The First 50 Years of Charney Hall School

By David Clapp

Leader of the Grange U3A Family and Social |History Group

Charney Hall School

Charney Hall School was created by George and Matilda Podmore in 1882.

The first school was set up at Grove House just a stone’s throw from where the final establishment was built in 1888.

George bought the initial plot of land for the school from the Eden Mount Estate. Other land was bought over time.

At the time Charney Hall was the largest school in Grange, but never had more than 20-24 resident pupils. The numbers were enhanced by day boys but no records exist for them.

Charney Hall School (Eden Mount-Grove House OS map 1889)

Charney Hall School

Grove House was the first school George and Matilda had. In the first term or two they had just three pupils, Carrick and Martin Deakin and Neville Grandison Smith, the son of the Rev. Smith, vicar of Grange.

George began on slim funds and had only £200 to fund the school. This money was used up in the first term!

The school used other buildings nearby until the main school was built in 1888-89. The building was purpose built and styled on classic lines.

Charney Hall School with Grove House situated to the right taken from Yew Barrow

Charney Hall School

This is a photograph from a set of publicity pictures taken in 1925. It shows the scale of the building.

The school was built in 1888/9 by a local builder whose foreman, Mr G Robertson “was so keen himself and inspired his men” that the whole build was done remarkably quickly and had time to dry out before opening in the January of 1889. There were no problems with the construction and George was able to say “that “no one who moved in then contracted any cold at all in the whole of the Spring Term”

Charney Hall School (Eden Mount)

Henry Fitzwalter Plumptre, as he was known then, (Haileybury and Univ. Coll. Oxford), was the first resident Assistant Master of this school for three years (1885-1887). He was a great sportsman and his accurate knowledge of Botany and Entomology in particular, made him a most interesting companion, while his sitting room became a sort of hospital for wounded animals and birds, as well as a breeding room for moths of all sorts. He was, of course, very popular with the boys.

Charney Hall School (Eden Mount)

The second assistant master at Charney Hall was Hugh Heaton B.A.

Hugh was a young Welshman who only stayed about 2 years from 1885-1887.

Sadly, Hugh accidentally, and fatally, shot himself during a lone pigeon shoot near his home in Wales.

There was an inquest which reported the circumstances of his death.

Charney Hall School An early school picture (pre-1898)

Charney Hall School The first Assistant Master at the new school

George Lancelot Nevill Antrobus came to Charney Hall in the May of 1888, with an impressive CV and turned out to be a loyal and dedicated master. He was George’s third assistant master. In December 1899 George Antrobus left to teach at Cranleigh School, where he rose to become Second Master. He remained at Cranleigh until he retired, and died on the 10th June 1942 at Bridge Road, Cranleigh, Surrey. He was also involved in the purchasing of Ashleigh House, Charney Hall School- the home of Conrad and Barbara Podmore.

Charney Hall School

Entrance Hall Second Schoolroom

Charney Hall School

Dining Room Dormitory

Charney Hall School The Main Classroom

George Podmore is sitting in the left-hand corner

Charney Hall School The Great War Years

The School lost a large number of Old Boys in the War, 49 in total. Amongst them was Hubert Podmore, who died in an accident involving a mortar demonstration which went badly wrong. Six others were also killed in the accident.

Others who were killed in the War included Richard Gibson Michaelson.

The Memoriam Hall was built in 1923 to commemorate these men, and was funded from donations.

The loss of Hubert rocked George and Matilda to their core. Hubert was their third son to die before his time.

Charney Hall School Sport

Sporting activity was a key activity for the boys. Not only did sport channel their energy and pride in the school, it also kept them fit and healthy. The key reason that the site at Charney Well was chosen was that it was high above the town with fresh air aplenty. George had been offered “Brown Robin” but declined the offer on the grounds of no room for a sports field but also the marshy ground around the house. Matilda was a mean bowler and bat at cricket and was by no means the slowest on the football field! Matilda also ran the school ladies’ cricket and golf teams! The boy in the picture was D.I. Deakin who was the School’s best sportsmen. He was an excellent all-round athlete who did well at Charterhouse. The score on the board was never surpassed. Note the Snake belt!

Charney Hall School School Admissions for 1884 (Barrow Record Office)

Charney Hall School The Arts

Besides looking after the boys physical welfare, the School also had a programme of other activities which developed their character for future life. The confidence found in public school boys was grounded in the preparatory schools such Charney Hall.

In the Notes much comment was made of this side of their school life by way of scientific visits and activities. George had a passion for entomology and anything that opened the eyes of the boys to the natural world around them in Grange.

The page opposite shows a typical entertainment programme which allowed the boys to show off their musical and poetic skills.

Charney Hall School The Changing of the Guard

By 1927 George and Conrad had decided that they should prepare for a change of leadership at the School. Conrad had served his apprenticeship both before the War and after when he came back to Grange.

Both George and Matilda were showing the pressure of many dedicated years of service, and both had health problems.

Conrad could not obviously buy out the school in one payment, so the sale was managed as a series of annual payments to George and Matilda to give them a steady income free from stress.

Charney Hall School The Changing of the Guard

In March 1928 George reached an agreement with Conrad over the transfer of the reins of the school.

Matilda’s health suddenly became very precarious. She was persuaded to visit a specialist in London but the prognosis was not good. She was told to retire immediately from all school work and rest. Even with rest her future was not going to be lengthy.

On the 25th June Matilda died and was buried at Grange cemetery. The service was held at the school.

George was obviously devastated as his note for the fiftieth anniversary of the school four years later reveals.

Charney Hall School Death of George Podmore George wrote an article for the School Notes in 1932, on the 50th Anniversary of Charney Hall being built.

The article clearly illustrates his passion for the school and teaching many generations of boys.

He talks about the beginnings at Grove House and the new school. George gives thumbnail portraits of many of the staff who helped to make the school such a success.

The reminiscences cover aspects such as the offer to use Brown Robin which he turned down because it was not in a healthy enough position.

His other passions were cricket and nature. George was a very good amateur cricketer and the boys loved him for it. He was very envious of one helper who came back with 60 Large Elephant Hawk moths all neatly boxed.

George died on the 22nd August 1933 and was buried with his beloved Matilda at Grange Cemetery.

Charney Hall School The Final Days

Just three years after George died, Conrad found himself in very poor health. Whether the War had any contributory input is not known, but it may have done.

By the beginning of 1937 Conrad was making plans to sell the school and property to the next owners.

He wrote a letter (this is the draft), to the parents, at the beginning of January, explaining his position, and assuring them of the school’s secure future.

Sadly Conrad died on the 21st January 1937 before he could secure the future of the school.

Conrad died in Blackpool and was cremated there.

I hope his ashes were returned to be with his parents at Grange.

Charney Hall School The Final Days

This is Conrad’s final page of the letter sent to parents assuring them of the future of Charney Hall.

The school was demolished in the 1970’s and replaced with a number of very ordinary bungalows and houses

Charney Hall School

Charney Hall School

Conrad’s widow, Barbara, was left the job of finalising the sale as well as grieving for her husband.

Barbara left Grange and the family never came back again.

As with George and Matilda, Conrad and Barbara also lost a son, Derek, killed in a flying accident in World War ll.

Their daughter, Daphne J (Jill) married and is now living in Scotland aged 86. It is with Jill’s help and kindness that I have been able to construct a very full picture of the Podmore and Heale families at Ashmount and Charney Hall.

Copyright © David Clapp January 2017