PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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North Prospect Community School is situated in Cookworthy Road, North Prospect, Plymouth. North Prospect Primary School It was opened in September 1931 as North Prospect Primary School and was declared officially open by HRH the Duchess of York on Wednesday May 24th 1932. Between 5 and 8pm that evening the School building was opened to the public and while this was in progress there was an explosion in the central heating furnace room. The room became covered in soot and hot vapour scorched the faces of several of the people who were being shown the apparatus by its operator, 60-year-old Mr George Jewell of Stonehouse. The explosion blew the two cast-iron doors of the furnace across the room. Those who received injuries were: Mr Walter Eastlake; Mr Robert Venning and his brother, John; Mrs Hocking of Wordsworth Road and her 9-year-old daughter; Miss Betty Williams, aged 10 years; Master Terence Hancock, aged 9; Master James Carpenter, aged 13; Mrs Jane Crossman; Master Leonard Crossman, aged 14; Mrs Cooke of Allenby Road; Miss Lilian Ware, of Overdale Road; and a man whose eyes became inflamed. Four vehicles operated by the St John Ambulance Brigade and the Plymouth Ambulance Service, under Mr Hedley Miller and the Corps Superintendent, Mr W F Pethick, carried the injured to hospital. Sergeant Venning of the City Police, whose sons were injured, and two Constables were on duty at the time. The scene of the mishap was visited by the Director of Education, Mr E Chandler Cook; Mr J Wibberley, the City Engineer; Mr W C Johnson, the Chief Constable; and Superintendent Mead of the Fire Brigade. In 1955 the Headmaster of the junior school was Mr W H Davey BSc, and the Headmistress of the infant school was Miss I M Beveridge.
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