Cowick School
The current school serves mainly the villages of East and West Cowick. It is housed in a mixture of Victorian and more recent buildings. The Victorian school was designed by William Butterfield, and was built in 1854 under the patronage of the 7th Viscount Dawnay. The Viscount went on to build a total of three churches, vicarages and schools, all to the same style, in his estate villages of Cowick, Pollington and Hensall and, in addition, churches in Sessay, Wykeham and Danby.
Cowick C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School
History of education in Cowick
c.1620 Establishment of Snaith Grammar School. There is some uncertainty as to the exact date of this. However, considering the close proximity of Cowick to Snaith, it seems likely that the school may have served the village as well as the market town of Snaith.
1743 Archbishop Herring’s Visitation Returns record a free school at West Cowick supported by Lord Downe. It is possible that this was held in a local barn. 1
1791 Richard Young is listed as running a Private/Free School in Cowick. (The Universal British Directory of Trade, Commerce, and Manufacture 1791. Vol. 4)
1818 “COWICK (Population 656) Endowments: A school at Cowick, containing 44 children, to which there is an endowment of £4. Observations: The poor are desirous of having more sufficient means of education.” (A Digest of Parochial Returns made to the Select Committee appointed to inquire into the Education of the Poor, Vol II, 1818)
1823 Francis Burton is listed as a schoolmaster in Cowick in Baine’s Directory.
1833 “COWICK Township (Pop 928) Five Daily Schools, one of which containing 28 males and 6 females, is partly supported by an allowance of £6.6s. from the township, for which 10 poor children are instructed; the rest are paid for by their parents; in the other four schools 21 males and 52 females are instructed at the expense of their parents. Formerly a Sunday School existed in the township, in which 70 children of both sexes were instructed, it was supported principally by Viscount Downe, on whose decease it fell into decay, and was broken up in 1833.” (Abstract of Answers and Returns relative to the State of Education in England and Wales, Vol.III, Surrey to Radnor, 24th May 1833)
These early schools were probably just a single room in which all the children were taught in groups by the schoolmaster/mistress, assisted by several young monitors. This system changed somewhat in 1846 with the introduction of the pupil teacher system. Under this system pupils aged between 13 and 18 would help the teacher to educate the younger pupils.
1849 John Smith is listed as running a Free School in Cowick.1 He appears on the 1851 census, living in Cowick with his wife, Ann and daughter, Maryann, occupation Schoolmaster. This school may be the Free School shown in the High Street on a 19th century sales map of the village (DDCL85).
This is also the date of the establishment of Snaith Wesleyan School. It is likely that some children from Cowick may have attended the school.
1851 The following teachers are listed on Cowick 1851 census:
Scholars listed on 1851 census:
First Name(s); Surname; Age; Parent’s Name; Parent’s occupation
Thomas Appleton; 7; John; Farmer
Emily Ann Appleton; 5; John; Farmer
George Aucock; 12; Sarah; Annuitant
William Bean; 8; John; Farmer
Hannah Boothroyd; 12; Dinah; Grocer & Draper
Henry Cook; 13; Thomas; Ag. Lab
Elizabeth Denby; 12; Samuel; Cattle Dealer
George Denby; 9; Samuel; Cattle Dealer
Mary Denby; 7; Samuel; Cattle Dealer
Thomas France; 10; Mary; Pauper
John Ibbetson; 11; John; Farmer
William Ibbetson; 9; John; Farmer
Ellen Ibbetson; 10; Joseph; Farmer
William Ibbetson; 8; Joseph; Farmer
Joseph Ibbetson; 6; Joseph; Farmer
John Ibbetson; 4; Joseph; Farmer
Eliza Kitchen; 9; Benjamin; Brick Maker
George Kitchen; 5; Benjamin; Brick Maker
Thomas Mason; 10; Unknown; Visitor (Kirkness family)
Ann Mason; 3; Unknown; Visitor (Kirkness family)
William Mason; 8; Thomas; Shepherd & Park Keeper
Mary Ann Mason; 7; Thomas; Shepherd & Park Keeper
Christiana Morris; 6; William; Painter
Sarah Oxley; 11; Samuel; Ag. Lab
George Stephenson; Oxley; 8; Samuel Ag. Lab
George Oxley; 12; Unknown; Visitor (Abraham Oxley family)
Mary Ann Oxley; 11; Unknown; Visitor (Abraham Oxley family)
Mary Penistone; 6; Charles; Ag. Lab
Sarah Penistone; 11; Thomas; Ag. Lab
Thomas Penistone; 9; Thomas; Ag. Lab
James Precious; 8; Thomas; Ag. Lab
Ann Serjeantson; 16; George; Blacksmith
Eliza Serjeantson; 13; George; Blacksmith
Mary Ann Smith; 10; John; School Master
John Sumner; 9; William; Farmer
William Sumner; 11; Thomas; Farmer
Thomas Sumner; 9; Thomas; Farmer
Henry Sumner; 8; Thomas; Farmer
Alfred Sumner; 3; Thomas; Farmer
Emma Teeson; 10; Samuel; Gardener’s Man
Samuel Thompson; 14; John; Basket Maker
Elizabeth Thompson; 5; Unknown; Visitor
Samuel Thompson; 10; Samuel; Ag. Lab
Ann Barbara Tuke; 12; Mary; Innkeeper
William Ward; 8; John; Ag. Lab
Harriet Ward; 5; John; Ag. Lab
Mary Ann Webster; 7; George; Baker
As can be seen, in 1851 a total of 47 children living in Cowick were listed as Scholars, with ages ranging between 3 and 16. However, this does not represent all of the children living in the village at the time.
1852 The following document outlines the dimensions of Lady Downe's School in 1852. This is probably for the "new" school which was at that time in the process of being built:
Aug 16th 1852 – Size of Lady Downe’s School (DDCL/552/5 - Treasure House, Beverley)
Dimensions of Schools
Length – Breadth – height to wall plate – ditto to ridge
Large Room – 55 ft; 22 ft; 14 ft; 32 ft
Class Room – 14 ft; 12 ft; 14 ft; 23 ft
Girls’ workroom – 26 ft; 14 ft; 14 ft; 23ft
Lady Downe’s room – 17 ft; 14 ft; 9 ft:6 in
Two washing rooms – 14 ft:6 in; 8 ft
For hats, cloaks
Besides these rooms a stable and a six roomed house.
1853: Despite 119 children being listed in the first register of Cowick Infant School, the following extract shows that only the Kitchen children appear to have transferred from their previous school:
First Name; Surname; Age; Date of Admission; Father’s Name; Mother’s Name; Residence; Parent's Occupation
Eliza Kitchen; 11; 31 Jan 1853; Benjamin; Hannah; Little London; Foreman in brickyard
George Kitchen; 6; 31 Jan 1853; Benjamin; Hannah; Little London; Foreman in brickyard
This raises the question of where the remaining 45 children continued their schooling?
1855 Free School in West Cowick, run by Lucy Leake (Slater's Commercial Directory of Durham, Northumberland & Yorkshire, 1855)
The following transcriptions give an interesting insight into the early days of the "new" school:
Letters re arrangements of school 1855 (DDCL 552/6 - Treasure House, Beverley)
(written on black bordered notepaper)
January 15th, 1855
Lord Downe, enclosing Drafts for £61 and £10 and as to enlarging School at Cowick
Dear Sir,
I enclose a draft and dozen labels for Suptds (?) Hudson and Buckler (?), if you would be good enough to forward it to them.
As to the school I intend subscribing 10£ annually towards it, and will therefore send my draft for that sum also.
Yours truly,
Downe
Monday night. B. Park, Jan 15.55
P.S. I think we ought to try to get more fr. Children’s pence than we do. £10.19s.9d. for a whole year seems to me very little – here at our Waldersly School the children’s pence amounted to £7.1s.9 ½ d. for the 4 months Aug. Sept. Oct. Novr. And the population is only 270, tho’ some few children came from one of the neighbouring villages. At Wykeham the two last quarters have produced £9.3s.5d. and £7.8s.3d. and yet there are very few farmers Children, chiefly artisans and labourers and the population of the whole parish 10 or 12 miles long is about 600, so that fr. the large part the distance is too great for children to come. Cowick ought to send more children than within Wykeham or Waldersly, as its population is so much greater. I hope with a new school we shall double at least the income fr. Children’s pence. We are very far indeed from the Dean of Hereford’s self supporting principle and yet I think wages at King’s Jamboree were 8 sh. (?) a week in winter only – our school might I shd think be more than an Infant School now.
Snaith, January 30th 1855
My Lord,
I beg your Lordship will be kind enough to forgive my not answering your letter of the 15th instant, respecting the Cowick Infant School before, but pressing engagements have prevented my doing so.
We have carefully considered your Lordships letter, and with your permission we will lay before you the present position and prospects of the School and leave the matter in your hands, of course our object is to carry out your wishes in every respect.
Your Lordship is aware that Mr Smith takes Girls in the School at any age from 2 or 3 years old upwards, but I fear if this were equally applied to Boys it would be attended with some difficulties, both pecuniary and otherwise.
There is no provision made in this neighbourhood for the Infant Population, we have now 80 or 90 on the books and an average attendance (in fair weather) of 50 or 60, the greater portion of which are Infants who (even our School done away with) would be left idle in the Streets, unless we could afford to have both a Schoolmaster and Schoolmistress, the one for the elder Boys and Girls and the other for the Infants and needlework, which I think would be more than our funds would allow, say £80 or £90 per annum besides other expences, as lodgings would have to be provided for one of them, the School House not being large enough for them both.
If we were to have a Schoolmaster only, it would at once clash with the Wesleyans who have a large School at Snaith with an average attendance of from 90 to 100 (or more) Children, we should lose their subscriptions at once, I fear they would look upon it as opposition which would overthrow that Brotherly feeling now existing towards the Church – and moreover if we established such a School I fear it would be but thinly attended particularly if we charged such a price as would bring in something considerable towards the masters Salary, for in reality I don’t think we should draw a large proportion of Children from the Wesleyan School, 1st because the greater part of the Parents of those Children have in some way an interest in the success of the School and 2nd their Charge is only 1 ½ d and 3d. per week when ours would be perhaps 3d. or 4d. at least, and besides this Lord Beaumonts School is only 2 miles from us where the Charge is only 1d per week – Mr Creyke has also a School at Rawcliffe (nearly 2 miles distant) under similar circumstances.
Mr Smith is very much satisfied with the present Schoolmistress, she is very valuable, not only in that capacity, but she makes it her duty to gain not only the affection of the Children, but also of the parents by visiting them at their houses and making diligent enquiries of those Children that are ill or absent from School.
Yet (take in Rider A) …
Rider A (written on black-bordered notepaper): with regard to the increase of the school pence, it appears at present a difficult subject and (with a full desire to appreciate your Lordship’s remarks on that point) it might yet perhaps be well to state the ground of the difficulty – as it appears to us. This difficulty seems to be in 2 points – the comparatively small interest the farmers and respectable people of the parish take in the working of the school – and secondly in the fact that Cowick is especially filled with a number of poor families – attracted originally, no doubt, by the influence which the Hall exercised over the neighbourhood) and who are in winter time, not in a position to pay much for their children’s education – on account of having to resort to various means of procuring work, which formerly was less uncertain.
We certainly do think, however, on the whole, that the school is prospering – and we would submit to your Lordship’s judgement whether it wd. be well to go on at present doing what we can in way of subscriptions among the farmers and respectable people, with only a certain amount of children’s pence – or plunge into a system of apparent opposition to schools around us – at the risk of losing a good amount of our subscriptions – and the additional risk of not being able to succeed in point of numbers of children and pence.
P.S. Steps have already been taken to put our School under Government Inspection.
Mr Smith has always entertained the idea of having a School upon a larger scale at some future day, but under all the circumstances he thot it more prudent to first arouse a Church like Spirit – let the people learn from practical observation the superiority of the Church system and of our School, and then when the desire for instruction was more appreciated and many of our infants had grown older, it would be a more fit opportunity to establish a Boys large School than at the present time.
I beg your Lordship will forgive my laying our views openly before you, but it is better that you should see our reasons for establishing an Infant School at Cowick.
I have the honer &c
F.C.
The Viscount Downe
Letters (DDCL/581 - Treasure House, Beverley)
1 Feb 1855
Lord Downe – value of Gt Bodsham
Dear Sir,
You and Mr Smith on the spot ought to know best what may be for the good of the parish. It seemed to me that the School appeared very far indeed fr. self paying, that the expenses were exceeding the income and that by raising the character of the School, we might retain the teaching of our Cowick people in our own hands, increase the income fr. Children’s pence and diminish the liability to debt. I dislike large payments for Children.
The scale I have made out here and adopted is for labourers
£2 a Quarter for 1 Child
£3 ditto for 2 ditto
£3:6s ditto for 3 ditto
£4 ditto for 4 ditto
Farmers above 70 acres
£5 a Qt. for one Child under 10
£6 ditto above ditto
£8 ditto for 2 Children
and so on, making two intermediate Classes, so that education does not cost the parents a great deal.
Cowick district is one of the largest I have to deal with and it appears to bring in less to the School than any other. In time however I dare say Mr Smith will work his way to a better state of things.
(letter continues about other, non-school matters)
Yours truly
Downe
Baldersby Park Feb 1.55
It is interesting to note that in 1891, 46 years after those letters were written, a circular was sent to the parents of the children at Cowick School, inviting them to donate annual subscriptions to help the school. Despite the fact that most elementary school fees had been abolished in that year, the appeal seems to have been successful and some quite large contributions were made.
By 1861, the following 74 children were listed as Scholars:
First Name; Surname; Age; Parent’s Name; Parent's Occupation
Emily Ann Appleton; 15; John; Builder & Farmer
Charles Henry Appleton; 11; John; Builder & Farmer
Louisa Appleton; 8; John; Builder & Farmer
Rose Adeline Appleton; 6; John; Builder & Farmer
Ann Elizabeth Atkinson; 5; Unknown (Niece of William Fox)
Spivey Aucock; 11; John; Ag Lab
John Aucock; 10; John; Ag Lab
Elizabeth Aucock; 6; John; Ag Lab
Frederick Aucock; 4; John; Ag Lab
Alexander Bean; 12; Charles; Ag Lab
Thomas Bovill; 6; William; Butcher
Theresa Brownbridge; 4; Matilda; Miller’s Wife
Edith Mary Louisa Clark; 12; Louisa Maria; Widowed Fundholder
Walter Frederick Clark; 10; Louisa Maria; Widowed Fundholder
Gilbert Matthew Clark; 9; Louisa Maria; Widowed Fundholder
Harry Shearburn Clark; 7; Louisa Maria; Widowed Fundholder
Oscar William Clark; 6; Louisa Maria; Widowed Fundholder
Mary Coward; 8; William; Ag Lab
John Coward; 10; William; Ag Lab
Ann Coward; 7; William; Ag Lab
Elizabeth Coward; 5; William; Ag Lab
John Dimberline; 6; Unknown (Nephew of Sarah Dimberline)
Thomas Dobson; 8; Thomas; Ag Lab
Rubin Dobson; 7; Thomas; Ag Lab
Ellen Mitchell Eyre; 4; Thomas; Ag Lab
Mary France; 9; Joseph; Ag Lab
Henry France; 5; Joseph; Ag Lab
Joseph Glew; 11; James; Boot & Shoe Maker
Susan Glew; 10; James; Boot & Shoe Maker
Eliza Glew; 8; James; Boot & Shoe Maker
Anne Hartley; 9; John; Maltster & Brewer
John William Hartley; 7; John; Maltster & Brewer
Alfred Hartley; 5; John; Maltster & Brewer
George Hartley; 3; John; Maltster & Brewer
Mary Holland; 14; Charles; Ag Lab
William Holland; 12; Charles; Ag Lab
Harriet Holland; 9; Charles; Ag Lab
Eliza Holland; 4; Charles; Ag Lab
Thomas Johnson; 5; Unknown (Grandson of Mary Killingbeck)
James Kitching; 10; Benjamin; Brick & Tile Maker
Rhoda Kitching; 7; Benjamin; Brick & Tile Maker
Rose Kitching; 4; Benjamin; Brick & Tile Maker
John William Lee; 3; Jonathan; Corn Miller
Elizabeth Meggitt; 14; William; Ag Lab
John Meggitt; 12; William; Ag Lab
William Meggitt; 10; William; Ag Lab
Charles Meggitt; 8; William; Ag Lab
Mark Meggitt; 5; William; Ag Lab
George Mottashed; 9; James; Maltster
Jane Oxley; 10; Samuel; Ag Lab
Mary Oxley; 8; Samuel; Ag Lab
Ann Oxley; 4; Samuel; Ag Lab
James Penistone; 11; George; Ag Lab
William Penistone; 7; George; Ag Lab
Isaac Penistone; 6; George; Ag Lab
William Precious; 11; Thomas; Ag Lab
Mary Precious; 5; Thomas; Ag Lab
Swain Richardson; 13; Thomas; Gardener (Dom. Servant)
Robert Richardson; 10; Thomas; Gardener (DS)
Henry Richardson; 6; Thomas; Gardener (DS)
George Sampson; 14; Jonathan; Bridge Keeper
Walter Shepard; 9; John; Ag Lab
Sarah Ann Shephard; 11; Unknown (Granddaughter of Martha Morritt, pauper)
Emma Spivey; 10; Joseph; Cordwainer
Emma Steel; 7; William; Schoolmaster
John Thompson; 8; Unknown (Grandson of John Thompson)
George Thompson; 13; Charles; Brickmaker
James Thompson; 12; Charles; Brickmaker
Amelia Thompson; 8; Charles; Brickmaker
William Thompson; 6; Charles; Brickmaker
Henry Warren; 6; Hannah; Teacher
William Edward Warren; 4; Hannah; Teacher
Samuel Woffinden; 6; Thomas; Carter
Mary Woffinden; 4; Thomas; Carter
It is probable that this list is incomplete as the enumerator for District 4 seems mostly to only have listed the occupation of the Head of household. There are many more children of school age listed as living within this district, but not identified as Scholars. A comparison with the school register should identify missing names.
Teachers in 1861:
1893 An advertisement appeared on 9th February in the Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer:
Wanted, Assistant Mistress for mixed country school. Master, Cowick School, Snaith, R.S.O., Yorks
1 Life in the Past Around Snaith, P.69, Snaith Historical Society, 1988
c.1620 Establishment of Snaith Grammar School. There is some uncertainty as to the exact date of this. However, considering the close proximity of Cowick to Snaith, it seems likely that the school may have served the village as well as the market town of Snaith.
1743 Archbishop Herring’s Visitation Returns record a free school at West Cowick supported by Lord Downe. It is possible that this was held in a local barn. 1
1791 Richard Young is listed as running a Private/Free School in Cowick. (The Universal British Directory of Trade, Commerce, and Manufacture 1791. Vol. 4)
1818 “COWICK (Population 656) Endowments: A school at Cowick, containing 44 children, to which there is an endowment of £4. Observations: The poor are desirous of having more sufficient means of education.” (A Digest of Parochial Returns made to the Select Committee appointed to inquire into the Education of the Poor, Vol II, 1818)
1823 Francis Burton is listed as a schoolmaster in Cowick in Baine’s Directory.
1833 “COWICK Township (Pop 928) Five Daily Schools, one of which containing 28 males and 6 females, is partly supported by an allowance of £6.6s. from the township, for which 10 poor children are instructed; the rest are paid for by their parents; in the other four schools 21 males and 52 females are instructed at the expense of their parents. Formerly a Sunday School existed in the township, in which 70 children of both sexes were instructed, it was supported principally by Viscount Downe, on whose decease it fell into decay, and was broken up in 1833.” (Abstract of Answers and Returns relative to the State of Education in England and Wales, Vol.III, Surrey to Radnor, 24th May 1833)
These early schools were probably just a single room in which all the children were taught in groups by the schoolmaster/mistress, assisted by several young monitors. This system changed somewhat in 1846 with the introduction of the pupil teacher system. Under this system pupils aged between 13 and 18 would help the teacher to educate the younger pupils.
1849 John Smith is listed as running a Free School in Cowick.1 He appears on the 1851 census, living in Cowick with his wife, Ann and daughter, Maryann, occupation Schoolmaster. This school may be the Free School shown in the High Street on a 19th century sales map of the village (DDCL85).
This is also the date of the establishment of Snaith Wesleyan School. It is likely that some children from Cowick may have attended the school.
1851 The following teachers are listed on Cowick 1851 census:
- Jane and Mary Ann Shillito, living with their widowed Mother, Mary Shillito, annuitant. Also living in the household were two boarders, Elizabeth Mogue (aged 12) and Elizabeth Hirst (8).
- Sarah Killingbeck, widow, School Mistress.
- John Smith, School Master, living in Cowick with wife Ann and daughter Mary Ann (scholar).
Scholars listed on 1851 census:
First Name(s); Surname; Age; Parent’s Name; Parent’s occupation
Thomas Appleton; 7; John; Farmer
Emily Ann Appleton; 5; John; Farmer
George Aucock; 12; Sarah; Annuitant
William Bean; 8; John; Farmer
Hannah Boothroyd; 12; Dinah; Grocer & Draper
Henry Cook; 13; Thomas; Ag. Lab
Elizabeth Denby; 12; Samuel; Cattle Dealer
George Denby; 9; Samuel; Cattle Dealer
Mary Denby; 7; Samuel; Cattle Dealer
Thomas France; 10; Mary; Pauper
John Ibbetson; 11; John; Farmer
William Ibbetson; 9; John; Farmer
Ellen Ibbetson; 10; Joseph; Farmer
William Ibbetson; 8; Joseph; Farmer
Joseph Ibbetson; 6; Joseph; Farmer
John Ibbetson; 4; Joseph; Farmer
Eliza Kitchen; 9; Benjamin; Brick Maker
George Kitchen; 5; Benjamin; Brick Maker
Thomas Mason; 10; Unknown; Visitor (Kirkness family)
Ann Mason; 3; Unknown; Visitor (Kirkness family)
William Mason; 8; Thomas; Shepherd & Park Keeper
Mary Ann Mason; 7; Thomas; Shepherd & Park Keeper
Christiana Morris; 6; William; Painter
Sarah Oxley; 11; Samuel; Ag. Lab
George Stephenson; Oxley; 8; Samuel Ag. Lab
George Oxley; 12; Unknown; Visitor (Abraham Oxley family)
Mary Ann Oxley; 11; Unknown; Visitor (Abraham Oxley family)
Mary Penistone; 6; Charles; Ag. Lab
Sarah Penistone; 11; Thomas; Ag. Lab
Thomas Penistone; 9; Thomas; Ag. Lab
James Precious; 8; Thomas; Ag. Lab
Ann Serjeantson; 16; George; Blacksmith
Eliza Serjeantson; 13; George; Blacksmith
Mary Ann Smith; 10; John; School Master
John Sumner; 9; William; Farmer
William Sumner; 11; Thomas; Farmer
Thomas Sumner; 9; Thomas; Farmer
Henry Sumner; 8; Thomas; Farmer
Alfred Sumner; 3; Thomas; Farmer
Emma Teeson; 10; Samuel; Gardener’s Man
Samuel Thompson; 14; John; Basket Maker
Elizabeth Thompson; 5; Unknown; Visitor
Samuel Thompson; 10; Samuel; Ag. Lab
Ann Barbara Tuke; 12; Mary; Innkeeper
William Ward; 8; John; Ag. Lab
Harriet Ward; 5; John; Ag. Lab
Mary Ann Webster; 7; George; Baker
As can be seen, in 1851 a total of 47 children living in Cowick were listed as Scholars, with ages ranging between 3 and 16. However, this does not represent all of the children living in the village at the time.
1852 The following document outlines the dimensions of Lady Downe's School in 1852. This is probably for the "new" school which was at that time in the process of being built:
Aug 16th 1852 – Size of Lady Downe’s School (DDCL/552/5 - Treasure House, Beverley)
Dimensions of Schools
Length – Breadth – height to wall plate – ditto to ridge
Large Room – 55 ft; 22 ft; 14 ft; 32 ft
Class Room – 14 ft; 12 ft; 14 ft; 23 ft
Girls’ workroom – 26 ft; 14 ft; 14 ft; 23ft
Lady Downe’s room – 17 ft; 14 ft; 9 ft:6 in
Two washing rooms – 14 ft:6 in; 8 ft
For hats, cloaks
Besides these rooms a stable and a six roomed house.
1853: Despite 119 children being listed in the first register of Cowick Infant School, the following extract shows that only the Kitchen children appear to have transferred from their previous school:
First Name; Surname; Age; Date of Admission; Father’s Name; Mother’s Name; Residence; Parent's Occupation
Eliza Kitchen; 11; 31 Jan 1853; Benjamin; Hannah; Little London; Foreman in brickyard
George Kitchen; 6; 31 Jan 1853; Benjamin; Hannah; Little London; Foreman in brickyard
This raises the question of where the remaining 45 children continued their schooling?
1855 Free School in West Cowick, run by Lucy Leake (Slater's Commercial Directory of Durham, Northumberland & Yorkshire, 1855)
The following transcriptions give an interesting insight into the early days of the "new" school:
Letters re arrangements of school 1855 (DDCL 552/6 - Treasure House, Beverley)
(written on black bordered notepaper)
January 15th, 1855
Lord Downe, enclosing Drafts for £61 and £10 and as to enlarging School at Cowick
Dear Sir,
I enclose a draft and dozen labels for Suptds (?) Hudson and Buckler (?), if you would be good enough to forward it to them.
As to the school I intend subscribing 10£ annually towards it, and will therefore send my draft for that sum also.
Yours truly,
Downe
Monday night. B. Park, Jan 15.55
P.S. I think we ought to try to get more fr. Children’s pence than we do. £10.19s.9d. for a whole year seems to me very little – here at our Waldersly School the children’s pence amounted to £7.1s.9 ½ d. for the 4 months Aug. Sept. Oct. Novr. And the population is only 270, tho’ some few children came from one of the neighbouring villages. At Wykeham the two last quarters have produced £9.3s.5d. and £7.8s.3d. and yet there are very few farmers Children, chiefly artisans and labourers and the population of the whole parish 10 or 12 miles long is about 600, so that fr. the large part the distance is too great for children to come. Cowick ought to send more children than within Wykeham or Waldersly, as its population is so much greater. I hope with a new school we shall double at least the income fr. Children’s pence. We are very far indeed from the Dean of Hereford’s self supporting principle and yet I think wages at King’s Jamboree were 8 sh. (?) a week in winter only – our school might I shd think be more than an Infant School now.
Snaith, January 30th 1855
My Lord,
I beg your Lordship will be kind enough to forgive my not answering your letter of the 15th instant, respecting the Cowick Infant School before, but pressing engagements have prevented my doing so.
We have carefully considered your Lordships letter, and with your permission we will lay before you the present position and prospects of the School and leave the matter in your hands, of course our object is to carry out your wishes in every respect.
Your Lordship is aware that Mr Smith takes Girls in the School at any age from 2 or 3 years old upwards, but I fear if this were equally applied to Boys it would be attended with some difficulties, both pecuniary and otherwise.
There is no provision made in this neighbourhood for the Infant Population, we have now 80 or 90 on the books and an average attendance (in fair weather) of 50 or 60, the greater portion of which are Infants who (even our School done away with) would be left idle in the Streets, unless we could afford to have both a Schoolmaster and Schoolmistress, the one for the elder Boys and Girls and the other for the Infants and needlework, which I think would be more than our funds would allow, say £80 or £90 per annum besides other expences, as lodgings would have to be provided for one of them, the School House not being large enough for them both.
If we were to have a Schoolmaster only, it would at once clash with the Wesleyans who have a large School at Snaith with an average attendance of from 90 to 100 (or more) Children, we should lose their subscriptions at once, I fear they would look upon it as opposition which would overthrow that Brotherly feeling now existing towards the Church – and moreover if we established such a School I fear it would be but thinly attended particularly if we charged such a price as would bring in something considerable towards the masters Salary, for in reality I don’t think we should draw a large proportion of Children from the Wesleyan School, 1st because the greater part of the Parents of those Children have in some way an interest in the success of the School and 2nd their Charge is only 1 ½ d and 3d. per week when ours would be perhaps 3d. or 4d. at least, and besides this Lord Beaumonts School is only 2 miles from us where the Charge is only 1d per week – Mr Creyke has also a School at Rawcliffe (nearly 2 miles distant) under similar circumstances.
Mr Smith is very much satisfied with the present Schoolmistress, she is very valuable, not only in that capacity, but she makes it her duty to gain not only the affection of the Children, but also of the parents by visiting them at their houses and making diligent enquiries of those Children that are ill or absent from School.
Yet (take in Rider A) …
Rider A (written on black-bordered notepaper): with regard to the increase of the school pence, it appears at present a difficult subject and (with a full desire to appreciate your Lordship’s remarks on that point) it might yet perhaps be well to state the ground of the difficulty – as it appears to us. This difficulty seems to be in 2 points – the comparatively small interest the farmers and respectable people of the parish take in the working of the school – and secondly in the fact that Cowick is especially filled with a number of poor families – attracted originally, no doubt, by the influence which the Hall exercised over the neighbourhood) and who are in winter time, not in a position to pay much for their children’s education – on account of having to resort to various means of procuring work, which formerly was less uncertain.
We certainly do think, however, on the whole, that the school is prospering – and we would submit to your Lordship’s judgement whether it wd. be well to go on at present doing what we can in way of subscriptions among the farmers and respectable people, with only a certain amount of children’s pence – or plunge into a system of apparent opposition to schools around us – at the risk of losing a good amount of our subscriptions – and the additional risk of not being able to succeed in point of numbers of children and pence.
P.S. Steps have already been taken to put our School under Government Inspection.
Mr Smith has always entertained the idea of having a School upon a larger scale at some future day, but under all the circumstances he thot it more prudent to first arouse a Church like Spirit – let the people learn from practical observation the superiority of the Church system and of our School, and then when the desire for instruction was more appreciated and many of our infants had grown older, it would be a more fit opportunity to establish a Boys large School than at the present time.
I beg your Lordship will forgive my laying our views openly before you, but it is better that you should see our reasons for establishing an Infant School at Cowick.
I have the honer &c
F.C.
The Viscount Downe
Letters (DDCL/581 - Treasure House, Beverley)
1 Feb 1855
Lord Downe – value of Gt Bodsham
Dear Sir,
You and Mr Smith on the spot ought to know best what may be for the good of the parish. It seemed to me that the School appeared very far indeed fr. self paying, that the expenses were exceeding the income and that by raising the character of the School, we might retain the teaching of our Cowick people in our own hands, increase the income fr. Children’s pence and diminish the liability to debt. I dislike large payments for Children.
The scale I have made out here and adopted is for labourers
£2 a Quarter for 1 Child
£3 ditto for 2 ditto
£3:6s ditto for 3 ditto
£4 ditto for 4 ditto
Farmers above 70 acres
£5 a Qt. for one Child under 10
£6 ditto above ditto
£8 ditto for 2 Children
and so on, making two intermediate Classes, so that education does not cost the parents a great deal.
Cowick district is one of the largest I have to deal with and it appears to bring in less to the School than any other. In time however I dare say Mr Smith will work his way to a better state of things.
(letter continues about other, non-school matters)
Yours truly
Downe
Baldersby Park Feb 1.55
It is interesting to note that in 1891, 46 years after those letters were written, a circular was sent to the parents of the children at Cowick School, inviting them to donate annual subscriptions to help the school. Despite the fact that most elementary school fees had been abolished in that year, the appeal seems to have been successful and some quite large contributions were made.
By 1861, the following 74 children were listed as Scholars:
First Name; Surname; Age; Parent’s Name; Parent's Occupation
Emily Ann Appleton; 15; John; Builder & Farmer
Charles Henry Appleton; 11; John; Builder & Farmer
Louisa Appleton; 8; John; Builder & Farmer
Rose Adeline Appleton; 6; John; Builder & Farmer
Ann Elizabeth Atkinson; 5; Unknown (Niece of William Fox)
Spivey Aucock; 11; John; Ag Lab
John Aucock; 10; John; Ag Lab
Elizabeth Aucock; 6; John; Ag Lab
Frederick Aucock; 4; John; Ag Lab
Alexander Bean; 12; Charles; Ag Lab
Thomas Bovill; 6; William; Butcher
Theresa Brownbridge; 4; Matilda; Miller’s Wife
Edith Mary Louisa Clark; 12; Louisa Maria; Widowed Fundholder
Walter Frederick Clark; 10; Louisa Maria; Widowed Fundholder
Gilbert Matthew Clark; 9; Louisa Maria; Widowed Fundholder
Harry Shearburn Clark; 7; Louisa Maria; Widowed Fundholder
Oscar William Clark; 6; Louisa Maria; Widowed Fundholder
Mary Coward; 8; William; Ag Lab
John Coward; 10; William; Ag Lab
Ann Coward; 7; William; Ag Lab
Elizabeth Coward; 5; William; Ag Lab
John Dimberline; 6; Unknown (Nephew of Sarah Dimberline)
Thomas Dobson; 8; Thomas; Ag Lab
Rubin Dobson; 7; Thomas; Ag Lab
Ellen Mitchell Eyre; 4; Thomas; Ag Lab
Mary France; 9; Joseph; Ag Lab
Henry France; 5; Joseph; Ag Lab
Joseph Glew; 11; James; Boot & Shoe Maker
Susan Glew; 10; James; Boot & Shoe Maker
Eliza Glew; 8; James; Boot & Shoe Maker
Anne Hartley; 9; John; Maltster & Brewer
John William Hartley; 7; John; Maltster & Brewer
Alfred Hartley; 5; John; Maltster & Brewer
George Hartley; 3; John; Maltster & Brewer
Mary Holland; 14; Charles; Ag Lab
William Holland; 12; Charles; Ag Lab
Harriet Holland; 9; Charles; Ag Lab
Eliza Holland; 4; Charles; Ag Lab
Thomas Johnson; 5; Unknown (Grandson of Mary Killingbeck)
James Kitching; 10; Benjamin; Brick & Tile Maker
Rhoda Kitching; 7; Benjamin; Brick & Tile Maker
Rose Kitching; 4; Benjamin; Brick & Tile Maker
John William Lee; 3; Jonathan; Corn Miller
Elizabeth Meggitt; 14; William; Ag Lab
John Meggitt; 12; William; Ag Lab
William Meggitt; 10; William; Ag Lab
Charles Meggitt; 8; William; Ag Lab
Mark Meggitt; 5; William; Ag Lab
George Mottashed; 9; James; Maltster
Jane Oxley; 10; Samuel; Ag Lab
Mary Oxley; 8; Samuel; Ag Lab
Ann Oxley; 4; Samuel; Ag Lab
James Penistone; 11; George; Ag Lab
William Penistone; 7; George; Ag Lab
Isaac Penistone; 6; George; Ag Lab
William Precious; 11; Thomas; Ag Lab
Mary Precious; 5; Thomas; Ag Lab
Swain Richardson; 13; Thomas; Gardener (Dom. Servant)
Robert Richardson; 10; Thomas; Gardener (DS)
Henry Richardson; 6; Thomas; Gardener (DS)
George Sampson; 14; Jonathan; Bridge Keeper
Walter Shepard; 9; John; Ag Lab
Sarah Ann Shephard; 11; Unknown (Granddaughter of Martha Morritt, pauper)
Emma Spivey; 10; Joseph; Cordwainer
Emma Steel; 7; William; Schoolmaster
John Thompson; 8; Unknown (Grandson of John Thompson)
George Thompson; 13; Charles; Brickmaker
James Thompson; 12; Charles; Brickmaker
Amelia Thompson; 8; Charles; Brickmaker
William Thompson; 6; Charles; Brickmaker
Henry Warren; 6; Hannah; Teacher
William Edward Warren; 4; Hannah; Teacher
Samuel Woffinden; 6; Thomas; Carter
Mary Woffinden; 4; Thomas; Carter
It is probable that this list is incomplete as the enumerator for District 4 seems mostly to only have listed the occupation of the Head of household. There are many more children of school age listed as living within this district, but not identified as Scholars. A comparison with the school register should identify missing names.
Teachers in 1861:
- Sophia Denby, Widow, aged 78, was listed as a Schoolmistress in 1861.
- Hannah Warren, Widow, aged 29, was listed as Teacher of English, French, Music, etc.
- Hannah’s unmarried sisters, Mary Ann Harrison, age 44, and Eliza Harrison, age 27, were listed as General Assistants and Teachers.
- Mary Bassett, unmarried, aged 49, was listed as Governess to the family of Louisa Maria Clark.
- William Steel, aged 34, married to Eliza, was listed as Schoolmaster.
1893 An advertisement appeared on 9th February in the Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer:
Wanted, Assistant Mistress for mixed country school. Master, Cowick School, Snaith, R.S.O., Yorks
1 Life in the Past Around Snaith, P.69, Snaith Historical Society, 1988
