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One of many school photographs which seemed to have been taken quite frequently in the 1920's. This particular one, chosen from many, was taken at the Church of England School in 1927, and shows (left to right):
Back Row: Miss Dudley (Teacher), Harry Powers, Donald Gent, Jim Robins, Harold Robinson, Ray Whitmore, John Lord, Jack Briggs, Wally Smith, Stanley Meadows, Frank Reece, Bernard Colkin, Jack Simpson. 2nd Row: Myrtle Wright, Madge Spinks, Joan Scattergood, Ivy Reynolds, Alice Bass, Gwen Herbert, Mag Shilton, Nelly Shilton, Mabel Bennett, Edna Harding, Alice Cooper, Mary Craythorne, Alice Moore. 3rd Row: Ivy Bates, Mona Wright, Edna Howkins, ?, Nancy Goodwin, Eilene Robinson, Winnie Harding, Nelly Jordan, Peggy Clift, May Puffer, Eadith Beecher. Front Row: Arthur Higginson, Fred Howarth, Jack Middleton, Kenneth Hill, Joan Higginson. Headmaster: Stanley Higham. |
The School was built in 1870 on a site given by the Rector, The Rev. Willoughby William Townley Balfour, M. A., at a cost of £2,000, towards which the Dowager Countess Cowper generously contributed. The average attendance in 1877 was 66 boys and girls.
The following is recorded in the School Management Meeting of June llth 1897: "The diphtheria being still prevalent in the village, it was agreed that the schools be closed for the holidays, until the end of the month, and if after that time it becomes desirable to keep them still closed, that the Medical Officer of Health be approached on the subject. It was also agreed that immediate steps should be taken for cleaning the school and offices." The building ceased to be used as a school from the end of December 1967.
Previously there was a school in the village, possibly in the building near the South gate of the Church, founded by the Countess de Grey in 1825 which was supported by subscription.
| Burbage Church Tower Restoration Fund Subscription List |
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| Name | £ | s | d |
| Mr C. H. Aldridge | 200 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr A. E. Hawley | 50 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. Frank Moore | 50 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. H. Billson | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. C. Miller | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| Rev. J P. A. Fletcher | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. J. E. Pilgrim | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. Wm. Robinson | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. E. Robinson | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Mrs. S. Robinson | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Messrs. W. Waters & H. Butler | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Countess Cowper | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr C. Gater | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. Thos. Ghent & Family | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Mrs. Ralphs | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. Withers | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Mrs. Catto | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Mrs. Berry | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mrs. W. Billson (Leicester) | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. Chamberlain | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Miss Alice Chamberlain | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. S. Evans | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. T. J. Ghent | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Col. Harris | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. Higham | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Alderman Hurst | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. W. H. Payne | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Dr. Passmore | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. J. Peacey | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. A. Peacey | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mrs. Rivitt | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. Thos. Robinson | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mrs. Simpson | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Miss Sparrow | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Miss Florence E. Pilgrim | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Miss Archer | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Lady Billson | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Mr. H. G. Clarke | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Mr. Walter O. Ghent | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Mr. Pheysey | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Mr. G. Cowan | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Mr. E. Dugdale | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Mrs. P. Pope | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Col. Smith-Richards | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Miss Withey | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mrs. Pearman | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Miss Hilda Benson | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Major Hurst | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Miss Alice Lord | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Rev. W. P. Hurrell | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. S. Truslove | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Mrs. C. Billson | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Mr. S. Goode | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Mr. S. C. Pilgrim | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Mr. Edgar Billson | 0 | 10 | 6 |
| Messrs S. H. & W.J. Pilgrim | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| Mrs. Chambers Hodgetts | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. A. E. Haddon | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Rev. S. V. F. Griffiths | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Dr. Stanley | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Mr. & Mrs. Swan | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mrs. Woreswick | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Mrs. E. D. Spencer | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Mr. C. Burdett | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Mrs. Willoughby Lawrence | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mrs. Dawson | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. W. H. Weston | 0 | 10 | 6 |
| Mr. Chas. Mills | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Memory of Miss S.V. Fletcher | 50 | 0 | 0 |
| Bishop of Leicester | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Miss Armitage | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Miss Bolas | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Mr. C. Wightman | 0 | 10 | 6 |
| Mr. Arthur Smith | 0 | 10 | 6 |
| Messrs. W. Pickering & Sons | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Miss Ross | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Mr. M. Hands | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Mr. Spencer | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Mr. Oxley (Hinckley) | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Mr. Joseph Chamberlain | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Church Box | 0 | 18 | 6 |
| Mr. T. Perkins | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Mr. J. Pope | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Mr. G. C. Pope | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Miss A. Ghent | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. C. Spalding | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Miss Woodman | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Mr. A. Gilbert | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Mr. T. Green | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Miss K. Robinson | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mrs. Barr | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Misses P. & V. Benson | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Mr. W. Henson | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Mr. Bates | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. H. Ross | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. G. Dakin | 0 | 10 | 6 |
| Mr Chamberlain | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. Ernest Chamberlain | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Mr. Percy Toone | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Mrs. Ashley Farmer | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. H. Ghent | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. Jos. Colkin | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. W. Payne, Sketchley Rd | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Mr. J. Turner | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Mr. J. Avery | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Mr. Geo. Dudley | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Mr. H. Townshend | 0 | 1 | 0 |
The Subscription List for the restoration of the Church Tower, 1912.
The total on the list amounts to £778.13.0.
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Church Restoration 1912. Two of the recognisable village personalities are Sgt. Sanders and Mr. Charles Hands (wearing Bowler hat). Note also the post box in the Church wall.
The Church is 13th century and is dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria. It was formerly 'a Chapel of Ease' to the then Parish Church of St. Peter, Aston Flamville, but in 1971 the position was reversed, when Aston became the Chapel of Ease to Burbage. In 1842 the Church was largely rebuilt and little of the original fabric remains with the possible exception of the inner part of the tower. The cost of rebuilding was partly met by subscription and the remainder by a grant from the Church Diocesan Building Association. The clock, with faces on the north and south walls of the tower, was placed in position in 1887 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. Originally the clock gear was hand wound, but this has since been replaced by electrical winding apparatus. The East window was presented by Mr. K. B. Baghot de la Bere, who, in the early part of this century, resided at Burbage Hall. In 1959 the Reredos was erected to the memory of William Robinson and his sister, Anne. Across the top of the Reredos are the coats of arms of Hastings, Grey, Lucas, Balliol College, Oxford (the Patrons), Diocese of Leicester and Province of Canterbury. Halfway down on the left side is the Wheel of St. Catherine, and to the right, the Cross Keys of St. Peter. The names of four past Rectors are perpetuated in road names in Burbage (I'm sure they would not be amused). They are Duport, Cotes, Fletcher and Pughe. The Church and Archer Cottage, taken in 1911. |
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Children of the Church School, with Charles Higham (headmaster) and the Rector (Rev. R. D. H. Pughe), photographed for this historical occasion with the five old bells of Burbage Church Tower. They were taken down in the early 1920's to be recast at Taylor's Bell Foundry, Loughborough, and dated from 1701-1761.
Perhaps the children in this photograph did not realise that they were witnessing an event which may not be seen again for several centuries. |
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The new Bells, recast from the five old ones, with the addition of three others, made it possible for the ringers to use their skills to greater advantage with a wider field of bell-ringing.
The photograph shows, on the right, the first men of Burbage Tower to ring the new bells — (from left to right): Ted Clough, Walter Clough, George Dudley (Sexton, Grave-digger, and has been seen to ring three bells at once), E. Rivitt, E. Campton (who carved the wood above the Belfry entrance), Ted Wightman, Harold Wightman, Edwin Campton and Stanley Campton. The photograph was taken in 1925. |
