PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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Keyham College Road Primary School is situated in College Road, Keyham, Plymouth. The provision of a school for the area had long been agitated for by the Keyham Barton Ratepayers' Association because the nearest schools were at St James the Great Church in Keyham Road and Johnston Terrace Board School, in Saltash Road On December 22nd 1913 the Devonport Education Committee discussed plans to erect a new junior school for 247 children at Keyham Barton. A loan of £2,835 was arranged and tenders invited. The architects chosen to design the school were Messrs Thornely, Rooke and Barron and it was to be completed by July 31st 1914. On January 26th 1914 the tender of £2,632 from Messrs G B Turpin & Son was accepted, although it was increased by £31 on March 23rd for completing the end walls. The cost of purchasing the site was £800. The foundation stone of College Road Junior School was laid on Thursday April 2nd 1914 by Alderman W Littleton, JP, chairman of the Education Committee of Devonport Corporation. Mr W H Crang was the Director of Education at the time. Mr Thornely presented Alderman Littleton with a silver trowel with which to execute the task and he declared that the stone was 'Both upright and level, and truly laid'. The one-storey building comprised a central hall surrounded by five classrooms. In Alderman Littleton's speech he made reference to the announcement made that day that that Plymouth Education Authority was to follow Devonport's lead at teaching swimming to its children. At a Committee meeting on June 22nd 1914 it was decided to leave decorating the walls and ceiling until the summer of the following year. Furnishing the School had cost £200. Also at that meeting they appointed Miss M E Brenton of Victoria Road Infants School at St Budeaux as the first headmistress, to start on August 31st. Her salary was to be £122 per annum. College Road School was opened at 9am on Monday August 31st 1914 'as a matter of urgency'. The Reverend J Heywood-Waddington, the vicar of the Church of St Clement's in Warleigh Avenue, offered prayers. The first staff, under Miss Brenton, were M Burt, E Austin, G Goode, P Lakey and E Rodd. In 1935 the Headmistress was Miss M E Gilbert. The School was damaged in the Plymouth Blitz of March 24th 1941 and the pupils were moved to the St James the Great School, which was even nearer to the Royal Dockyard. The School was but rebuilt and reopened as Keyham College Road Primary School, for 5 to 11-year-olds, at 9am on September 6th 1948. There were 96 children under Head Mistress Miss B L Rowter. There were three teachers, Miss Kneebone, Miss J Hughes and Mrs H M Dean. At 10am the following morning there was an official opening ceremony, when Alan Rosevear presented the Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Alderman H J Perry, with the key with which to unlock the doors. A further ceremony took place on Wednesday April 27th 1949, when the Minister of Education, Mr Tomlinson, declared the School opened. He was presented with the key to open the building by five-years-old Carol Dawes, of whom he said: 'She will learn as she grows older that she started something here in Plymouth today which was well worth starting'. He unveiled a plaque in commemoration of the day. The Minister next went to Trelawny Primary School at Ham. The Headmaster of Keyham College Road Primary School in 1955 was Mr F Coford. Sometime between 1952 and 1955 four additional classrooms were constructed at the western end of the School. A new extension comprising a reception area, office and library, was opened on November 1st 1996.
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