The school in Albert Street was established in 1880 by the Bridgwater School board. James Davey was the first headmaster, initially paid £50 a year, which was raised to £60 in 1882 (Western Gazette, 22 September 1882). He was headmaster for forty years until his death in 1920. His obituary notes “It is interesting to note that when Mr Davey was appointed to Albert Street there was only one schoolroom, providing ‘accommodation for 60 scholars whereas today (1920) there are now three large departments, with ‘accommodation for 900 Children.”
The buildings were extended in 1897 and the name changed to Friarn School in 1958.
The aim was for around 716 pupils. In 1907 average attendance, with 847 children on the books, was 718. In 1938 attendance was just 436, in 1947 562. The junior pupils moved to the Westover School site in 1978, leaving just the infants. By 1980 they followed and in 1981 the old school building was demolished. It’s a surprise the buildings lasted that long. In July 1960, when the wider West Street developments were being planned, Alderman R. Biddiscombe was adamant that the Albert Street and West Street Schools should be demolished as well as they were ‘wretched monstrosities’ and very costly to heat in the winter (Taunton Courier, 9 July 1960). The buildings were still standing in 1980, although no longer used as a school, when an exhibition ‘made in Sedgemoor’ was held there (Central Somerset Gazette, 30 October 1980). In March 1985 work began on the new block of flats on the site (Bristol Evening Post, 1 March 1985).
Although the school is gone, its boundary wall on Albert Street survives. If you look closely you can see a large number of initials inscribed in the brick, left by the former pupils.
Sources
Bob Dunning, The Victoria County History of the County of Somerset, Volume 6 (Oxford, 1992)