Eckington and Frecheville

[Daniel ONeill]

Hi Everyone

I am in the middle of a research project on the architectural history of Derbyshire's schools that were built between 1900 and 1950.  I have made good progress and have identified just about everything I need, but there are still two that I have  much less information on: Eckington Secondary School opened in 1930 and now demolished, and the two adjacent schools at Frecheville built, I think in the mid 1930s and also demolished.  I didn't even know of the existence of the Frecheville schools until yesterday. The Derbyshire Record Office drawings collection, which is unusually comprehensive, has no information on any of these schools. I believe the reason for this is that when the Sheffield city boundary was extended in 1967, these two areas became part of the city, and no-one wanted the information on the schools' history. I have managed to put together a plan of Eckington from a former pupil's sketch and have some newspaper cuttings from the opening, but have nothing on Frecheville except the old OS map. Does anyone have any information, photos, etc, that would make my collection complete? I would be most grateful.

Regards

Dan O'Neill MA DipArch RIBA

 

[Edmund]

Pictures of Frecheville School here: PictureSheffield Frecheville School

Sheffield Archives have a great deal of relevant material - examples:

CA630/12 Eckington County Secondary School Includes HMI Report, Feb 1956; minutes of a meeting of the governors, Jul 1970.

CA519/186 Original Chesterfield Rural District Council ref. H 940/1). Applicant: Derbyshire County Council.Date 1949 – 1963

AP/7/7 Beighton Frecheville School Plans, sections and elevations of extensions by G. H. Widdows, 1935 - 1936, and by F. Harrison, 1937. Including plans, sections and elevations of alterations, 1948, and of new Junior unit 1950 by F. H. Crossley (County Architects).

Frecheville Council School was opened for 280 children in January 1936, the first headmaster being Hubert Chambers. The initial authorised capital expenditure was £10,670. Within a month of opening, plans were in progress to extend it to accommodate a further 240 children.

Below is a photo of the newly built Eckington school, and a newspaper cutting on its opening

[Daniel ONeill]

Hi Edmund

Your information is really helpful.  Thank you.  I will make contact with the City record office and see if I can get copies of the Frecheville plans.

Regards

Dan O'Neill

[squashball]

Hi Dan,  The school you refer to as Eckington Secondary school, When first opened was in fact Eckington Grammar School, Which in the early 50's became one of the first Comprehensive in the UK. it served as a grammar school for all of North East Derbyshire Renishaw, Eckington, Killamarsh, Halfway,  Beighton and perhaps Frechville and  Hackenthorpe at one time as all were in Derbyshire, As were Base Green and Charnock.   When extra capacity was needed a new school was built at Mosborough this changed the name of the school To Westfield Comprehensive.  The school at Halfway being the lower school. the school becoming part of Sheffield Education department in the boundaries changes 1967.

There were Secondary modern schools for 11 plus  failures to attend Frechville, Birley , Carter Lodge, Beighton, Killamarsh and Eckington. several of these are now junior of infant schools, With Just two being in Derbyshire. Hope this is of interest to you.

[squashball]

Mosborough History Meeting Group www.mosboroughhistory.co.uk has photos and info about Eckington School.  The images of maps little latter than yours show all three schools at Frechville. and both schools which became Westfield.                                             

[RLongden]

http://www.mosboroughhistory.co.uk/2019/03/25/eckington-grammar-school-halfway-drive-halfway/

https://picturethepast.org.uk/image-library/image-details/poster/dccn000036/posterid/dccn000036.html