Chester Chronicle - Chester Memories

Memories of 178 years of St Paul's

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:25:45 +0000

ONE hundred years after the first attempt to shut it down, Boughton St Paul's Nursery and Infant School must finally close its doors to children.

The school, in Victor Street, will close next Friday, July 18, as part of Cheshire County Council's Transforming Learning Communities which blames falling rolls across the county.

Parents, staff and governors campaigned unsuccessfully for months to save the school but finally had to admit defeat.

Chairman of governors Susan Churchill says: "For generations Boughton St Paul's school has been an integral part of the community, offering not only superb education in a small, friendly environment but providing help and encouragement to the whole family.

"Over the difficult period of the closure of the school, families and friends have come together to help maintain that support for the children and teaching staff and have shown wonderful spirit.

"We will be sending our children on with a positive outlook and a secure knowledge base and a true value of friendship to spread to their next schools."

The school was founded in 1830 when St Paul's Church set up a day school in the parish for children of the workers of the mills and the leadworks.

In 1852 an additional school, Boughton Industrial School, was built on the corner of Hoole Lane and Boughton for destitute, orphaned and neglected children.

Five years later St Paul's Day school found a new home in the grounds of the industrial school and the next 50 years passed without incident.

In 1908, the year that whippings are listed in the punishment book, attempts to close both St Paul's Day School and the Industrial School failed.

In 1941 Boughton Nursery school moved to a new premises on the corner of Hoole Lane and what was Richmond Terrace.

The school as it is known today was built in 1972 and opened in 1973 on land adjacent to the existing school - the old school remaining in ruins for 10 years before Boughton Retail Park was built.
Ten years later, the school came under a second threat of closure, this time from Cheshire County Council but campaigners succeeded in keeping it open.

In 1995 a new school hall was added before a third attempt to close it in 1999.
In December 2006 Cheshire County Council's TLC (Transforming Learning Communities) programme is launched, threatening a number of primary school in the county with closure.

Unable to avoid the chop, campaigners eventually threw in the towel and pledged to celebrate the school's 178 year history and enjoy the final terms before closing the gates for the last time.

The school will be celebrating with a service at St Paul's Church on Wednesday July 16 at 6pm and all are welcome.

From Lunatic to Countess in 180 years

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:31:47 +0000

THE Countess of Chester Hospital acquired its present title at a "naming ceremony" in 1984.
And although the West Cheshire Hospital site has been a venue for health care since 1829 it hasn't always had such a flattering name.

The site was first known as the Cheshire County Lunatic Asylum when it opened in 1829. The original building, which housed 90 patients, was designed by county architect William Cole Jnr.
In 1855, the first of a number of name changes occurred when it became Cheshire Lunatic Asylum and in 1870, it became Chester County Lunatic Asylum.

In 1889, Cheshire County Council became responsible for the asylum and in 1899 the original name, Cheshire County Lunatic Asylum, was restored.

The early years of the 20th century saw significant advances in the treatment of, as well as changing attitudes towards, mental illness.

These were reflected in developments at the site.
A new pathology laboratory was opened and in 1914, an annex was built.

In 1921, the name "asylum" was dropped and the title, County Mental Hospital, was adopted.
In 1948 the National Health Service took over the running of the hospital from Cheshire County Council and it was renamed Upton Mental Hospital.

In the early 1950s it became the Deva Hospital.

Following the amalgamation of Chester and District Hospital Management Committee and Deva Hospital Management Committee in 1965, it was renamed the West Cheshire Hospital.

In 1983, a new general hospital and an accident unit were opened on the West Cheshire Hospital site and following the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales on May 30, 1984, the present name, Countess of Chester Hospital, was acquired.

Since the closure of Chester Royal Infirmary in 1996 and Chester City Hospital in 1994, the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust has become the area's main district general hospital that we know today.

Happy memories of a real community school

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:18:45 +0000

FORMER Harthill Primary School pupil Karen Wade contacted The Chronicle with her memories of the school after seeing the photos in the recent Nostalgia pages.

Mrs Wade, who now lives in Oldfield Road, Ellesmere Port, said: "Miss Crouch was the headmistress. Mrs Lowe taught the infants, then it was to Mrs Edmunds' class, Mrs Frost's class, finishing in Miss Crouch's class for the last year. Miss Crouch retired soon after we started and the new headmaster was Mr Gilbert who lived in Burwardsley.

"We moved from Tattenhall Primary School to Harthill so my sister started in Mrs Lowe's class in the infants and I went into Mrs Frost's class. This will have been around 1978/79 when I was eight or nine.

"Mrs Frost had actually taught my mum when she was at Holly Bank School as a little girl, and she still lives in Tattenhall!

"The school really supported the local community. Mrs Vaughan from Broxton was 'fortunate' to have a van and brought most of the children in it. I think there were around 84 children in the whole school at that time - although they did not all quite fit in the van.

"I remember the harvest festival service we used to have in Harthill church opposite, which is now also closed.

"Everyone would bring in a selection of food which would all be placed around the altar for the service and then given out to the local community. My mum has a local fruit farm, so I would usually bring a box of apples fresh from that year's harvest.

"We had a netball team and we used to go around the different local schools competing in matches. We had a sports day in the sports field down the bottom of the lane.

"We used to make things to sell on the different stalls that were there. I remember making water bottle covers in school with pretty stitching on them. We also did may pole dancing. Boys and girls danced together around the pole making the ribbons twist into different shapes.

"My nephew and cousin's son recently attended Harthill school but they have now had to move to Saighton school.

"It is sad that these community schools have to close, but unfortunately everything has to be costed out and goes if it is not efficient. Why couldn't the local schools have amalgamated into one? I am sure this was looked into and comes down to how many children will be coming into the schools in the following years.

"I remember my time at Harthill with fond memories and feel sad that the local community do not have access to such schools whose input into the local area brought families together.

"Well I hope you have enjoyed my memories, it has certainly made me think about very happy times."

A service of thanksgiving for the history of Harthill School at Burwardsley Parish Church in March was attended by more than 120 former staff and pupils.

Headteacher Mo Morron said: "It was like friends reunited with Harthill pupils from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s talking about old times. Some had never seen each other since they left school."

Are you researching your family tree? Ask a question about your ancestors for Chronicle readers to answer or send us your memories of past events in Chester, old schools, people or places.

Contact Rebecca Edwards on 01244 606415 or e-mail rebecca.edwards@cheshirenews.co.uk.

Tribute time for former school

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 19:55:58 +0000

GENERATIONS of pupils from a school which has now closed will gather on Sunday to share their memories of days in the classrooms.

Harthill Primary School shut in February after 140 years educating the local community's children.
A service will be held at Burwardsley Church at 2pm on Sunday Mar 16 for anyone associated with the school community.

Headteacher Mo Morron said: "It will be a celebration of the life of Harthill Primary School and all it has contributed to the local community over the last 140 years.
"Some children are coming back to take part in the service and give talks about their memories of the school."

The school was opened in 1868 as a Church of England school and closed under Cheshire County Council's Transforming Learning Communities review due to falling birth rates.

The Chronicle is interested in former pupils and staff's memories of Harthill Primary School. Tell us about your school days by leaving comments.

Appeal for details about RAF hero

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:48:31 +0000

A RESEARCHER is looking for information on an airman from Heswall who died in the Second World War.
Mike Kleinlugtebeld, of Zwolle, in the east of the Netherlands, is researching the air battles over his county, Overijssel, during the Second World War.

He said: "Of each airplane that crashed I try to find information as much as possible.
"With the information I try to make a story which will help to remember the men who gave their lives in my country during the Second World War.

"On the night of April 3, 1943 a Halifax bomber of 419 (RCAF) squadron crashed in a town named Olst, some fifteen kilometres from my hometown, killing all seven crew members. They were buried in Olst.
"I have no information about this crew. I am trying to found out more about these men, which will help to give them the recognition and honour they deserve and make sure they will never be forgotten.
"One of the crew members was Flying Officer Peter Delamere Boyd, a navigator. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission he came from Heswall, Cheshire.

"I was hoping if it is possible that you print my appeal in your newspaper. Hopefully it will bring up some information and photos of F/O Peter Delamere Boyd."

Mr Kleinlugtebeld says the Halifax II DT617 VR-G was part of 419 Squadron and taking part in Operation Essen. It was shot down by a nightfighter from III / NJG 1. This was Hptm Herbert Lütje. The Halifax crashed at 11.50pm at Olst.

The other crew members were Sgt S N Hall RCAF, P/O G W Lawry RCAF, Sgt J B Langley, Sgt L H Ransom, P/O H T Macdonald, Sgt B W Agar RCAF and T/o 1952 Middleton St.George.
If you have any information on Flying Officer Peter Delamere Boyd contact Mike at kleinlugtebeld@home.nl