The Free Grammar School was founded in 1639, by Richard Bond, who endowed it with £1,040. It was laid out in the purchase of a farm at Great Snoring (let for £110 a year in 1854 and £100 in 1916). This farm was vested in 1650, in trust, for the support of a master and usher, to teach freely 30 children of the "meaner parishioners." For many years, it was of little benefit to the poor; but in 1836, it was opened as a free school, for all the branches of an English education, as well as for the classics.
A National School was erected here, by Mr. Lee-Warner in 1872 (to include an adjoining head master's house) conducted according to a scheme drawn up by the Court of Chancery in 1861.
"The school is open to all boys of the parish who are able to read, and are more than seven years of age, on payment of small sums not exceeding 4s. a quarter. They may remain until the age of 16, and are instructed in Greek and Latin, Algebra, and all the branches of education taught in the public schools. William Shaw Hayler Esq., is the head master "
A new department for girls and infants was added in 1904.
The land was eventually sold to the Perowne family with the farm now called School Farm. This National School was to be known as the Walsingham Grammar School, closing in 1950 when the headmaster Harry Hayler died.At the time all pupils from age 5 to 16 were taught in the same classroom. Fees were stated as £2.00 per term
There were only around fifteen pupils when it closed, with the older ones transfering to Fakenham Secondary School
Great Walsingham had it's own school when on the 15th March 1875 a school board was convened and school and master's house were erected at an outlay of £670 in that same year for 90 children - William Grant the master and Mrs Grant the mistress. In 1883 the Board consisted of the Rev. J. Lee-Warner (chairman), and Messrs. J. J. Cornish, G. Wright, J. Howell and E. Fisher and R. Cowburn. It was partially rebuilt in 1911.
The present Primary School was erected in 1912 for 230 (!) children. Alfred Percy Rawlings was the master and C A Cornish the mistress. A P Rawlings left in 1915 to join up with the RAMC - serving as a stretcher bearer before returning to the school.
Later teachers would be, during the war, Mr Lewis as headmaster, Miss Woollard, Miss Howell and Mr Garrod as sports master.
Two teachers arrived with the London evacuees - Miss Looker and Miss Cruikshanks (the latter married Mr Garrod)
Further teachers included Headmasters Harvey Grace and then Gerald Stocking, with teachers Mrs Pearce, Mr Dunn and Mrs Wyer.
There was also a school known as the Sanctuary School located at what was previously the Old Vicarage (Sue Ryders) on Scarborough Road.
In 1940 Quinton Hall Schoolin Harrow evacuated some of their boys to Walsingham. The younger boys lived at the school whilst the oldeer boys lived at the Friary.
The school was seen as a ready source for choir boys at the shrine which caused no small conflict between headmasters and Father Hope- Patten. It closed in the mid fifties
can you put names to faces ?
Back Row (left to right) Phillip Whitmore, Kevin Hewitt, Gary Spooner, David Foreman, Phillip Scott
Middle Row Standing (left to right) David Hedges, Lucinda Eade, Jacqueline Edge, Lesley Yeo, Marina Anthony, Stephanie Bacon, Heather Bacon, Keith Nelson
Middle Row Seating (left to right) David Falconbridge, Caroline Woodrow, Vanessa Stocking, Jane Massingham, Linda Steed, Sylvia Dewing, Dianne Fowler, Dennis Falconbridge
Front Row (left to right) Glenn McColl, David Morris, Gareth Pugh, Raymond Buckenham, Norman Faircloth, Stephen Bond
Back row - , ? , ? , ? ,Jennifer King, Rozel Howling, Sonia McColl
Middle standing - ? , ? , ? Susan (?) Lloyd, Anita Beckham, ? ,
Middle Seated - Graham Reynolds, Karen Pugh, Marina Anthony, Debbie Scott, ? , ?
, ?, Graham Bacon
Front - Fred Massingham, Shane Howling, Adrian Smith, Gregory Eade, Stephen
Greaves
Walsingham Primary School circa 1965
Middle standing - Paul Defew, Graham Bacon, Yvonne Ramm, Elsbeth Howell, Dawn
Howell, ? ? ,
Middle Seated - ? , Karen King, Sally Allender, Denise Potter, Debbie Fowler,
Debbie Scott, Susan Brown, Chris McColl
Front - Colin Thomas, Stephen Greaves, Peter Tuck, Graham Reynolds
Back row - Karen Pugh, Rowena Anthony, Rozel Howling, ? , ? , Helen Hardy
Paul Defew, Simon Webb, Denise Potter, Susan Lloyd, Sally Allender, ? , Peter Tuck
, ? , Debbie Hewitt, Lindsey Nelson, Teresa Buckenham, Karen King, Josephine Edge, Susan Drew,
Timmy Childs, Peter Roe, Andy Williamson, Chris McColl, Carl Woodhouse,
Andrew Smith, Peter Tuck, Gary Greaves, Jeremy Glazebrook, Colin Thomas, Reggie Cooper
Andy Williamson, Carl Woodhouse, Jan Glazebrook, Timothy Childs, Errol McColl, Steven Smith
Not sure of the year, possibly a year or two before the picture below as we
can see the two captains sitting back a few places.
back row, from the left Neil Halls, Nicky Hudson, David Dewing?, Philip Gant?,
Andrew Pegg, Leighton Grove, Jamie McColl, Simon Leicester, Noel Dent/Beckham?
Sandra Williamson, Rebecca Allen, ? ,Sarah Claxton?
Captains Anna Belton & Michael Saunders
