This is a summary of the early head teachers of what is now Gillingstool Primary School on Gillingstool Hill in Thornbury. We will add information as we research and prepare the content. We already have some information about the school and its origins. Read More
Robert Jordan
When the new school, then called the British School, was opened in 1863, its first Master and Mistress were Robert Jordan and his wife Sarah (nee Basset). They lived in various houses in Thornbury. Click here to read more about Robert and his family
Robert was a ‘certified teacher of the third class.’ It was common practice in Victorian times to appoint a husband and wife team.
The 1871 Census shows that both of them were still teachers and that their daughter Catherine Matilda was also a teacher. We understand that Catherine became an assistant teacher at the school for a short time and thereafter deputised for her mother at various times.
We do not know much about Jordan’s early years of teaching in Thornbury. However an inspection report of 1872 paints a very favourable picture; ‘This is a decidedly efficient and successful school, conducted with great intelligence and highly successful on the whole. The Master fully deserves a certificate without personal examination.’
However later inspections highlighted problems with the building and the teaching. The inspection report of 1873 must have been a financial disaster for the school; ‘I am disappointed in the work of this school though I cannot say that I am altogether surprised at the results of the examination: the staff is weak and the want of a classroom is a great drawback, the classes being necessarily inconveniently near to one another. As compared with last year the results in the three elementary subjects show a falling off, partly no doubt owing to the rule as to presentation of qualified children and to the additional work involved in teaching Geography, Grammar and History. The classes examined in the subjects did not do well enough to justify me in recommending payment of the grant under Article 19(c ). I am sorry for it as I believe Mr Jordan has worked hard during the year.’ We understand that the grant for the year was £53. 8s, a drop of over 41% in income, presumably as a result of this report.
Inspection reports up to 1878 continued to show that the school had problems with space, facilities and staffing. In September 1879 Robert Jordan resigned as Master of the British School and returned to the Worthing area.
Robert Jordan’s health might be a factor in his leaving the school in Thornbury. The Census of 1881 shows that he was a patient in St George’s Hospital in Hanover Square, London.
James Reid
On 29th December 1879 Robert Jordan was succeeded as Master by James Frederick Reid, certified teacher of the second class, who was only 24 years of age. Click here to read more about James Reid
The school seemed to have a need for more staff. Within a week of his taking up the post Reid had recruited fifteen-year-old Florence Cullimore, the daughter of the publican at the Black Horse, and sixteen-year-old Florence Baylis as pupil teachers. A week further on he had recruited monitoress Mary Ann Morgan with a view to her also training as a teacher. Mary was just fourteen, only one year older than the oldest pupils. Reid’s industry seemed to have paid off because an extract from the 1880 inspection report reads; ‘Gives good promise under the new Master.‘ The main grant was restored.
However James Reid and his wife did not teach in Thornbury for very long. The report on his teaching gives an idea of how he came to leave. ‘I am disappointed with this school. When Mr Reid was appointed I hoped to see great improvement. Now, though I do not doubt his ability, I am quite dissatisfied with the tone and progress of this school. Every half hour spent in the school left me less and less satisfied, till my final verdict was that the moral influence and real order were bad. Grammar fair, history bad, geography must be refused. The specific subjects ought not to have been attempted while elementary knowledge was so much below the mark. As to domestic economy I can only stand amazed that any teacher should have presented girls so utterly untaught. I should have recommended a deduction from the grant had not the managers already dismissed the Master, though I believe on other grounds, and not for the inefficiency of the teaching.’
The log books show that Mr Reid made a vigorous defence of his teaching skill, pointing out the shortage of staff and the limitations in the ability of the staff he did have – apparently Miss Orchard was a real problem having been discovered asleep in class whilst the children were fighting and on another occasion when a child was smoking a pipe in her class.
William Wattam Hudson
On the 2nd May 1881 William Hudson became Master. William was born in Lincolnshire in 1857. His birth was registered in the first quarter of 1857. He married Rachel Eliza Jarvis in the Stockport area in the September quarter of 1881. Rachel was born in Corfu in 1857.
Hudson immediately tested the standards of the pupils and found there was no knowledge of Grammar or Geography and only four girls could knit with four knitting needles. The inspection of 1882 seems to have been a very positive one. Sadly he resigned on 23rd August 1882.
By 1891 he was settled in Ramsey, Essex with wife and children Mabel (aged 7) and William (aged 2). Ten years later he and the family were still there having been joined by son Reginald in 1897. By 1911 his son William Lynn had also become an assistant master. William senior of 34 Oakland Road Dovercourt died 27th December 1938 at Colchester.
Joseph Selway Smith
On 11th September 1882 Joseph Selway Smith took up the role of Master. He was aged 25, born in Bath and was the son of a cabinet maker Joseph and his wife Mary. The records of the British and Foreign School Society (now Brunel University) include his name in 1878. According to the Inspectors report of 1883 he was a good disciplinarian. Again the report was optimistic about him raising attainment levels. Again we shall never know whether he would have succeeded because he resigned on October 12th 1883.
Joseph had come to Thornbury from Fordingbridge in Hampshire. In 1881 he was an Elementary Teacher lodging with other teachers in Fordingbridge, Hampshire.
On leaving Thornbury he returned to Fordingbridge and married Flora Emily Clark there in 1889. The 1911 Census describes him as an an Assistant teacher. They had children Thomas and Bessie. He remained in Fordingbridge where he died 26th October 1922.
Henry James Abbott
On the 15th October 1883 twenty five year old Henry James Abbott became the Master. He was born in Milborne Port, Somerset, and was married to Louisa. Click here to read more about Henry Abbott and his family
Perhaps things didn’t go well at first as an entry of April 9th 1884 reads; ‘Gave notice of leaving this school dating from today and notice to expire on Wednesday July 2nd’. Abbott must have withdrawn his resignation because he remained at the school until 1903.
An entry of 27th June 1888 reads: ‘The school left in charge of pupil teacher from 11 to 12 as I have been summonsed to attend the Petty Sessions for not complying with Vaccination order. Having had one child almost killed by it. I refuse to allow a second to be mutilated & tormented.’ From 1853 it was a legal requirement for all children to be vaccinated against smallpox. The summons had no effect because the log records that Abbott was prosecuted again on four separate occasions. He must have been in a very difficult position. He was a pillar of the community and expected to observe the law. Furthermore, he was instrumental in using the law to prosecute parents who did not send their children to school. The school managers, however sympathetic they were to his individual plight, must have had great faith in Abbott’s ability as Master to tolerate this situation.
The photograph here shows the school in 1897. We believe that the gentleman at the back in the middle of the room is Mr Abbott. The school records show that in 1898 his salary was increased from £110 per annum to £130 per annum.
We also noticed a reference in the minutes of the School Board in 1898 in which Henry had asked for a school gong and some stationery. His request for the stationary was accepted, but the decision over the gong was postponed until the headmaster could justify the need for it!
Henry died in Gloucester County Asylum in January 1903. His illness must have been sudden as his address was still the High Street in Thornbury and we believe that he was still employed as a teacher.
Frank Hugo Harry Cresswell
FH Cresswell
Henry Abbott was succeeded by Frank H. H. Creswell. Frank Creswell, the son of a farmer and carrier, was both born and married in Worcestershire. At the age of 32 he joined Gillingstool from a school in Merton, Devon. Click here to read more about Frank Cresswell and his family
During the period he was at the school he was successful in achieving good reports from the school inspectors. In 1906 the report said ‘this is a well organised and intelligently taught school’.
In 1907 he was absent for an hour attending the police court. We do not know how he was involved in the court case.
In 1910 the log book refers to headmaster directly; ‘this is in all respects a very good school. The headmaster supervises work in a thoughtful and earnest manner; the teachers take much pains with their lessons and the children are orderly industrious and responsive.’
The range of responsibilities for the headmaster is quite interesting. In July 1912 Frank received confirmation that he had passed the Royal Horticultural Society’s examination in school gardening. He must have been a popular head. On 19th July he noted that he had received a Swan fountain pen from the scholars as a token of love and esteem from the pupils on his birthday. He also received flowers and cards were received from past and present pupils.
In October 1913 he received a very glowing report; ‘Much credit is due to the head teacher for the energy and resources displayed in the conduct of this school. The work is carefully planned and the children who are particularly well behaved are trained in the habit of industry and care. Tests in reading arithmetic composition and geography given to standards six and seven (44 children) show that instruction has been intelligent and efficient. The readiness with which information is volunteered by the scholars and the painstaking care with which the handwriting and figuring are done are pleasing features’.
On January 6th 1914 the record said that; ‘the head teacher has been offered and accepted the headmastership of Cirencester Boys’ School and has handed in his resignation as the headmaster of this school.’ The school and its governors must have been sad to lose him, although he was allowed to leave half a day early!
Joseph Thomason
The photograph above shows Joseph Thomason on the right wearing a hat. He became Head Master on March 24th 1914. He was born on 17th September 1884 and was trained at Chester College between 1907 and 1909.
Joseph and his wife lived in 21 Gloucester Road. Click here to read more
We do not know whether Joseph Thomason was a particularly severe teacher, although he certainly was by modern standards. Previous heads did not record punishments and so it is hard to make comparisons. The punishments recorded were mainly one or two strokes of the cane for comparatively minor offences such as careless work, ‘troublesomeness’, laughing in class and inattention. However there were more alarming entries William Wilcox was ‘severely whipped’ in 1916 for taking another pupil’s coat.
Pupil Mons Smith, who went to the school in 1922, recalls; ‘Mr. Thomason was very strict and was known as rather a bully in the town. He always carried a small cane and would hit pupils across the shoulders, if they were talking. I saw him cane girls quite severely on the hand. I also saw him make pupils stand on the desk and then he would swipe at them. One girl fell off. We called his cane the Kruschen (after Kruschen salts – rather like Alka-Seltzer). Mrs Thomason was a lovely lady. They had no family. There was a very poor family, who lived in a tiny house, with one son and one daughter. When the parents both died, Mr. and Mrs Thomason adopted the daughter, Ivy Cotton, who then became Ivy Thomason, and she had a good life with them. This shows that he must have had a nicer side than we saw!’
Another former pupil recalled that once when Thomason saw a boy playing football in boots that were three sizes too big, and were stuffed with newspaper to fill the gap he gave the boy a proper sized pair of boots.
1914 brought the outbreak of the Great War and Mr Thomason tried to ensure that his pupils did their bit for the war effort. By Christmas of that year he was dealing with the matter of the refugee children who had come from Belgian with their families, some of whom came to the Thornbury area. Interestingly although it was initially decided that the children should attend the National School (now St Mary’s Primary School), by 12th January 1915 twelve of them were enrolled at the Council School. Click here to read about the Belgian Refugees.
On 29 July 1915 Mr Thomason played the part of Prince Rolfe of Saramede, a pastoral comedy in 3 acts called “In Saramede”. This production was acted in grounds of Thornbury Castle by teachers and children of Thornbury elementary schools.
The school also began in earnest to “Dig for Victory.” According to Tony Cherry’s book about the Council School at this time ‘gardening almost ruled the timetable. If wet weather had prevented the planned activities, all other lessons were cancelled as soon as it was dry. If a school holiday coincided with the usual planting time, the gardening work was brought forward and completed early.’ Read more about the school’s activities to help with food production
By 1915 sickness among the staff meant that Joseph’s wife Frances Adeline Thomason began to work as a supply teacher. Although she entered as a supply teacher she seems to have become a permanent member of staff until her resignation on 21st April 1917.
But joining up to military service was something the L.E.A. did not want the Head to do. In March 1916 they wrote asking if he would agree to them seeking his postponement to military service. They wanted to attest that his services to the school were indispensable. He was called up and joined the Royal Navy. He did manage to a fortnight’s deferment while he stored his furniture and arranged a tenant for his house.
An entry in the log book dated 23rd April 1917 reads: ‘On account of the Head Teacher being “called up”, and the general scarcity of teachers owing to the war, the County Education Secretary suggested that the Church of England School and the Council School should ‘join forces’ for the period of the war. This arrangement was eventually agreed to by the managers of the Church of England School, and the staff and children of that school were transferred to the Council School buildings this morning’. Mr Dennis, Head Master of the Church of England School, was given charge of the combined schools. Immediately after Dennis joined the school, Mrs Thomason, the Head’s wife, resigned, leaving the school one teacher short. She returned to her home town of Chester.
On the 3rd March 1919 the opening remarks in the log book are ‘Mr J Thomason who has been acting as Temporary Acting Warrant Schoolmaster R.N. for two years again resumes his duties as Head Teacher of this school.’
On the 31st August 1927 Mr Thomason resigned as Head to become Head at Charborough School, Filton. He received various leaving presents that included an attaché case, a fountain pen, a tobacco jar and a black ebony stick.
William Henry Nicholls
William Henry Nicholls (known to the pupils as ‘Gaffer Nicholls’) became headmaster of the Council School on 1st September 1927. He originally lived in a council house in Eastland Road in Thornbury but later moved to Lion House in Castle Street. Click here to read more
After the first World War he gained a teaching certificate from a 2-year course at the University of Bristol and then became ‘sports master’ at Frampton Cottrell.
For 34 years William Nicholls steered the school through some great changes and very difficult times. In September 1935 the school was connected to the sewerage system by means of mains drainage. In Tony Cherry’s book we learned that
‘The previous arrangements had consisted of a bucket affair with a wooden seat. A lasting memory of that time for some pupils was the pungent aroma emanating from that direction’ For many pupils, it would be a long time before they had flush toilets at home. To learn more about the installation of sewers in Thornbury Read Here
On the 30th September 1938 Ethel Rutter retired as Head of the Infants School. The Infants School and Upper School were merged and Nicholls became Head of the combined school now named Council School, Thornbury.
With the advent of war the buildings and the school curriculum changed considerably. On 7th November 1939 the School Log Book notes that it was decided that the senior scholars had to cultivate land as well as the school garden. The Rural District Council gave the Headmaster one and a quarter acres of land (formerly part of the school playing field) recently acquired by them from the County Council for building purposes. Three quarters of an acre was ploughed that day. The other half an acre contained disused farm sheds and an adjoining orchard. The boys adapted one shed initially to house 12 pullets.
The school had to make many changes to comply with the new wartime regulations. On 29th November 1939 the school log reported that ‘Messrs Hawkins fixed curtain rails, and under Miss Tonkin the staff and children have made “blackout” curtains.’ There was another note that the ‘ARP trenches commenced in September were nearing completion, though there was extensive flooding in the trenches, and it appears that some effective means of drainage will have to be devised’.
In December 1940 the school closed for Christmas holiday. This did not mean that the school was left empty as the log book noted that:
‘4th January 1941 Four rooms in the main building, as well as the Domestic Science Centre, have been used as Canteen and sleeping accommodation by a party of one hundred Firemen who have been “standing by” for service in Bristol.’
Formal and informal evacuation from the cities and port areas meant that the numbers of pupils rose alarmingly and this must have caused many problems for the school. For example the logbook for 2nd September 1941 said that; ‘The Harwich Esplanade Infants’ School, previously accommodated at the C of E School, has – at the request of the Education Committee – been merged with the Thornbury Council School. Thus 38 children, and 2 teachers (Miss N Chapman and Miss B McKearney) have been received today. Number on books now 404.’
The number of buildings also continued to grow apace. On 14th October 1941 the log book noted that more air raid shelters were required. This obviously met with a quick response as on 13th April 1942 the log book reported that ‘Two new ARP Shelters of the concrete “tube” type have been completed.’
By 1942 the school kitchen was obviously in the process of being converted into a local feeding centre for the schools in the whole area. In May 1942 foundations were laid for a hut for this purpose and by September 1943 school meals from the canteen were being supplied to the Thornbury C of E School and to Olveston and Elberton Senior School; 35 to the former and 67 to the latter. The following month the scheme was extended even further and school meals were supplied to Oldbury on Severn C of E School (47) and Alveston C of E School (102). By that time 500 meals were needed every day.
William made some interesting social innovations. Before the war (about 1936) he founded ‘Thornbury Evening Institute’ offering adult education classes at modest rates. This carried on right through the war and for many years afterwards. In 1943 he initiated a Youth Club and eventually managed to bring a ‘Youth Centre’ into being in part of the area previously used for the air raid shelters. William Nicholls was the Youth Leader and Secretary to the District Youth Committee. The changes to the school in the late 1940s left William with a difficult decision whether to be the Head of the Primary School or to become head of the new Secondary School for the older children. We understand that this decision took about two years and considerable number of meetings and consultations.
By 1st September 1951 the school was formally divided between primary and secondary schools and William Nicholls became Head of the new Thornbury Secondary School and remained in post for a further 10 years. The secondary school expanded over the years into more and more temporary buildings. His retirement due to ill health took place at the end of the summer term in 1961 only a few years before the school moved into purpose built accommodation then called Thornbury Castle School in 1966. At the time of his retirement Mr. Nicholls was County President of the National Union of Teachers, an organisation he had strongly supported for many years.