{"id":3034,"date":"2020-11-03T19:26:52","date_gmt":"2020-11-03T19:26:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridgwaterheritage.com\/wp\/?page_id=3034"},"modified":"2025-05-25T19:56:39","modified_gmt":"2025-05-25T19:56:39","slug":"the-albert-street-school","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bridgwaterheritage.com\/wp\/built-environment\/lost-buildings\/west-street\/the-albert-street-school\/","title":{"rendered":"The Albert Street School"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The school in Albert Street was established in 1879 by the Bridgwater School board. James Davey was the first headmaster, initially paid \u00a350 a year, which was raised to \u00a360 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.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/
James Davey.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Building News<\/em> of 7 November 1879 recorded: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

BRIDGWATER.<\/strong> \u2014 The Albert-street Schools, Bridgwater, were opened on the 4th. They are intended to accommodate 400 infants, 150 boys, and 150 girls. The buildings are lofty, well-lighted and ventilated. The offices are provided with Moule\u2019s earth-closets, and there are the usual conveniences. The style adopted is a simple treatment of Gothic. The walls are of local rubble, with Coombe-Down dressing, the interior being pressed bricks in bands and patterns 4ft. 6in. high, above that portion being plaster, with cornice at springing of roof. The cost, including site, fittings, and desks complete, is \u00a33,674, being \u00a35 4s. 11d. per head. The work has been carried out by Messrs. Chedzoy and Son, of Bridgwater, to the plans and under the superintendence of the board\u2019s architect, Mr. J. Parker, the borough surveyor.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The Albert Street School, centre right, taken about 1970.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The buildings were extended in 1897 and the name changed to Friarn School in 1958.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sources
Bob Dunning, The Victoria County History of the County of Somerset, Volume 6<\/em> (Oxford, 1992)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The school in Albert Street was established in 1879 by the Bridgwater School board. James Davey was the first headmaster, initially paid \u00a350 a year, which was raised to \u00a360 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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":2985,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3034","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Albert Street School - 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