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The Grammar School and Education
IN the matter of education, Mansfield is provided in an exceptional manner with facilities for training the young. There is no School Board, the whole of the schools being conducted in connection with one or other of the religious denominations on voluntary principles. The following is a list of the schools:—
| ESTABLISHED. | ACCOMMODATION. | ||
| 1731 | 372 | ||
| 1827 | 200 | ||
| Wesleyan (Infants) | - | 1843 | 150 |
| Wesleyan New Schools | Erected | 1888 | 280 |
| 1861 | 524 | ||
| St Peter's National (Girls) | - | 1862 ) 1876 ) |
592 |
| St. Peter's National (Mixed) | - | ||
| British Mixed (Congregational) | - | 1864 | 149 |
| Quarry Lane (St. Peter's) | - | 1878 | 100 |
| St. Philip's Roman Catholic (Mixed) | 1878 | 187 | |
| St. Philip's New Infants' | - | 1888 | 130 |
| St. Lawrence's (Parish Church) | - | 1887 | 200 |
| Thompson's Endowed | - | 1785 | 100 |
| Pleasley Hill (Mixed and Infants) - | 1891 | 246 | |
| 3,230 | |||
The most important schools, however, are not mentioned in the foregoing list—Queen Elizabeth's Grammar Schools for girls and boys. Before referring to the present schools, it would be perhaps more convenient to deal with the ancient foundation, particularly as this portion of the work deals with the ancient history of the town. The first charter for a Free Grammar School was granted to the vicar, churchwardens, and eight assistants by Queen Elizabeth, and reads as follows:—
Elizabeth, by the grace of God, of England, France, and Ireland, Queen, defender of the faith, &c. To all to whom these letters patent shall come, greeting. Know ye that we, at the humble petition of our loving subjects, the inhabitants of our town of Mansfield, in the county of Nottingham, for erecting and establishing a Free Grammar School within the parish of Mansfield for the bringing up and instruction of youths and boys, that we of our especial grace, and from our certain knowledge and mere motion, do will, grant, and ordain for ourselves, our heirs and successors by these presents, that from henceforth there shall be one Grammar School in the said village of Mansfield, which shall be called Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, for the education, bringing up, and instruction of youth and boys in grammar, to be and continue for ever under one teacher of youth, or master, and one under instructor or usher; and that our intention aforesaid may take the better effect, and that lands, tenements, revenues, rents, and other hereditaments and profits may be given, assigned, and appointed for the upholding of the school aforesaid, and that they may be better managed for the perpetual continuance of the same, we do will, grant, and constitute, and ordain for us and our heirs and successors that the now vicar of the parish church of Mansfield aforesaid, and the churchwardens of the said church for the time being, shall be, and shall be called, governors of the possessions, revenues, and goods of the said Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth, in the said village of Mansfield, in the county aforesaid, by us to be founded. And therefore know ye, that we have assigned, chosen, nominated, constituted, and declared, and that by these presents we do assign, &c. our well-beloved Christopher Parker, clerk, now vicar of the said parish church of Mansfield, and Rowland Dand and Thomas Ludlam, churchwardens of the church, to be hereafter and now are the first governors of the possessions, &c. of the said Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth, in the village of Mansfield, well and faithfully to exercise and discharge the said duty. And we will, and by these presents for ourselves, our heirs and successors do grant to the aforesaid Christopher Parker, Rowland Dand, and T. Ludlam, and to their successors, the vicar and churchwardens of Mansfield, that the said vicar and churchwardens, their successors, the vicar and churchwardens of the said church for the time being, henceforth are and shall be one corporation and body politic, in reality, deed, and name for ever, by the name of governors of the possessions, &c. of the Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth, in the village of Mansfield erected. And the said Christopher Parker, Rowland Dand, and Thomas Ludlam, governors of possessions, &c, by these presents we do incorporate into one corporation and body politic in itself, and by the same name to continue really, and in full, to all intents and purposes have we created, do create, &c. by these presents. And our will is, and by these presents for our heirs and successors, we grant that the same governors of the possessions, &c. may and have perpetual succession, and by the same name are and shall be fit persons, capable in law to have, receive, and purchase manors, rectories, messuages, lands, tenements, possessions, liberties, franchises, privileges, tythes, and all kinds of hereditaments whatsoever to themselves and their successors in fee to all perpetuity, or term of life, or years, or otherwise, by way of augmentation mending and bettering the revenues of the school aforesaid. And that the said vicar and churchwardens of the said parish of Mansfield, and their successors by name of the governors of the possessions, &c, may for ever plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered, defend and be defended, and also may be able before any of our justices or judges temporal or spiritual, in any court or place whatsoever, and in all or singular actions, as well real as personal and mixt, and in all other causes, matters, complaints, and demands of what kind or nature soever they be, and of what condition or sort, in as ample manner or form as in all other our laws, fit persons and capable in law, or any corporation or body politic may and can plead, and be impleaded, answer and be answered, defend and be defended. And that the same now governors and their successors, governors of possessions, &c, for ever may have one common seal to serve to all the business concerning the said school to be done. And further, by our special grace we have given and granted, and by these presents do give and grant, for ourself, our heirs and successors to the aforesaid new governors, with advice of eight of the inhabitants of the town of Mansfield aforesaid, being men of the best repute for integrity, by the rest of the parishioners to be chosen, assigned, or appointed, or by the major part of them, and not otherwise, may have full power of appointing a master and usher of the school aforesaid as often as the said school shall become vacant. And the said master and usher for either of the deficiency or unfitness to remove them from their office, and other or others more fit to chuse anew and put in their places. And that the said governors for the time being, from time to time, with advice of the inhabitants of the town of the best repute for integrity aforesaid, in form aforesaid elected and chosen, shall and may make fit laws, &c. in writing touching the said master and usher and other things whatsoever concerning the said school, and disposing of the rents, &c, and upholding of the said school, and not otherwise, and also concerning the scholars of the said school for the time being, and concerning the stipend and salary of the said master and usher, so that the said laws be not contrary to the laws and statutes of our realm of England, which statutes indeed so made we will and grant, and by these presents give in charge that they may be invariably observed from time to time and at all times for ever hereafter. And further know ye, that we, in consideration that the said governors of the school aforesaid, and the master and usher, of our greater and more especial grace, and of our certain knowledge and mere motion, have given and granted, and by these presents for ourself, our heirs and successors, do give and grant to the aforesaid governors of the possessions, &c. of the said Free Grammar School and their successors, as much as in us lies, special license, free and lawful privileges, to purchase to themselves and their successors, as of any other person or persons whatsoever, any manors, &c, whatsoever within our Kingdom of England, or elsewhere within our dominions, so that they exceed not the clear yearly value of thirty pounds, over and above reprisals, to be held by us, our heirs and successors immediately, in capite by knight's service, lands or tenements, as be not within the statute of mortmain, or by any other statute, &c, or provision by some other thing, cause, or matter whatsoever contrary thereunto published, &c, or by any other cause or matter whatsoever notwithstanding. And because express mention of the true yearly value, or the certainty of these premises, or of some one or other, either of the gifts or grants by us or any aforesaid, to the aforesaid Christopher Parker, &c, or any of them before these times made in these presents, no wages now being or by any other statute to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding. Provided always that the lands, &c. of the same may only be laid out for the use and profits of the school, and to no other purpose whatsoever.
The tide of learning which flowed in the reign of Elizabeth brought to this corporation many grants of real property, and the school was for a long time in a very flourishing condition. The original endowment of the Free Grammar School was not declared in the letters patent; an omission which may, probably, have arisen from the same persons being previously incorporated by Philip and Mary, in 1556, as governors of the Chantry lands and buildings, which, after the dissolution of the religious houses, &c, were given for the support of a chaplain in church. After considerable litigation between the two masters of the school and the governors of the Chantry lands, it was determined by the Court of Chancery, in 1682, that in future the rents of the school and church property should be equally divided between the two establishments. The property of the school includes 97 acres of land, called the "Eight Men's Intake," and several other lands, tenements, and quarries; together with £581 17s. 11d., three per cent, consols, arising from fines taken on leases. The school-house was originally erected in 1567, but was rebuilt during the reign of Queen Anne.
The following were the articles agreed upon, after the Chancery suit, for determining what lands belong to the church and what to the school:—
I. That John Firth, the present vicar, and his successors may receive out of the rents of the lands, &c. belonging to the corporation for the church and school the sum of £60 per annum, so long as the present rents continue; but if they decrease, then an abatement must be made by the present vicar and his successors.
II. That the present vicar and churchwardens, and their successors, with the advice of the major part of the assistants, shall allow to the said schoolmaster and usher the sum of £30 per annum, viz., £16 6s. 8d. to the schoolmaster, and £13 13s. 4d. to the usher, at Lady Day and Michaelmas, by equal portions.
III. And in case the Intak rents shall fall short of £60, so that the preacher cannot receive £40, then the respective sums shall be made up to them out of the surplus rents belonging to the church and school.
IV. That the surplus of the rents belonging to either of the corporations shall be disposed to such uses as the vicar and churchwardens, with the advice of the major part of the assistants, shall think fit to the use of the church and school.
V. That the vicar and churchwardens shall not take to their use any fines out of the rents of the said corporations, without the consent of the major part of the assistants. And if any fines shall be taken, if the stock be sufficient to defray the necessary disbursements for the church and school, and the major part of the assistants shall think fit, then the same shall be distributed, two parts to the vicar, and the rest to the schoolmaster and usher, in such proportions as the vicar, churchwardens, and the major part of the assistants shall think fit Nor shall the vicar let any leases without the consent of the major part of the assistants.
VI. That when a schoolmaster's or usher's place shall become vacant, the appointment of one to succeed shall be in the vicar, churchwardens, and major part of the assistants.
VII. Notice for public meetings shall be given by the vicar and churchwardens to the assistants after evening service on the preceding Sunday. Or, if the occasion be urgent, the preceding day at their houses.
VIII. When there is a vacancy for an assistant, notice shall be given in the church within six weeks, naming time and place for a meeting of the inhabitants to elect another.
In witness whereof, the vicar and churchwardens have hereunto put their hands and corporation seal, and the major part of the assistants. 1682.
The following were the signatories:—John Firth, vicar; Thos. Wheat and Gabriel Alvey, churchwardens; and the following assistants— C. Stanhope, Darcey Molyneux, Hugh Baskerville, R. Burbige, Gregory Sylvester, John Garnon, and Francis Cooke.
Mr. W. Wragg, a churchwarden of the parish church, who appears to have taken a very great interest in the manner the money of the church and school was disposed of, writing in 1824, states that "in the year 1682 (after the vicar had expelled the chaplain, for whom he was in trust, and usurped his revenues) it was pretended that the estates belonging to the corporation and for the repairs of the church, &c. could not, for the most part, be distinguished, and an agreement (the foregoing) was entered into. It is asserted that this agreement was founded on a pretended fact, for, undoubtedly, the school was then, and is now, entitled to the largest proportion of the rents ; and the vicar, who had been in office many years, must then know it, for he had at that time in his possession and power certain documents which would have evidenced for the school, though he pretended the contrary, and that diligent examination had been made of all the records likely to furnish information. And the probability of the vicar being able to do this will be seen when it is remembered that the vicar was one member of the corporation, that he had the choice of another, and that they two, being a majority, were competent in law to do any corporate act; besides, in those days, the vicar had the advantages of education (and knowledge is power), and his rank in society and holy office would give him influence in the election of the other churchwarden ; and no doubt his opinion would be principally relied upon in the appointments of the schoolmasters, who were the only persons whose direct interest it was to complain to the injuries of the school."
The following particulars of the disposition of the church and school rents for the year 1698, kept by Robert Baskerville, churchwarden, will, no doubt, be read with interest:—
| 1689. | £ | s. | d. | ||
| Jun. | 10. | Paid to ye Apparitor for ye Pente costall Offerings at Southwell | 0 | 5 | 10 |
| P'd Mr. Crabtree for bread and milk at ye perambulation | 0 | 10 | 6 | ||
| P'd to Joseph Beardsley of Belper, | |||||
| a poor man that suffered by fire | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Aug. | 23. | P'd for six hedgehogs | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Sep. | 3. | P'd Will: Baguly ye dog whipper | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| Sep. | 20. | P'd Marquis Harrington's Huntsman for a fox | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Oct. | 3. | P'd John Cotton for beating down ye leads..... | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 18. | P'd at Court Leete | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
| 19. | P'd for charges at Nottingham | 0 | 6 | 4 | |
| 25. | P'd ye Apparitor for a book of Articles and his fees | 0 | 1 | 6 | |
| 28. | P'd for ale at giving up ye late Churchwardens Accounts- | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Nov, | 5. | P'd ye Ringers on Gunpowder Treason Day | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 8. | P'd at Visitation ye Court Fees and other charges | 0 | 10 | 8 | |
| 19. | P'd Mr. Firth half a yeares Rent | 30 | 0 | 0 | |
| 22. | P'd Mr. Nicholson half a yeares Rent | 8 | 6 | 8 | |
| P'd Mr. Pearson (probably the usher) | 6 | 13 | 4 | ||
| 26. | P'd John Turner's Bill | 0 | 18 | 10 | |
| Dec. | 14. | P'd for Ale at Elm Tree at ye Exclusion of School | 0 | 9 | 6 |
| Jan. | 2. | P'd ye ringers for Crismas Day and New Yeares Day | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 10. | P'd ye Apparitor for his Headland | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 20. | P'd Hen: Clee for repairing School Chamber and School Windowes | 0 | 7 | 6 | |
| 24. | P'd John Balme for 2 Bell Ropes | 0 | 4 | 10 | |
| P'd John Platewell Chief Rent | 0 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 1699. | |||||
| Mar. | 31. | P'd for ye forme of Prayer for ye fast day | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| P'd Will: Baguly ye dog whipper | 0 | 2 | 6 | ||
| Apr. | 10. | P'd on Easter Munday at Elm Tree | |||
| for meat and drink | 1 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 11. | P'd for ringing on ye King's Coronation Day | 0 | 2 | 6 | |
| Apr. | 13. | P'd ye Apparitor his Fees | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 14. | P'd Daniel Clay for repairing seates and Com'union Chest | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| 24. | Fd at Visitation | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| Maye | 1. | P'd Mr. Firth | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 5. | P'd Mr. Nicholson | 8 | 6 | 8 | |
| P'd Mr. Pearson | 6 | 13 | 4 | ||
| 8. | P'd John Turner's Bill | 0 | 17 | 2 | |
| P'd Peter Jackson for Collaring ye Church and repairing ye School Chamber floor | 0 | 9 | 10 | ||
| Oct | 25. | P'd Henry Clee for repairing ye Leads and Windows | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Nov. | 7. | P'd Mr. Mason for Sacrament Wine for two yeares | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| 105 | 8 | 0 | |||
| Arrears | 0 | 9 | 3 | ||
| 105 | 17 | 3 | |||
| (Amount of Rent received) | 110 | 10 | 3 | ||
| Rec'd of John Mennill a Fore Rent | 1 | 11 | 3 | ||
| In all | 112 | 1 | 6 | ||
| Disburst | 105 | 17 | 2 | ||
| Remains in my hands | 6 | 4 | 3 | ||
| Collected of Old Arrears | 1 | 18 | 5 | ||
| Divided betwixt Church and School in ther proportion usuall towards making good Intack Rent | 8 | 2 | 8 | ||
| Oct. | 28. | Rec'd of ye late Churchwardens | 28 | 7 | 8 |
| £ s. d. | |||||
| 29. | P'd to Mr. Firth of Arrears due to him | 2 | 6 | 7 | |
| To Mr. Nicholson | 1 | 11 | 0 | ||
| To Mr. Pierson | 2 | 11 | 1 | ||
| £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | |
| Paid to Mr. Geo: Burden and Gabriel Alvey by order of gentlemen | 20 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Arrears in my hand | 1 | 18 | 2 | |||
| 28 | 7 | 8 |
At a meeting held at the school chamber, this 26th day of April, anno Dom'i 1729, it is agreed upon by us, whose names are hereunto subscribed, that the churchwardens of Mansfield, for the more easy execution of their office, shall observe and follow the under-written instructions:—To pay
| £ | s. | d. | |
| To the Vicar every half year | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| To the Master of the Free Grammar School | 13 | 8 | 4 |
| To the Usher of the same every half year | 8 | 6 | 8 |
| For every new Rental Paper and Writing | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| For every copy of the Register Parchment and Writing | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| To the Sexton every half year | 0 | 13 | 4 |
| To the Ringers every half year | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| To the Church of Southwell for Pentecostal fee without Acquittance | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| The Lord's Chief Rent | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| To the Apparitor for Headland p. Ann. | 1 | 0 | 0 |
That they keep the church and church ornaments and school fabrics in repair. That they have (as soon as the rents will allow of it) a stock of £20 always in hand to be transmitted to the several churchwardens in a regular succession. That they divide the remainder, over and above all these allowances and the said stock, amongst the vicar and schoolmasters, in the following proportions: viz., two-thirds of the whole to the vicar, two-thirds of the remainder to the head master, and the rest to the usher. Wm. Mompesson, vicar; Jas. Walker and Benjn. Meymott, churchwardens; Philip Ellis, Geo. Burden, Wm. Wilson, W. Frith, J. Bell, Jno. Seddons, Jno. Monk, assistants.
In 1700 the following agreement was entered into for repairing the church and Grammar School:—
Whereas the Parish Church and Free Schoole of Mansfield have time out of mind been alwayes maintain'd and repaired out of the surplus money ariseing from the rents and profitts of the church and schoole lands in Mansfield aforesaid, remaining in the churchwardens hands after the vicar and the master and usher of the said schoole have been paid theire respective proportions out of the same: And whereas, by the expiration of certain old leases there was an encrease of the said rents, and consequently of the said surplus money; It was since agreed that an augmentation of £10 per annum should be made to the salaryes or stipends of the said schoole master and usher out of the said rents, and that the residue of the said surplus money then in the churchwardens hands should be divided amongst them, the said vicar, schoole master, and usher, in such manner and proportion as, by a writing for that purpose remaining in the school chamber, is appointed and may appeare: And whereas the said parish church is now much out of repaire, but by reason of the said augmentation to the said schoole salaryes, and the dividend or dividends made pursuant to the said agreement, and in regard to the rents of the Eight Men's Intacks are decreased, there is not now in the said churchwardens hands any of the said surplus money, so that the said church cannot at present be repaired by such wayes and methods as the same hath alwayes been accustomed, and (as we conceive) ought to be: And forasmuch as we, the churchwardens and parishioners of the said parish, whose hands are hereunto subscribed, being the major part of the inhabitants of the said towne of Mansfield, have this day met to propose and take such proper and speedy methods for raising money for the necessary repairs of the said church as the present case requires; and duly considering that, as on the other hand, it would be hard at this time to retrench or lessen any of the proportion'd sum'es of the present vicar, schoole master, and usher, or any of them, towards such repaires, for all of them have lately accepted their said respective employments, and that it is not by any of their meanes or defaults that there is not sufficient stock of surplus money to repaire the same as usuall, so on the other hand, we ought not to make ourselves lyable unto or chargeable with the levyes or assessments for repaires of the church or schoole, which might be of ill consequence for the future: Wee, therefore, for the consideration aforesaid, Doe all of us for ourselves and the rest of the parish of Mansfield, declare and agree that the sum'e of three score fifteen pounds shall be forthwith raised and collected of us and the rest of the parishioners (chargable with assessments parochial), either by a voluntary subscripc'on, or by assessmt. after the rate of a sixpenny levy, or assessment, to be equally laid and charged in usuall manner of assessmts. for the poore, which said sum'e of 75 pounds we hereby give and declare to be as a voluntary donation or contribution for the present repaires of the said church, and so as not to be ever hereafter made or taken as a precedent for any church or schoole levy or assessmt.; but that, for the future, the said church and schoole shall be repaired as usually they have been, out of the said rents, in manner following, that is to say, there shall be yearly allowed out of the said rents for the repaires of the said church and schoole such sum'e and sum'es of money as shall be sufficient for the same, not exceeding 12 pounds p. ann., the like yearly sum'e having been formerly allow'd out of ye said rents for the purposes aforesaid; and what shall remain of the said twelve pounds p. ann., after such annuall repaires made as aforesaid, the same shall from time to time be disposed of by the vicar and churchwardens for the time being, with the advice of the assistants, or majority of them, to and amongst the vicare and schoolemasters, by the usuall proportions, or be kept in stock or appointed to such other uses as by them the said vicar, churchwardens, with the like advice, shall be thought most meet and convenient. Witnesse our hands this fourteenth day of May, anno D'ni 1700. Geo. Mompesson, vicar; John Bould and Wm. Spring, churchwardens; & Robt. Baskerville, Nall Bate, Thomas Wheate, Gabriel Alvey, Will. Burden, John Langford, Henry Clee, Abram Sansom, Will. Gunthorpe, Geo. Burden, Fr. Wyld, Wm. Girdler, Sam. Jebb, Greg. Sylvester, R. Burbidge, Jno. Lockwood (his X mark), Francis Simes, Henry Alvey, and Gervs. Spakeman.
In the following year it became necessary to make a further agreement, of which the annexed is a copy :—
January 6th, 1701. Whereas by ye agreemt. on ye other side, signed for repaireing ye church & schoole, the summe of seaventy five pounds was to be raised by way of assessmt., towards ye repaires thereof, and an assessment accordingly made, and ye greatest part thereof, according to ye said agreemt. collected; but for want of ye whole collec'on of ye said assessments, and by reason ye church, as appeares to us by severall bills at this p'sent meeting shewn & agreed unto by ye towne, hath stood in repaireing thereof, in ye summe of one hundred sixty pounds nyne shillings & nyne pence: And whereas there are severall summes of money due & owing unto ye poor of ye sd. parish of Mansfield. Now, to ye end, intent, and purpose that ye remaining part of ye debt due for ye reparac'on of ye said church, viz., ye summe of eighty seven pounds ten shillings five penc, may be raysed and payd without being a burthen too heavy to be laid upon ye said town by one entire paymt., it is hereby concluded upon, agreed, & declared by and amongst all & every ye inhabitants and parishioners of ye sd. parish of Mansfield whose names are hereunder subscribed (and who according to publique notice, viz., on Sunday last given, have for yt end mett) that ye churchwardens of ye said church for ye time being shall have power & are hereby impowered forth of ye townes money belonging to ye poor, ye sd. summe of eighty seaven pounds 10s. 5d. for & toward ye paymt. of ye sd. debt, and yt ye said summe of eighty seaven pounds 10s. & 5d. may be raised, to make up ye said debt or stock due to ye poor, whereby ye townes stock may be kept up & yt all & every ye inhabitants, parishioners, & oyer persons who stand chargeable to ye poor. It is mutually agreed that ye sd. summe of eighty seaven pounds 10s. 5d. shall by twenty five pounds p'. ann. be yearly raised by one book, made by ye churchwardens & overseers of ye poor of ye sd. parish, after ye rate of two pence y' pound, and by ye overseers of ye said poor for ye time being, collected & payd to ye vicar and churchwardens of ye sd. parish, & by them frm time to time to be put forth to ye use and benefitt of ye poor of ye said parish, untill ye sd. stock be fully made up; and in ye meantime ye interest thereof imployed towards setting ye poor on work: Provided allways that ye said summe, as also ye former, shall not be construed, interpreted, or taken as a precedent to oblige ye said parishioners for ye future towards ye repaires of ye sd. church, but is hereby declared that ye same is agreed upon as a voluntary and free donation, according to ye precedent agreemt.
Witness o' hands ye day & yeare above sd. Geo. Mompesson, vicar; Wm. Spring, John Bold, churchwardens; Fr. Wyld, Avery Jebb, Sam. Jebb, Robt Baskerville, William Fletcher, R. Burbidge, Will. Burden, Gabriel Alvey, William Gunthorpe, William Alcock, Henry Alvey, John Lockwood (his X mark), Gervas Spakeman.
So much for the ancient history of the Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School for boys. The school endowment has now been put under a proper scheme, so that there is no longer doubt which belongs to the church and which to the school. The Charity Commissioners had that in hand for a long time, and succeeded in doing that which appears best for all parties concerned. At the present time there are two Grammar Schools in the town known as Queen Elizabeth's, one for boys and the other for girls.
Boys Grammar School (left) and Girls Grammar School (right).
The Boys' Grammar School is a handsome structure on the Chesterfield Road, and was erected in 1877 to replace older premises, which were quite inadequate to the requirements of the time. The total cost was £ 10,000. The foundation stone was laid by Mr. William Gething, Chairman of the Board of Governors, on the 4th of April, 1877, the foundation stone bearing this simple inscription:—"This stone was laid on the 4th of April, 1877, by William Gething, Chairman of the Board of Governors of this School." The architects were Messrs. Giles and Gough, of London, and the contractors Messrs. A. and J. Pattinson, of Rushington, near Sleaford. The school was opened on Wednesday, April 24th, 1878, by Lord Belper, Lord Lieutenant of the County; Lord Galway and the governors of the school being amongst those present on the occasion. The first and present head-master is the Rev. E. Johnson, M.A., late second master of Christ's College, Finchley. The school provides accommodation for 150 scholars, a certain number of whom are admitted free under Brunt's and Thompson's Charity Scheme. There is a commercial as well as a classical side, and a number of boarders are taken under the immediate supervision of the head-master.
The Girls' Grammar School is situate on a commanding site on the Mansfield Woodhouse Road, and has been erected at a cost of about £5,000, irrespective of the site, which was given by Brunt's Trustees on condition that a certain number of scholars were admitted free. The foundation stone of this school was laid by her Grace the Duchess of Portland in the month of November, 1890; and it may be added her Grace takes great interest in the school. The school was informally opened for the reception of scholars on the 22nd of September, 1891, by Mr. T. Savage, Chairman of the Governors; but the formal opening took place on the 23rd of October of the same year, by Mrs. Hollins, of Pleasley Vale. Both schools have a good roll of scholars, who come from near and far on account of the excellent education given. The head-mistress is Miss Crosland, and there are a number of under-mistresses.
There is a very large body of governors, some of whom are elected by householders of £10 per year rateable value and upwards. The Chairman of the Governing Body of the town is an ex-officio member of the Governors' Board, and the Town Council have the right of filling up any vacancies that may occur amongst the elected governors from time to time.
A Technical School is also about to be established in Mansfield, under a scheme prepared by the Charity Commissioners. The necessary funds will be drawn from Brunt's Charity, which has been remodelled for that purpose. Under this scheme the Town Council will have the power of electing three governors of the board, while provision is made for the appointment of others. The endowment consists of land in Leeming Street, Toothill Lane, a capital sum of £5,000 to be raised and paid out of the endowment of Mr. Brunt's Charity and Mr. Thompson's Charity, a yearly sum of £500 from the same source, also the surplus income of this charity up to the yearly amount of £500. There are to be eight exhibitions to the Grammar Schools—four girls and four boys—which carry exemption from payment of the fees for tuition. The school is to be erected on the piece of land between the Primitive Methodist Chapel and Marlborough Terrace, and nearly facing the Girls' Grammar School. Provision is made for the free education of 50 boys and 50 girls in useful subjects.