Thursley School

Nov 19, 2023

3 min read

Updated: 3 hours ago

Thursley School occupied the building that is now Thursley Village Hall. Here are plans of the Master's Residence dated February 1911

The file below contains correspondence and documents dating back to 1853 as well as a newspaper cutting dated 16th April 1960 about the village fighting for the recently closed school building to become the village hall in the face of Surrey Education's desire to turn it into a 'youth camp house.

Thursley School, approximately 1880

*Thursley School 1885 - 1890 (taken from a photocopy)*

Thursley School, approximately 1895. Edith Keen, sister of Jack, from Pit Farm (now Punch Bowl Farm), third row, third on the left. Edith married George Warner and lived at Sunset Cottage until their children grew up, when they moved to one of the Church Cottages. George Warner had a Kitchener moustache and had looked after the horses during the Great War in France. He took life easily although he had a good deal of work at Rock Cottage for the Fisher family. He ran the engine; groomed, harnessed and drove the ponies, cleaned the shoes and knives (not being of stainless steel, they were put into a sort of round box with a handle that turned); brought in the anthracite for the black stoves which heated the house and the coal for the kitchen range; milked and tethered the goats and looked after the field and garden. He was a very kind man and Mrs Warner, Mary Bennett remembers as a woman of uncommon goodness and sweetness. After her husband's death, Edith Warner lived with her daughter Dorothy (Issy) Messenger at Streetfield.

Thursley School, approximately 1900

Thursley School c 1900. Annie Cunningham of Bowlhead Green is 2nd row from back and 5th from right in braided dress.

Thursley School, approximately 1904. Aileen Rapley, second row fourth on the left, in a 'chorus boy collar. Aileen was the daughter of Maurice Rapley who farmed at Hill Farm. Aileen became a school teacher.

School usage:

The example below and the pdf show how the school was used between 1905 and 1914/

*This undated photograph is from the same era judging by the boys' collars. On the back is inscribed, "Mary Ann Karn - Polly - Mrs Good's aunt".*

Thursley School, about 1914. Bottom row, third from the left, is Jim Gale, brother of Eddie. Miss Price is also in the picture. Miss Price married Jack Baker, brother of Annie, from Upper Highfield Farm and they lived initially at Hedge (now Rawdon) until they took over Wheelers Farm. Miss Price became a farmer's wife and had three children.

*Same male teacher as above but year unknown.*

Thursley School, about 1920. Betty Weeden née Baker, can be seen second row, third on the right. The headmaster was Leonard Moulding, Sidney's brother.

Thursley School, about 1918-19, Aileen Rapley was the school teacher.

Thursley School, about 1920. Third row, first on the right is Margaret (Mag) Cooper née Gale.

Miss Price is also in the picture.

*Thursley School Group c1923 (I wonder who Me is?!)*

Thursley Church of England School 1924: Group 1 Stds IV - VII

Thursley School 1926. Back Row: Cyril Boxall, Ron Wassel, Fred Boxall, Ron Volleer, Harry Aldridge, Erny West

Second Row: Sid Doy, Vi Smith, Ivy Ford, A N Smith, Gladys West, Ivy Dixon

Third Row: Harry Swallow (Headmaster), M Gale, D Cooper, M Upfold, G Lillywhite, Issy Warner, E Hater, Rose Boxall & Maggy Doy.

First row, first on the left, Marg Hall née Warner from Sunset Cottage (Marg was Edith Keen and George Warner's daughter and Issy (Dorothy Messenger), Marg's sister, is also there in the second row, fifth from left), Olive Winter, Phyllis Beavan, Dorris Voller, Bill Keen, N Harris, Jean Milton & Kath Lawrence