Falconers Academy

The East School

Photographs relating to this article, including those in this extract, may be found in Galleries 1.02, 2.01, 2.05 and 5.05

The school built in 1866 was later transferred to the Mickley Coal Company who enlarged the building to twice its former size and by 1886 had added an Infants’ room with accommodation for 120 children. We are told in Kelly’s Directory for 1897 that the school provided teaching for 460 children and the average attendance in that year was 366. Looking at the building today it is difficult to imagine how such a number could fit into the school!

Thomas Monroe Falconer must have been a Prudhoe legend in his lifetime – and after it. He was appointed headmaster of the National School on 11th November 1884, having previously been headmaster for ten years at Low Prudhoe School, and he retired on 30th June 1920. He was, therefore, headmaster at the “East School” for almost 36 years and a head in Prudhoe for not far short of half a century! Small wonder that, even for many years after his retirement, the National or Council School was nicknamed “Falconer’s Academy!”

Mr Falconer was followed as headmaster by George Wilson who ran the school from 1st July 1920 until 31st January 1947. The school certainly had continuity. The reign of just two of its eight headmasters spanned more than 61 years!

The school’s overcrowding must have been relieved by the building of the new school – Prudhoe West. On June 11th 1909 forty-two boys and thirty-seven girls left the Council School for the “new school”. Incidentally, many of the older residents of the town still refer to Prudhoe West as “the new school” and the bus stop outside of the school was often named as such by the bus conductors. The accommodation at the Council School was, therefore, re-assessed in 1911 at 245 – a vast change from the 460 referred to in 1897.

An examination of the National & Council School’s log books (the headteachers’ records of school events) gives a fascinating insight into the social conditions in the first quarter of the 20th Century. Tragedy must have had a great impact on both staff and pupils as a result of the Bog’s Disaster. The logbook for 11th February 1910 records with sadness that “four children in this school lost a mother, viz 2 Chantons, M Lindsay and M E Harrison”.

The lack of nourishment or a proper diet for some children is brought home by an entry in May 1911 which describes a child aged 8 years and 3 months who weighed only 271bs 4oz (under 2 stones). The child’s case was to be put to the proper authorities in order to obtain permission to attend a Cripple’s Home. Skin diseases were also a result of poor sanitary conditions, diet and overcrowding. In July 1920, due to the prevalence of skin diseases, the schoolbooks had to be destroyed and all of the cupboards and storerooms were thoroughly cleaned out.

The school played a major part in giving the children a wholesome diet during coal strikes. In April 1921, for example, a school canteen committee for Prudhoe & District was formed. Arrangements were made for feeding of children according to the respective school areas in which they lived. In this area the children were fed in the school. Breakfasts from 8.00 to 9.15am, Dinner 11.50am to 1.l0pm. This was later transferred for the subsequent six months of the strike, i.e. 16 June to 17th December, to the Miners’ Hall at West Wylam – later Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Free meals were also provided at the Miners’ Hall for adults during the strike (you had to take your own plate). The strikers used to wheel up logs to provide fuel for the cooking. Planning permission for the building of the Miners’ Hall had been granted in February 1912. The Miners’ Hall provided a venue for dances and for concerts and pantomimes put on by local chapels. At the rear of the Hall was a Reading Room with a roaring fire. The running costs of the Hall were funded from the miners’ wages.

Pupils from the National/Council school c. 1918
Back Row L to R: Bannister, Rowell, Rowell, Percy Nixon, Tulip, Tulip, A Herron, B Arthur, E Knox, Millie Stokoe, Billy Robinson Middle Row: Gregg, Gregg, Bannister, Bannister, Doris Stokoe, A Urwin, F Urwin, Bella Knox, Jack Howe, White
Front Row: Peggy Knox, Billy Herron, Bannister, Gregg, Gregg, Bannister, Stan Nixon.

Next to the Miners’ Hall, approaching the brow of the hill, stood the house occupied by Thomas Bates, a prominent colliery official. The larger trees still standing there were originally in Mr Bates’ garden and that steep, short bank was known locally as ‘Bates’ Bank’. Further on, as one approached the West Wylam Inn, stood a row of houses called The Terrace. These were built to accommodate miners coming to work at West Wylam Colliery. When they were demolished the stone was used to construct the car park beside the British Legion Club and Neale Street.

Employment legislation and labour shortages (the latter created due to men serving in the forces during the First World War) had their effect on school attendance. In December 1912 the New Mines Act revised the age of employment in the mines from 13 to 14 years of age. Consequently very few boys left school in that academic year.

In January 1916 the Local Education Authority requested the names of boys over twelve years of age who would be fit enough for farm work during the continuation of the war.

Truancy was regularly recorded as a factor in the school’s attendance figures. The reasons given included shopping, child minding, blackberry picking and farm work. One major absence from school was recorded in January 1913 when many of the children arrived in school late for the afternoon session, thus losing their mark. They had run off to follow the Braes of Derwent Foxhounds who had passed the school at 1.00pm.

Special days were marked in school with great ceremony. For example, on King George V’s Coronation Day on 22’ June 1911 the children assembled in the schools at noon and were each presented with a Coronation Medal (the gift of E W Swan Esq of Prudhoe Hall) and a flag. A procession was formed at the Inn road ends of the schools of Prudhoe Council, St Matthew’s, West Council and part of Eltringham, also the Friendly Society, CLB, Comic Cyclists etc and paraded to the Flower Show Field.

The events of the First World War and the subsequent victory celebrations and services of remembrance are recorded in some detail in the logbooks. One rather hazardous visit took place one Thursday morning in February 1916 when Sgt C Rowell of the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers, a former pupil of the school, visited the school when on leave. He explained to the scholars of the upper classes the uses of various kinds of ammunition, etc. which he had brought from “The Front”!

To celebrate the end of the war, on l9th July 1919, the children assembled at their various schools at 1.30pm and met at the Locomotive Inn at 2.00pm when under the conductorship of Mr T M Falconer, they sang “Rule Britannia” and “God Save the King”. They then marched to the Flower Show Field and at 3.30pm sat down to a substantial tea; each child being presented with a bag of selected cakes. After tea, sports were indulged in for money prizes and concluded about 7.30pm; the weather being everything that could be desired. Many adults availed themselves of the opportunity of having tea on the field; a special table being provided for that purpose. At 10.30pm a huge bonfire was lit in the same field and burned well. Each child subsequently received a commemorative mug.

A series of street parties followed in September. On the afternoon of the 4th a Victory Tea was held in Ada Street. Hence the school attendance in the afternoon was 39 less than in the morning. This gives some idea of the number of children living in the various streets of West Wylam. Other similar celebrations were held in other parts of ‘the village’ during the following fortnight. On September 12th ninety-two children were absent.

The first Armistice Day on 11th November 1919 was marked in the school with great solemnity under the direction of Mr Longstaffe, the senior master, as the headmaster was unable to attend. The Day was observed as follows – A short lesson was given on the subject, the King’s letter was read, and the names of all the old scholars fallen in the war were read, then two minutes’ silence, followed by “O God our Help in Ages Past” and the National Anthem. It is recorded that the behaviour of the children was exemplary (Mr Longstaffe was appointed head teacher of Low Prudhoe School in July 1920).

Victory Tea Party at West Wylam 1919

Preparations at the beginning of the Second World War and wartime happenings as they affected the school are similarly recorded in detail. During the week of 8th September 1939, all windows were criss-crossed with brown paper strips, corridor windows were blacked out, first aid provisions checked, measurements taken for necessary curtains and safety work was carried out. Members of staff attended daily lectures during the following week on “Poisonous Gases”. Children did not attend school. A programme was devised whereby children would attend school for two sessions per week plus four to six ‘house study groups’ of one hour duration each, together with rambles, etc. when weather permitted. (This system continued until November 20th when school re-opened on a ‘double shift’ basis – Infants and Juniors in the morning and Seniors in the afternoon. These sessions alternated weekly. The ‘morning group’ also attended school on Saturday mornings! This ‘double shift’ system lasted until December when normal school resumed as, by this time, air raid shelters had been constructed and had been declared to be blast and splinter-proof).

In March 1940 arrangements were completed for opening a canteen for dinners in school. A hundred replies were received from scholars wishing to have their dinners in school. (This began on March 30th with meals for 52 children and four staff being served in the South Room and for 40 children and three staff in the Infant Room. One paid helper was assisted by six Senior girls. The meals were supplied in containers from the Stocksfield Cooking Depot).

As the war progressed and rationing bit harder the government instituted British Restaurants throughout the country. Prudhoe’s British Restaurant was in St John’s Methodist Hall (a building demolished to make way for the current library, prior to which it was used briefly as a supermarket). A typical menu at a British Restaurant might include rabbit pie or braised liver or steak and kidney pie at 6d for a small portion or 8d for a large one. Sweets might include sultana roll or rice pudding at 2d. Lentil soup could be bought for 1d. Children’s meals could be obtained for 4d. In April 1944, however, schools received instructions from the Prudhoe UDC that, in future, no school children would be supplied with dinners at the Prudhoe British Restaurant. (This, presumably, was because meals were provided in the schools).

Prudhoe escaped lightly insofar as air raids were concerned. On 7th May 1941, however, during the early hours of the morning, five bombs dropped about 600 yards away from the eastern boundary of the urban area. In April 1942, schools received a copy of the Local Education Authority’s “Confidential Instructions re – the Schools and Invasion”.

In the event of air raid warnings during school hours, the children were accommodated in the schools’ own air raid shelters. An example of the effect of night time air raids is illustrated in the school’s logbook entry for 12th March 1943. It is stated that “the two air raid warnings and enemy air activity in the area during the night may have caused some of the parents to arouse their children. Their rest may thus have been interfered with and some of the scholars kept at home to complete their rest. This might account for eight to ten of the absentees”.

The Council School was proud of its sporting achievements, the highlight of which was probably in the 1934-5 season when they won the Schools’ Charity Cup and the team’s captain, Tom Callendar, became the first boy in the area to be capped for the England Schoolboys’ team. In that season Tom played at Liverpool against Ireland, at Dover against Wales and at Hampden Park, Glasgow, against Scotland. (Tom and his brother went on to be the stalwarts of the Gateshead side when they played in the Third Division of the Football League).

Prudhoe Council School continued to cater for children up to the age of fourteen until September 1947 when provision began for a two tier system of education with those children who did not pass the 11+ examination for Hexham Grammar School going to the Secondary Modern School. As an interim measure the children aged 13+ and 14+ attended Prudhoe West School until such time as the new Secondary Modern School on Moor Road was built. To provide the necessary space over sixty children of primary school age transferred from Prudhoe West School to Prudhoe Council School. Overcrowding, however, was a problem, and from August 1953 classes were also taught in the Wesleyan Methodist Hall (the site of the current Spetchells Centre). By 1956 further teaching space was needed and the Parish Hall was also used. Conditions were far from ideal as illustrated by the following report of Her Majesty’s Inspectors dated 23 July 1956.

“The school has had to battle against the problems of overcrowding and inadequate premises for too long. At present the school has 352 pupils aged between 5 and 13, arranged in nine classes. Accommodation on the school site consists of seven classrooms. . . . . .When conditions allow, games are played on a rented playing field. This is nearly a mile from the school. Two classes are accommodated in a nearby Church Hall which has no outdoor playing space and emergency toilet facilities only. Seven times a day two teachers and seventy children walk between the school and the church hall along the busy main road. . . .One of the rooms in use is small, dark and airless and needs artificial lighting all day for much of the year. Both rooms are deploringly dusty. Paint and plaster hang from the walls and both are used for other purposes in the evenings so that all books and equipment have to be removed from desks and locked in the cupboard in each room at the end of the school day”.

The new Secondary Modern School on Moor Road was opened on 15th April 1958 with Mr W Tait as its headmaster. Prudhoe Council School now became a primary school catering for children up to the age of 11. There were now 260 children in seven classes and the temporary accommodation in the church halls was no longer required. Mr Robert Redhead, who had been headmaster of the Council School from September 1950 retired in July 1958 and was succeeded by Mr Edward Liddle who remained at the school until it closed on April 13th 1962. He transferred with his pupils when the building was replaced by Eastwood Primary School as part of the new West Wylam redevelopment. This building became Eastwood Middle School in 1976 when the area was reorganised into a three tier system of First, Middle and High Schools. The under nine age group were then catered for at the newly built Adderlane First School.