Church Close, old Hartlepool with the corner of St. Hilda's Hall on left, Church Close School, and Morrison Hall, circa 1940.

Church Close Boys School 1932

In 1st row is Harry Milburn (unknown which child). 

2nd row 2nd left is George Milburn. 

Some notes from Log Book of  CHURCH CLOSE SCHOOL  1872-78

The first 6 years of this school were plagued by very poor attendance, an ineffective school warden and many parents who seemed to place little value on education. The first two headmasters in this period appear from their notes and tone to have given up in frustration !

May 6^th 1872 School finally opened on this day. Teaching commenced with 9 boys and 2 girls             WJA Ball Headteacher

13^th       7 more boys and of the 17 on register, only 3 are able to read books of 1^st standard

15^th   8 boys and 4 playing truant

27^th May   The family of Dormands invariably come a few minutes before 10 o clock without reasonable excuse

Jun 19^th Thomas Mercer  and John Dormand  gone to examination at Wesleyan school

Jul 5^th Punished Alfred Hood for fighting

34 of the lower classes unable to tell letters

Sep 2^nd The boy Freeman daily playing truant

Oct 8^th  John Smith punished for truant

Nov 18^th The boys Gilchrist and the Bowmans absent again useless keeping them on registers

1873

Feb 4^th Gilchrists seldom at school. The boys Paterson always late

Mar 12^th The three Gilchrists truant and mother is worse

Feb 17^th Tom Goodwin truant

Mar 15^th Robert Dormand died after a 4 hour illness

May 5^th The migration of fishermen from the town to the coalfields is on increase and having marked effect. 31 boys removed.

May 12^th I find it impossible to get the boys here at 9 o clock. Another nuisance, from 15 to 20 boys have to leave school at 11.30 to carry dinners- I have decidedly failed in attempting to stop this- whenever the attempt has been made it is invariably resulted in moving the boys to other schools where the practice is permitted.

I have adopted this RULE  “ any child coming late cannot be permitted to leave the school before 12 o clock- sickness or any case of emergency excepted.

19^th I give the names of absentees to the Warden but never get any answers.

20^th “Minding the baby” seems to be a general excuse of non attendance. Many of these are truants

26^th At 5 minutes past 9 only 7 boys present. It is somewhat useless making out list of absentees- the Warden gives no account.

Jun 18^th There is a tendency of children running from school to school. It is useless trying to CLASS my school

Aug 25^th Reopened after Harvest Vacation. A number have left to go to the Wesleyans. Admitted James Mitchell, Charles Cotton, Edward Albert Cotton, Thomas Patterson, John Robinson, William Henry Gibb and John Alexander Cotton.

Sep 1^st  Andrew Brown has again put in an appearance. I have entered him 3 times now.

Sep 15^th Moved the infants to the Gallery.

Sep 22^nd Children moving from school to school. I fancy to throw the warden off the scent.

Oct 27^th     60-70  absent this morning ‘ a waste of time and paper sending lists to the warden’.

Nov 5^th Many absentees I fancy are looking after tar barrels.

Nov 24^th   81 absent this morning, many I have crossed off the register as they are playing the streets to evade the warden and pretend to be in attendance at some petty woman’s school.

Feb 6^th 1874    Gave up charge of this school . WJA Ball    Headmaster

March 13^th Took charge of Boys’ Dept on Monday 9^th . 54 the average attendance.

May 2^nd Atttendance thin visit of circus.

Jun 19^th Made list for warden but as having scarlet fever in his home is forbidden to make home visits.

Jul 10^th Average attendance 70.

Jul 23^rd Thin attendance as Annual Agricultural Show.

1875 May 22^nd  Attendance very thin hardly worth keeping school open.

Aug 6^th  Sgt Turnbull of Militia Staff stationed at Hartlepool Barracks took drill.

Sep 3^rd  Architect and builder visited school.

Oct 29^th Attendance average 142 but 4 have been absent over a month with no explanation.

1876 Apr 7th  I feel the vicar has been influencing certain parents to take their children away from the Board School to his own (Prissick Schools) 3 lost this way.

May 12^th I feel the school warden cannot be doing his duty.

May 19^th New school warden.

Jul 31^st  By a resolution of the School Board all children over the age of 7 should be drafted but the infant mistress refuses.

Aug 19^th None transferred from Infant School as there should be.

1878 Apr 11^th Have given up charge of the school.     James Bernard Ives Headmaster

Church Close School pictured in 1973.

Church Close School, old Hartlepool.

Church Close School in August 1982. The large building on the left is St. Hilda's Hall.

Church Close School, looking north from St Hilda's churchyard - the edge of the church can be seen on the extreme left. The two-storey building on the left is St. Hilda's Church Hall.

No Cup on display but first prize for the chirpiest group of footballers!

The board reads 'Church Close Council Girls, Group 4, 1921'. Sarah Dorothy Ambrose (born 24th July, 1912), was Margaret Handley's aunt.

Church Close School taken in 1982 prior to it being demolished in 1984. On the far side of the school is Morison Hall which had until 1936 been St Marks United Methodist Church.

Victoria Place is the street running east at the far side of St Hilda's churchyard.

Church Close School in 1982. The two-storey building on the right is the United Methodist Church, later Morison Hall.

A view of the side of Church Close School taken in 1973.