History of Our School
We are starting to put together photographs and information relating to the history of our school.
We have some information and old pictures that we will put on this page in due course. However, if anyone has any photographs or information relating to our history please get in touch, we would love to here from you.
A Brief History of the School
Consisted of three sections, Boys, Girls and Infants, all at different sites in Beverley.
St Mary’s and St Nicholas’ later St Mary’s, for infants, was opened in Lairgate in 1838. A new building for c.150 children was erected in Lairgate in 1842, and this was enlarged in 1871 and 1899. From 1880 the school was simply called St Mary’s. In 1974 the school closed and its pupils transferred to Eden Road.
The former National school in Cross Street was bought from Graves’ trustees in 1849 and rebuilt as a National School for Boys for the St Mary’s and St Nicholas’ parishes. The school was enlarged in 1870 and 1880. From 1880 the school was simply called St Mary’s National School. In 1913 a new school was opened in Mill Lane for 350 boys. This school as extensively damaged by fire on 23 Aug 1946 and the Boys’ School was moved to Longcroft Hall. Senior pupils were transferred to Molescroft County Secondary School (Longcroft_ in 1958. In 1970 the school was amalgamated with the girls’ school as St Mary’s Church of England Junior School.
A former girls’ school in Wood Lane was revived by the vicar of Beverley St Mary’s as St Mary’s and St Nicholas’ National School for Girls c.1873. A new school was then erected in Norwood in 1875. From 1880 it was simply called St Mary’s National School. Rooms in Tiger lane were rented for additional classrooms until senior pupils were transferred to Molescroft County Secondary School (Longcroft) in 1958. In 1970 the school was amalgamated with the boys’ school as St Mary’s Church of England Junior School.
Mixed classes were at first housed in the existing buildings. In 1972 all the pupils at Longcroft Hall and some of those at Norwood were transferred to the first instalment of a new school in Eden Road. The 400-place school was completed in 1975, when the classes remaining at Norwood were moved into the new school. There were 252 on the roll in 1986. The former buildings at Longcroft Hall were later used successively for Longcroft school and Beverley College of Further Education and the old girls' school was taken over by the high school.
Photographs by courtesy of Rob Simson
The photographs below were sent in by a former pupil who also added this :- Mr Moseley was our wonderful headmaster at the time with Mr Duck as deputy head, with teaching staff including the lovely Mrs Constable and Mrs Atkinson. Mr Duck was very funny and also filmed lots of school productions and the yearly Easter bonnet parade.
This is a St Mary’s Boys nativity production- taken at the top end of the main room at Longcroft Hall. Each year a stage was specifically built for this annual event. Not sure of the year-perhaps 67/68? Of particular interest are the two girls drafted in from St Mary’s Girls school for the performances.
