The seals attached to this are those of Frances Conington, James Conington and Benjamin Handley. There is a note in the margin that "James Conington came before me this day, and acknowledged this to be his deed, and prayed the same might be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery. Robert Chapman, Master in Chancery." Dated 6th March, 1786.

The actual terms of Richard Watson's will are these: "I am very desirous of establishing a small school within the town of Horncastle, wherein the children of such poor persons, as the Governors of the Grammar School shall think objects of charity, may be taught to read, knit, spin, and plain needlework, or sewing. I do therefore hereby earnestly request, will, and direct, my nephew and executor, after my decease, by deed, conveyance (&c.), to convey, and a.s.sure, to the said Governors, and their successors, for ever, all the lands situate in Croft, and all those messuages, cottages, or tenements, within the yards and pingle adjoining, situate in Far Street (now called West Street), Horncastle; and also that part of now inclosed arable, meadow, and pasture ground, lying in Wigtoft, containing 6 acres, 28 perches, now in the occupation of my cousin, William Watson, with appurtenances, upon the Trusts following, viz.: (1) to keep the house (school) in good repair, and the residence (2) for the maintenance of a proper master or mistress, to be from time to time nominated by them, to teach such poor children, &c."

It is then added that "the said Richard Watson dying on Sept. 30 (1784), the said Frances and James Conington, desirous to fulfil his bequest, agree to convey to the use of the said Governors, the said messuages, &c." An Indenture is added, witnessing "that on payment by Benjamin Handley of ten shillings to Frances and James Conington, they have granted, sold, and released" the aforesaid property, and "appointed by these presents from the day next before the date of the Indenture, all the said messuages, &c., called by the name of the 'ffoal thing,' {110a} and that plot commonly called 'Backside,' the closes in Croft ab.u.t.ting on the highway, and lands near the old sea bank; and land called the 'bridge plot' in Wigtoft (6 acres), a.s.signed to Richard Watson, by the award of the Commissioners appointed by Parliament, in the 12th year of His Majesty, for enclosing common and open fields (No. 40 in award map), with houses, barns, curtilages, and woods, to be held by the Governors of the Grammar School, the reversions, rents, &c., to the use of John Thorold (and the Governors), {110b} on trust, that the said Governors collect the rents, &c., and apply them as shall be required, from time to time, for poor children; and shall have power to erect a new school house, or alter, enlarge, &c., and to mortgage, &c., in order to provide suitable (premises), spinning wheels, &c., and to make rules for management, as shall to their judgment seem needed, agreeing with the said Benjamin Handley, and his heirs, &c., subject in all things to the Court of Chancery at Westminster."

The present status of the school is as follows: The original premises are still in use, standing in a retired position, in "Watson's Yard," about 50 yards from West Street; they consist of school buildings, play yard, and teacher's residence. In 1835 the school was enlarged and repaired.

In 1895 it was further improved by the removal of bedrooms above, when it was opened up to the roof; at the same time a commodious cla.s.sroom was added at the east end. Accommodation was thus provided for 120 children.

The increase in scholars necessitated an increase in the teaching staff, and the Head Teacher, Mrs. Robert Marshall, who was appointed in 1885, has, since these alterations, been a.s.sisted by an Under Mistress and two Monitors.

The scholars are of both s.e.xes, and between the ages of three years and seven. The school is conducted on Church of England principles, and examined by both Diocesan and Government Inspectors; a Government Grant being earned to supplement the funds of the Watson bequest. The scholars are taught reading, writing and arithmetic, with the various kindergarten subjects. The Secretary to the Charity, H. Tweed, Esq., Solicitor, of Horncastle, pays half the rents to the Lincoln County Council, for teachers' salaries, and retains the other half for repairs and incidental expenses. All the other tenements in Watson's Yard are the property of the Charity.

THE LANCASTERIAN & THE BELL SCHOOLS.

Beside the endowed schools, already described, the Grammar School for the middle and upper cla.s.s, and Watson's School for the children of the poorer cla.s.ses; there were two other schools before the present National Schools came into existence, the history of which is of some interest.

Weir, in his _History of Horncastle_, says "a school, on the Lancasterian, or British system, was established at a public meeting, held in October, 1813; and, a few days later, a meeting was held at the church, when it was resolved to establish a school on the plan of Dr.

Bell. Both buildings were erected in 1814, supported by voluntary contributions, each for about 200 children." {111}

This needs some explanation. Dr. Andrew Bell was an East Indian Company's Chaplain, stationed at Fort St. George, Madras, in 1789. He noticed, in the course of his duties, that in the native schools, beside the regular paid teachers, the more advanced pupils were also employed to instruct younger scholars; each pupil thus having a tutor, and each tutor a pupil; a system by which both were enabled to learn faster, and led to take more interest in their work, than would otherwise have been generally possible. Being an enthusiast in educational matters, he resigned his chaplaincy, with its good stipend, to inaugurate, and himself carry on, a school for the children of Europeans in the Presidency, on the same principles. The result was so satisfactory that on his return to England, in 1797, he published an account of what he called the "Madras, or Monitorial System," and endeavoured to introduce it in this country. Little progress, however, was made for some time, beyond the establishment of a charity school, on these lines, at St.

Botolph's, Aldgate, London, and a school at Kendal, Co. c.u.mberland.

About the same date Joseph Lancaster, a young Quaker, set up a school for poor children, before he was 19 years of age, in a room lent to him by his father, in the Borough Road, Southwark, and in a very short time he had nearly 100 under his charge. He also adopted the monitorial method, but, as a Quaker, omitting the Church teaching of the Bell schools.

Persevering in the work, he was received in audience by the King, George III., who gave him encouragement. He then travelled over the kingdom, giving lectures on the new mode of instruction; which in consequence spread with rapidity. In 1798 he taught about 1,000 boys, between the ages of 5 and 12 years, his sisters teaching some 200 girls.

Objections were made to the indefinite character of the religious teaching of a Quaker, by Professor Marsh, and others, and the Bell schools, with their Church instruction, had by the year 1818 become numerous. The services of Dr. Bell himself, in the cause of education had been recognised, and rewarded by a Canonry of Westminster. By the year 1828 upwards of 200,000 children were being taught on his system, and at his death, a few years later, he bequeathed 120,000 to carry on the work which he had so much at heart. {112a}

These two systems, the Lancasterian or unsectarian schools, and the Bell or church schools, continued to increase in number; there having been established in 1805 "The Royal Lancasterian Inst.i.tution," otherwise called "The British and Foreign School Society," while the Bell system was represented by "The Church of England National School Society."

The first Lancasterian or British School founded in Horncastle, in 1814, was located in premises adjoining the Wong, on the site afterwards occupied by the first Volunteer Drill Hall. It was afterwards transferred to what is now called Dog-Kennel Yard, occupying a building which had previously been a theatre, and which was partly fitted up with sittings removed from St. Mary's Church, giving accommodation for 200 children. Neither in its internal structure, however, nor in its situation in an out-of-the-way back yard, was the former theatre well adapted for school purposes; and although the late Mr. Samuel Goe had in 1869 bequeathed a legacy to the school, which rendered it almost independent of annual subscriptions, the establishment of a much more commodious school by the Wesleyans, in Foundry Street in 1860, affected it unfavourably, the number of scholars gradually decreased, and it was finally closed in 1876. {112b}

The Bell, or Church School, also built in 1814, and accommodating about 200 scholars of both s.e.xes, formed the nucleus of the present Church National Schools. These two schools, the Lancasterian or British, and the Bell or Church School, are the only public elementary schools, named in the _Gazetteers_ for many years, except the Watson Charity School, already described.

Of the present Church National Schools, that for infants was erected in 1860, that for boys in 1872, at a cost of about 1,000, the original building being now the girls' school; the whole affording accommodation for 300 children. These were, a few years ago, taken over by the Lindsey County Council (in 1893), and are now under both Diocesan and Government Inspection. {112c}

THE SCIENCE & ART SCHOOL.

With the establishment of Technical Schools this country may be said to have entered on a new era, in national education, which, in its development, may lead to results, the importance of which can hardly yet be realized. The possibilities are almost unlimited. A wide-spread network has been created, which may bring even the humblest members of our artisan families within its deneficial meshes, while also working at intervals, as opportunities offer, in our remotest villages.

This great movement, curiously, originated from dissension in Parliament, a remarkable ill.u.s.tration of the old adage, "'Tis an ill wind that blows no one any good." In the year 1890 the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in Lord Salisbury's ministry, {113a} introduced what was called "The Local Taxation (customs and excise) Bill," {113b} intended to empower County Councils to buy up the licences of superfluous public houses, and to compensate the publicans by grants of money. The funds for this purpose were not to be a charge upon the local rates, but to be provided by an increase of the duty on spirituous liquors. Strange to say, this measure was so persistently opposed by the temperance party, aided by others, who for the moment acted with them, that the proposed use of the money, thus raised, was at length abandoned, a considerable surplus, however, being thus at the Chancellor's disposal, after the reduction of several other taxes, the remainder was handed over to the County Councils, to be employed in the furtherance of technical education. The money thus set apart was called "the ear-marked money," and the measure enacting it was, somewhat unworthily, termed "The Whiskey Bill." Horncastle benefitted by a sum being placed to the credit of the local authorities for the establishment of a school of science and art; all such inst.i.tutions in the county being under the general direction of the organizing secretary, Mr. S. Maudson Grant, residing in Lincoln.

[Picture: St. Mary's Square]

At first cla.s.ses were held in the Masonic Hall, Bank Street; and in 1891 an efficient teacher, Mr. Mallet, was engaged to give commercial instruction in arithmetic, shorthand, &c., {114a} and he was very successful in getting pupils. In 1892 larger accommodation was required, and two rooms were rented, over what is now the Bicycle Depot of Mr.

Sorfleet, at 14, East Street; and Mr. Switzer was engaged as teacher of science and art, at a salary of 100 a year, being allowed further to augment his income by taking private pupils in certain other subjects.

About the same time 100 was spent on models, and other requisites; and by the close of 1892, Tetford, Wragby, and Woodhall Spa having been included in a general scheme for the district, it was found that the pupils attending the cla.s.ses already numbered 219; of whom 76 were under Mr. Mallet's instruction, 101 under Mr. Switzer, including 39 school teachers in the neighbourhood, attending on Sat.u.r.days; while 42 received special instruction from a qualified teacher in dressmaking. Operations were also, in the same year, extended to rural parishes, a meeting being held at Woodhall Spa, on Feb. 10, presided over by the Rev. T. Livesey, County Councillor, when a district embracing 20 parishes was formed; Mr.

Livesey being _ex officio_ Chairman of Committees, Canon J. Clare Hudson, Vicar of Thornton, appointed as acting Chairman, and the Rev. J. Conway Walter, Rector of Langton, Hon. Secretary.

This was followed by other meetings at Horncastle, at which, in due course, plans were matured for both town and country cla.s.ses in various subjects. On the death of Mr. T. Livesey, in 1894, Mr. Robert Searby, of Edlington, succeeded him as County Councillor, and took a great interest in the school; the late Mr. W. Brown, of the Capital and Counties Bank, was elected Chairman, and for several years he rendered most valuable service to the schools, being followed, on his decease in 1901, by Mr. R.

W. c.l.i.therow, Solicitor, who had previously acted as Treasurer. So far the whole scheme had been attended by the most marked success in all departments.

In the year 1894 the numbers of pupils, and of the subjects taught, had further increased; and it became necessary again to move into more commodious premises. The large building in Queen Street, which had been erected by the late Mr. F. Stevens, of Gordon Villa, and was then occupied by Miss Morris, as a school for young ladies, was rented, having two large cla.s.srooms and a smaller one.

Among the teachers who followed was Miss Annie Foster, who succeeded Mr.

Switzer in July, 1895, and continued as head of the Inst.i.tution for nearly six years. She was a most enthusiastic and energetic worker, and under her the schools attained the highest point of success, both as regards the number of pupils attending and the variety of subjects taught. The school at this time had attained to the highest degree of efficiency which it is ever likely to reach. Not only had Horncastle pupils taken more prizes than those of any other technical school in the Parts of Lindsey, but on the visit of the Government Inspector, Mr.

Minton, at the prize-giving in September, 1896, he stated that the school occupied the third place in all England. {114b}

In the year 1899 again the Inspector, on his examination in October, reported its state as being "very satisfactory," and in that year grants were earned of 140 from the County Council, 35 from South Kensington Science and Art department, 50 from the Whitehall department, 12 from fees for science and art teaching, 10 from the evening continuation cla.s.ses, a total of 247. Miss Foster was a.s.sisted by Miss M. E. Edgar.

A former pupil, Mr. C. H. Stevens, a native of Horncastle, was also appointed a.s.sistant Master, until he was promoted to take charge of a technical school at Folkestone. Mr. A. Blades, of the London University, Junior Master of the Grammar School, was for a time an a.s.sistant. At the end of 1900 (Nov. 15) Miss Foster resigned, being promoted to the head teachership of the Camden School of Art, in London. Miss M. E. Edgar, who had been a.s.sistant teacher for several years, was at this date appointed Head Teacher, in the Science and Art department, Mr. C. W.

Gott, of the Grammar School, B.A. of London University, becoming Head Master of the evening continuation school, and Mr. H. J. Haddock teacher of shorthand.

It would not be possible, nor is it desirable, here to go into full details as to all the work done; but as, in future years, it may be interesting to have some record of the progress in the earlier days of this Inst.i.tution, and as the writer of these pages has been closely connected with the school, from its first inception, a summary of the more important particulars is here given.

In the spring of the year 1896, a course of public lectures, ill.u.s.trated by lantern views, was given by himself, descriptive of his own travels in Egypt, which were attended by full audiences of junior pupils, and many adults. In 1897 he gave a similar series of lectures on his travels in Palestine, and these proving equally popular, a third supplementary course was given by him in 1898.

In 1898 ill.u.s.trated lectures were also given by the Rev. J. A. Penny, Vicar of Wispington, on "The Abbeys and Castles of England," and as being very instructive on the subject of architecture, these were largely attended. They were followed by a course, which proved very interesting, given by Mr. R. W. c.l.i.therow, the Treasurer, descriptive of a walking tour made by himself, among the scenery of the English lakes. He also gave an instructive lecture on Canada.

In the spring of 1898 the Head Teacher, Miss Foster, gave a series of lectures on "Physiography," being an account, the result of most careful study and practical investigation, of the various geological formations and fossils of the earth, ill.u.s.trated by specimens largely of her own collecting. {115} These were very instructive, and attended by a fairly numerous cla.s.s of pupils.

Other valuable courses of lectures were given during this early period of the school's existence. In the autumn of 1896 Dr. R. McLay, of Horncastle, was engaged by the Committee to give lectures in the Masonic Hall, on "First Aid to the Injured," under the St. John's Ambulance regulations. The pupils, numbering 25, were afterwards examined by Dr.

G. M. Lowe, of Lincoln, when 23 of them pa.s.sed as ent.i.tled to St. John's Ambulance Certificates. So much interest was shewn in these lectures (to which policemen were specially invited), that it was resolved, in the following year (1897), that the services of Dr. McLay should be secured for a repet.i.tion of them, with increased remuneration. They were again given in the autumn of that year (beginning Oct. 18), when 24 persons attended, of whom 16 presented themselves for examination, which was again held by Dr. Lowe, all of whom pa.s.sed with credit, and gained ambulance certificates. We give these particulars as shewing the value of the work done at this period.

Similarly valuable instruction has been given in later years, but, with diminished funds available, and cla.s.ses smaller, owing doubtless to the exhaustion in some degree of the stream of candidates for instruction, compared with its flush at the outset of the school's existence, fewer lectures on these extra subjects have been given; and instruction has been confined to more ordinary, but not less useful, work, in drawing, geometric and from models; modelling in clay, painting in water colours and oils, book-keeping, arithmetic, shorthand, French, and so forth.

To show that the school has continued to do good work, we may state that on January 25, 1906, a meeting was held for the annual prize giving, when close upon 70 pupils, of both s.e.xes (69), received rewards, several of them for success in four or five different subjects. For the year 19056 the school received a grant of 100 from the County Council, 25 from the Horncastle Urban Council, and the fees of pupils paid about half the expenses.

We now give a brief account of the more important of the work carried on during the same period in the country parishes. In March, 1892, the first "pioneer" lecture was given at Woodhall Spa, on Horticulture, by Mr. Horace Huntly, lately in charge of the Duke of Bedford's gardens at Woburn Abbey, Beds. This was well attended, and the instruction given was most useful, for the better cultivation of cottagers' gardens. This was followed by a course of three lectures on the same subject, in March of the succeeding year. In April of the same year (1892), a series of six lectures were given at Stixwould and Horsington, by Miss Kenealy, of the National Health Society, on the subject of home nursing, and treatment in cases of accident, fevers, &c. These also proved so instructive that she was engaged to repeat them in the summer of the following year; and they were given in eight different parishes, beginning with Langton on June 5th; the attendances being very large, in one case 70 being present.

Mr. Robert Jalland, Surgeon, of Horncastle, also gave a lecture at Kirkby-on-Bain, in April of the same year, on the subject: "How to secure healthy homes," which was very instructive and well attended, over 40 being present. In the autumn of that year a series of five lectures on Cookery were given by Mrs. Pierce, of the National Health Society, at four centres, Roughton, Thimbleby, Horsington, and Minting, beginning on Oct. 10th, and continued weekly. These were considered so instructive that the Secretary, having made notes of them, was requested to have 500 copies printed, for free distribution, which was done.

In January of 1893 lectures on b.u.t.ter-making, with practical demonstrations, were given by Miss Carter, a professional teacher with certificate of the B.D.F.A., in nine parishes, from Jan. 12th to 24th.

Lessons in sheep shearing were given in May, at eight centres, Roughton, Kirkstead, Woodhall, Langton, Wispington, Stixwould, Bucknall, and Thimbleby, the teachers being Mr. S. Leggett of Moorhouses, Boston, and Mr. R. Sharpe of Horsington; prizes of 1 and 10/- being given to the most proficient pupils.

In 1894 lessons were given in hedge plashing, on Mr. Gaunt's farm at Waddingworth, in November, the teacher being Mr. H. Butler of Greetham, money prizes being given. Lessons in under-draining were given on Mr.

Carter's farm at Bucknall, in December, the teacher being Mr. W. Scott of Hatton, money prizes being also given.

In 1895 lectures on poultry keeping were given in February, by Mr. E.

Brown, F.L.S., and Mr. F. Parton, at five centres; and they also visited various farmyards in the neighbourhood to give practical advice; these lessons were well attended. Lessons in horse shoeing were given at Horncastle, for the neighbourhood, by Mr. J. B Gresswell, M.R.V.C., of Louth, in May and June, at which nine blacksmiths attended; certificates of the National a.s.sociation of Farriers being awarded. Lessons on sheep shearing were given at Thimbleby, Kirkstead, and Bucknall, in June, the teacher being Mr. R. Sharpe of Horsington. Dairy lessons on b.u.t.ter making and stilton cheese production were given by Miss Carter, at Woodhall Spa, Kirkby-on-Bain, Minting, and Reed's Beck, in October and November. Lessons in under-draining were given on Mr. F. W. Scott's farm, at Bucknall, in December, the teacher being Mr. W. Scott of Hatton, and money prizes given. Two lectures on bee keeping were given at Woodhall Spa, in November, 1895, by Mr. W. J. Banks of the Grammar School, Wragby, which were well attended; the same gentleman also giving a practical demonstration of the same, by request, at the Manor House, Woodhall Spa, in August of the following year (1896).

[Picture: Bridge Street]

In 1896 Hedge Plashing lessons were given, in January, at Stixwould, Bucknall, and Horsington, the teacher being Mr. W. Scott of Hatton. The Head Secretary, Mr. S. Maudson Grant, was present and said he was "much pleased with the work done." Lessons in stack thatching were given, in September, in the yards of Mr. H. N. Coates, of Langton, Mr. R. Roberts, of Thimbleby, and Mr. S. Harrison, of Roughton, to ten candidates, the teacher being Mr. Isaac Storey, of West Ashby. These extended over four days, and were p.r.o.nounced by the General Secretary, Mr. S. Maudson Grant, of Lincoln, to be "highly satisfactory." In November lessons in under-draining were again given by Mr. W. Scott, of Hatton, on the farm of Mr. Joseph Clifton, of Horsington, to two cla.s.ses of candidates, those over and those under 24 years of age, and were well attended.

In 1897 hedge plashing lessons were given in February, on the farm of Mr.