Despite a succession of approved planning applications, the old St. Johns continues to slowly decay, seemingly unloved.
I know it’s been a long time coming, but it’s taken me nearly 7 hours to edit this up.
Earlier in the year, I started a series of posts containing log book entries for St. John’s School, Walsall Wood. I commenced with the record of the Girl’s School, from it’s opening in 1886 to merger with the Boy’s facility in 1912. I then continued with the logs of the Boy’s School, from 1880 to 1912.
I now complete the series with the time period from the 1912 merger to 1945, when the records end. The note that they strike, the language use and degree of formality understandably change, but the concerns do not. Meagre facilities, outbreaks of disease and strike-related non-attendance all still figure, but one can see that this is a chronicle of a changing place. Kids going on to Grammar School, the warning about traffic, the notes that speak of a wide world beyond The Wood.
David Evans has worked incredibly hard to transcribe these notes, which is no small task. We all owe David a huge debt of gratitude for a wonderful job. I owe that man not just a drink, but a small brewery.
David wrote:
The boys’ section and the girls’ sections of the St Johns school in Walsall Wood had been combined into one administrative unit in 1912 and from here one log is kept. A note written in the first log book of 1880 states that ‘Log books are intended to be kept by the Schoolmaster in the same sense as a captain keeps a ship’s log.’ Sadly, as the original logbooks seem to have been lost forever, we only have these notes.
Girls’ school headmistresses from 1886 to 1912:
E Meadon; F Caldicott; Lizzie Henderson; R C Tabbutt; W.E.Franklin; Elizabeth Cook; Jane Middlemass; Miss Richards; G Carthy; Nellie Rye Green; Emma J Fryer; E Shepperd.
Boys school head teachers (and then combined school) 1880 to 1945(?):
W J Burrows, (1880 to 1890) Frederick Davis (1890 to 1896); S A Heeley (1896 to 1899); Frederick Victor Garner (1899 to1932 ); G Boot ( 1932 to 1942); J F Oakes (temporary headmaster Sept 1942 to Nov 1942) Charles Edward Pye ( 1942 onwards).
1914
December 18th:
A parcel containing 14 pairs of socks, 13 woollen belts, 9 pairs of mittens and 2 woollen helmets was sent to the men of the South Staffordshire Regiment. The garments were made by the girls for their contribution to the War Effort.
1915
Parcels were sent in January, February and July to France to help the War Effort. Handicraft Centre now closed as the instructors now on Military Service.
October 11th:
Master out from 11.15 till noon to interview ‘night workers on recruitment business’.
Walsall Wood High Street in earlier days… this would have been how many of the children and staff of St. Johns knew it. Photo taken from the wonderful ‘Memories of Old Walsall Wood’ by Bill Mayo & John Sale.
1916
March 28th:
A great blizzard lasting al night and most of today has beaten all records for force of wind and depth of snow during last 40 years. I took the liberty of shutting the school as attendance was most poor and children that did arrive were soaked through.
June 9th:
Have today received a gift of 100 books for school library from Mrs Cook, the Beeches, Aldridge. This is a splendid start to the new project of opening a library for the children’.
December 8th:
Have today sent another parcel to prisoners in Germany containing more than 300 woollen garments for our valiant men.
1917
May 29th:
A library has been established in this school. Many of the books have been donated by the parishioners and patrons of this school.
1918
January 18th:
Weather very severe. There is also much sickness. There is a scarcity of food and warm clothing and children are frequently away from school. It is a sorry sight to see.
January 19th:
School closed to enable staff to make out and distribute ration cards. 478 were delivered today.
August 16th:
Master away in the afternoon for Medical for Military Service.
1920
A strike is mentioned.
May 14th:
Outbreak of scabies amongst the children.
August 30th:
School closed until September 6th owing to alterations to lavatories and rooms coloured and painted.
November 5th:
A number of children have been irregular in attendance during the week owing to coalpicking during the strike which has now ended.
November 24th:
School closed in the afternoon for the unveiling of the War Memorial to the men and boys who died in the war from Walsall Wood. Nurse called for routine visit to check on the health of the children.
These visits started in about 1916 and soon became a regular part of school years, as did Employment Officer and Army Recruiting Officer also School Dentistry started about this time.
1921
….Another strike.
March 4th
Vicar has obtained a grant of £6 from the Betty Hussey Book Charity to which he contributed £1 and as a result 30 new books have been added to the school library much to the delight of the children.
Anyone know about the Betty Hussey Book Charity? Local? Caonnected to Phineas Fowke Hussey, or something else? – Bob
April 15th:
Attendance fell owing to coal strike. Children are to be provided with soup and bread on Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday. Teachers have offered to assist in this matter.
May 30th:
Attendance still very low; children are being kept away to puick coal from mounds for their families’
June 3rd:
Blackboard renovated
July 8th:
Provision of meals ceases today as the strike ended last week.
1922
Some happy times; some innovation.
January 28th(?):
Shrove Tuesday and a whole days holiday was given at the request of His Majesty the King for the wedding of Princess Mary.
November 14th:
Madeline Taylor was elected captain of this school and Keziah Brown and Gladys Price and May Langford as prefects. This new idea will one hopes innovate the children. The posts will be reviewed after 6 months.
1923
April 6th:
Outbreak of whooping cough and scarlet fever in the village.
April 26th:
School is being closed on the occasion of the wedding of H.R.H. Duke of York.
May 24th:
Empire Day. King’s message to schoolchildren was read out and the flag was shown.
June 13th:
School was closed on account of H.R.H. Prince of Wales visit to Walsall.
1924
The modern age encroaches…
May 14th:
I have today warned all children of the dangers of motor vehicles on the road. 19 children have transferred to other schools to ease overcrowding.
1925
April 1st:
School reorganised so that boys and girls in Standards 5,6,7 are no longer taught separately.
July 28th:
Mr David Dickenson Ex Mayor of Blackpool and old scholar of this school which was his only school called and gave a brief address to the children.
Times were very hard. A soup kitchen in Walsall Wood – accepting charity cannot have been easy for many. That’s a fine collection of pies, too. From ‘Memories of Old Walsall Wood’ by Bill Mayo & John Sale.
1929
February 15th:
Phenomenally cold. 20 degrees below zero. Many children ill.
Would he be using Celsius or Fahrenheit here? It’s actually the difference between -20 deg C or -29(ish) deg C – Bob
May 6th:
Juvenile Employment Officer made his first visit to the school this year to talk to the Standard 7 about their future careers.
1932
September 9th:
G. Boot commences as Head teacher of this school.
December 22nd:
A Christmas Party was held by the staff for the scholars. It was an immense success and an enjoyable time was held by all. It is worth recording that we will make this an annual event.
1933
September 7th:
Mrs Boulton, wife of the late vicar who died 13th June has presented the school with a small ‘Washington’ organ.
1934
July 23rd:
Major Thompson, architect and surveyor, inspected the school buildings in connection with roof repairs.
November 29th:
Royal Wedding: school closed.
That would be Prince George marrying Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. Prince George was, I believe, father to Prince Michael of Kent. He was tragically killed in 1942 when on active service with the RAF in a plane crash near Dunbeath, Scotland. – Bob
1935
January 30th:
Dr. Knight (School Inspector) inspected the children regarding milk recommendation.
May 6th:
Jubilee Day. Tea and sports were provided for the children, souvenir mugs were provided by Walsall District Council.
1936
January 28th:
School closed for the funeral of the late King George Fifth.
July 2nd:
Joan Doreen Seedhouse and Geoffrey Clayton were successful in exam for free places for Queen Mary School and Lichfield Priory (sic).
1937
May 12th:
Coronation day. The children were provided with tea and a souvenir beaker by the Urban District Council.
July 29th:
School closed for the midsummer holidays. Schools were painted and decorated.
1938
October 18th:
Rev. J. Edwards, an old boy of this school and now a missionary in the Solomon Islands visited this morning to talk about his work in the islands. Curious exhibits were shown and were most interesting.
1939
One entry only.
September 3rd:
Outbreak of war. School is closed to re-open 18th September.
1940
Two amazing logbook entries.
May 14th:
School closed for Whitsun on the 10th but owing to the state of emergency was re-opened this morning.
Operation Dynamo, Dunkirk evacuation 27 May to 4 June 1940 gives a hint here.
August 25th:
Following the air raidduring the night and the one the night before less and 50% of the children came to school. The majority of those were upset and weary that it became impossible to carry on and classes were abandoned.
1941
It may well have been wartime, but Nitty Nora the Lice Lady was still at large…
January 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd:
Snow blizzards and floods and fog forces me to close the school till Monday.
May 19th:
Evacuees from St Michael’s R.C. School Liverpool admitted today.
June 13th:
At 3.10 Nurse More excluded (named pupils, not evacuees) for having nits.
1942
January 30th:
Arrangements made for the transfer of some of the evacuees to attend the Council School.
July 20th:
Free place at Lichfield Grammar went to Bernard Buckroyd and Leslie Jeffcott. Enid Morgan passed the entrance exam to Queen Mary Grammar School in Walsall.
September 1st:
J.F.Oakes commenced duties as temporary headmaster.
December 1st:
Charles Edward Pye commences as head of this school.
December 10th:
Attendance bad owing to outbreak of scarlet fever.
1943
April 7th:
An unusually strong gale today caused tiles to fall from the roof and the outside door of the girls cloakroom was torn off its hinges.
June 11th:
A half day holiday was granted today in recognition of the a successful effort made by the children during ‘Wings for Victory’.
July 24th:
Miss Belasco a teacher evacuated from London commenced here today and will remain until the end of the year to teach some London evacuees that are here.
Interesting, that. Did this allude to accent problems, perhaps? – Bob.
1945
May 8th:
(Written in bold capital letters in the logbook)
VE DAY HOSTILITIES IN EUROPE CEASED. 8TH AND 9TH HAVE BEEN DECLARED PUBLIC HOLIDAYS THEREFORE THE SCHOOL WAS CLOSED.
I bet a few of these kids were at St. Johns. A great image from Bill MAyo & John Sale’s ‘Memories of Old Walsall Wood’.
October 24th:
A radio Gramophone has been installed in this school. The purchase price was £40 and the money was raised by Jumble Sale.
December 3rd:
The last 2 evacuees left today to return to London.
The log notes end here.
One entry concerning a naughty pupil… From the girls’ section log, late 1800s, makes interesting reading and I quote it in full:
September 19th:
Report. For some days I had considerable trouble with (named) a girl in Standard 4. On Tuesday the 6th she purposely remained outside and came in to school late for which I gave her one stroke on the hand with a cane, in consequence she was very sulky and defiant and refused to do her lesson. I then had repeated complaints from her teacher as to her behaviour. I called her from class to give her another stroke from the cane,she refused to hold out her hand and insolently told me that her mother said she was not to hold out her hand. As I was leaving school in the afternoon I met the girl with her mother. The mother stopped me in a very abrasive and coarse manner and accused me of beating and knocking her child about. I told her what punishment I had given and why it was inflicted. She told me that she would not allow me or anyone else to chastise a child of her. I said in that case she had better keep her daughter away from school till I laid the case before the Managers. The Managers decided that the girl must not be admitted again till the mother apologised. Up to this present time she has not complied with this request.