BRODSWORTH CHURCH OF ENGLAND FIRST AND MIDDLE SCHOOL RECORDS

Comprising: log books 1871-1994; admission registers 1907-1994; managers records 1904-1953; returns 1951-1994; plans 19th century-1950s; photographs 1908-1994; other records 19th century-1994

The first evidence of education in Brodsworth is in the Archbishop of York's examinations of the clergy in 1575. These record that Robert Scoley, Vicar, aged 78 years taught Catechism. This entry is detailed in Tudor Parish Documents of the Diocese of York edited by J.S. Purvis (Cambridge University Press 1948).

According to Brodsworth School's centenary publication, in 1625 Darcy Wentworth made an endowment of £10 per annum to provide a schoolmaster to teach reading, writing and religion to ten poor boys selected by the parish. (See DD.BROD 19/10). These children were apparently taught by the priest, and the first evidence of independent teaching in the village does not come until 1738 with the burial of James Parnell whose profession is recorded as 'schoolmaster' in the Brodsworth parish registers. The first record of a school that is separate from the church comes from Archbishop Herring's 1743 visitation printed in the Yorkshire Archaeological Society Records Series, Volume 79, records that: "There is an English-School endowed with ten pounds per year for the teaching ten poor children of the Parish. The children are instructed in the principles of the Christian religion according to the doctrine of the Church of England & are brought duely to church."

The first surviving log book begins in February 1871 and relates to the school built by Charles Sabine Thellusson on the site in Park View, Brodsworth where the school remained until its closure. The exact date of the building of this school is unknown, but it appears on the 1854 six inch scale Ordnance Survey map which was surveyed in 1849-50. Brodsworth School Centenary 1871-1971 (DD.BROD 19/10) records in a passage written by Mrs M.R. Liversidge that "the present school was built in 1812" but this date has not been confirmed by any independent evidence.

From the first admission register, beginning in 1907 it is possible to ascertain that this school provided education for children from the ages of four to fourteen, although after the Education Act of 1918, it became more common for pupils to transfer to secondary school at the age of eleven or twelve. The children were taught in two classrooms which were separated by the school house, which was occupied by the Head teacher until 1965. Miss Esme Davies was the last headteacher to use this house, and when she retired in 1965, it was converted into a staff room with storage space. As a result of changes brought about by the 1944 Education Act, in June 1954 the school accepted "controlled" status from West Riding County Council. This enabled £2000 worth of repairs and renovation to be carried out shortly afterwards as well as the conversion of the school house. In 1974, due to local government reforms, the school came under the administrative control of Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council, and shortly afterwards became Brodsworth (Controlled) First and Middle School. In July 1994 the school was closed with pupils transferring to a variety of schools. In the main, pupils aged eleven or twelve years went to Adwick or Ridgewood (Scawsby) comprehensive schools, while the younger children attended Saltersgate Infant or Junior School.

The collection is divided into eight series as follows:

SR58/1: Log Books

SR58/2: Admission Registers

SR58/3: Administration

SR58/4: Managers

SR58/5: Site, Fabric, and Equipment

SR58/6: Pupils and School Work

SR58/7: Photographs

SR58/8: Miscellaneous

Open

Access will be granted to any member of Doncaster Libraries

Other evidence relating to a school in Brodsworth comes from the parish registers and this is detailed in Brodsworth School Centenary 1871-1971 [DDBROD/19/10]. More information relating to the early history of Brodsworth school may be found in A History of Brodsworth Pickburn and Scawsby from 1066-1603 and of Brodsworth from 1603-1936 by Miss E. Davies [DDBROD/19/8].