The National School

The National School

Photographed in 1998

Before the Education Act of 1870, the building of elementary schools was left entirely to voluntary bodies, principally churches, and the National Society for Education which was an Anglican organisation, started planning a National School on a site in North Street in the early part of the 19th century. One of the principal organisers was the Rev Joseph Dodsworth, then curate at the Abbey Church.

The land for the building was given to the town by the Marquess of Exeter, Lord of the Manor of Bourne, and the stone laying was held on the afternoon of Monday 5th October 1829. The ceremony began with a procession through the town headed by the marquess' steward and the Rev Joseph Dodsworth and followed by many of the town's leading citizens. The bells of the Abbey Church rang out as wine was spilled over the foundation stone and distributed to everyone present. Afterwards the company adjourned to the Bull Hotel in the market place [now the Burghley Arms] where twenty guests sat down to a celebration dinner.

Mr Dodsworth delivered a prayer and the company gave three cheers for the success of the undertaking to be joined by workmen engaged on building the school who were being entertained elsewhere in the Bull. "This was a day not soon to be erased from the pleasing recollection of all concerned", reported the Stamford Mercury. "It was spent with that cheerfulness and conviviality and we may add with the self-satisfaction which only minds bent on benevolence and Christian charity can conceive."

Later in the year, on Thursday 10th December, a ball was held at the Town Hall to raise money for the school. Tickets including tea and coffee were 7s. 6d. each and dancing continued until the early hours. It was a grand and gay occasion with 200 guests and £53 (£5,000 at today's values) was collected but, more importantly, the dance was to become the first of a series of such events in Bourne for several years to come to help maintain the flow of funds. A committee was formed to run the school as a charity and handle the finances which came from grants, subscriptions and other money-raising events although these annual balls were by far the biggest source of income. Among the largest of the private donations towards the overall cost was £25 (£2,500 at today's values) from George Pochin, Lord of the Manor of Bourne Abbots.

Building work was completed early in the New Year and a public dinner was held at the Angel Inn [now Hotel] on Wednesday 20th January 1830 to mark the occasion when it was announced that the school would be ready for the admission of the first children the following month. The school was soon running efficiently and parents were encouraged to take an interest in the progress of the pupils. The Stamford Mercury, for instance, reported on Friday 4th May 1832: "The children underwent an examination on Monday last before several of the parishioners who were highly gratified with the improvement effected by the exertions of their tutors."

In 1831, a house was built on the opposite side of North Street for the schoolmaster and his family and the Stamford Mercury reported on Friday 1st October that "the expense is to be defrayed in shares taken by the inhabitants".

The school became the town’s most important charity and therefore attracted the support of many important people, both titled and landed, who always attended the annual balls, notably the Marchioness of Exeter, the Countess of Lindsey, Lord Willoughby d’Eresby, the Hon Mrs Heathcote, Dr Francis Willis and Sir John Trollope. The support for these functions by wealthy patrons was such that they always raised a tidy sum and in 1831, for instance, when the ball was held under the patronage of the Marchioness of Exeter, the amount was £90 (£8,000 at today’s values).

The balls continued for the next twenty years and raised sufficient money to maintain the school for much of its early life although finance later came from Harrington’s Charity, a legacy that still benefits the town today, which paid the master’s salary, and from the church which financed maintenance and repairs to the building and other expenses.

The school closed in the summer of 1877, having been replaced by the board or council school in Abbey Road, and the Grantham Journal reported on Saturday 14th July:

The National School in North Street was closed a week ago. For about half a century, this school has been of infinite service to the town, being under competent masters and mistresses, and the fees very low, and in consequence it was generally well filled with scholars. The Master's salary has been paid from Harrington's Charity. The school was under the management of the late vicar and a committee of churchmen who have at various times provided sums of money for repairs and other expenses. The late Master and Mistress (Mr and Mrs Perkins), during the several years they conducted the school, have been greatly appreciated.

The building was used for a short time as a centre to provide technical education, a new scheme operated by a local committee and Kesteven County Council, and then for various community functions until the outbreak of the Great War in 1914 when it was adapted for use as part of the temporary Red Cross hospital based at the Vestry Hall next door where soldiers were brought to convalesce after being wounded in France, a role which continued until the armistice in 1918.

After the war, the building was again used for occasional educational purposes but soon became in a run down condition due to lack of maintenance. It was then administered by the trustees of the Bourne National School (now Bourne National School Trust Fund - Charity number 513662) which decided to sell the property once it had no further educational use although the trustees continue to use the income from the capital of around £3,500 per annum and meet once a year to make grants to youth groups such as the Abbey Church Sunday school, confirmation classes, the choir and organ scholar, to selected individuals and to consider requests from the vicar.

The old school building was used for a time as a gymnasium but when that business failed, it was sold again in March 1987 to become the constituency headquarters of the Grantham and Stamford Conservative Association who remain in occupation today. The South Lincolnshire Conservative Club also opened on the premises in November that year when the Mayor of Bourne, Councillor John Wright, pulled the first pint, but it closed down ten years later because of continuing financial problems.

THE ANNUAL BALL

The ball for the benefit of the National School took place at the Town Hall on Thursday the 10th and notwithstanding an unusual number of untoward events was exceedingly well and respectably attended. The 160 tickets were disposed of; and the proceeds when all expenses are paid, leave a very handsome donation to the charity. Perhaps there are few instances of annual balls, held in small towns, being so numerously respectably and regularly attended: no doubt can now be cast of their being permanently established at Bourne and nothing could be more gratifying to the stewards, whose exertions were highly commendable, and to the compere who superintended the proceedings, than the vocal expressions of satisfaction tendered by all who found amusement in the mazy quadrille or merry country dance, The company did not separate until past five o'clock on Friday morning. - news report from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 18th January 1833.

Tickets were much sought after, especially by mothers seeking husbands for their daughters. A guest list from one of these dances survives and it not only provides a glimpse of the pecking order in Victorian society, but also illustrates how young girls were paraded at such events in the hope that they might catch the eye of a prospective marriage partner. This report is from the Stamford Mercury for 21st January 1842, and is reminiscent of a scene from a novel by Charles Dickens or Jane Austen.

BOURNE NATIONAL SCHOOL BALL: - This ball was, as usual, well attended, not less than 170 having complimented the charity by their presence. The absence of the patroness (Lady Caroline Turner) created much disappointment. The dancing did not commence until 10 o'clock. A handsome apology, and liberal contribution to the funds, has since been received from C Turner Esq., MP, and Lady C Turner, We subjoin a list of the company:

Hon Gerard Noel, Hon H Noel, Hon A Willoughby, Sir John Trollope, Bart., MP
Lieut General Johnson, MP and Mrs Johnson, Rev K Foster, Rev C P Worsley, Rev M Garfit, Rev M Waters, Rev W E Chapman, Rev J and Mrs Dodsworth, Dr Brown, C Tryon Esq, W Parker jun., Esq and Mrs Parker, T Garffit Esq, Mr H Wraight and Mrs Wraight, Mrs Johnson, T Johnson Esq, Miss Hardy, G Hardy Esq, Mr C Hardy, C Elicot Esq, V Wing Esq, Mr W Pate, jun., Mrs Colton, Miss Denshire, Mr W M and Mrs Daniell, Mr Brown, Miss Clifton, Mr Mullett, Mr J Fisher, Mr Wood, Mr O Sullivan, J Johnson Esq and Misses Johnson, Mr Hall, Mr and Miss Westmoreland, Miss Scott, Mr Henson, T S Candy Esq, W Syson Esq, Mr Walker, Miss J Barwin, Mr Fearne, Miss Caswell, Mr G Caswell, Misses Dean, Mr S E Dean, Mr C E Dean, Mr Leacourt, Miss Fountain, Mr H Bott, J W Lawrance Esq, Mrs Bell, Miss Wilkinson, Mr Bell, Capt., Mrs., Miss & Miss C Reynardson, Alex Christy Esq, Miss C and Miss S Waters, Mr R N Munton, Mr Law, Mr H Bird, Mr Bowman, G J Nicholls Esq, Mr W H Phillips, Mr Simkin, Miss Brailsford, Miss Lingard, H Hawkes, Esq & Mrs Hawkes, 2 Misses Tatam, J Caulfield Esq, C Tryon Esq and Miss Tryon, C Willis Esq, J W Wilders Esq, W E Chapman Esq, Mr H E and Mrs Dodsworth, Miss Newsam, Miss Dawson, Mr and Mrs J H Sharpe, Miss M A Gray, J Porter Esq, Mr J Brooks, A Tatman Esq, Mr and Mrs Holland, M S Tynet Esq, Mr Norton, Mrs., Miss E, Miss H and Mr W Warden. Mr Bowman, Mr Daniell, Miss Everard, Miss Williams, R Tomlin Esq, Miss Parker, W Woodricks Esq, Mrs., Miss, Miss F Jackson and Miss Jones, Mr C Ormond, Mr J Tenant, Miss Porter, Mr and Mrs C Osborn, Miss Ullett, Mr Fish, J Dove Esq, H H Tenant Esq, W Tenant Esq, Miss Thomson, T T Mawby Esq, Mr Nelson, Mr Dawson, W Holland Esq, Miss C and Miss R Holland, F Bellingham Esq, F J Bellingham Esq, E Pawlett Esq, H Dove Esq.

Public notice announcing
the annual ball which appeared in the
Stamford Mercury
on Friday
19th January 1849.

Newspaper announcement from 1849

REVISED SEPTEMBER 2014