PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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The Union Street Board Schools in Plymouth were also known as the Summerland Place Board Schools. It started life many years earlier when a room was rented in Edgcumbe Place. This was gradually found to be too small and in 1877 this was given up and replaced by a commodious school room in Station Road, near the Millbay Station, which was rented from the Reverend J Barter for £60 per year. It was operated as a "mixed" school. This proved to be most beneficial, with the average attendance reaching 265 children, but it was still a temporary measure. The official accommodation of the premises was 100 boys, 113 girls and 100 infants. In fact in 1879 there were 327 children on the register and, as previously stated, the average attendance was 265. The new Union Street School was actually situated in Summerland Place and was formally opened by the Mayor of Plymouth, Mr John Shelly, on the evening of Friday July27th 1883. It was intended to provide for the schooling of 240 boys, 240 girls and 310 infants. The buildings were designed by Mr H J Snell and the contractor was Mr H Gill of Devonport. The Clerk of Works was Mr J W Trevan and the furniture was made by Mr T W Trevena of Plymouth. The cost of the schools was about £5,190 or £5 13s 4d per child. By 1888 there were 260 boys, 206 girls and 304 infants attending on average. In the final years before the abolition of the Board Schools the Master was Mr William Henry Drake, the Mistress Mrs Angelica Parsons and the Mistress of the infants' school was Miss Mary Yeo. Following the transfer of responsibilities for education from the Plymouth School Board to the Plymouth Local Education Authourity, as from April 1st 1903 the Union Street Board School became the Union Street Elementary School.
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