Pimary school teachers , staff and teaching.
19th century staff.
Names marked with an * have been retrieved by Neil Langridge from the 1889 – 1902 School Log Book held in the Suffolk Archives 2049/1).
NB Pupil teachers combined their own studying with gaining experience of teaching classes, being mentored by the school head master.
William Stephen Prentice * was headmaster for 25 years from 1876.
Sarah Wilden (b 1828) – by the age of 23 she is working as a National school mistress, her father was an agricultural labourer. In 1841 at the age of 15 she was living in Pitman Road with her parents John and Amy Wilden (but we don’t know if she was a teacher at stowupland school)
1879, A teacher’s residence was added to the school. The average attendance at the school was 175 but there was space for 200(Kelly’s 1900 directory)
The teaching staff in 1890, as more information about their careers becomes available it will be added.
- Mr W.S Prentice* – 1st class certificated
- Mrs Mary Prentice* -wife of Mr Prentice, Sewing mistress
- Miss Skeet *- Asst mistress
- Miss Bridgeman* – infant mistress, 1889 to 1895. in 1891 Polly Bridgeman was lodging with the Prentices, so in the School House
- Mr Melles *, a pupil teacher, 2nd year (1889 to 1893)
- Mr Beecroft* -pupil teacher, 2nd year (1889 to 1893)
- C.M.Dent had had to be removed from the register of pupil teachers due to poor health
Ruth Rogers* – 1896 to 1897, she was an assitant infant teacher (Article 50, 1897)
Miss Rainbird*1898 – 1899 (articel68)
Miss Dent * 1899 – 1902 (1899 Article 68, 1902 article 50)
E.M. Francis * pupil teacher 1893 -1902 (article 50 1897, articel 60 1890 -1902)
Florence Lillistone * 1893 -1901 , a pupil probationary candidate 1893, pupil teacher 1895 – 1898. (article 68 1899. leaves 1901 (after much abscences)
Miss Salman* 1902 (article 50)
Miss Sparkes * 1902 –
Miss Bramhall *provisional mistree 1902 –
Mrs Bramhall * sewing mistress 1902-
M.H. Wilden * pupil teacher (1889 -1902)
Some of its 20th century Staff
Teachers
1901 to 1922 – 
Arthur Gillat Bramhall was head (standing at the back with Margaret Catchpole seated on the front row). Read more about Arthur Bramhall
In 1919 when Margaret Catchpole completed her training as a student teacher Mr Bramhill described her as “having skill both in teaching and management. Her general ability is above average and I feel confident that no body of managers would regret appointing her. Her personal character is above reproach and the children generally become attached to her””
Exact dates are unknown but
- Miss Keith lodged with Burch family when Jack Burch was born – 1893
- Maud Francis – (according to Ena carter) her parents lived where Sid Robinson’s family lived in mid 1900’s
1908 – John William Petley taught at Stowupland, and played cricket for Stowmarket Cricket Club
Mr Ludbrook – during his time as head he organised a collection for the British Empire Cancer Campaign. Launched in 1923 the aims of the (BECC or “the Campaign”) was “to attack and defeat the disease of cancer in all its forms, to investigate its causes, distribution, symptoms, pathology and treatment and to promote its cure” .
In 1921/2 Mr Napthine replaced Mr Bramhall as head masters. 1927 Mr Napthine (Head teacher), in 1927 he represented the school at the funeral of Mr H.F.Harward (Chair of school managers and owner of Stowupland Hall). He was ably assisted by Mr Tom Dewing.
Miss Ada Kinch – Head teacher 1935 to 1955
1937 Miss Helen Burch, , Miss L.G. Abbott (see 1939 Miss Kinch hosts parents day)
(1939 War Survey lists Henry Brett as an \Elementary School Teacher, and Gladys Peppin living at The hall as an Assistant Elementary School Teacher but at which school is unknown)
Mr R. A. Wright head master January 1957 – March 25th, 1983.
Mr Wright was replaced by Mrs Redmund who travelled from Bury St Edmunds, so the first head teacher nor to live on the school premises.
Deputy head was Lilian Ellis
1964
Charles A.W. Foord, teacher 1955 to 1974
Mrs B.Hill, Miss G.Buckley, Mr W.F. Willsher
1989, Miss Beryl Ley, retired after 35 years as reception class teacher
Ancillary Staff
Clerical asst Mrs V Wright (wife of Ron Wright)
Cleaner-in-charge Mrs E.D. Aylett
Kitchen Staff; Cook-in-charge Mrs M Fordsyke (she retired in 1990 after 29 years as dinner lady
Asst cooks; Mrs M.L. Clarke, Dolly Wright (1955 to 1974)
Supervisory Asst; Mrs F. Wilson
Head teachers
1876 -1901 W.S. Prentice – headmaster
1901 to 1922 – Arthur Gillat Bramhall
1922 to 1929 – Lewis Arthur Napthine (also a church warden)
(Frederick Lubrook)
1957 – Ada Kinch was due to retire in 1955
1957 – Ronald Alfred Wright, read The Wright’s memories of Stowupland School in the 1950s and 1960s
1960’s Deputy Head Lilian Ellis?
1973 Deputy -Mr Keith Powell.
1973 – Jo Redmund (MRS)
Andrew Firth
Charlotte White
(2018) Mr Pettitt
.
The School day
at first morning lessons were from 9 to 12, then children wnet home for a meal and returned for afternoon classes from 2 to 5. Children were taught by reading, copying or chanting lists and phrases till they were word perfect. they might use sand trays before moving on to dipping pens with ink.
Read A few Notes on school life between 1914 and 1918
The children were encouraged to enter to take part in the Stowupland Flower Show and Fete. In 1953 Ada Kinch suggested suitable activites for the children to be judged on, and the monetary prizes they could win, read a letter from Miss Kinch about Stowupland Floer Show Classes.
From 1969, when Mr Wright was Head we have a list of pupils and the classes they entered, 1969 names for School children entering Flower Show and the money they could win.
A brief guide to teacher training as it affected Stowupland.
Pre – 1900 The first training colleges for elementary school teachers were set up in the first half of the 19th century. By 1850 there were over 30; all but 5 of which were associated with the Church of England. Conditions, especially for women were poor.
As the government got involved with educational reform in the 19th century it become apparent that more trained teachers were needed. With few teacher training colleges by 1846 a national pupil-teacher scheme had been launched. It allowed selected school pupils, aged 13 or over, who fulfilled certain scholastic, moral and physical conditions. to train as teachers of young children without leaving the home environments, whilst earning a wage to support their families and provided teaching assistants for rural schools.
From 1870 women teachers began to outnumber menin elementarys chools
These young pupil teachers served a 5 year apprenticeship under a head master. They would teach throughout the school day and be taught by the head teacher outside school hours for one and a half hours per day, 5 days a week. The pupil-teacher was paid £10.00 p.a (or 1/3 less for girls) and the head a subsidy of £5.00 p.a. There was an annual inspection by HMI.
On completion of their apprenticeship the pupil-teacher would be eligible to to sit an examination for the ‘Queens’s Scholarship.’ This would qualify the holder for a place in a training college with a maintenance grant of £25 for men, £20 for women. If they could not afford to delay working, or did not wish to, they could take up a position in a grant-aided elementary school as an ‘Uncertificated Teacher’. Training college students who successfully completed 1,2, or 3 years of training would be awarded 1st class, 2nd class or 3rd class [3rd class being the higher rank .] This Teacher’s Certificate entitled them to an annual supplement to their salary.
By 1900 25% of teachers were pupil teachers. In 1914 75% of elementary teachers were women.
The system underwent many modifications with college courses replacing pupil- teacher apprenticeships. In the 1950’s ‘uncertificated’ teachers with between 5 and 15 years teaching experience were required to take a short course to obtain a Teachers Certificate’. Teachers with a longer service were upgraded without
Read more about Stowupland Elementary/Primary School
