I wonder what the date on this picture is, because the frontage of the building is far different to when I was a pupil in the late 40s/early 50s. I was told that the building was first constructed as a chapel, so it must have had several “face lifts” over the years. In my era pupils entered through the small archway on the left, and walked past the coke heap and the bike sheds to enter the playground at the rear of the building. Rear entry was through a cloakroom, although there was a front entrance on the extreme right which was used by staff.
Willesby School
The Petit, or Willesby’s School was founded by Thomas Willesby (1618-82). By his Will, dated 24th June, 1682, he devised 50 acres and 3 roods of land in Tydd St. Mary, Moulton and Spalding, to seven trustees to “erect a convenient house in Spalding aforesaid, and therein to place a man of sober and virtuous life, who should be well able to teach the reading of the English Tongue, and to write, and also to instruct the children committed to his charge in the principles of the Christian and reformed religion, as a Schoolmaster, who should have for his pains (so long as the said trustees shall like and approve of him).£ 15 yearly, out of the rents of the said land, as his yearly stipend, for his teaching freely such poor children, whose parents inhabit within the parish of Spalding”. (1)
The original building, purchased in 1685, and the school house, stood in Broad Street, on the site of the present car park, opposite the Spalding Club. The house was rebuilt in 1826, and in 1872 was described as “a good residence”. In 1836 the trustees were the Rev. William Moore, D.D. the Vicar of Spalding, Charles Martin Dinham Green, Thomas Pulvertoft, John Richard Carter, Theophilus Johnson and Charles Bonner. At that date there were 68 boys at the school
In 1845 the school was moved to Winsover Road. A meeting house, built for the use of the
“Particular Baptists of Strict Communion Order”, was bought for £320. Burials having taken place within the walls, few cared to deal with the property. It was however purchased by the Willesby School Trustees, who had the bodies removed to the churchyard, and converted the building into a school. (2)
In 1872, the original endowment, had by allotments at the enclosures, increased to 93 acres. It was let for about £200 per annum. The master still lived at Broad Street (No. 14), and for a salary of 680 a year taught 60 boys “who are provided with books, stationery, &c. by the trustees, and out of the surplus income, each receives a cap, or some article of clothing yearly. Mr. William Sleight is the master”. (3) In 1892 the Headmaster (Henry John White) received a salary of £110 a year, and with an assistant master, conducted the school for 140 boys as a Government Elementary School. (4)
I was at Willesby Boys from around 1953 to 56 and remember it much like Mike (above). We used to go to the drill hall next to the Savoy cinema for PT. Teachers were Miss Coll, Mrs Pemberton (?), Gus Fidler and Jack Worley. Gus was an excellent artist specialising in cartoons of local sports personalities. Mr Worley was highly educated and intellectual, really above his station in life as a headmaster of a small, provincial primary school. He has written a book giving details of his early life, deprived circumstances and his rise to academic success. Names I remember – Jack Loader, Fairbanks, Bernard Hunt, Scampton, Enfield, Boyer (?)
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I wonder what the date on this picture is, because the frontage of the building is far different to when I was a pupil in the late 40s/early 50s. I was told that the building was first constructed as a chapel, so it must have had several “face lifts” over the years. In my era pupils entered through the small archway on the left, and walked past the coke heap and the bike sheds to enter the playground at the rear of the building. Rear entry was through a cloakroom, although there was a front entrance on the extreme right which was used by staff.
As an evacuee during the war, I was at the Willesiby School during 1944/45. can’t say I remember a lot, but a lot of years have passed by since then
Willesby School
The Petit, or Willesby’s School was founded by Thomas Willesby (1618-82). By his Will, dated 24th June, 1682, he devised 50 acres and 3 roods of land in Tydd St. Mary, Moulton and Spalding, to seven trustees to “erect a convenient house in Spalding aforesaid, and therein to place a man of sober and virtuous life, who should be well able to teach the reading of the English Tongue, and to write, and also to instruct the children committed to his charge in the principles of the Christian and reformed religion, as a Schoolmaster, who should have for his pains (so long as the said trustees shall like and approve of him).£ 15 yearly, out of the rents of the said land, as his yearly stipend, for his teaching freely such poor children, whose parents inhabit within the parish of Spalding”. (1)
The original building, purchased in 1685, and the school house, stood in Broad Street, on the site of the present car park, opposite the Spalding Club. The house was rebuilt in 1826, and in 1872 was described as “a good residence”. In 1836 the trustees were the Rev. William Moore, D.D. the Vicar of Spalding, Charles Martin Dinham Green, Thomas Pulvertoft, John Richard Carter, Theophilus Johnson and Charles Bonner. At that date there were 68 boys at the school
In 1845 the school was moved to Winsover Road. A meeting house, built for the use of the
“Particular Baptists of Strict Communion Order”, was bought for £320. Burials having taken place within the walls, few cared to deal with the property. It was however purchased by the Willesby School Trustees, who had the bodies removed to the churchyard, and converted the building into a school. (2)
In 1872, the original endowment, had by allotments at the enclosures, increased to 93 acres. It was let for about £200 per annum. The master still lived at Broad Street (No. 14), and for a salary of 680 a year taught 60 boys “who are provided with books, stationery, &c. by the trustees, and out of the surplus income, each receives a cap, or some article of clothing yearly. Mr. William Sleight is the master”. (3) In 1892 the Headmaster (Henry John White) received a salary of £110 a year, and with an assistant master, conducted the school for 140 boys as a Government Elementary School. (4)
Thanks for the input. Please share more memories- Regards Geoff
I was at Willesby Boys from around 1953 to 56 and remember it much like Mike (above). We used to go to the drill hall next to the Savoy cinema for PT. Teachers were Miss Coll, Mrs Pemberton (?), Gus Fidler and Jack Worley. Gus was an excellent artist specialising in cartoons of local sports personalities. Mr Worley was highly educated and intellectual, really above his station in life as a headmaster of a small, provincial primary school. He has written a book giving details of his early life, deprived circumstances and his rise to academic success. Names I remember – Jack Loader, Fairbanks, Bernard Hunt, Scampton, Enfield, Boyer (?)
Thanks for memories. Please tell us more. Regards Geoff