- Introduction
- The Chantry School
- KM Free Grammar
- Malham
- Malham Girls School
- Scosthrop
- Malham Tarn
- KM United School
- Airton
- Lee Gate & Bordley
Clicking on most pictures will show a larger version
High Barn Cottage, supposed site of the Malham Girls School.
The History of Education in Malhamdale
Malham Girls’ School
There is some scant evidence for the existence of a school for girls in the Parish of Kirkby in Malhamdale as early as 1815. The Borthwick Institute has a series of Day School Returns dated in the latter half of 1815 and the beginning of 1816. The return for Kirkby Malham parish is itself undated but is identical in format to those that are, and in answer to the question “What is the number of day schools in your parish?”, the response is “3 day schools, 2 principally for boys, 1 for girls. Pupils: 53 boys; 38 girls.”.
However, by 1818 the parochial return made to the parliamentary committee appointed to inquire into the education of the poor lists only the grammar schools at Kirkby and at Malham, with a total of seventy pupils attending.
A Girls’ School certainly did operate in Malham in the years prior to the opening of the United School. This school was endowed with one thousand pounds by Thomas Clapham. The Charity Commissioners’ inquiry into the charities of the parish of Kirkby in Malhamdale held on June 21st 1893 gives detailed information about the endowment, describing it as Thomas Clapham’s Gift, although in later years it is often referred to as “The Malham Charity”.
His will, proved at York on March 23rd 1846, bequeathed the sum of one thousand pounds to Thomas Preston of Scosthrop. The inquiry report states, “No trusts were declared of this sum, but Mr Preston, in pursuance apparently of an agreement made with the testator in his lifetime, applied the money to the endowment of a small school for girls, which was carried on in a cottage in the township of Malham”.
The general belief in Malham is that it was in High Barn Cottage and
this is supported by the fact that Mr Ted Holmes, the present occupant,
has found a number of slate pencils behind the window seats.
The bequest was not actually transferred to Thomas Preston until April 28th 1852 by which time it had grown to £1037. 12s. 4d. and was invested in Consols.
We have not been able to ascertain precisely when the school was founded but when the Malham Free Grammar School was inspected in the 1860s the inspector, Mr J G Fitch, in his report, published in 1869, refers to a Girls’ School “recently established in the village under the care of a certificated mistress”. He also records that in 1864 nine girls had attended the Free Grammar School who had since entered the Girls’ School.
It has not proved possible to discover the name of the schoolmistress,
the number of girls attending, or anything of the standard of education.
When the scheme was drawn up for the establishment of the United school
it was initially hoped to include the Girls’ School but certain conditions
were imposed by Thomas Preston which the Endowed Schools Commissioners
could not accept. However, shortly after the new school opened the Girls’
School did merge with it and the accounts for the United School for 1874/75
include an item of £146. 15s. 11d. received from Mr Preston being
the accumulated balances on Malham Girls’ School account.
Although the income from the Malham Charity was applied to the new school and Thomas Preston became one of its first Cooptative Governors, the capital sum was not immediately transferred. Mr Preston died in the early 1880s and Mr James Hammond became the trustee. Eventually, in June 1892 the sum of £1037. 12s. 4d. became part of the general endowment of the United School.
This is a transcript of a document (Ref: Y/DSR.44) held in the Borthwick Institute, York. The document itself is undated and unsigned but is one of a series of returns made from the parishes in 1815 to the Archdeacon of York.
Day school Returns - Parish of Kirkby Malham
1st- What is the number of day schools in your parish; and what number of children attend them, distinguishing Boys and Girls?
Answer: There are three day schools in this Parish; two principally for Boys, and one for girls. The number of Boys who attend them is fifty three – the number of girls 38.
2nd- What Sunday Schools, and what number of Children are collected in them, distinguishing Boys and Girls?
Answer: There is one Sunday School, and the number of children collected is twenty Boys and Twenty five Girls.
3rd- Are they conducted in whole, or in part, on the National Society’s Plan of instruction?
Answer: Wholly on the old plan.
4th- When were they established, and how are they supported?
Answer: The Sunday School has been only recently established – the children find their own books and the Teachers attend voluntarily expecting no remuneration.
5th- If on the old Plan, are the present Teachers likely to be induced to learn and practice the new method?
Answer: No objection would be made to the new method.
6th- In that case, what number of Children are capable of being collected for instruction, within a walk of two miles?
Answer: There might be collected within this distance about a hundred children.
7th- What causes operate to prevent the adoption of the method of instruction recommended by the National Society – and how can they best be removed? With any general remarks that occur.
No answer given.
