 1948 and says that
in his time at the school the teachers were:
| Head |
Mr B C Orme |
| Heamistress |
Miss Eastwood |
| Senior Masters |
Mr E Wagstaffe, Mr Ridge, Mr E W Dredge (?) Mr
van Raalte |
| Senior Mistresses |
Miss Brennan, Miss Bailey, Mrs Crossley |
The New Street site was limited for space and pupils were transported
to the sports grounds in Cromford Meadows for rugby, hockey etc. The
old boys rugby club was known as the Old Baileans (now Matlock) and
was very successful.
The school eventually merged with Charles White's
(see below) and the older pupils moved to new premises on Chesterfield
Road. Although Ernest Bailey's name is no longer linked to Matlock's
present secondary school (it is now Highfields School - see above),
his name is still associated with the building it was originally in.
Derbyshire's County Record Office is now located in the Ernest Bailey
building - which is the old school building. On a relatively recent
visit to the County Record Office one correspondent learned that the
old gymnasium had been converted for storage and that they can accommodate
several miles of shelved records.
The following quotation gives an insight into the kind of man Ernest
Bailey was.
"Ernest Bailey, benefactor, had many mills. One
day he moved out of his home and 34 boys moved in. Over almost 40
years, 450 of 'Bailey's Boys', waifs and strays, were fed, clothed
and educated, many eventually finding work in his mills. The house
carried on as a children's home; nursery nurses came to train there
and were a familiar sight with their huge prams and tiny charges9."
Bailey's house was Cliffe House on Matlock Green and it became St.
Andrew's Home, run by the Church of England Waifs' & Strays' Society.
There are various directory entries for this.
Kelly's
Directory, 1908 is one example |
Ernest Bailey Grammar School
Lower VIth Form visit to British Industries Fair, Castle
Bromwich, 16th May 1950
Correspondents have supplied most of the names of these young men.
If you, or your father, are amongst the pupils in the photograph,
please let me know.
Send an email, with Ernest Bailey in the message
box.
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| Charles White's Secondary
Modern |
Although Charles White's was not opened as long ago as all the other
schools mentioned on this page (see above), a large
number of local children were educated there from the middle of the
1950's onwards until the amalgamation with Bailey's - when the name
changed to Highfields School and the older pupils moved to a different
part of the town. Tim Lomas, formerly a Matlock resident, estimates
that the total of the children attending Charles White's in any one
year outnumbered those who went to Bailey's by around 3 : 1.
To fulfil the educational needs for the children over 11 who not catered
for by Bailey's Grammar, Charles White's school was purpose built
and erected by Derbyshire County Council on Starkholmes Road. The
building sits on the hillside below Riber and can be seen quite clearly
from almost anywhere on Matlock Bank. The architecture is typical
of the 1950's. The photograph above shows what was the Secondary Modern,
but is now Highfields Lower School. The new St. Giles' Primary is
next door but is out of shot.
Pupils were able to leave school at the Easter in the year they were
15 until the school leaving age was raised (1971/2?). Those who who
stayed on until they were 16 were able to sit for CSE examinations
(Certificate of Secondary Education). These examinations no longer
exist - they have been replaced by GCSE's. The school's headmaster
for many years was Mr. Watcham.
Charles Frederick White Junior (1891-1956), after whom the school
was named, was the only son and namesake of a former Liberal Member
of Parliament for West Derbyshire. He became M.P. himself for the
constituency in 1944, first as an Independent Labour and then as Labour,
and served until 1950. He had been a member of Derbyshire County Council
for many years and was its Chairman in 1946. His sisters were also
involved in education
See Private schools (below)
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| Presentation Convent, Matlock |
In 1926 or so Mother Xavier Murphy visited
Matlock. By then the once busy hydropathic establishment founded
by Ralph Davis in 1861 and with extensive grounds on Chesterfield
Road was closed and the building was unoccupied. The Presentation
Sisters, who were based in India, decided to buy Chesterfield
House, opening their Convent in 1927 and the school was opened
shortly afterwards.
By 1932 Kelly's Directory was advertising the school as the
Presentation Convent & Boarding School for Girls1932.
The pupils were taught 'foreign languages, painting, shorthand,
typing, dressmaking, all games & riding & dancing taught;
pupils prepared for University examinations' . In 1941 there
was a separate listing for Matlock Convent High School, but
both establishments were located at Chesterfield House, Chesterfield
Road. However, it was not until after the Second World war that
new buildings were able to be added to accommodate the growing
demand for pupil places.
The school expanded still further in 1962 when Lilybank Hydro,
further down the hill, finally closed its doors. As well as
giving some additional boarding facilities for the first year
Convent pupils, Lilybank became the Nagle Preparatory School
with both boarding and day pupils. The Convent girls sometimes
found the walk up the hill every morning from Lilybank to their
classes hard going, especially when wet! |
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A larger version of this photograph of Chesterfield House
is elsewhere on this website. Click the coloured link and go
to section "What happened to the Hydros" (the photo
is at the bottom of the "Water Cures" page)
"Taken
Back In Time - Lilybank" by Sally Mosley is an
article about her schooldays as a pupil in the 1960s |
Caroline Cantor was a pupil at the Convent on Chesterfield Road
from 1974 to 1981, and has organised a few reunions for former
pupils and staff over the past few years. If you are either
a past pupil or member of staff of the Presentation Convent
or Nagle Preparatory School, Matlock and are interested in news
of other past pupils, staff and reunions, please email
Caroline, including your name whilst at school and the dates
you were there. She would welcome hearing from you. I am very
grateful to Caroline for providing photographs and some additional
information from articles published in Derbyshire Life &
Countryside (Jan and Feb 1976) by Derek Crust in a series
on Derbyshire Schools. |
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| Former Private Schools in
Matlock (i.e. fee paying) |
Cavendish School, Smedley
Street
In 18811881 Joshua
Allen from Chudleigh in Devon was in partnership with his brother,
Caleb, and they advertised as running a "young gentlemen's
day & boarding school". The census of that year describes
their school as Lime Tree Lane "College" although
later returns show it as the Cavendish School. Maurice Sidney
Nesbitt B.A. had taken over by 19081908
and in 1916 the school was a boys and girls day school run by
Edward V W Bynnes-Kingsley1916.
The school was in the large building opposite the old Paton
& Baldwin's factory. The school received some less than
favourable press when, in 1918, The Daily News reported a "Disgraceful
Escapade of Gang of Matlock High School Boys" as some pupils
had apparently broken into the school overnight10.
Somewhat earlier than that the webmistress's grandfather had
been a pupil. |
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The Cavendish School in the on site census transcripts
See the 1881
| 1891 | 1901
census returns when Joshua Allen was the Schoolmaster. In
1881 Joshua Allen was in partnership with his brother, Caleb,
Lime Tree Lane "College" |
Matlock Garden School, boarding school for girls
and junior boys. Mrs Albert Law, principal1925.
By 1932 this had become Matlock Modern School1932,
with the same principal. The address given was Rutland Street,
and was in the building formerly known as Matlock House Hydro.
However, when it first opened the school was at Tor Cottage.
Riber School
Rev John William Chippett, formerly a master at Giggleswick
School in North Yorkshire, bought Riber Castle from the Smedley
family in 1892 as he wanted to open a boarding preparatory school.
In 1922 Captain Lionel Gathorne Wilson, M.A., took over the
"preparatory school for boys for public schools, Riber
Castle"1925
although Rev Chippett continued as a teacher. The school closed
in 1930.
Woodlands Preparatory School, or Miss White's
Miss White's school began as a very small venture in the family
home on Bakewell Road, which was called "The Woodlands",
and the school remained there for about 20 years or so. Kelly's
Directory (1941) records Miss Winifred Alice White, principal
on Bakewell Road. At the end of the Second World War, two of
the White sisters bought the former Oldham House and Prospect
Place Hydro on Wellington Street. Oldham House and Prospect
Place had been run for many years as a hydro by the Davis family,
until the outbreak of the War when the building was requisitioned
one weekend. The school was often called simply "Miss White's".
It eventually closed in 1965. |
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Matlock House Hydro
in 1888. It became Matlock Modern School |
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Tor Cottage,
at one time the home of Matlock Garden School, later became
the High Tor Guest House / Hotel |
Also see:
About
Riber
Riber
Castle School "A Lesson in Matlock's History"
Riber
School in the 1901 census
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| Surviving School Records |
Census returns
On site census returns list staff and pupils at some of the private
boarding schools in Matlock and Matlock Bath
Transcripts of census
returns may be viewed via the QuickList
See Matlock
Green Academy in the 1861 census
Admission Books and Log Books
Many are held by the Derbyshire Record Office, although more recent
records are usually closed. There is no set time period for closure;
it is often for at least thirty years and may be for considerably
longer. If you are interested in finding out more about someone who
went to one of the local schools you will need to contact the DRO
Go to
Contacting the Derbyshire Record Office (onsite link)
Known Records:
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| 1. Matlock Junior |
|
- Log Book 1875-1916
- Admission Book 1895-1993 |
| 2. Matlock All Saints |
- Log Book 1899-1901 |
| 3. Matlock Bank |
- Log Book 1896-1956
- Admission Book 1911-1956 |
| 4. Matlock Town |
- 1870-1991 either Log or Admission
Book
(Please contact the webmistress if you
have more information) |
| 5. Matlock Chesterfield Road |
- Log Book 1896-1913
- Admission Book 1914-1951 |
| 6. Matlock Bath |
- Log Book 1863-1985
- Admission Book 1923-1970 |
|
| Teacher Training in Matlock |
| One correspondent, whose wife trained there,
writes that 'Matlock Teacher Training College had quite a long
history and many teachers emerged from the portals of the old Rockside
and Chatsworth House Hydros. Firstly it was for ladies only
but later became a mixed college'. The college is no longer
based in Matlock and is now part of the University of Derby. |
|
|
What happened
to the Hydros |
|
Photographs kindly provided by and ©
Kirsten Burrell, Caroline Cantor, Paul Kettle, PC-B and the webmistress.
Information researched by and © Ann Andrews. Intended for personal
use only
|
References:
1 Trevelyan, G. M. (1944), "English
Social History", Longmans, p. 581
2 Lester Smith , W. O. (1957) "Education"
, Penguin p.192
3 Bryan, Benjamin (1903) "History
of Matlock - Matlock, Manor and Parish" London by Bemrose
& Sons, Limited
4 "Victorian County History, Vol.2"
and "Journal of the Derbyshire Archaeological and Natural
History Society", Vol. 41
5 Fitton, R. S. (1989) "The Arkwrights,
Spinners of Fortune" Manchester University Press ISBN 0/7190/2646/6,
p.262
6 Lysons, Rev Daniel and Samuel Lysons Esq.
(1817) "Topographical and Historical Account of Derbyshire"
London: Printed for T. Cadell, Strand; and G. and A. Greenland, Poultry
7 White, Francis (1857) "History,
Gazetteer and Directory of the County of Derby", Francis
White & Co
8 'General Commercial Directory and Topography
of the Borough of Sheffield with all the Towns, Parishes, Villages
and Hamlets Within a Circuit of Twenty Miles', pub. Francis White
& Co. Sheffield, 1862
9 'The Derbyshire
Village Book' published by the Derbyshire Federation of Women's
Institutes & Countryside Books, 1991. ISBN 1 85306 133 6. The
book itself is now out of print, but the quotation is published here
with the kind permission of the Derbyshire Federation of Women's Institutes.
10 The "Disgraceful Escapade" story
was extracted from The British National Library on Line Catalogue,
The Daily News, 10 Nov 1918
1876 "Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire",
1876 } There are online transcripts: 19th
century directories
1881 "Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire", 1887
} -
1887 "Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire", 1887
} -
1891 "Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire",
1891 } "
1895 "Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire",
1895 } " (Matlock Bath only)
1908 "Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire",
1908 } There are online transcripts: 20th
century directories
1916 "Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire",
1916 } "
1925 "Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire",
1925 } -
1932 "Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire",
1932 } -
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