Amble schools 1892 to 1905
 

Does anybody know what schools were operating in Amble during the period 1892-1905?
My grandmother Gladys Nora Burton (born 1888) was a schoolgirl during this period along with younger siblings Beatrice, Ridley, Jack and possibly Cecil.

Are there any school records available locally?

Old Amble Schools:

The Lonnen School (end of Dilston Terrace) <1866 - 1909? (on the 1860 map, linked to the local authority 1866)

Cross Street Infant School School opened 1872- closed early 1970s? (I went to this one!) Classrooms are now shops on Queen Street.

Medd Memorial School Dovecote Street opened 1899

Gibson Street School ?? not sure - it is on the 1896 map as a school

Catholic School, on the site of the Catholic Church, near Hallbank well and on the site of the manor house, back of High Street. Again not sure when built but it is also on the 1896 map as a school.

Edwin Street School opened 1909, daughter was there to celebrate its centenary!

I'm under the impression some registers have survived and are at Woodhorn.
Also, If memory serves me correctly, I think some of the catholic registers are at TNA???)

Here's a note at TNA on Amble Schools:

http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...7-71bde43f6355


A search for Amble + Schools throws up this lot: http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...amble%20school


I guess the Wesleyan school mentioned is the Gibson Street one.

Confused . com now. This document refers to "Infants' Council School - former Wesleyan School"


A number of documents referring to Amble schools have ended up at the National Archives instead of Woodhorn for some reason. Probably will never be looked at down there. Unless I take another wobbler and get on the next train!

here's a plan of the Lonnen School, 1909, from an old conveyance I have.
Surveyed by Gibson, who got his feet and yards mixed up! (must have had too much Burton & Richardson soda water in his gin that day!)

http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...hool-amble.jpg


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...son-letter.jpg

The original Catholic school building, which also doubled up for church services, had the date 1879 on it. The present church was built in the period 1910/12 "ish". It was extended early 1950's and again side aisles were added in 1977.

The gem in all this is Mr Gibson's little note!
Worth a dozen "official" documents.
I am amazed there were so many schools at that time. I was expecting one infant school and maybe a couple of others.
So far as identity of schools is concerned regarding my grandmother - she told me that she fell off a swing at school when she was about five or six and she broke her arm. It was never set right and I remember she could never straighten that arm. That would be about 1893/4 when they were living in The Wynd.

From local knowledge which do you think could be the most likely school?

The gem in all this is Mr Gibson's little note!
Worth a dozen "official" documents.
I am amazed there were so many schools at that time. I was expecting one infant school and maybe a couple of others.
So far as identity of schools is concerned regarding my grandmother - she told me that she fell off a swing at school when she was about five or six and she broke her arm. It was never set right and I remember she could never straighten that arm. That would be about 1893/4 when they were living in The Wynd.

From local knowledge which do you think could be the most likely school?

"Coquet",I also went to Cross street infants!!1947/49!!Alan.J I remember you and I standing in the entrance to the Catholic church/school and you explained what the "Holy water"was for!!Strange the things you dredge up from memory!!

A couple of years ago I picked up a summary of the history of the Amble schools, so bear with me while I put it all down here :)

Early Evidence:
- Barn in Gibson Street mentioned as a school in 1834. It had been in existence for some time before that;
- the next school was in a cottage on the Wynd;
- a school in Victoria Street and one in a cottage next to the Wellwood Arms.

Private Schools :
- later in the 19th Century;
- one over the confectioner's premises at 30 Queen Street in existence prior to the Boer War, closed in 1902;
- Mrs Kinnear's establishment at Kiln Bank House.

Main Schools:
Began in second half of 19th Century;
- Public School built by ratepayers' subscriptions on land given by Smith of Togston provided in 1854, "The Lonnen School";
- About 1850 a school had opened in Queen Street, later moved to North View;
- Following the consecration of St Cuthbert's church in 1870, the Rev Lawson of Longhirst Hall gave land between the north side of the church and Queen Street for a school (Cross Street). The church school began in 1872 with a new wing for infants being added in 1878. Prior to its completion classes were held in the assembly room in Church Street;
- new school built in 1899 in Dovecote Street and named the Medd Memorial Schools after Amble's first vicar and proponent of education in Amble. Cross Street became the Church's infant school;
- school in existence near Ship Inn about 1860;
- Catholic School built 1879;
- the former Wesleyan chapel became the Gibson Street Wesleyan Elementary School.

1902 Education Act:
- New council schools were vested.

1936 Reorganisation:
- Medd Memorials Schools (Dovecote Street) became a junior school;
- Edwin Street was a senior school (aged 11+);
- Cross Street became infants school.

1949:
- Secondary Modern School on South Avenue opened (building work had stopped during war);
- Edwin Street became the junior school;
- Medd Memorials School (Dovecote Street) closed.

1954
- Local Education Authority took over the Medd Memorials School (Dovecote Street) for use as an infant school;
- Cross Street closed.

Detailed update as usual Janwhin. Many thanks.

Findmypast has some school registers online. There are quite a few Northumbrian ones but not Amble :(

The closest are Warkworth, Red Row and Acklington. They give a nice lot of info: date of birth, date of leaving and reason; name of parent; residence; previous schools.

If you have agricultural labourers as ancestors they are great for showing the effects of "flitting"! Some of mine bounce from school to school every May.

I have a vague recollection of that Brownknees.