Rode Methodist School
Rode Methodist VC First School was built and endowed by the generosity of the Pooll family. The land was originally owned by Ann Bailey (nee Pooll), who lived in the adjoining property Mayfield House. It opened in September 1859 with 73 pupils and the first head teacher was Lewis Samson, who stayed for 23 years. The end of year report read:
“This school has recently opened in a neat and substantial building liberally supplied with all needful apparatus and presented to the connection by long tried friends. In reading and writing careful teaching is manifested, the order is excellent, the children well behaved, but have yet to be roused to mental activity and sustained attention.”
A postcard of Townsend in 1900 shows the school with a spire (see figure 13). The following is from a work by Paul Stacey, school pupil, son of one of its head teachers and chairman of the parish council who died in 1998:
“In 1909 the school was enlarged with the addition of the southern section of the current infant classroom and is distinguishable by its parquet floor. By 1922, the National School in Rode Hill had closed and this brought a considerable influx of children. Mr. William Goulter, who attended the school well remembers Mr. Line announcing the achievement of 100 pupils (5 to 14 year olds) at the school. In 1933 the Education Act enforced the separation of Primary and Secondary children and the school became Rode Methodist Primary School. In 1939 we not only risked invasion from Germany, but Rode was in fact raided by evacuees from Shepherd’s Bush in west London. Mr. Richards’ large class was pressed in to the ‘big’ room whilst we poor Rode-ites were consigned to the remaining two smaller rooms. The real trouble came in the playground where we proved hardly a match for the physically bigger Cockneys. However, despite this, many happy memories of our relationships with the Barrys, Soames, Challis etc. linger to this day.
The next important development occurred in 1974, when Middle School education came to the Frome area. The 10 and 11 year olds were bussed to Frome along with the older pupils and Rode became a First School for pupils aged between five and nine. This was followed ten years later by a remodelling of the school to bring it to the standards expected in the eighties. A splendid new Hall was built together with new indoor toilet facilities and separate office and staff accommodation. Add to this much larger playgrounds, a small playing field and approximately 60 happy children and there you have our village school.” [Extract from “A History of Some of the Old Buildings in Rode” by Dawna Pine, second edition]
Today the school continues to operate as part of a federation with Norton St. Phillip First School https://www.rodeandnortonschoolfederation.co.uk/
Road’s Wesleyan Methodist Chapel 1809 and School 1859
By John Millns in 2012
From a recent conversation with local historian Peter Harris of Rode, the jottings of the late Paul Stacey, (whose father F Newman Stacey was the organist at Rode Methodist Chapel and headmaster at the school in the village around 1928-1932), surprisingly confirm the Pooll family were also the main source of funding of Rode’s Wesleyan Methodist Chapel built in 1809 and Rode Wesleyan Methodist Elementary School opened in September 1859.
1858: Examination of Road’s Wesleyan School records recently deposited at Bristol records office in 2012, show that on 26 March 1858 Mrs Ann Bailey (nee Pooll), a widow of ‘Road’ assigned two Messuages and Tenements, and Garden to her brother Thomas Pooll Esquire of Merfield House, Road, for £110. It would appear from these Deeds that this property was originally owned by a Richard Bailey, a cloth weaver, and his wife Rebecca back in 1777 – perhaps relatives of Ann’s husband.
Thomas Pooll died shortly after the Assignment on 11 February 1859 aged 80.
Above: Assignment of 26 March 1858
1860: On 6 April 1860 an Assignment of a School House, Playground and Premises at Road in the County of Somerset was signed between Thomas’s older brother Henry Batten Pool Esquire of Road and Mr James Payne Budgett of Bradford-on-Avon a Grocer, and eight other Trustees including Rev James Mowatt Superintendent Minister of the Frome Circuit in the Methodist Connexion.
Above: Assignment of 6 April 1860
1868: On 18 January 1868 a Declaration of Trust between Mrs Ann Bailey, widow, her spinster sister Miss Martha Pooll and Mr John Robinson Kay Esquire and others.
Signatures and seals on the 1868 Trust
Further references to the school are set out below:
Rode Methodist School
Some extracts from Mr. Hopkins Researches (probably extracts from newspapers):
30th July 1861: On 30th July 1861 the children of the Wesleyan Day and Sabbath Schools (about 1840) had their annual treat courtesy of Mrs. Bailey and Miss Pooll. The children enjoyed tea and plum cake and then took part in various games and singing. A large quantity of fruit was also provided for them. When the children had gone the teachers and some other friends had their tea in the schoolroom and they also had fruit supplied – by the same two ladies mentioned above. The evening was spent in social conversation and song. During the evening the Road Drum and Fife Band played to the assembled villagers and at one time over 40 had gathered to listen.
18th August 1861: On Sunday afternoon 18th August all dissenting Sunday schools in Road came together in the Temperance Hall where a service was held and an address given.
Extracts from Directories
Kelly 1852/53 There is a Wesleyan School for boys and girls and also a Sunday school; Wesleyan School (boys and girls) Sampson Lewis Master
Kelly 1861 Wesleyan (Boys and girls) Sampson Lewis, Master
Kelly 1866 Wesleyan (Boys and Girls) Sampson Lewis, Master
P.O. 1866 Wesleyan (Boys and Girls) Sampson Lewis, Master
Morris 1872 Wesleyan (Boys and Girls), Sampson Lewis, Master
P.O. 1875 Wesleyan (Boys and Girls), Sampson Lewis, Master
P.O. 1883 Wesleyan (Boys and Girls)Sampson Lewis, Master, Mrs. Mary Eliza Lewis, Mistress
Kelly 1885/8 Wesleyan – built by Batten Pooll family 1860, average attendance ? S.Penrose, Schoolmaster
Kelly 1902 Wesleyan (mixed), built by Batten Pool family in 1860 for 130, average attendance 68, William Robinson, Master
Kelly 1906 Wesleyan average attendance 70, William E. Eccleston, Master
Kelly 1914 Wesleyan (mixed) built and endowed by Batten Pooll family in 1860, enlarged in 1909 at a cost of about £390 for 150 children. Average attendance 65. Seth Robert Beagle, Master
Kelly 1927 Public Elementary School. F. Newman Stacey, Master
Kelly 1931 Attached to the Rode Elementary School there is a fund of about £3,500 bequeathed by the Batten Pooll family, which is for the most part available for children desirous of attending a secondary school.
Extract from an unknown source 1944 (possibly village magazine or local newspaper):
1944: On 22nd September the Methodist Day School celebrated harvest festival and the opportunity was taken. to make a presentation- to Miss. R. E. Martin on her retirement after many years as Infant Dept. Mistress. Captain W. S. Batten Pooll spoke and then handed Miss. Martin a cheque for £8 15. 0d from the managers, staff, children and parents. Mrs. H. Fussell had collected the monies. At the same time the new Infant Dept. Mistress was welcomed – Miss. Price of Frome – by the Head Mistress Miss. G. Sewell.
Extract from the Link – July 1982 (possibly by Paul Stacey):
Rode Methodist School Educational Trust
In the last century a series of bequests was made to provide for the work of the Methodist Primary School and to help those showing most academic promise to go on to secondary school.
The Trustees set up to administer what was a most valuable fund are today chosen from among the present Rode Methodist School governors. Sadly, the cost of inflation in the past century has reduced the value of the fund to a very small amount.
Within the small sum now available the Trustees are bound to follow the terms of the foundation, which are:
1. To provide anything they feel needed in the way of property or teaching personnel for the Rode Methodist school and insurance
2. To assist where merited with the education of any child who attended Rode Methodist School or who is due to attend Rode Methodist School.
As a guide to what the Trustees might be able to do, they could assist in the purchase of one or two books (depending on price) in appropriate circumstances by a student going to University (such an allocation could take all the trust income for a whole year!!).
Though it may only be a small amount the Trustees are able to offer they will do whatever they can to assist. Applications must be made in advance to the Chairman of the Trustees, the Rec. Leslie Marsh, Wesley Manse, 1 Wesley Villas, Frome BA11 1HP
From the Programme produced for 125 year Anniversary 27th March 1985 (words in italics have been added by hand on the programme):
The school was founded in 1860. The earliest log books are lost, but records are intact from 1902.
There were 81 children in the school in 1905, when Mr. W. E. Eccleston was Headteacher. In 1906 Mr. S. R. Beagle replaced him, and during his Headship a new classroom was added (1910), which is now part of Class 2 room.
Miss Blanche Titterton became Head mistress in 1917. At the end of her time the other school in Rode village, the C of E Board school that was in Langham Place, was closed and all the children came to our present school after 1922.
Mr. F. Newman Stacey was Headmaster from 1926-1931. During his time a school uniform of hats and caps was adopted, and the wireless was installed in September 1939.
After 1931 the eleven year old children started to go to Frome to continue their education. Before 1931 most children stayed at Rode for the whole of their schooldays. We still have some of the gardening tools used by the ‘big boys of those days.
Miss Stella Gibson Gilson was Headmistress from 1932-1941. She must have been glad when a water main was laid to the school in 1938 and three wash basins were fitted. A year later the school was being shared with evacuees in the early days of the war. The blackout over the windows was finally removed in September 1945 when Miss J. J. Shearman was Headteacher.
The school celebrated its centenary in 1960 during the Headship of Mrs. E. H.G. Irvine. One of the high spots was a performance of ‘Pinnochio’ (sic) in the Village Hall. Pupils were given a commemorative medal (see below).
When Miss Pullin came to the school in 1966 the playground was still divided into a part for boys and a part for girls separated by a high wall. This was removed in 1967 but even without it the playground was still very small. The first telephone was installed in January 1969; before that urgent calls were made from ‘Rogers’ shop (two doors down High Street). The school roll rose to 85 in 1972, when the Governors acquired the Pratten Hut as we had three classes from 1971.
By 1974 the school had lost its 11+ and 10+ children to the middle school re-organisation and Rode school became a First School. Numbers dropped to between 60 and 70 where they have remained for the last ten years.
The school status changed from V.A. to V.C. in 1976. This meant that the County became responsible for additions and improvements. After this it was only a matter of time before the school was remodelled. Building commenced in October 1983. The pictures below show some of the work in progress summer 1984:
Headteachers of Rode School
Mr. W. S. Eccleston March 1904 – June 1906
Mr. S. R. Beagle July 1906 – June 1917
Miss B. Titterton June 1917 – Aug. 1922
Mr. W. Line Sept. 1922 – July 1925
Mr. F. Newman Stacey Sept. 1925 – Dec. 1931
Miss O. Whitehouse (s) Jan. 1932 – Apr. 1932
Mr W. T. Herridge (s) April 21st – 29th 1932
Miss Evelyn Meredith May 1932 – June 1933
Miss Stella E. F. Gibson July 1933 – Sept. 1941
Miss Gwennyth Sewell Oct. 1941 – April 1945
Miss J. J. Shearman May 1945 – July 1951
Miss J. G. Tucker Sept. 1951 – April 1955
Mrs. E. H. G. Irvine April 1955 – Dec. 1960
Miss M. D. Perraton Jan. 1961 – July 1965
Miss I Beynon (s) Sept. 1965 – Dec. 1965
Mr. J. J. Painting (s) Jan. 1966 – July 1966
Miss M. E. Pullin Sept. 1966 – April 1985
s = County Supply
Short History of Rode Methodist Voluntary Controlled First School by Paul Stacey
(amongst Paul Stacey’s papers with corrections of known errors by Peter Harris. Paul Stacey attended the school and his father, F. Newman Stacey was headmaster from 1925 to 1931. Paul died in 1998)
The Road Wesleyan Elementary School, as it was then named, opened its doors for the first time in September 1859. It had been built and endowed through the generosity of Henry Pooll, Lord of the Manor, who lived at Northfield House. This residence later became Rode Manor and after the estate was sold in 1955, the house was sold several times for the new owners each to plunder the lead, the wood panelling and finally the stone of which it was built. In 1962 the gardens and woods became the Rode Tropical Bird Gardens. The reason for Henry Pooll’s generosity is hinted at in a book by relative Captain A. H. Batten Pooll, where he writes that Henry Pooll had become exasperated with the local Anglican Clergy whom he considered less active than they might have been. He decided that his money would be better spent in the Wesleyan cause. He had already contributed to the building of the Wesleyan Chapel in the village at the eastern end of Townsend Street in 1809.
The school was built by a Frome builder for 130 pupils, but was rarely filled to capacity. For instance in 1902, when William Robinson was master, there was an average attendance of 68 pupils.
In 1909 the school was enlarged by another Frome builder, F. J. Seward. This added the southern section of the current infant classroom and is distinguishable by its parquet floor. By 1922, the National School in Rode Hill had closed and this brought a considerable influx of children. Mr. William Goulter, who attended the school well remembers Mr. Line announcing the achievement of 100 pupils (five to 14 year olds) at the school.
Two events in 1933 brought about important changes at the school. First the Education Act enforced the separation of Primary and Secondary children and the school became Rode Methodist Primary School. Secondly, three strands of Methodism, the Wesleyans, the Primitive Methodists and the Independent Methodists were united, thus changing the name.
In 1939 we not only risked invasion from Germany, but Rode was in fact raided by evacuees from Shepherd’s Bush in west London. Mr. Richards’ large class was pressed in to the ‘big’ room whilst we poor Rodeites were consigned to the remaining two smaller rooms. The real trouble came in the playground where we proved hardly a match for the physically bigger Cockneys. However, despite this, many happy memories of our relationships with the Barrys, Soames, Challis etc linger to this day.
The next important development occurred in 1974, when Middle School education came to the Frome area. The 10 and 11 year olds were bussed to Frome along with the older pupils and Rode became a First School for pupils aged between five and nine. This was followed ten years later by a remodelling of the school to bring it to the standards expected in the eighties. A splendid new Hall was built together with new indoor toilet facilities and separate office and staff accommodation. Add to this much larger playgrounds, a small playing field and approximately 60 happy children and there you have our village school.
Jottings by Paul Stacey
Teacher Fanny (Rose) Martin had a wig, which she adjusted in a mirror after taking off her broad-brimmed hat with a pin at the back and at the side. She was a martinette; used smacking with a pointer to make left-handed children write with the right hand.
Methodist school was built in 1859 by builders Davis of Frome; also built the Church School on the site of the bungalow in Langham Place. Mrs. Cray of Shawford Farm attended the Methodist School and Miss Woolley the Church School and they never met as children. The school on the site in Langham Place was Road Hill School.
From documents produced for 150 year Anniversary 2010:
Rode Methodist V. C. First School
1860 – 2010
150 year celebrations
1860 Roll 73. “This school has recently opened in a neat and substantial building liberally supplied with all needful apparatus and presented to the connection by long tried friends. In reading and writing careful teaching is manifested, the order is excellent, the children well behaved, but have yet to be roused to mental activity and sustained attention”
1880 Highest number on roll 136
1908 New classroom built
1922 National school closed and joined Methodist
1928 Wireless installed
1931 Became primary.
1944 School dinners started
1950 Lowest number of pupils 25 again in 1965
1958 Mr. Fussell gave a piece of land at the end of the girls playground
1967 Wall dividing the playgrounds removed
1968 Woolverton children joined
1969 Telephone installed
1971 Heaters fitted in toilets
1972 Pratten hut arrived
1973 11+ and 10+ children leave
1974 Became a first school
1976 School status changed from VA to VC
1980 First sports day on village playing field
1984 Remodelling completed.
1985 Official opening of new build and 125 year celebration.
2010 150 year celebration and the official opening of the new classroom.
Head Teachers
Samson Lewis 1860 – 1883 Miss G. Sewell 1941 – 1945
John Skelton 1883 – 1885 Miss Shearman 1945 – 1951
Samuel Penrose 1885 – 1893 Miss Tucker 1951 – 1955
William Robinson 1893 – 1904 Mrs. E. Irvine 1955 – 1961
William Eccleston 1904 – 1906 Miss. D. Perraton 1961 – 1965
Seth R. Beagle 1906 – 1917 Miss. J. Beynon 1965 – 1966
Miss B. Titterton 1917 – 1922 Mr. J. Painting Jan – Jul 1966
Walter Line 1922 – 1925 Miss. M. Pullin 1966 – 1985
F. Newman Stacey 1925 – 1931 Mrs. S. Edwards 1985 – 1990
Mrs. E. Meredith 1932 – 1933 Mrs. Vinney 1990 – 2003
Miss Gilston (sic) 1933 – 1941 Mrs. C. Tommey 2003 – 2020
Georgina Muxworthy 2021 –
Most of the photos above were accompanied by hand-written lists of the names of the pupils in each picture, and where available, these are set out below:
Note 1: 1922 – 25
Front row (left to right): 1 NK, 2 Ian Marchant, 3 NK, 4 NK, 5 NK, 6 Lawrence Marchant, 7 NK
Second row: 1 NK, 2 NK, 3 NK, 4 NK, 5 NK, 6 NK
Third row: 1 NK……5 NK
Back row: 1 NK (head teacher), 2 Mrs Perret? (assistant)
Note 2: c1923
Boys: Albert Humphries (far right, back row), Tom Moore (2nd from right, back row), Harry Broadway (3rd from right, back row), Cecil Webb (4th from left, back row), Dennis Whittleton (3rd from left, back row), Willis Vincent (2nd from left, back row), Harold Moore, Douglas Webb, Stanley Newman, Bob Joyce (far right, kneeling), Percy Humphries, Ronnie Williams
Girls: Evelyn Joyce, Maggie Broadway (2nd from right, 3rd row), Winnie Rugg, Lilly Sparey, Jessie Williams, Joan Noad, Gwen Sparey, Emily Sparey (3rd from left, 3rd row), Hilda Vincent, Molly Moore, Vera Broadway (far right, front row), Doris Martin, Phillis Humphries, Betty Whittleton
Teachers: Miss Coles, Miss Buckland
Note 3: 1925 – 31 (from notes by Paul Stacey)
Front row (left to right): 1 John Dunford, 2 Tony Stacey, 3 NK, 4 Mabel Humphries, 5 Dennis Humphries, 6 Bill Attfield
Middle row: 1 J Moger, 2 NK, 3 NK, 4 NK, 5 Vic Millett, 6 NK, 7 Fred Warren
Back row: 1 Miss Summers, 2 Dulcie George, 3 Grace Broadway, 4 Dorothy Jupp, 5 Christine Humphries, 6 Frederick Newman Stacey (head teacher)
Note 4: 1925 – 31 (from notes by Paul Stacey)
Front row (left to right): 1 Harry Wingrove, 2 NK, 3 Tony Stacey, 4 NK
2nd row: 1 NK, 2 NK, 3 Joan George, 4 NK, 5 NK, 6 NK, 7 NK
3rd row: 1 Chris Dunford, 2 NK, 3 NK, 4 NK, 5 ? George, 6 NK, 7 NK, 8 NK, 9 NK, 10 NK
Back row: 1 Frederick Newman Stacey (head teacher), 2 NK, 3 NK, 4 NK, 5 Fred ?, 6 NK, 7 NK, 8 Miss ? (assistant teacher)
Note 5: 1935 (transcribed by Peter Harris, from a handwritten list)
Front row (left to right): 1 Christopher Beaven, 2 Gordon Harper, 3 Alf Broadway, 4 Alan Barnett, 5 Alan Stacey, 6 Raymond Beaven, 7 Sidney Humphries, 8 Tyrel Humphries, 9 John Dunford (gentleman Johnnie)
2nd row: 1 Valerie Fussell, 2 Pat Bown, 3 Edna Harper, 4 Betty George, 5 Audrey Warren, 6 Barbara Rossiter, 7 Marion Stacey, 8 Betty Cook, 9 Patricia Noad, 10 NK
3rd row: 1 Douglas Brown, 2 Geoff Barnes, 3 Janet Towsey, 4 Chris Dunford, 5 Michael Hillier, 6 Fred Bown, 7 Raymond Osborne, 8 Patrick Hillier, 9 Harold Stokes, 10 Tom Newman, 11 Douglas Jupp, 12 Ronald Warren, 13 Diana Osborne, 14 John Gibson
Back row: 1 Russell Humphries, 2 John Stacey, 3 Fred Pope, 4 Joan Beaven, 5 Sylvia Beaven, 6 Phyllis Bull, 7 Elizabeth Hillier, 8 Daphne Stacey, 9 Kathleen Harper, 10 Joan Humphries, 11 Freda Warren
Note 6: c1970 (transcribed by Peter Harris, from a handwritten list)
Front row (left to right): 1 Sharon Thomas, 2 Andre Barnet, 3 Tina Harper, 4 Toni Harper, 5 James McEnerny, 6 Andrea Baker
2nd row: 1 Helen Arney, 2 Steven Nicholls, 3 Angela Robbins, 4 Paul Taylor, 5 Andrew Pickford, 6 Gay Smith, 7 Winston Rogers, 8 Michelle Creighton
3rd row: 1 Jillian Noad, 2 Ivor Rabbits, 3 Susan Welch, 4 David Perkins, 5 Jackie Hares, 6 Richard Maggs, 7 Clare Dando, 8 Nicholas ?, 9 Debbie Couch
Back row: 1 Miss Hunt, 2 ? ?, 3 Julian Craven, 4 Louise Sparey, 5 Andrew Noad, 6 Nicola Byrne, 7 Andrew Creighton, 8 Jane Pickford, 9 Nicholas Curzon