Stonehouse: Education

EDUCATION.

There was a charity school teaching 12 children at Stonehouse c. 1720. (fn. 1) In 1775 two schools, one at Stonehouse and one at Ebley, were established with a fund of £612 given by 13 inhabitants, of whom John Elliot gave about a third, to teach children of five or over for three years. (fn. 2) Soon afterwards the schools had 40 children. (fn. 3) In 1827 there were 28 children at the Stonehouse school, and 16 at Ebley; each school had a master. (fn. 4) By 1833 the schools were affiliated to the National Society and held in conjunction with Sunday schools; the income from the endowment was supplemented by pence and subscriptions. (fn. 5) A schoolroom was built for the Stonehouse National school in 1832, (fn. 6) and in 1847 it was attended by 113 children taught by a master and mistress and monitors. (fn. 7) It was enlarged in 1873 and 1888 (fn. 8) and had an attendance of 314 in 1904. (fn. 9) Attendance at the school, which became the Stonehouse Council School and later the Park School, fell during the early 20th century and was 162 in 1936; (fn. 10) by 1967, however, the growth of Stonehouse village had raised the attendance to 549. (fn. 11) The Ebley National school, which by 1840 was held at Cainscross, (fn. 12) was put under a separate management committee in 1845 as it was by then mainly supported by contributions from Cainscross parish. (fn. 13) It had an attendance of 159 in 1847. (fn. 14) A new school building, later St. Matthew's C. of E. Primary school, was built in 1877 on a site given by the Vicar of Cainscross. (fn. 15) Attendance was 219 in 1903, (fn. 16) and c. 200 in 1967, when the older children went to schools in Stroud and Stonehouse. (fn. 17)

In 1840 a British school connected with Ebley chapel was opened in a stone building in the classical style behind the chapel. It was used for a day school and Sunday school, and an adult nightschool at which lectures on a wide range of subjects were given by the minister, Benjamin Parsons. (fn. 18) In 1871 about half the income of the school came from contributions, and half from payments by the children which varied between 2d. and 10d. depending on the subjects taken. (fn. 19) The building was extended in 1896. (fn. 20) In 1885 the school had an attendance of 220, (fn. 21) which had fallen by 1903 to 132. (fn. 22) The school later became the Ebley County Primary school, the older children going to schools in Stroud and Stonehouse; attendance in 1967 was c. 108. (fn. 23) A day-school, opened at the Stonehouse Congregational chapel in 1851, (fn. 24) was closed through lack of funds in 1856. (fn. 25)

In 1818 there were four small day schools in the parish in addition to the two charity schools; (fn. 26) others were started in 1826 and 1829, and in 1833 there were six small schools where a total of 164 children were taught at their parents' expense. (fn. 27) The Stonehouse County Secondary School for over 600 children was built in 1955. (fn. 28) Cashe's Green County Primary school was opened in 1957 to serve the new housing estates in that area; it had an attendance of 284 in 1967. (fn. 29)