History

As a consequence of the 1902 Education Act, in 1907 the County bid to purchase West Cornwall Collage but this was turned down. A state school had to be created so this new one was built from scratch and opened on 23 Sep 1913. The site, 2 acres at £650 per acre, was bought from Mr. Polglase of Treneere Manor. The final cost was £6,120. The first headmistress was Miss Kate Bathurst, the first class assistant Miss Reyner and also Miss Hill and Miss Lake as second assistants. The fees (for that was required until 1944, even for the state schools) were £2 4s per term basic plus 2/– for Games, 6d for Library. Miss Bathhurst left after only three terms to go to the High school for religious reasons and was succeded by Miss Bertha Jane Varley who stayed until 1937. There were 66 pupils when she started and many unofficially boarded in the town returning to their more remote homes at weekends. Domestic Science was studied in a room above the Education Office in Chapel Street up until 1946.

The uniform was “a tunic of good, dark-navy serge, with three box pleats, back and front, which must touch each other, white blouse, black girdle and black stockings must always be worn.” In winter a School cap known as a “pork-pie” was worn and a woven badge. Finally an outdoor navy coat with gloves to be put on before leaving School. This was until 1934 when the tunic was replaced by a pinafore dress. In the school year of 1937, when there were 259 pupils [245 according to the council handbook, in accommodation for 190!], Miss Mandville was appointed headmistress and served until 1943. In addition to a number of evacuee girls who arrived from 1939, Devonport High School for Boys arrived in May 1941 to share the buildings; the pupils were strictly segregated except for joint tea-parties. The disruption ended when, in October, they found alternative accommodation.

The new headmistress, Miss Jeanne Harrison, saw the school through the changes of the 1944 Education Act—free places but selection by “eleven-plus” examination; made more essential because there was no alternative “Technical” school and the “Modern” schools had not proved themselves. This meant that the numbers increased greatly and more space and staff were required. Initially the first-year class was held at Wesley Rock Sunday School in Heamoor supervised by Miss Ashworth. Later the use of Richmond Church Sunday School was obtained for juniors in the morning and seniors in the afternoon and also, for a time, using a room in the new Heamoor school. Miss Harrison stayed until 1955 to be replaced by Miss Dorothy Milton (from Redland High School, in Bristol). At the time there were 389 girls and twenty staff but by the time she retired in 1975 there were well over 650 girls. By 1961 sufficient enlargement had occured for the whole school to be accomodated on the one site. The last headmistress was Mrs. Margaret Byrne and it closed as a separate school in 1980 to become part of the new Humphry Davy School. [Tranter 1980]

First Pupils and Staff

Dates of arrival.

1913

New Staff
Pupils in order of Admission Number

Note that some (more than usual) of these first pupils transferred from other schools into higher classes.

L. G. Tregarthen
H. M. Cotter
L. G. Leighfield
M. R. Leighfield
H. G. Calder
A. Murrish
C. M. L. Daniel
F. J. Mann
A. Corin
H. M. Pellow
M. I. Angwin
E. G. Chappell
Suzanne B. Humphrys - Head Prefect 1913
Florence E. Ball - Head Prefect 1917-18
E. M. Cotton
Hilda E. James - Head Prefect 1915-16
L. D. Nicholls
May D. Wilkins - Head Prefect 1914-15 ?
L. Gladys White - Head Prefect 1914-15 ?
M. Trembath
A. V. Muriel Piper - Head Prefect 1916-17 ?
D. M. Warren
M. T. Bennetts
M. Beryl Ball - Head Prefect 1917-18, B.Sc Birmingham 1922
May A. Young - B.Sc Birmingham 1922
B. Williams
F. I. Whiting
A. M. Edmonds
W. Pengelly
Enid Williams - B.Sc Birmingham 1922
Irene Trewavas - Head Prefect 1918-19, B.Sc Reading 1923
C. G. Warren
D. M. Blamey
O. M. A. Martin
I. M. Thomas
M. E. Chiffers
A. E. Matthews
V. M. Curnow
L. Dowrick
M. Matthews
M. Trewern
W. H. G. Morris

“All seven girls who were in the Sixth Form in 1919, having been at the School from the beginning, went on to University and gained degrees.’ I have only been able to identify four.

1914

New Staff
Pupils in order of Admission Number
E. E. Angwin
E. Berryman
A. M. Rowe
G. M. Rodda
C. A. Dale
I. Bennetts
E. J. Caine
E. M. Thomas
I. Hollow
N. Tonkin
P. E. Thomas
S. Tregoning
L. J. Parkeman
E. E. Hosking
E. R. Boase
L. Tyacke
D. Burnett
A. White
H. Wallis
S. M. Green
E. A. S. Roberts
C. I. Jacobs
O. Harry
D. Banfield
M. E. Thackery
M. G. Bier
J. Bennett
F. J. Curtis
E. W. Howe
V. Read
I. Rowe
A. W. Saundry
M. Tanner
C. L. Trewavas
Winnie Warren - Netball team
O. Smith
V. A. Rosewarne

1915

New Staff
Pupils in order of Admission Number
M. C. May
A. D. Thomas
M. P. Thomas
E. S. Tregenza
U. K. Tregenza
J. Woolcock
N. A. Blewitt
A. J. Ellis
E. V. Friggens
P. Haly
E. E. Korb
D. Roberts
M. Priest
D. Priest
H. M. Coleman
P. Vipond-Crocker
M. Chirgwin
J. Piercy
F. S. Nicholas
J. E. Trewavas
N. Williams
D. Choak
B. M. Barr
M. Barratt
E. F. Corin
D. G. Corin
C. E. Finney
V. E. Utting
E. M. Cotter
H. A. Rowe
D. O. Murrish
H. G. James
M. Chiffers
C. E. Carter
A. M. White
E. A. Leggo
Mary Trezise - Netball team
A. Angwin
C. M. Nicholas
Charity Berryman - Netball team
M. Geests

1916

New Staff
Pupils in order of Admission Number
J. E. Freymuth
H. D. Freymuth
E. M. Kitt
E. D. Kitt
G. Smith
J. Rooks
L. Harry
G. S. Quick
A. V. Roach
D. Taskis
P. Simons
E. A. Russell
L. Pengelly
K. E. Cara
E. M. Cara
I. G. E. Peters
D. D. Harvey
D. Clark
B. C. M. Halifax
B. M. Rowe
S. C. Cotton
E. Williams
E. A. Sullifan
Florence S. Gibson - Netball team
E. M. U. Rosevean
K. M. Trembath
A. Lake
G. K. Barnicoat
D. M. Laity
N. J. Radmore
M. M. P. Jasper
M. Hall
E. Nankervis
L. M. Utting
H. Murrish
D. E. Swann
A. K. Hutchings

1917

New Staff
Pupils in order of Admission Number
E. M. Belt
E. G. Wall
M. Williams
E. C. Tonkin
E. L. Richards
Lena P. Rowe - Netball team
M. L. Peak
A. A. Radmore
M. L. I. Mathews
G. B. Martin
B. I. Tremabth
D. D. Taylor
E. Tregenza
Rachel M. Mahr - Head Girl 1921-22
D. M. Trewhella
R. Stevens
A. E. Fradgley
C. M. Davis
F. E. Bowden
M. Glasson
E. M. Hocking
E. M. Matthews
D. M. Phillips
M. E. Rodda
H. G. Stevens
M. A. J. Vincent
G. Williams
E. M. C. Nancarrow
J. de Coninck
M. de Coninck
H. M. C. Van Loo
Dorothy M. Thomas - Netball team

I have been unable to identify Phyllis Lawry who is mentioned in the 1919 school magazine as being in the Netball team with the others shown here.

1918

New Staff
Pupils in order of Admission Number
M. W. Pitman
N. M. Pellew
P. Pellew
M. W. Hollow
L. Chapman
W. M. Berryman
S. W. Rowe
K. Smith
E. Symons
E. Durrant
D. A. Oats
C. Escott
I. B. Quick
G. H. Curnow
L. D. Jacka
I. England
D. McKay
B. F. Oats
E. M. Kemplay *
E. Kemplay *
G. M. W. Nicholls
F. E. D. Doidge
F. Harry
E. T. Williams
Dora B. Tregenza - Head Girl 1922-23 and 1923-24
Z. M. Trezise
M. Tregenza
E. M. Batten
L. A. M. Trevaskis
E. M. B. Callebout
L. C. M. Finney
L. T. Harvey
E. M. Martin
E. K. Edwards
C. Williams
E. E. Andrewartha
D. C. Boase
I. I. Campbell
P. M. Chambers
F. G. M. Cornish
E. W. Eddy
E. J. George
M. D. Harvey
B. Hitchens
F. H. Leggo
E. T. Osborne
K. M. Paul
E. M. Rowe
S. B. Tippett
E. Tonkin
F. M. Trudgen
E. E. Warren
M. Williams
G. Williams
C. Woolcock
E. W. Beer
K. A. Calder
I. E. Beer
May Beer - B.A. (English) Bristol 1922
P. M. Wynn-Jones
G. M. Wynn-Jones
A. G. M. Mitchell
O. M. Thomas
F. M. Gundry
E. F. M. Olds
M. H. Crowle
G. E. Hicks
E. S. Ryder
A. S. Mollard

* Edna Kempley was Head Girl in 1919–20, Elsie Kempley was Head Girl in 1920–21 but it is not certain which of these was which in the register.

1919

New Staff
Pupils in order of Admission Number
G. C. Garbutt
M. C. Maddern
K. I. Spray
D. K. Bailey
P. M. Frost
O. Nicholls
A. U. Rolling
E. M. E. Beer
A. K. Lawrence
A. H. Lawrence
G. S. Stephens
M. G. Rowe
P. L. Jones
M. E. Grant
U. M. Ham
E. M. Bosanko
A. E. Moore
H. Blewett
O. M. Hosking
I. Simons
F. J. Marrs
A. G. Amor
V. Eddy
E. L. Rogers
I. Roxburgh
I. Welby
E. E. Rogers
K. M. Wall
B. L. Cocking
Mabel Symons - Head Girl 1924-25
E. Stone
M. Rowe
P. Dowrick
F. E. Williams
C. R. Rouse
M. Trevorrow
E. R. Simons
G. G. Jacobs
D. M. Friggens
D. H. White
A. G. Hitchens
K. M. A. Hichens
L. R. Willis
B. H. Ellis
E. M. Reynolds
N. Bennetts
V. Hollow
E. Dunstan
G. E. Thompson
I. T. Hodge
E. E. Cara
P. I. Cara
S. Payne
E. E. Martin
M. L. Johns
E. M. Bennetts
L. M. S. Harvey
A. L. E. Standen
E. White
O. M. White
K. D. Wrake
E. B. Banfield
E. F. Tonkin
P. C. Humphreys
L. E. Crowle
F. E. Rosewarne
V. M. Morcom
L. B. Blight

1920

New Staff
Pupils in order of Admission Number
A. M. Elliott
E. S. Curnow
M. J. Robinson
O. L. Uren
E. B. Westlake
L. A. Trythall
C. A. Thomas
M. K. Creasey
H. Love
K. J. Richards
M. I. Bennetts
N. E. Heller
R. A. Goninan
D. Rowe
R. Fradgley
N. B. Williams
Mary Warren - Head Girl 1925-26
M. M. Newman
E. M. Wroath
B. A. Warren
M. E. Nicholas
A. Hosking
R. Trezise
Ethel Nutt - Head Girl 1926-27
E. D. Payne
G. Richards
G. P. Hallett
D. E. Dickin
L. M. Humphrys
S. Jilbert
A. I. Richards
B. E. Trevorrow
G. E. Stone
M. Floyd
A. Nicholls
M. D. Burgess
V. C. Bowden
N. G. Curnow
M. R. Eddy
K. M. Fox
H. E. J. Payne
A. M. Jelbert
D. Hooper
L. M. Laity
I. J. Lemin
H. J. Lyle
A. M. Maddern
E. G. Richards
M. E. Thomas
F. E. C. Wills
K. M. Birch
M. Curnow
E. M. Oats
K. M. Thomas
B. Dale
S. Martin
E. J. C. Angwin
B. J. Rudman
E. V. R. Avery
E. M. I. Tredinnick

Staff and pupils from 1921 to 1979 are listed in [Tranter 1980]