Woodford Halse Archive

Woodford Halse

File Book 015 : CW 58

Documents

At Woodford-cum-Membris, in the S.W. part of the County, the school is supported by a voluntary rate. The incumbent, the Rev.G.E.Alexander, on his appointment in 1855, found himself in a parish of small holdings in which there was no school and no apparent prospect of raising the requisite funds by subscription. To meet the difficulty he induced a few and then a mass of the residents to agree to a voluntary educational rate, and afterwards applied to the non-resident proprietors. The result was that, with two or three exceptions, all agreed to a rate of sixpence in the £ according to the Poor Law valuation, fourpence to be paid by the landlord and twopence by the tenant. By this rate £90. 12s. were (sic) raised in 1856. This was more than was required and the rate next year was reduced to fourpence in the £. The amount raised in 1862 was £61. 6s., £35. 6s. from residents and £26 from non-residents in sums varying from £6. 10s. to 1s. The school has been thus from its establishment to the present time supported by the holders and occupiers of land in the parish, by contributions in proportion to the amount of their holdings, and is not an undue burden on the clergymen and few subscribers. Such an instance is eminently suggestive. In Eydon and Byfield, neighbouring parishes, the schools are partially supported by rates.

P.P.1864 XLV p.36-37. General Report for 1863 by the Rev.H.B.Barry on the Church of England and other schools inspected by him in the Counties of … Northampton …

By kind permission of Christine Wilson

General [School] Report for 1863 on the Church of England schools.
General Report for 1863