Infant National School

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About the same time that the boarding school moved from Buckland House, Oxford Street, Eddington, in 1867, the Newbury Weekly News reported the opening of "Day, Infant National and Sunday Schools" at the Old Primitive Methodist Chapel "in Edington" (sic!). It is possible that this was actually referring to the Wesleyan Chapel in Church Street, Hungerford?

However, the Post Office Directory of 1869 includes the "Infant School" in Eddington, run by Miss Liddiard, and the 1871 Parish Magazine includes an article on the Eddington Infant School. It commenced early 1869, and was a nursery and preparatory school for the larger school of the parish. The first mistress was Miss Liddiard, who had resigned in July 1870. Miss Bunce had been appointed. There were 47 scholars.

In 1872, the NWN informs us that evening classes were now available in the Eddington school room.

By 1877 Kelly's Directory reports that Miss Lizzie Nalder is school teacher. There are "100 children – average attendance 26"!

The 1879 25" OS Map marks the Infant School, showing it to be the next building south of Buckland House.

Kelly's Directory has Mrs Richens as school teacher in 1895, and Miss Horn in 1903, when it repeated the "100 children, average attendance 26".

This school was for the younger children only, and when children became six years old, they moved up to the National School in the High Street.

Photo Gallery:

eddington-13

- 6 Oxford Street, Eddington, this side of Buckland House.

Teachers at the Infant National School:

1869 - Miss Liddiard
1870 - Miss Bunce
1877 - Miss Lizzie Nalder
???? - Miss Winchcombe
1893 - Miss Woolford
1895 - Mrs Richens
1903 - Miss Horn

The Eddington Infant School closed in July 1910, like the other schools in Hungerford, in readiness for all its pupils to attend the new All-Age Council School in Fairview Road in the September.

After the school closed, the property became Hillsdon & Co, Eddington Motor Works, and Mr C.O. Hillsdon lived next door in Buckland House.

From about 1920, George Willis had his plumber's yard there. His daughter was Marjorie Eatwell. In 1992 she wrote the following description of the buildings:

"There were two buildings. The one facing the road being of red brick with a slate roof. No ceiling - the space rose right to the rafters. Floor of planks as was the fashion then - two large bay windows front and back. Too high for children to see out. The door at the back was a double, fastened with a long wooden spar, which dropped into two metal lugs. Also a latch.

The second building was much less substantial - it had corrugated iron sheets for its roof and walls - though a large skylight occupied the entire length of one side of the roof.

The door leading out on to a considerable length of garden space was similar to that in the front building.

The front building was wide enough to put four large cars side by side, and long enough to take three cars one behind the other. The second building was as wide, but a shade longer. Both buildings were very light with pitched roofs."

Bob Wheeler emailed (Oct 2019) to add: "the workshop of the plumber Ted Willis was the old Chapel. Ted used to take snuff and the empty tins could be found scattered around Oxford St."