| Abstract |
Photographs taken in 2019
Great Wigborough School was built 1854
1874 National School, Miss Susannah Humphrey, mistress [ Kelly's Directory ]
1882 National School built 1854 for 60 children, Miss Julia Foddy, Mistress. [ Kelly's Directory ]
The 1881 Census has Julia Foddy, age 26, lodger in Great Wigborough, born Yardley Gobion, Northamptonshire. She is lodging with Sarah Whithams and her niece Ada Whithams. Ada appears in Kelly 1882 as mistress at Little Wigborough School.
1894 National School (mixed), built in 1854 & enlarged in 1889 for 80 children; average attendance, 52; Mrs J. Hill, mistress [ Kelly's Directory ]
1899 National School (mixed), built in 1854 & enlarged in 1889, for 116 children; average attendance, 40; Mrs Margaret Whitehead, mistress [ Kelly's Directory ]
1914 Public Elementary (Church of England) School (mixed), built 1854 & enlarged in 1889, for 97 children; average attendance 34; Miss Amy R. Talbot, mistress. [ Kelly's Directory ]
1931 Senior (11+) children were transferred to Birch School [ TBM_BCR_001 ]
8 Dec 1932 At a meeting of Wigborough Parochial Church Council, the Chairman mentioned the change which had taken place in the management of the school, Mrs Mason having replaced Mrs Hurst as Head-Mistress. He also stated that the Education Authorities had decided to close the school at the end of the current term.
1 June 1934 at a meeting of the Parochial Church Council, the chairman complained "Wigborough School had been left in a bad state of repair when it closed in 1932."
5 June 1953 opened as Coronation Hall [ SG01_086_005 ]
2017 Coronation Hall sold for £333,000 for development. Planning permission for two houses. Half the final proceeds to go to Peldon and half to PCC of Wigborough for the Church.
Another Great Wigborough School
There was another school in Great Wigborough. Up to 1888, as well as the main part of the parish of Great Wigborough, there were 3 Detached Parts. One of the Parts stretched well to the west into what is now thought of as Tiptree.
In those days there was a wide expanse of Tiptree Heath, but no parish of Tiptree, and the area now thought of as Tiptree belonged to various neigbouring parishes.
An Independent Chapel was built on the road from Tiptree to Layer Marney - Newbridge Road, now part named Chapel Road. A school was built next to the Chapel - and in fact both Chapel and School were in the Detached Part of Great Wigborough.
The school is long closed, but the chapel thrives, now as the United Reformed Church. Peggy Chaplin writes in her 2014 History of Tiptree United Reformed Church:
A notable event was the erection of the schoolroom in 1844 (on the site now occupied by houses opposite the entrance to our church car park in Chapel Lane). For about 20 years this was the only day school within 7 miles. From 1870 it became the British School, and received a grant of £50 a year from the government. After the Church of England erected its school in Tiptree, the British School had to close as it was unable to finance itself. After the school closed as a day school, the building continued to be used as a meeting place for Sunday School and church activities of many kinds until 2004.
A Local Government Board Order transferred this Detached Part of Great Wigborough to Messing in 1888. At the same time, the other Detached Parts of Great Wigborough were transferred to Tolleshunt Knights and to Layer Marney.
Sources and Thanks:
A Mixture of Memories by Peggy Chaplin (Tiptree United Reformed Church history)
Carly Ann
Gill Graham
Tammy Lou
Alan Theobald
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Great Wigborough Congregational Chapel
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