Belford British School

[Tickettyboo]

I have been doing a bit more poking round the web and found something that I 'did' actually know about but its been a long time since I investigated it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_and_Foreign_School_Society

The schools were non denominational and known as British Schools. My previous research (over 12 years ago now) was more to do with a former pupil teacher who did some formal teacher training with the BFSS.

So, perhaps the school in Belford was originally a BFSS one?

Boo

[Tickettyboo]

Belford had two schools
the oldest school was a very small one
The second school was the one I went to from 1943 to 1953
This was in West Street name Belford Primary School
Elizabeth

Thank you, perhaps the small older school was the one Granny attended for a couple of years before she went to Bamburgh in 1900. I'll keep on poking around to see what I can find.

Boo

[Tickettyboo]

aha!
1894 Kelly's Directory for Northumberland

Belford
Schools

National, built in 1870 for 150 children; average attendance, 68 boys, 54 girls & 30 infants; James Mole, master; Miss Wilhelmine K. Bord, infants' mistress.

British, built in 1868, for 100 children; average attendance, 90; James Bain, master

Doesn't tell me where in Belford it was but does confirm there was indeed a British School in Belford.

so that's a baby step forward.

< why I didn't think of directories before, I have no idea!>

Update:

an article in the Berwick Advertiser 9th Jan 1880 says (amongst lots of other things)
"On Monday the British School, West Street, Belford, was re-opened after the Christmas holidays"

So, maybe not the building in the photo Aspin posted but perhaps a forerunner of that building?

Boo

[stevew101]

If you want an idea of what the British Schools were like, the last remaining one is open as a museum just down the road from me.

It opened in 1837 and is well worth a visit if anyone wants to see what school life was like then.

The following link should give you an insight into the "British Schools" as they were all run on very similar lines.

They have a wealth of information and may be worth contacting to see if they have any information about Belford British School.

http://www.britishschoolsmuseum.co.uk/

The British Schools were run on very hard lines as laid down by Joseph Lancaster.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Lancaster

Steve

[stanmapstone]

It seems an odd name for a local school of that time - Belford British

There is a previous topic on RootsChat about British Schools http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=614301.0

Stan

[Tickettyboo]

Thank you Steve, I did spot that museum one of my many web searches, looks like it is indeed well worth a visit.

I'd totally forgotten about the pupil teacher I was helping a friend to research many years ago, but from memory the BFSS archives were helpful at the time so I have emailed them to enquire if they have any info about the Belford British School.

added: There is a list from 1897 of British Schools downloadable from a link BFSS website
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01hgy/

No mention of Belford, but they do say the list was not exhaustive and they are aware of other schools not included on it. Will see what, if anything, they have to say when they get my email.

Boo

[Tickettyboo]

There is a previous topic on RootsChat about British Schools http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=614301.0

Stan

Thanks Stan, I'd missed that (had limited my search of the boards to Northumberland and nothing came up)

Boo

[belfordian]

I have just been PMd by Tickettyboo about the British school in Belford and have now read all the earlier posts. Oh dear, lots of confused info re the 2 schools in Belford (and of course there were numerous small ones before that run on private basis).
The Belford C of E or National School was originally in the old building down the lane off the High St which is now a builders yard and office. It was replaced in 1940 by a new building taking children up to 14 at the far end of West St. That is now Belford First School.

The Belford British School was known as the Presbyterian School as it was set up by the Presbyterians in the village (then the majority of folk) who did not want their children connected with the Anglicans of the other school i.e. the National or C of E school.

I wrote a chapter on the Presbyterian School for the book "ASpects of Belford" publshed by our local history sopciety. There is a chapter by someone else on Education in Belford which covers the other schools in our follow-up book "Further Aspects of Belford".

If anyone is interested in knowing more about these books please PM me.

Val

[Tickettyboo]

Thank you Val, I have had a reply from the BFSS archives.
I was totally confused looking at the list of schools I downloaded, there 'is' a mention of Belford Presbyterian School, but originally I thought the British Schools were non denominational, looks like in this case that was interpreted as non established church?

There is an option to make a research request with the archives and the initial cost is very reasonable so I will do that later today.

Needless to say any info I get can be passed on to the Museum.

Boo