WEST RETFORD: THE FREE SCHOOL.
Mr. Richard Brownlow, of St. Andrews, Holborn, the county of Middlesex, gent. by Will, bearing date the 20th of March, 1691, devised and bequeathed the sum of £500 to be appropriated by his executor, Mr. Stephen Johnson, of West Retford, as follows, viz. £100 to he laid out in erecting and building a Free School for the advantage of the inhabitants of West Retford: £300 to be laid out in the purchase of lands, the profits arising from the same to be paid to the head master of the Grammar School at East Retford, providing he should teach all the boys of West Retford after they had been "instructed in the accidence" by the master of West Retford school; and if no boys should be taught at the school of East Retford from thence, then the said profits were directed to be paid to the master at West Retford, for teaching the children of all the inhabitants there, who have not an estate above the value of £10 per annum; nor goods and chattels above the value of £150 at the most. The remaining £100 to be laid out in fencing and improving the ox-pasture in Babworth Hill Field, for the benefit and advantage of the commoners.
For several reasons enumerated in the will of the said Mr. Stephen Johnson, dated 8th July, 1723, the bequests of Mr. Brownlow, could not be carried into effects accordingly Mr. Johnson in his will, devised that £10 per annum should be paid out of his estate at Tilne, to the master of West Retford school, for teaching the poor children belonging to that place,and appointed the possessor of his estate, the rector of West Retford, the ministers of Ordsall, Grove, and Babworth, and their successors, trustees for the same.
By a codicil, dated June 3rd, 1723, the said Stephen Johnson devised unto Thomas Gylby, rector of West Retford; John Pigot, minister of Ordsall; Stephen Cooper, minister of Grove; Richard Wilson, minister of Babworth; and their successors, the cottage or tenement, in West Retford aforesaid, near unto the North Field Gate, then lately purchased of Mr. Edward Hall, in trust, for the schoolmaster intended to teach the children, according to the directions contained in the said will.
Since that period the school has been conducted at West Retford, and has been productive of much benefit to the inhabitants generally. The building, however, at present, is in a very delapidated condition, and the school room far too small to accommodate the increasing number of scholars. Mr. William Wragg is the present master.
GENERAL BAPTISTS’ MEETING HOUSE.
This place of worship was originally bequeathed ‘By Mr. Richard Brownlow, of London, for the continuance of which, he left certain property, as the following extract from his will will certify.
"Furthermore, I do bequeath my newest messuage, one acre of land, two beast gates, and the five lands ends, to Stephen Johnson and his heirs, in trust, that he, or they, shall from time to time permit such meeting to be held there as is there now, for and during so long time as such meetings shall be allowed by the laws of this realm, and shall also during the same time, permit and suffer the preachers of such meeting, for the time being, to have, use, occupy, and enjoy, the said newest messuage, one acre of land, two beast gates, and five lands ends, and the rents, issues, and profits of the same, free from all taxes, which I would have paid and discharged by the present possessor or occupier; for the time being, out of the profits of the promises herein before given to my executor and my kinsman and their issue, male, as aforesaid, from time to time, as the said premises shall happen to come to him or them respectively,—providing always that if such meetings shall at any time hereafter be prohibited by the laws of this realm, that the said newest messuage, &c. &c. shall be in trust for such person or persons to whom, and in such manner as the premises herein before given, to my executor and kinsman and their issue, male."
The present building was erected in 1815, and although it presents nothing of importance in its outward appearance, its interior is not devoid of taste; although plain and unostentatious, its cleanliness, and simplicity, is worthy of notice. In the centre of the aisle is the baptistry, used for administering the rite of adult baptism; and to the west of the building is the burial ground, wherein is several headstones to the memory of those who have died in that communion.
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© A P NICHOLSON | PAGE LAST UPDATED: 29 MAY 2003