St John’s School Log Books 1880 to 1934
LIST OF HEADINGS FOR DOCUMENTING LOG BOOKS
Teachers’ names/ Heads;
Children mentioned by name;
Illnesses, Teachers (T) /Scholars;
Weather conditions;
School Events;
Events of Local or National Interest.
11th October 1880 to 21st December 1893
Teachers’ names/ Heads;
Bessie Perrin(1,23,26,28), Kate Heath (1,26), Miss Saberton (sic) (3,26), Alice Hawkins (12, 23), Kate Shaw (26), Fanny Bishop (31), Miss Silver(32), Bessie Wallis (36), Annie M. Hooper (36), Annie Smith(37), Nellie Shaw(37), Ellen Burrough (37), Kate Newman (49, 58, 97), Miss Gallichan (54,93,97), Alice Gilmour (58), Eugenie Griffiths (58), Elizabeth Wicks (58), Emily Mould(58), F.E. Smith (65,115,215,220), Miss Cameron (86), E Evans (93), Miss Grossmith (96,296), Miss West (97), Miss Bradbury (108, 111, 159 ), Miss Clarke (108), Miss Lewis (110, 151), Mrs Bourke (110), Alice Hooley (111, 115), Florence Heath (111, 115) K Heath (115, 220), Mrs Burke (sic) (116), Miss Webb (116), Ada Williams (143), Miss White (155), Edith Haines (165, 183, 215), Mary Howard (192, 201, 202, 215,251), Miss Leech (220), Eunice Smith(175, 215), Miss Maud Jordan (220), Mrs Archer (232),Miss Neale (233,264), Miss Alloway (233), Miss Holt (264), Miss Edith Askew(264,272), Mary Miller(270), Miss Webb (274), Edith Williams (276),
LOG BOOK 1880-1893
Miss Clement (285), Florence Williamson( temporary monitor(285,297), Miss Hilda Parker(297).
Children mentioned by name;
Ellen Booker, Flora McEwan (1), Julia & Emma Biggs, Emma Sarah White, Caroline Evans (2), Emma Treleaven, Lizzie French (3), Nesta Harrises, Alice Barker, Kate Farr, Eliza Myer, Winifred Evans (5), The Hunts (5,12), Ellen Shepherd (5,21), Charlotte & Sarah Hook, Bessie Worsley, Alice Snell (6), Mary Jenkins, Cresdees (7), Alice & Emma Biddlecombe, Annie Parker, Sarah Oram, Ada & Kate Harding (9), Nellie Burrough, Sarah Saunders (10), Rachel Petrie (11), Annie Sheddich, Eliza Gare (12), Fanny Childs (12,24), Annie Ayling(13,35), Two Butlers (13), Maud Mulholland, Kate Heath (16), Nellie Shaw (24), Ada Barlen (sic)(29), _ Seymours, Harriett Budd (31), Mary Swatton, Clara Sargent, Mary Ann White (32), Frances & Mary Ann Walker, Alice Saunders, Caroline Saunders, Nellie Abbott (33), Ada Woodman (36), Sarah Evans, Ellen Bicknell, Ada & Emily Bicknell (38), Ellen Welsh(39), Emily Tate(40), Francis Churcher(40), Ada Foster (42), Emily Adams, Kate Sparrow, M.A. Seymour (43), Beatrice
LOG BOOK 1880-1893
Westgate, Louisa Soughson, Beatrice Wall, Mary Mulholland (44), Margaret, Alice & Louisa Hooley (45), Lily Coles, Elizabeth (48,50), Letitia Davis(48), Caroline & Amy Pickard, Eva Moore, Florence Sillence (49), Jane Wall (50), Emily & Margaret Riley, Hilda Noble, Emily Dear, Phebe Lacey, Catherine Payne(52), Rosina Roberts, Anna & Alice Thornhill (61), Isabella Corrigan (72), Martha Stopp & Two Effords (76), K. Payne(81), Frances Seymour (89, 90, 95, 128) M.A. Hunt(92), Olive Phillips (94,116), Mary A & Ellen Castle(100), Louisa Kettlebrand (101), Caroline Howell (113), Kate Belben (117), Mabel Day (138), E Cousins (144), Emma Best (159), Ellen Barber(163), Blanch Adams, Two Jenkins (166), Mary (?) , Alice Mead (169, 207) , Louisa & Alice Soughton(169,178), Rose Maguire (169,179), F Pink, E Castle (?) (171), Ellen Moore (172), Caroline Efford (174, 179), Lily Ryder(174), Ellen Culling (175), Lucy Stewart (175, 179,187,194,198,207,209), Caroline Legg, Jane Hodder (176), Mary Howard (178, 202), Charlotte Scott, Jane Childs, Evelyn King (180), Two Porters, Edith Walker, Edith Cresdee (181), May Elliott, Daisy & Lucy Dicks (187), E Herring(188,192), Mary Emery, Rose Phillips, Mary Campbell (194), Maria
LOG BOOK 1880-1893
Oakes (194,209), Ellen (sic) Foster (198), Ellen Maguire, E Buckland, E Slowcombe, E Metherell, Sophia Thomas(199), May & Eliza Cousins (200,202), Annie Manchester(200,202), Bessie Manchester(202), Rose Swatton (204), Caroline Uniacke (205), Emily Hemmens (sic) (207)
S Stevens (208), S Johns(208,270), G Martin, F Lancaster, M Haines, K Budd, A Chase, E King, A Pink, E Burns, F Hayward, K Jolliffe, S Hunt (208) Harriett Conduct, Ellen Pattle (209) Edith Mullins, Blanche Eyres (211), Florence Kellaway (211,212), Gertrude Martin, Fanny Hayward (212), Violet Budd (217), Mary Corrigan (218) Ellen Edwards, Annie & Jane Worley (219), Sarah Johns (229), Daisy Thomas, Edith _ (230), Elsie Hickman (231), Maud Salter{accident}, Rose Corben (232), A Lyne, J Maynard (238), Edith Cresdee (239), Alice Pattle, Charlotte Brown (243), Amy Johns, Mary Miller (270), Edith Hurst (273), Mabel Sayer (280), A Dyer, G Lancaster, A Johns, M Miller (286), Lily & Edith Burridge (296).
LOG BOOK 1880-1893
Illnesses, Teachers (T) /Scholars;
Abscess in face (T), bad colds, bad foot (T), bad throat (T), bronchitis, chickenpox, chilblains, chills, decayed tooth (T), diphtheria, disease of lungs, face ache (T), fits , hearing problems, infectious skin disease, influenza, measles, mumps, neuralgia (T), irruptions (sic) (266), pains in the shoulder, partial blindness, scarlet fever, scarletina, smallpox, sore throat, whooping cough.
Weather conditions;
Snow, wet, intense cold, very heavy snowstorm, heat, severe rain, incessant downpour of rain, fall of snow, excessive heat, sudden warmth of weather, weather hot-almost unbearable, hail, damp & foggy.
School Events;
1880 OCTOBER 11th Mrs Grinaway came requesting the Mistress to punish her girls for telling untruths. (1).
OCTOBER 13th Mrs Mc Ewen came to complain that Flora had been unduly punished. (1).
LOG BOOK 1880-1893
OCTOBER 19 TH mRS Brown visited & promised to send her children on Monday, in order to make their times for the examination. (2).
OCTOBER 20th Had a fire in the classroom for the first time. (2)
November 4th Big girls writing improper notes and
punished. (4)
NOVEMBER 5th Punished three girls who played truant. (4).
DECEMBER 6th Kept girls till 5 o’clock to get on with needlework. (9)
1881 JANUARY 19th Bad weather, bell rung, no children came. (14)
JANUARY 31st Kate Heath placed in the First Class. (16).
FEBRUARY 5th Mr Heasman, traveller for Moffatt & Paige came. Order made. (17).
FEBRUARY 23rd Snowy day- Vicar provided dinner for teachers. (21).
JUNE 3rd Mistress resigned the charge of school. (35).
JUNE 13th Annie M. Hooper commenced duties as Mistress. (36).
1882 MARCH 25th Critical Inspection Report. (60).
MAY 19th A first lesson on compound subtraction. (63).
LOG BOOK 1880-1893
MAY 24th School closed 3.30 to allow teachers to attend meeting at Stokes School at 4pm. (64).
MAY 26th School closed for Whitsun. Mistress resigned the charge of school. (64).
JUNE 5th F. E. Smith took charge of School, & M.A. Smith became 2nd assistant. Some children on register have long left school. (65).
AUGUST 29th Miss Gallichan has returned to school- illness and weather preventing her from returning earlier from France. (71).
NOVEMBER 15th Fires have been lighted this week. (77)
1883 JANUARY 5th Many children not yet returned home who spent Christmas away. (80).
JANUARY 30th Home lessons are very carefully done in the Upper Standards. (83).
JULY 25th Miss Smith resigned, in order to take Christchurch Girls’ School. (96).
OCTOBER 5th Measles is spreading. (101).
DECEMBER 14th Miss Gallichar leaves today. (107).
DECEMBER 21st Miss Grossmith leaves today. (107).
JANUARY 25th Miss Clarke & Miss Bradbury have resigned. (109)
LOG BOOK 1880-1893
1884 MARCH 12th/13th Mistress away both days through illness. Her sister took school during the time. (112).
JULY 11th Owing to a meeting of teachers at Alverstoke School and Rectory – school closed in the afternoon. (118).
1885 MARCH 27th During the week many girls have left being wanted at home or going to service. (132).
APRIL 17th Fine weather , many girls gone for walks with their friends. (132).
MAY 1st Miss Bradbury leaves today and commences duty at Holy Trinity Girls’ School on Monday. (133).
JULY 10th One of the children (Mabel Day) having died on Tuesday, is to be buried this afternoon….. (138).
SEPTEMBER 25th Received some new maps & reading books. (141).
1886 APRIL 1st Exam results disappointing . “Many of those who failed, cried the whole morning”.(151).
JUNE 10th Several children …..suffered from sickness& faintness, owing to the great change from cold to heat. (155)
NOVEMBER 18th Mrs Ayres came up to school, using threatening language to the Mistress… (163)
1887 APRIL 7th Children attended church, Miss Bradbury stayed with those whose parents object to church. (172).
LOG BOOK 1880-1893
JUNE 12th Dr Hunter came & vaccinated 31 girls. (176).
1888 MARCH 2nd The weather has been so severe. Many (children) are suffering from colds & sore throats, but nevertheless attend with flannels round heads and necks. (189).
MAY 28th The schools are nice & clean, having been well scrubbed in the holidays. (194).
JULY 24th The Mistress away this afternoon owing to her father’s dangerous illness. (197).
AUGUST 3rd Owing to the death of Mistress’ father the work of the school was carried on by the assistants. (198).
NOVEMBER 21st Rose Swatton returned to school today after an absence of 3 ½ weeks. “No boots” the only excuse. She has been out minding a baby – and is only 8 years old.(204).
NOVEMBER 22nd One of the sisters came to school to ask leave of absence for 8 girls attending school to go to sing at a Baby’s funeral. I refused leave. But the 8 stayed away in the afternoon 2 of them being away in the morning as well. (204).
1889 FEBRUARY 21st Ellen Pattle has returned to school today having been absent since 14th. She has been away with measles, nursing a young baby with a bad head. She
LOG BOOK 1880-1893
was taken off the books about a week ago as she had gone to service. But as she was under 13 and only in Standard 4 she has been compelled to leave her situation & return to school.(209/210).
MARCH 15th On Thursday Blanche Emes(sic) was sent out for punishment by her teacher & I gave her two slight taps of the cane on her palm. Her mother has taken her away.
Florence Kellaway died last night. (211).
MARCH 22nd On Tuesday Florence Kellaway was buried. Most of the children intended to go to the funeral at ¼ past 4, but owing to the downpour of rain, I could only take just a few who were well protected from the weather. (212).
JULY 4th I had to speak after school to all the teachers upon the administering of any kind of Corporal Punishment by them, owing to Miss Leech thumping & hurting Mary Corrigan in the back. (218).
JULY 12th Ellen Edwards has been away nearly a fortnight because her father has come home. (219).
SEPTEMBER 13th The very warm weather causes the work to be lazily done. Several of the children have been faint in school.(220).
LOG BOOK 1880-1893
SEPTEMBER 20th Excuses of parents are of the most paltry kind: washing day, cleaning bedrooms, going errands, minding the baby, was wanted.(221).
NOVEMBER 15th Mrs Stevens came up to school on Wednesday morning, saying the teachers were down on her & behaving in a very disorderly manner. The girl was caned about a month ago for direct disobedience & insubordination, when the mother came up in the afternoon threatening personal violence on the teachers.(224).
DECEMBER 6th We have a difficulty in seeing to do needlework the afternoons are so very dark & foggy. (226).
1890 JULY 4th A Lyne & J Maynard (sic) away owing to deaths of fathers.(238).
1891 JUNE 5th On Friday afternoon owing to the asphalting of the Boys’ playground, a holiday was thought advisable for all three Departments.(256).
JULY 24th Monday afternoon Mrs Stevens came to school drunk & attacked one of the teachers in the playground. (260).
SEPTEMBER 4th The attendance this week has been very good, except on Monday morning , when a large number
LOG BOOK 1880-1893
thought a holiday was granted all day to them, as was done in all the other schools. (261).
1892 JANUARY 11th Commenced school this morning with a wretched attendance. Influenza is very general, amounting to an epedimic (sic). (268).
FEBRUARY 5th Mrs Stevens chased Mary Miller for some little distance, because she sent her girl out of her class, at the last lesson. (270).
MARCH 11th This afternoon I gave a lesson to Standard 4 on the First principles of the Decimal Coinage. (272).
APRIL 14th Owing to the crowded state of the school, the parents of children attending from the furthest parts of Alverstoke parish have been asked to withdraw them from this school & send them to Alverstoke school. (274).
MAY 13th Edith Williams has commenced work as “Woman over 18” since Thursday May 12th. (276)
OCTOBER 14th Holiday was granted on Tuesday afternoon in honour of Miss Edith Haines gaining a 1st Class in the Scholarship Exam. (282).
OCTOBER 28th Owing to the very wet weather, the numbers in attendance are small, & owing to the crowded character of the school & the high attendance up to the present, the school Managers have asked the parents of
LOG BOOK 1880-1893
those living in the Leesland district to withdraw the children from this school. (283).
1893 JANUARY 9th ….. Miss Edith Haines leaving for Whitelands College. (285).
DECEMBER 8th The Vicar visited 8 0’clock on Wednesday morning. (298).
Events of Local or National Interest.
1881 JUNE 28th Coronation Day. School closed. (37)
JULY 11th A picnic given for Forton Temperance Society. School closed. (38).
OCTOBER 12th Holiday given for next day. Show fight on Southsea Common. (45).
1882 SEPTEMBER 4th Holiday in the afternoon for Gosport Regatta. (72)
OCTOBER 23rd Holiday all day, because of the return of the Marines from Egypt. (75).
1883 JANUARY 3rd Mistress absent, attending the funeral of Miss Lugg, late Mistress of St Matthew’s School. (30).
MAY 4th Being Gosport yearly fair, the attendance in the afternoon was only 165. (90).
SEPTEMBER 14th Many have gone out blackberrying, with their parents, instead of coming to school. (98).
LOG BOOK 1880-1893
1884 JULY 16th Temperance Fete, only 140 children present in the afternoon. (118)
OCTOBER 22nd Sham fight on Browndown, which made little difference in the attendance. (122).
1885 JANUARY 9th Owing to an order of the Admiralty, all children, whose parents are marine pensioners and still serve… are to enter the Marine Barracks School. (127).
JANUARY 15th Children wont be expected to move to Barracks School until after exams. (127/8).
APRIL 27th Captain Lewis (one of the school’s managers) was buried today, the schools were closed in the afternoon. (133).
JUNE 10th Owing partly to the opening of Alverstoke Church, and partly to a Circus in the town, the numbers were again low. (136).
SEPTEMBER 7th Children can attend Barracks School free of charge. (140).
1886 MAY 18th Owing to Ginnett’s Circus passing through the town many children stayed away from school. (154).
JULY 24th Owing to the Naval Review, school opened ¼ to 1. (157).
LOG BOOK 1880-1893
1887 MAY 24th Being the Queen’s birthday and owing to the Review held at Southsea, a holiday was granted all day. (176).
JUNE 24th Tuesday being Jubilee Day the schools were closed all day, and the teachers & children took part in an organised procession in honour of the day. (177).
1888 FEBRUARY 14th Rev & Mrs Hutchinson left Forton today. Several elder girls went to the station at 4.30 to see them off. (188).
JULY 25th Small attendance owing to the Victoria Street Sunday School Treat. (197).
OCTOBER 19th The funeral of the Vicar of St Matthew’s took place this afternoon. (202).
1889 OCTOBER 11th A Band of Hope tea kept some away on Thursday afternoon, as the tea was at ½ past 3. (222).
1890 MAY 20th Owing to the Review to be held tomorrow in honour of the Queen’s birthday, and also to the Festival at Winchester the school cannot be opened that day. (237).
JULY 4th Barrack picnic kept numbers lower. (238).
JULY 18th Attendance numbers affected by the St Matthew’s and Congregational School treats.(240).
LOG BOOK 1880-1893
1891 FEBRUARY 27th All day Thursday schools were closed owing to the Queen’s visit to Portsmouth. (250).
JUNE 19th Wednesday afternoon school was closed owing to the opening of Gosport Public Park…….was again closed, owing to the Choral Festival at Alverstoke Parish Church. (257).
JULY 10th A circus passing the neighbourhood of the Schools affected the attendance on Wednesday afternoon.(259).
1892 JANUARY 15th Rev A C Hayes bade teachers & children goodbye on Monday. (268).
JANUARY 22nd Owing to the Burial of the Duke of Clarence, school was closed on Wednesday afternoon. (269).
JUNE 27th Owing to the laying of the Memorial Stone this afternoon, School was closed…..(278).
1893 JUNE 9th Schools were closed all day owing to the opening of the New Church. (293).
JULY 7th This has been a very broken & unsatisfactory week owing to the Flower Show on Tuesday & the closing of school all day Thursday in honour of the Royal Wedding. (294).