Calstock School

[Gordon163]

Hi,

In the early 1900s, there was a school at North Park, Albaston, Calstock, which was run by Beatrice Collom and her sister, Maud.

Does anyone have lists of pupils, who attended the school, or photos of them, please?

Thanks,

Gordon 

[CaroleW]

Was it a school? 

In both 1901 & 1911 they are both shown as private school mistresses but there are no pupils shown so it wasn't a boarding school. 

[Gordon163]

Hi Carole,

Thanks for your reply.

I am not exactly sure.

In the 1911 Census record,  there is a "May Rickard", aged 13, who is described as "boarder", but that could mean lodger.

If there was a school, I think that it would have been a private concern, with very few pupils. Maybe it was mostly local girls, with the occasional boarder? Or, perhaps the Census took place during a school holiday?

A friend of mine thinks that May Rickard was her grandmother. She has a photo, believed to be taken at Calstock, which shows about a dozen girls along with an older woman, whom we think was their teacher.

Any information about the teaching activities of  Beatrice and Maud Collom would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Gordon

[maddys52]

There are some newspaper reports mentioning "Miss Collom, schoolmistress, of Park School, Calstock" (a domestic servant, Olympia BARRETT, wanting unpaid wages after she was let go). Also mentions Miss COLLOM's sister.
   Tuesday,  Oct. 26, 1909
Publication: Western Times

Also a few disputes with David and Edith BARRATT eg
   Tuesday,  Jan. 23, 1917
Publication: Western Times
and
 Monday,  Apr. 26, 1915
Publication: Western Times

And a land dispute with the Prince of Wales at Wheal Edward Mine - "it had been the custom for the Duchy to grant licences to people to work property on the manor, including the mines in question, but apparently the respondent had come to the conclusion that by some means or other she had obtained a freehold title to a portion of the land ..."
   Wednesday,  Feb. 16, 1916
Publication: Western Daily Press

[maddys52]

I think that it would have been a private concern, with very few pupils.

Beatrice is described as a "private schoolmistress"
   Monday,  Jan. 22, 1917
Publication: Western Times

[AlanBoyd]

In the 1911 census, in Albaston, it is a large house: 11 rooms.

[AlanBoyd]

Is it possible that the census was taken during the school's Easter vacation? (And Mary Rickard was, for whatever reason staying in the school for the holiday.)

1911
Census date April 2nd
Easter Sunday April 16th

[maddys52]

Kelly's Directory 1914 has Beatrice COLLOM North Park, Ladies School.

and Venning's Postal Directory of South East Cornwall 1901 has B COLLOM, Wheal Zion schoolmistress.

[AlanBoyd]

Here is a Northpark on the 1906 OS 25 inch map. In the linked view it is near the centre with Wheal Zion mine just to the south and Wheal Edward mine to the WNW on the edge of the map. There is also a Northpark House to the south of Northpark (across a single field). In the 1901 census the Collom residence, Northpark, is flanked by "Rectory" and "Rectory Lodge".

I'm leaning towards (on the map) Northpark being a hamlet and Northpark House being the school.

https://tinyurl.com/3wxb5p9k

Added: In 1881 the Collom family address is North Park House and is preceded by North Park Farm, which I assume is the Northpark on the 1906 map.