Mount Bures Community Web Site

 

1967 Newspaper report on Mount Bures School

Mount Bures School

The School today located in Craigs Lane, currently used as the Village Hall.

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Long before the school was erected, in 1818 there were two dame (explanation, see foot of page) schools with 24 boys and 16 girls. An annual rent of £30 - £40 from an endowment of land was used to pay for the education of these poor children.

1818
"Population 216. A Sunday school, supported by voluntary contribution, in which 45 boys and girls are taught to read; the master has £7 per annum. The poor are unequal to defraying any expenses of education."

Source: Digest of Parochial Returns. Select Committee on Education of the Poor, 1818

Daily attendance was very sporadic averaging about 50 during its first 20 year history. Typically most of the absenteeism was for harvesting the local crops, such as pea picking etc. Other reported reasons for being absent, were illnesses such as ringworm, scarlet fever, whooping cough and most frequently, the bad weather. Half day holidays were given to see the fox hounds meet, the horticultural show and to celebrate Empire Day. From 1878, it received yearly government grants to keep it functioning

1833
"Population 262. One Sunday School of 16 males and 20 females, is supported by the Rector."

Source: House of Commons papers, Volume 41. Abstract of Education Returns 1833

However another report quotes 21 boys and 14 girls, the school being run at the Rectors expense
Source; The Victoria History of the County of Essex

1863
In this year the Parish Clerk`s wife was recorded as the School Mistress

1870
Religion was taught on a daily basis. No child was ever withdrawn from religious instruction, though by 1870 this was illegal The school was frequently visited by the Diocesan managers and the HM Inspector to check on the children's progress

1873
The school as we know it today, made an appearance in 1873. The rector of Mount Bures, Thomas Brett, gave £160 towards the building of a school for 60 mixed age and infant children on land near to the church, given by John Garrard.
It subsequently opened that year, with 60 children on roll.

1887
Conditions in the School were rather severe, it was not until 1887 that a cup and bucket were provided for drinking water.
Lessons, included knitting taught from the age of 7yrs, plus needlework for the girls.

1879
Miss Cooke, who teached at the school left to get married. During her time Inspectors reported, "Reading deserves special praise for clear enunciation, good expression and easy fluency. Handwriting is carefully taught and copy books well kept ................."However, standards started to slide soon afterwards.

1884
Miss Bessie Dare commented that "standards were poor" on her arrival, Unfortunately the only impact she made, was to make matters worse. She resigned in 1886 after an inspector wrote:-

" the teacher being poor and knowing nothing of the art of teaching infants, results were almost nil" The local nurse used to visit to check for head lice, in addition the children had regular dental and medical inspections.
The price of a mug of cocoa increased from half a penny to one penny.

1901
The school was enlarged by the addition of an infants classroom. The school was then assessed as capable of teaching 75 children

1907.
Hygene non existant, none of the windows would open, the entire school was unventilated.
Mr Barnet the visiting Sanitory Inspector on one visit left a bottle of Disinfectant.
On another visit Mr Barnet gave a talk on the "Human Body and Alcohol"
Girls now attending Cookery classes, unfortunately they had to walk to Wormingford School for the lessons.

1927 Miss Hilda Peck was the Teacher

1936
The Rector reported that he had "long kept this school and paid subscriptions of of my own pocket"


1938
By now the life of the school was ebbing away, the Head of Wakes Colne school made an inventory of stock and furniture.
The school eventually closed on the 8th January 1939 with only 17 pupils, who were all transferred to Wakes Colne.
Shortly after, the building was taken over for use by the parish.

Until the 1960`s it was in very poor state of repair, but the parishioners rallied around and it was completely refurbished inside and out, financed by fund raising and donations.
Today it is still in active use as the Village Hall, such as Harvest Suppers, Cheese and Wine Parties, Fund raising sales and other charitable activities.

It is a credit to the residents who have supported it throughout its 130 year history.

It is currently used as a Community Centre.

NewsPaper Reports


Essex County Standard, West Suffolk Gazette
and Eastern Counties Advertiser, February 18th 1893


Suffolk and Essex Free Press, April 2nd 1893


Essex County Standard, West Suffolk Gazette
and Eastern Counties Advertiser, September 18th 1893

The Essex Newsman, September 23rd 1893

Essex County Standard, West Suffolk Gazette
and Eastern Counties Advertiser, June 20th 1896

Suffolk and Essex Free Press, June 26th 1899


School 1922


School 1928


School 1927. Miss Hilda Peck was the Teacher

Hilda started at the school in September 1920 as a Supplementary Teacher,
until around 1935.
She was daughter of Police Superintendent Frederick Peck of the West Suffolk Constabulary, who was based at Boxford.


Kindly supplied by Linda Pickering.


Free Press and Post. August 3rd 1935

Essex and Suffolk Free Press, January 1947




Dame Schools were small private schools that provided teaching for poor working class children before they were old enough to work. These schools were usually run by an elderly man or woman, perhaps in a cottage living room. They taught the children to read and write and other useful skills such as sewing. The quality of education received understandably varied.
Some teachers provided a good education, others were no more than child-minders. Bernard Shaw (Playwright) attended a Dame School and wrote:-

"My education, such as it was, was like that of thousands in my day. I went to old Betty W.'s school, and as I had 'finished my education' when I was seven years old, I must have attended her school between three or four years. The school was the only room on the ground floor of her little cottage. It was about four yards square.... the furniture was very scant, consisting of a small table, two chairs, and two or three little forms about eight inches high for the children to sit upon...
The course of education given by the old lady was very simple, and graded with almost scientific precision. There was an alphabet, with pictures, for beginners.. though she never taught writing, her scholars were generally noted for their ability to read while very young. I know I could read my Bible with remarkable ease when I left her school, when seven years old.
Betty's next grade. after the alphabet, was the reading-made-easy book...
The next stage was spelling, and reading of the Bible"

Historical information for all of these pages has been obtained from two major sources:-
"Mount Bures, its Lands and People" by Ida McMaster & Kathleen Evans
.
"The Victoria History of the Counties (Essex) of England, Vol X" by the University of London.

Updated 08/12/2018
Updated 25/03/2021 with 1927 Photo