Archifdy Ceredigion Archives
SCHOOL RECORDS

Ref: ABY

SCHOOLS IN ABERYSTWYTH: INTRODUCTION


The 1847 "Blue Books" record nine schools in Aberystwyth:

* the National Boys' School (established 1819, 99 scholars, average attendance the previous year 65);
* the National Girls' School (1819: 95: 65);
* the Wesleyan Day School (1845: 180: 120);
* Mrs. Lloyd's School (1841: 44: 35);
* Mrs. Rees' School (1843: 15: 14);
* Mr. John Evans's School (1817: 59: 54);
* Skinner Street British School (1846: 69:-)
* Mrs. Williams's School (1843: 15: 13);
* Infant School (1842: 79: 65).

The first two of the above schools (the National Schools) are the only ones with available records.

On education in Aberystwyth see A.L. Trott, 'Aberystwyth School Board and Board School', Ceredigion II no. 1 (1952) 3-17; W.J. Lewis, Born on a Perilous Rock, 159-170.

See individual entries for records relating to other schools in Aberystwyth area.

NB. Admissions registers and log books are closed for 100 years. Other school records are closed to the public for 30 years after the date at which they were made.

Acc. Various

Ref: ABY/C

ABERYSTWYTH, THE BOARD SCHOOL (Alexandra Road)

The first meeting of the School Board was held on 15 December 1870, and it was eventually decided to build a non-denominational school next to the railway station. It was opened on 4 August 1874, with accommodation for 200 boys, 200 girls and 200 infants. Until 1948 the school remained divided into these three departments, each with its own head teacher.

The 1905 report states that the school, which had boys', girls' and an infants' department was erected in 1874. There was accommodation for 601. There were 722 on the books in 1904, and average attendance was 642.

As a result of the 1944 Education Act, from September 1948 all infants (aged 4 to 7) in the town were taught at Alexandra Road School. The remainder of the school was occupied by the 11+ pupils and classified as a Secondary Modern School. All pupils between the ages of 7 and 11 went to North Road.

In 1951 the North Road School was made into an English-speaking primary school (5-11) and from September 1952 the Alexandra Road School became a primary school for Welsh-speaking pupils. (A Welsh school had been formed in 1939, first housed at the Urdd Gobaith Cymru, then at Lluest Gwilym, Waun Fawr). The Welsh School moved to a new school at Plas Crug in 1989.

In 1955 the senior section of the Alexandra Road School was moved to the new secondary modern school at Dinas on the Waun.


School Records

Log books

Girls
15 August 1874-19 December 1902 - ABY/C/G/1
5 January 1903-23 December 1927 - ABY/C/G/2
9 January 1928-29 July 1948 - ABY/C/G/3

Boys
10 August 1874-6 October 1910 - ABY/C/B/1
boys 5 September 1910-29 July 1948 - ABY/C/B/2

Infants
10 August 1874-28 July 1911 - ABY/C/I/1
infants 4 September 1911-9 April 1952 - ABY/C/I/2
infants 9 Ebrill 1952-6 Mehefin 1980 (yr Ysgol Gymraeg o Medi 1952 ymlaen) - ABY/C/I/3

Registers of admission, progress and withdrawal

Boys
1874-1895 - ABY/C/R/B/1
1905-1925 - ABY/C/R/B/2

Girls
1874-1896 - ABY/C/R/G/1
1915-1931 - ABY/C/R/G/2

Infants
1874-1885 - ABY/C/R/I/1
1885-1910 - ABY/C/R/I/2

Summaries of attendance (and payments)

Boys
1875-85 - ABY/C/SR/B/1
1885-93 - ABY/C/SR/B/2
1921-26 - ABY/C/SR/B/3
1926-31 - ABY/C/SR/B/4

Girls
1947-48 - ABY/C/SR/G/1

Infants
1875-85 - ABY/C/SR/I/1
1946-48 - ABY/C/SR/I/2


ABY/C/X: Miscellaneous records

Requisition book 1943-48 - ABY/C/X/1
Cash book, 1875-1886 - ABY/C/X/2


ABY/C/X/G: Girls, miscellaneous records

ABY/C/X/G/1
Annual Returns, girls, 1933-38

ABY/C/X/G/2
Syllabus and record books
Three books containing schemes of work, syllabus of work, reports, examination schedules, reports on individual pupils, weekly record of work, memoranda etc. With some loose material.
1. Syllabus and Record Book, Girls, 5th class, school year ending 31 March 1946.
2. Syllabus and Record Book, Girls, 5th class, school year ending 31 March 1947.
3. Syllabus and Record Book, Girls, 6th and 7th class, school year ending 31 March 1947.


ABY/C/X/B: Boys, miscellaneous records

ABY/C/X/B/1
Stock and stores book, boys 1907-30

ABY/C/X/B/2
Stock and stores book, boys 1934-35

ABY/C/X/B/3
Examination returns, boys, 1928-39


Other

ABY/C/P/B/1
School punishment books, boys, 1928-39


School Board Records

Aberystwyth Board

Minute books
1870-1890 139aI
1890-1903 139aII
1903-1904 139aIII

Ledgers
1872-1883 139bI
1893-1896 139bII

Cash books
1899-1902 139cI
1902-1904 139cII

Education Committee Records

see Aberystwyth Group, minutes of managers' meetings:

1910-1915 179a
1915-1919 179b

County Council Records

School brochure, 1983 DYC/ED/4

Questionnaires dated 1920 giving details of the school and its catchment area, with the headmaster’s opinions on local education, employment prospects and other local issues. Separate questionnaires for Infants, Boys, and Girls sections. CDC/ED/30, nos. 4 and 5.

Photographs of school building: CDC/ED/VA/1/1-4

School plans, 1908-9 - CDC/A/1/36, 41, 42, 68, 70, 75
1955 - CDC/A/7/1

Acc. Various

Ref: ABY/N

ABERYSTWYTH, THE NATIONAL SCHOOL (North Road)

In 1813 Pryse Pryse of Gogerddan acquired a site from the Corporation for a National School. This was later abandoned, and the National School built on Northgate Street. In 1866 the school moved to a site in North Road. The headmaster of the North Road School from 1892 to 1925 was T. Ainsleigh Jones.
The 1905 report states that the school, a non-provided school, was erected in 1865. There was accommodation for 666. In 1904 there were 230 boys and girls, and 145 infants on the books, and average attendance in 1904 was 216 (boys and girls) and 120 (infants).
From 1948 the school took all primary school pupils between 7 and 11, and after the establishment of Yr Ysgol Gymraeg at Alexandra Road it was the town's English primary school. In 1955 the pupils were moved to the senior section of Alexandra Road School, where they remained until 1969, when a new school was opened at Plas Crug.

School Records

Log books

Mixed
1892-1906 - ABY/N/M/1
1905-1915 - ABY/N/M/2
1915-1924 - ABY/N/M/3
4 July 1924-29 July 1948 - ABY/N/M/4
7 September 1949-9 July 1971 - ABY/N/M/5

Infants
1873-1927 - ABY/N/I/1

Boys
1867-1892 - ABY/N/B/1

Girls
1866-1890 - ABY/N/G/1

Registers of admission, progress and withdrawal

Boys 1867-1928 - ABY/N/R/B/1
Girls 1874-1928 - ABY/N/R/G/1

Infants and Mixed
1928-1944 - ABY/N/R/1
1948-1954 - ABY/N/R/2
1954-1965 - ABY/N/R/3

Summary Registers

Summary register 1955-1960 - ABY/N/SR/1
Summary register 1960-1965 - ABY/N/SR/1
Summary register 1965-1970 - ABY/N/SR/2


PLAS CRUG SCHOOL (from 1969)

Log book, 11 September 1971-17 July 1981 - ABY/PC/1

Admissions Register, Plascrug School 1976-1987 - ABY/PC/R/1


Education Committee Records

See: Aberystwyth Group, minutes of managers' meetings:
1910-1915 179a
1915-1919 179b

County Council Records

Questionnaires dated 1920 giving details of the school and its catchment area, with the headmaster’s opinions on local education, employment prospects and other local issues. Separate questionnaires for Infants and Mixed Depts. CDC/ED/30, no. 5

School plans, n.d. CDC/A/1/82-3

Deeds, 1873-1910 271/A46
1199/A122

CDC/ED/46
File of annual returns for the National School and other administrative records including 'special educational treatment' for handicapped pupils, records of accidents etc. 1927-1960 approx. NB. RESTRICTED ACCESS

Plas Crug School opening programme, in CDC/ED/14

Photographs of school building (North Road): CDC/ED/VA/2
Photographs of school building (Plas Crug): CDC/ED/VA/3

Miscellaneous

School Inspection report, Plascrug Primary School, 1995 â€" DYC/ED/29/6
Retirement of T. Ainsleigh Jones, headmaster, Cardigan and Tivyside Advertiser, 28 May 1925, 3D

DSO/184
Alexandra Road, later Plascrug School Parent-Teacher Association minutes 1964-1975 and 1976-1982

Acc. various

Ref: ABY/SP

ABERYSTWYTH, ST. PADARN’S ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL

School Records

None

Other

Report by H.M. Inspectors of St. Padarn's Roman Catholic School, Aberystwyth - Inspected Autumn term 1988 DYC/ED/13