St Mary’s C of E (Aided) Primary School has its own Website
History
In 1789, certain ‘gentlemen of Davyhulme’ namely John Hamkinson, John Carrington, John Heyward, James Bradshaw and others endowed and built a school room and cottage for the master at “Mossfield” at the junction of Davyhulme Road and Cornhill Road (previously School Lane). This was a non-denominational school and James Bradshaw of “Crofts Bank” created a Charity in 1808 to provide grants for the education of poor children.
In 1825, the Charity Commissioners indicated that the ‘schoolmaster at Davyhulme, for teaching 23 scholars, was to receive £23 per annum’. By 1866, thirty boys and ten girls aged four to twelve years, were taught reading, writing and arithmetic at a charge of 6d (2½p) a week. By 1878, Latin and Greek were taught and an assistant master appointed, but the school fabric was in disrepair and the Master, Paul Owen, was aged 73.
Robert Norreys and his sisters Mary & Isabella in the 1870’s saw the advent of the railway coupled with initiatives to promote the Manchester Ship Canal (eventually dug in 1894 and now forming the northern boundary of the parish). They real;ised that the increasing population would require a modern free school for around a hundred pupils. Religion needed to be taught and services provided by a priest of the established Church of England. A Sunday School was required for both children and adults who could be taught to read and write. A venue was required for the Victorian virtues of socials, bazaars and the plethora of ‘improving’ pastimes such as Mothers’ Unions, Men’s Bible Class, Dramatics etc.
Above all, the Norreys ‘trio’ wished to implant a sense of identity and community in Davyhulme – directed by the family at the Hall. They were not to know that in the future their nephew and heir J.B. Norreys-Entwistle would demolish the Hall, move away and gradually sell off the Estates.
In 1880, it was decided to demolish the old school and the Squire and his sisters donated a new site in Cornhill Rd. along with £550 towards the construction cost of £1,300 and also £3,000 for its maintenance and the ‘village social hall’ opposite. The Charity Commissioners allowed the old building to be sold for £290 which was used towards the new St. Mary’s National School. The foundation stone was laid on 26th June 1880. The foundation stone of the old school built in 1789 is incorporated within the present.
The school opened on March 28th 1881 with fifty-six pupils with Certified Mistress, Margaret Seckerson. The school was extended in 1906 by a small classroom and cloakroom when there were 128 pupils and two assistant teachers. The junior wing was added as a jubilee event in 1930 at a cost of £2,500. In 1971 a fire destroyed the original portion of the school and the present hall and infant block was built at a cost of £45,000.
Since this time the school has benefited from several building projects so that today the building comprises of: seven well maintained and bright classrooms, an ‘outdoor classroom’ for Early Years, a hall, a main computer suite and two ‘mini’ suites, two library areas, an art/DT area, a welcome porch, a kitchen, a school office, Headteacher’s office and staffroom.
Head Teachers of St Mary’s School
1881 - 1891: Miss Margaret Seckerson
1891 - 1894: Miss Emily Shaw
1894 - 1898: Miss A Griffiths
1899 - 1901: Miss Elizabeth Millington
1901 - 1912: Miss Betsy Short
1912 - 1928: Miss Edith Flint
1928 - 1958: Mr H.J.O. Croft
1958 - 1964 Mr Perry
Mr Brooks (dates to be confirmed)
Mr Antrobus (dates to be confirmed)
1971/72- 1980: Mr O. Cottis (dates to be confirmed)
1980 - 1989 Mr J.E. Jones-Davies
1990 - 1996: Mr J Howard
1997 - 2001: Mrs Carol Royle
2001 - 2013: Mrs Beverley Davies
2013 - 2015: Mrs Anita Fagan
2015 to date: Mrs Alison Daniel