Text first published in Along The Furlong in March 1999.

Text copyright Valerie Martin 1999.

Elizabeth Bull was born in Middlesex in 1846. She was, therefore, a newcomer when she arrived in the centre of Findon at the age of 20 in 1866 to work at the village school.  I could perhaps describe Findon as an idyllic rural community in those days.

The school had been founded in 1833 on the site of a former cockpit which itself was situated on a part of the glebe land.  It was not until 1872 that the Marchioness of Bath living at Muntham Court generously contributed to the building of the present school.  This comprised a long classroom with steps to a gallery and provided two teaching areas.  The Marchioness said that her donation was "to make the school more beautiful".

When Elizabeth arrived in Findon she discovered there was only one general shop in the Square and Alfred Hewitt ran this. She soon found there were four shoemakers in the village. In Victorian days, Findon had more than one butcher and there was a wine merchant, various tailors, a coal merchant, a toll gatekeeper and even a foreman of the roads. There were numerous blacksmiths as might be expected, and dressmakers and wheelwrights. Henry Beach was the Veterinary Surgeon. Jane Moodie ran the Gun Inn, following the death of her husband, Edward, in 1853. Nepcote House on Nepcote Green was a public house in those days and was run by George Nicholls, a retired coastguard. Other villagers Elizabeth may have met in her day-to-day life were the millers, Edmund and Henry Sayers at the Findon Windmill on the downs above the village. In all Findon was a very pleasant, busy and thriving place into which Elizabeth soon found she was at home.

In 1871, a new mixed Public Elementary School was built to replace the existing one on School Hill. This was on adjacent land given by Richard Spencer Hall of Findon Place. The number of children catered for was 144. The Dowager Harriet Thynne, Marchioness of Bath and known as Lady Bath was the owner of Muntham Court, (now the crematorium site). She donated an extra £100. to make the school beautiful. It is believed that it was made so, but unfortunately later additions and surroundings spoiled the scene. The original school and school house became known as the Old School House.

During the 1880s there were ninety children using the two classrooms with Elizabeth in charge.

Elizabeth lived at the School House. By 1891 she had a lodger living with her, the young 21 year old Clara Randell who was also employed at the school. Elizabeth was a very efficient Victorian schoolmistress and expected her pupils to behave well out of school as well as in, and she promptly punished any for bad behaviour. She was very thorough in all that she taught and wielded her cane on more occasions than the pupils liked to remember. Nevertheless, many men and women were later thankful for her teaching of the three Rs.

Continue if you would like to read about education in Findon School in 1890.

 Back to School Index

 Back to Main Index

THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.