History

Storridge Village Hall, refurbished in 1998,incorporates the building that once housed Storridge School. This was a National School for boys and girls, built at the sole expense of Earl Beauchamp. The earliest School Log Book dates from 1875. At a meeting of the Managers on Friday the 15th April it was proposed that “ Miss Amellia Brooks be appointed Mistress to the Storridge School from the first day of May next”. She commenced her duties in the 4th May 1875 The original schoolroom proved too small for the number of scholars and in 1878 the building was enlarged,now providing two areas known as the senior room and the infant room. The School Log Book entry 24th May 1878 tells of how the School had to move to Storridge Farm until the classroom was built. Over fifty years later additional premises were again needed when in 1939, at the outbreak of the Second World War, Birmingham children were evacuated to Storridge and the schoolroom could not accommodate everyone. The Storridge children and the evacuees took it in turns to use the School and the Jubilee Parish Hall for lessons. Each May the School inspectors paid their annual visit, commenting on teachers, scholars and the repair of the building. In 1895 some additions and improvements were recommended and implemented. The attendance at this time was fifty-seven. Hazards of School seemed to be illness, the stoves and the weather. The School was closed during outbreaks of Influenza, Scarlet Fever and again for Whooping Cough. The stoves that heated the School were always a cause for concern. In the Log Books there are constant references to the smoking of the stove, even to the extent of turning the windows black. Another hazard constantly making its presence felt in the life of the School was the weather. Twelve to fifteen inches of snow,very wet weather and impassable roads. This made the attendance at School fluctuate, low attendance was the norm.

One little girl discovered her own particular hazard as shown by the Log Book entry 25th January 1878 ‘Fanny got kicked by a cow on Monday when coming to School. She was very much hurt and had to be sent home’ There was usually the headmaster or headmistress and an assistant teacher, monitoress and uncertified teachers were also employed. Miss Eva Mascall became a monitoress in 1921, returned as a teacher in 1924, and on her marriage became Mrs Eva Brown. Some of the Headmistresses and Headmasters over the years were Miss Amellia Brooks, Miss Annie Bull, Miss Harriette Collins, Mr A Evans, and Miss Margorie Mills Teachers like Miss Margorie Mills (opposite) and Miss Eve Brown are still remembered with respect and great affection. Each year the School closed for the holidays at the end of August until early October for harvest and hop picking. Some scholars were given further exemptions to do fruit picking and farm work. Throughout the years there were Coronation holidays,Primrose Day, a day to see the ‘Wild Beast Show’ , the annual fete at Stifford, Vicar’s treats,outings to the seaside, a half day holiday for good attendance and an afternoon closure so a Rummage Sale could be held. Even during its life as a School the building was used by the wider community. Cradley Parish Magazine,February 1895, tells of a Missionary Meeting held in St John’s Storridge Schoolroom. ‘ The Rev. A. W. Hands delivered an interesting lecture on New Zealand. The lecture was illustrated by lantern slides, which were very distinct. This first lecture in the Storridge Schoolroom was part of of a scheme to arrange a series of winer entertainments but it clearly proved that the uncertainty of the weather during the winter months and the distance at which the people live from the center of attraction would render the attendance unequal to the amount of expense and trouble involved’. During April 1895 the Schoolroom was used for Sunday Services during repairs to the Church

By the 1940s the School was no longer economically viable it was unrealistic to keep it open for so few pupils. In January 1946 N.K. Tillotson was appointed temporary Head pending the closure of the School. The entry in the School Log Book for 8th February 1946 ‘ Twenty children now attending Cradley School ’ However the use of the building was not lost to the villagers. A variety of alterations were made including the building of of a flat roofed-kitchen and toilet block in the 1960s to modernize the amenities. By the 1990s it had become obvious that a major refurbishment was needed to rejuvenate the building for the twenty-first century. To achieve such an undertaking major financial funds would obviously be necessary. Villagers worked very hard with many fund raising events, including ‘ Buy a Brick Scheme ‘,Money from the so called ‘ Malvern Millions ‘, acquired from the old Malvern Hills District Council through the sale of its housing stock, was the most significant contribution. It was matched by grants from the National Lottery Charities Board, Lloyds TSB and from Eveson Trust Lady Morrison, a descendant of the original benefactor, Earl Beauchamp, officially opened the Hall on 25th September 1999. The hall is now a much used building whose facilities are appreciated by those who use it. In her address Lady Morrison wondered what Earl Beauchamp would think of it now!

Joan Prosser - 2001 With thanks to:Valerie Dee for photographs Margaret Ellis: collator

Earl Beauchamp

Junior Class 1928