Cuxton School...

Cuxton School, 2021...

Quite when the first local schools in Cuxton started up is unclear, but they were almost certainly in the form of “Dame’s Schools”. These schools were taught by a “school dame,” a local woman who would educate children for a small fee. At Dame’s schools, children were taught the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. Girls were often instructed in crafts such as knitting and sewing.

"The Dame School", by F.C. Cotman (1850-1920)...

From a drawing held at the Rochester Guildhall Museum, it appears that one such school was located at the Old Post Office Row, which used to be sited opposite the Parsonage. The drawing, (showing the Old Post Office Row to a remarkably -perhaps suspiciously- faithful degree) was possibly made by one of the school’s pupils...

Drawing of a "Dames School, Cuxton, Kent", date unknown (from Rochester Guildhall collection)...

Photograph of the Old Post Office Row, c.1900...

Another Dame’s School may have been at White Hart Farm: Medway Archives have an old daguerreotype-style photographic print of the building which bears the annotation “Dame’s School”.

In 1803, the Rector of Cuxton Church, Reverend Charles Moore, is recorded as having set up: 

“… a little school in the parish (where there was none before) and paying myself for the constant weekly schooling of eight or more poor children, giving them shoes and stockings in the winter to encourage them to be regular…”

The Church accounts at the time record a sum expended: “paid to Featherstones of Rochester for schooling – worsted and shoes - £7-12-6d.”

In 1826, William Hollingdale was recorded as being Cuxton’s parish Clerk and schoolmaster, suggesting that a school was by then in operation. This may have been sited at the parsonage (a location today occupied by Cuxton’s scout hall) which was at the time otherwise shunned by Cuxton’s rectors as too much of a damp and unpleasant place to permanently live.

It was the enterprise of another Cuxton rector, Canon Robert William Shaw, which led to the building of Cuxton’s first dedicated school. When Robert Shaw first came to Cuxton, the population of the village was around 370, but it was clear that local industries, particularly the cement industry, were poised to expand.

The original Cuxton school, 1919...

Foreseeing a need for permanent schooling to serve a growing number of children, Canon Shaw’s school was built on land just to the south-east of the church, close to the main road, and included accommodation for a schoolmistress. On its opening in 1849, the school could accommodate up to 70 pupils, who then came from both Cuxton and nearby Halling.

Cuxton's old school, with the nearby church in the background, c. 1920...

The Education Act of 1870 saw the building of additional capacity for infants in 1876 at a cost of £185, which was met by Lord Darnley, Canon Shaw and his friends and also some of the local yeoman (Messrs Wood, Pye and Weekes).

Cuxton School, c. 1930

The Act established a system of 'school boards' to build and manage schools in areas where they were needed. The boards were locally elected bodies which drew their funding from the local rates. Unlike “voluntary schools”, religious teaching in the board schools was to be 'non-denominational'.

In 1880 a further Education Act finally made school attendance compulsory between the ages of five and ten in order to try and stop child labour, though by the early 1890s attendance within this age group nationally was still only around 82 per cent.

Many children worked outside school hours - in 1901 the figure was put nationally at 300,000 - and truancy was a problem as many parents could not afford to give up income earned by their children, particularly at Cuxton when hop-picking and harvesting seasons came round. Some also simply could not afford to send their children to school as school fees were payable until a change in the law in 1891, although the church involvement at Cuxton made education available to many who could not otherwise have afforded it.

Further legislation in 1893 extended the age of compulsory attendance to 11, and in 1899 to 12.

Up to the death of Canon Robert Shaw in 1873, the school had been in the care of an uncertificated master. His successors, Canon Charles Colson and John Toone, subsequently oversaw the appointment of a series of qualified teaching professionals, including Mr. Thomas Strickson, who was headmaster of Cuxton School from 1900 until 1930.

Pupils of Cuxton School, 1877, with the Headmistress, Miss Elizabeth Percival and assistant Alice Percival..

By 1902 the population of Cuxton had also nearly doubled and the national Board of Education gave notice that a larger school would be required. 

The old Cuxton Chapel, c.2000 (prior to its relocation to the Museum of Kent Life at Sandling). It was used as a "overflow" school
building in 1903 until the completion of the "new" village school in 1905...
(source : Cuxton History fb page)

There was no room for further expansion at Canon Shaw’s school, and indeed, the children had been compelled to use the little green above the western side of the graveyard (now overgrown) as the play area.

Pupils of Cuxton school, c. 1900, with teacher Emma Osbourne...

A new National School was therefore built down in the village. The new school officially opened on Friday 6th. March 1906 and is still in use today (no cheap and nasty “aerated” concrete in that building!).

Pupils of Cuxton School, c. 1905, outside the old school with Headmaster Thomas Strickson...

The new national School under Headmaster Strickson appeared to have been run to very Victorian standards of discipline. Use of the cane was a common punishment and the curriculum was very much based on the “Three Rs”. 

A view of Bush Road from Six Acres, c. 1910, with the new school at centre.

Cuxton's new "National School", c.1907...

Things began to change upon his retirement in 1930, with his successor, Mr. R.H, White, being of a more liberal disposition despite his ex-Army background. 

Cuxton juniors, school photo, 1938...

Use of the cane as punishment became far less frequent and the curriculum changed to include more modern subjects (such as algebra) and to encourage organised sports and even gardening...

Cuxton School gardening class, 1931...(source : Cuxton History fb page)

The old school remained in use for a while as a Sunday school and church rooms, and the ground floor living accommodation was used by the school caretakers. Like many other of Cuxton’s old buildings, however, Canon Shaw’s school was finally demolished in 1964.

Demolition of the old Cuxton school, 1964...

These days, the much-extended Cuxton infants and primary school caters for nearly 400 pupils, many from outside of Cuxton itself.

Cuxton School, 1972...

References:

1) Cuxton - a Kentish Village by Derek Church, 1976 (ISBN 0 903253 12 7, published by Arthur J Cassell)

2) Cuxton - Its Past and People (written and published by Colin S Martin, 2005).