This school opened in 1755.
In 1742, John Crookes made a will setting aside £15 a year for a schoolmaster to teach 24 poor boys of Hartlepool and £5 to buy them books, stationary,shoes and stockings. This money was to be a charge on his estate in Stranton. For some reason the bequest became void and in 1755 his sister Ann conveyed her half of his estate to seven trustees to apply three quarters of the clear income for teaching as many poor boys of Hartlepool reading, writing and the principals of the Christian religion as the money would be sufficient for. The remaining quarter was to be spent on books and stationery and any left on shoes, shirts and stockings for them,
By 1834, this estate in Stranton was bringing in £30 per annum. A new trust required the master to teach 30 children, both boys and girls of Hartlepool, without charge in reading, writing and accounts. AS was usual in such schools,the master was allowed to admit fee paying pupils of which the number varied from 15 to 30.
Taken from Hartlepool Schools by Robert Wood 1970 Centenary Brochure
The Friendship Lane building was closed when a new school block was built on the corner of Moor and Brougham streets in 1871. This included a school room of 50 feet, a schoolmaster's house, a lavatory, classroom, playground, cloakroom and places for 185 boys. In 1885, 60 attended and in 1910, 144.
This was demolished in 1963 some time after it closed.
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Hartlepool Sports & Leisure
Ann Crookes Endowed School
