Navigation

Home Where is Gornal Local History Family History Gallery Old News We Need... Dialect 'its a loff aye it' Other Stuff Links Donate About Contact

The Black Country Flag

Landmarks ~ Churches  ~ Pubs  ~ Shops  ~ Amenities  ~ Dwellings  ~ Events  ~ Schools  ~ Sports
Industrial ~ Transport ~ Folklore ~ Families
~ Gallery - Schools ~
Ruiton ~ National ~ Tudor ~ Redhall ~ Roberts ~ Other
Roberts School.
Roberts Primary School, Robert Street, Lower Gornal.

The original school building was erected in 1894 for a cost of £4,316, with a capacity for 250 boys and girls and 194 infants, the new infants school was needed to take on the overflow from Red Hall which was already overcrowded.
The master of the new school was Edwin Westwood; with Miss Agnes Price, mistress and Miss Mary Littlehales, infants mistress.
1900 tender for the new girl's school extension.
A tender was put out by Sedgley School Board in 1900 "for the extension of girl's schools Robert-street, Lower Gornal".
The school was extended in 1902 to accommodate 250 boys, 248 girls and 296 infants, the boys school was further enlarged in 1905 to accommodate 335.
Average attendance in 1901 was 245 boys, 225 girls and 192 infants. [Kelly's Directory]
The following is transcribed from the first entry in the School Log kept by the new headmaster Edwin Westwood.
Date of entry: September 18th, 1894.

"This school was opened today under the charge of E. Westwood.
116 scholars were present the first morning.
As this school was erected for the purpose of relieving one already existing in the village, the master opened School under a great disadvantage having to admit a large number from the school referred to above who, on being examined, were found to be very dull.
The following children were examined in my presence, they were very dull greatly lacking in intelligence...."

IN THE PRECIOUS MEMORY OF
EMMA MAUD
BELOVED WIFE AND DEVOTED HELPMEET OF
EDWIN WESTWOOD
AND YOUNGER DAUGHTER OF THE LATE
EDWIN AND ELIZABETH ADDENBROOK
WHO PASSED AWAY FEB 29 1924
AGED 63 YEARS
"O LORD INTO THINE HAND COMMETH MY SPIRIT"
ALSO TO THE DEAR MEMORY OF EDWIN WESRWOOD
HUSBAND OF THE ABOVE
WHO DIED FEB. 15TH 1937 AGED 74
THEY ARE NOT DIVIDED IN DEATH


Edwin Westwood was born in Upper Gornal in 1863, the son of William and Catherine Westwood.

By the age of 18 he was already a pupil teacher possibly at one of the Upper Gornal schools,
On 28 July, 1891, he married Emma Maud Addenbrook at St. James Church, Lower Gornal,

Their children: Elsie and Clare b.1892 appear to have been twins, however Clare died at an early age.

After his spell as master at the Robert Street School, Edwin moved to Redhall School.

Edwin died 15th February 1937 aged 74, he was buried at St. James', Lower Gornal.
Inspectors Report 1895, a page from the School Log a few months after opening the new school.
Staff in the 1894-1896 period included: Edwin Westwood, Headmaster; S. Murray, Assistant; S.J. Lane, Assistant; M. Parsons, Assistant; Mr. E. Jones, Assistant; Selina Jones, Pupil Teacher; A. Flavell, Pupil Teacher; Blanche M. Knight, Pupil Teacher; Amy Hopson, Monitress.
Another entry in the 1895 log for June 28th:-
"A number of children are absent this week having gone pea picking", the same problem existed the following week.
An entry in the 1895 School Log, stated that the School Board had decided that the summer holidays would commence from the last Monday in August for four weeks to take into account the hop-picking season in September, due to the high number of absentees during that period.
September 13th; "Forty-two children have gone to the hop yards from the school."
In 1904 the Staff included: Edwin Westwood, master; Miss Agnes Price, mistress; Miss Mary Littlehales, infants' mistress.[Kelly's Directory]
During the period 1912-1921, Joseph Westwood, previously master of Redhall School, swapped places with Edwin, Miss Mary Littlehales remained as mistress, and Miss Camm was in charge of the infants. [Kelly's Directory]
There does not appear to be any immediate family relationship between the two school masters.
Around 1924 Mr R.A. Wharton had become master and Littlehales and Camm were still in their posts.
This part of Robert Street was mainly fields skirting Roberts Green Farm before the school was built.
Roberts Primary c1990s from a painting by Colin T. Hale.
Secondary education ended in 1964 pending the opening of the new Ellowes Hall School.
Centenary Commemerative
The school celebrated it's Centenary in 1994, a special commemorative ceramic mug was issued to the pupils.
The school recently [2020] celebrated 125 years of teaching the children of Gornal and surrounding districts.
The modern school buildings
Photo 2015
The infant and junior school was totally rebuilt in 2000 on the site of the old school, the modern playing field overlying the old blackberry field.
Around 650 pupils attend the modern school.
~

this aye fur noggin yeds

Red Hall School
Tudor School
National School
Baptist Church
Ruiton Schools