York Historic Environment Record

Dodsworth's Schools.

Between 1798 and 1803 three schools were founded in York by John Dodsworth (d. 1813), a York ironmonger, who had a warehouse in North Street and a house at Nether Poppleton (W.R.). The York foundations, together with another at Poppleton, were subsequently known as the Dodsworth Schools. (fn. 48)

The schoolhouse on the north side of Lawrence Street, outside Walmgate Bar, is said to have been erected by Dodsworth in 1798. (fn. 49) By deed of 1799 it was conveyed in trust, part as a schoolroom for boys and girls and part for the teacher's appartments. By deed of 1800 the school was endowed with £200 stock for teaching 20 poor children to read and write. The school was to be managed and the master appointed by the York Sunday School Committee. The pupils were to be chosen by a vestry meeting of 5 persons from each of the parishes of St. Lawrence, St. Peter-le-Willows with St. Margaret and St. Denys. (fn. 50) There were said to be 20 children in the school in 1819; the master's salary was £10. (fn. 51) The interest on the endowment had fallen in value by 1833 and the master's salary was then £7 7s.; the charity children were then paying 6d. a quarter, —a fee that had been introduced without the committee's authority. There were 20 other children in the school in that year. (fn. 52) The school was closed before 1865 and the income used to pay the fees of children attending National schools. By a scheme of the Charity Commissioners of 1896 the use of the endowment was altered: it was joined with Dodsworth's other endowments and was subsequently known as the Educational Charity of John Dodsworth. The income from the endowment in St. Lawrence's parish was used for exhibitions tenable in secondary schools by children chosen from the four parishes to which the original charity was limited. (fn. 53) The school building was sold in 1888; (fn. 54) in 1956 it was occupied as business premises.

The Dodsworth school in the parish of St. Mary, Castlegate, was founded and endowed under the same deeds as that in St. Lawrence's parish. The schoolhouse was situated in an alley on the south side of Far Water Lane (or Friargate) close to the river; there were a schoolroom on the ground floor, a teacher's room above, and a small garden. (fn. 55) The endowment was identical with that of the Lawrence Street School and managed by the Sunday School Committee. The 20 pupils were to be chosen from the parishes of St. Mary, Castlegate, St. Michael, Spurriergate, and All Saints, Pavement. (fn. 56) There were said to be 20 boys attending in 1819. (fn. 57) Reading and writing were taught free of charge but a 'moderate quarterage' was paid for arithmetic. (fn. 58) There were 30 children attending in 1833. (fn. 59) The school was closed before 1865 when the income was used in the same way as that for Lawrence Street School, the exhibitions being tenable by children from the three parishes to which the original charity applied. (fn. 60) The site of the school was later built over.

The Dodsworth school in the parish of St. Mary, Bishophill, Junior, adjacent to the church, was opened in 1803. (fn. 61) By Dodsworth's will, dated 1811, the schoolhouse was left in trust and endowed with £200 for the education of 20 boys, 4 each from St. Mary, Bishophill, Junior and Senior, 4 from St. John, Ouse Bridge End, 3 each from All Saints, North Street, and Holy Trinity, Micklegate, and 2 from St. Martin-cum-Gregory parishes. The school was to be managed in the same way as the other Dodsworth schools. (fn. 62) There were said to be 20 children in the school in 1819; the teacher's salary was £10. (fn. 63) In 1825 the curriculum was the same as that of the Water Lane School. (fn. 64) There were 38 boys in the school in 1833. (fn. 65) The school was described as 'a dame school of the lowest order' in 1865; it was then the only Dodsworth school in York still open. (fn. 66) It was apparently closed before 1870. (fn. 67) The endowment was altered by the scheme of 1896, to provide exhibitions for children from the six parishes south of the river for which the original charity was provided. (fn. 68) The building was used as a dwelling house in 1956; it bore the inscription 'School House 1803'

From: 'Schools and colleges', A History of the County of York: the City of York (1961), pp. 440-460. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=36380 Date accessed: 17 November 2009. SYO1174

Victoria County History, 1961, A History of the County of York: the City of York, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=36380#s27 (Bibliographic reference). SYO1174.