Higher Tranmere High School for GirlsClarence Rd Devonshire Park 1882 -

1941

Tranmere became incorporated into Birkenhead in1877 and there was a growing need to establish the first school for middle and upper class girls in the borough. The school was originally located off Derby Road and was founded in May 1882. It was a pioneering school and demand for places quickly outgrew the premises therefore it was re-located to Devonshire Park in 1888. The school was eventually demolished by a land mine during the Second World War on 12 March 1941.

'Higher Tranmere High School for Girls’ was funded by well-wishes who supported the venture by buying shares, forming an Ltd Company. This was the first secondary school for girls in the borough and was the brainchild of Rev M.L.J. Mortimer, Vicar of St Catherine's Church in 1868. Rev Mortimer enlisted the support of the Laird family, local clergy and town councillors, convincing them of the need for a school. Girls had previously travelled each day to Blackburne House, Hope Street and Liverpool College, Duke Street in Liverpool to be educated.

The inauguration of the school was on 2nd May1882. Mayor William Laird’s speech supported the need for the school by saying. ‘Despite the risk to life and health from the inclemency of the weather and from the dangers of the Liverpool streets. Now, no girl need run these risks in order to obtain such an education.’

1882 - 1888Higher Tranmere High School for Girls opened with 46 girls. Two houses at the bottom of Chestnut Grove and Laurel Road (off Derby Road) were purchased and adapted. Miss Isobel Graves who had been a student at Newnham Cambridge was appointed the first Headmistress in 1882. Demand for places meant that pupils were being turned away, eventually and it became evident that new and larger premises were needed.

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1888 - 1941In 1888, the school council purchased Clarence House on the corner of Clarence Rd & Willowbank Rd in the quiet leafy residential area of Devonshire Park. Alternations were needed to accommodate the growing number of pupils. An assembly hall was built on the side of the existing building which provided additional accommodation and was also used as a meeting place for ‘Mistresses & pupils’. The basement of the hall was designed as a spacious cloak-room leaving more room for scholastic purposes in the main building. The hall was opened in June 1890 by Miss Clough, late principal of Newnham College Cambridge.

At the time of the purchase in 1888. Mr Edmund Taylor owned two plots of land adjacent to the school in Greenbank Rd. His generously offered the land free of charge on the understanding it would be laid out as tennis courts. In 1902 the land was bought from Mr Taylor by the school. The girls also had the use of ‘Rovers Football Ground’ twice a week.

The school was unusual in that it encouraged an interest in gardening. A portion of the school grounds were set aside for use as allotments. An award was given each year to the pupil with the best plot. During the 1st World War both pupils and teachers gardened for the war effort.

Fire at the SchoolA fire broke out on Sat 9 Dec 1935 in the sitting room and caused extensive damage. All furniture was destroyed along with some walls and ceilings. Only the headmistress Miss M Hall and her housekeeper Mrs Sims who set the alarm were in the building at the time. Both were unhurt. The fire is believed to have been caused by a lit fire left burning in the grate.

UniformThe earliest uniform was a green surge dress which was ‘very itchy’. In summer the girls would wear sailor hats known as ‘Cheese Cutters’ and a black velour hat in winter, hair was always ‘scraped back of their faces’. The green blazer had a badge bearing the Higher Tranmere High School monogram on the pocket. Gold and green cord edged the jacket. Neck ties were green with narrow gold diagonal stripes.

The school prefect badge had a ‘Chestnut tree’ which apparently represents the ‘Tree of Knowledge’. This also appears on the Arms of Birkenhead and some say in olden times the tree stood in Tranmere and was a meeting point in the village.

To stimulate competition, four school houses were formed by headmistress Miss Jones in 1920. ‘Kenilworth’, ‘Peveril’, ‘Waverley’ and ‘Woodstock’. Each house had its own colours, tie and badge. Their names were taken from four of ‘Sir Walter Scott’s ‘Waverley novels’. Scott was Miss Jones favourite author.

The School

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During its 59 years 'Higher Tranmere High School for Girls’ had only 3 head mistresses. At the school’s Golden Jubilee on 14 May 1932, Mayor Tweedle estimated that 8000 girls had passed through the school and that the average school life for a girl was 10 years. By 1905 accommodation was provided for 130 girls. Although not primarily a boarding school it met the needs of daily boarders who lived outside the district.

A display of singing and drill took place each year at Birkenhead Town Hall. Two scholarships were awarded giving recipients a year’s free education at the High School. One was awarded to the girl who took first place in the school examination and the other to the girl obtaining the highest place in the Oxford Local Junior Examination. From 1882 the Oxford Local Examinations were taken by many pupils across England who had performed exceptionally well. ‘Tranmere High School’ achieved ‘Senior Girl in all England’ once and ‘Junior Girl in all England’ three times which was quite an achievement.

Few Scholarships to Universities were offered to girls at the turn of the centaury but in 1905 six students won these prestigious awards.

Outdoor games such as tennis, rounders, hockey, netball and cricket were encouraged but not football. The girls were not allowed to ‘Kick’ a ball. Formal attire such as long dresses was the requisite for sports.

In the mid 1890’s the girls were transported by horse bus to play at venues such as Merchant Taylors School Crosby, trips they didn’t look forward to. Livingstone Street baths Birkenhead served for swimming lessons.Holm Lane Prenton was used for hockey practice and for Sports’ Days.They competed for and won the ‘Rounder’s Challenge Shield’ against the ‘Public girls Schools’ of Liverpool and district.

The school also joined the ‘Cheshire High Schools Tennis and Hockey League’. The lack of their own facilities was frustrating so through fund raising, the school purchased land between Osmaston Rd and Glenavon Road Prenton, in 1934.

One of many exceptional pupils was Muriel Dodd who went on to with the Ladies Open Golf Championship of Great Britain and Ireland in 1913 and the Ladies Golf Championship of Canada.

The Old Girls AssociationThis was established to bring past and present pupils together. Meetings were held monthly and all ‘Old Girls’ were expected to attend the annual meeting held each spring. The Association and pupils helped provide ‘Poor people with Christmas dinners and for approx 8 years their contributions supported ‘a waif ‘at the New Brighton Home for Waifs and Strays’.

The Association celebrated its Golden Jubilee at the Town Hall on Sat 14 th May 1932. Reunions of the ‘The Old Girls Association’ continued into the 1980’s

2nd World WarAt the outbreak of the war, the school Honours Board, Cups, Trophies and Shields were deposited in the Birkenhead Corporation vaults. Sept 1939 the pupils were evacuated to the ‘Dr Williams

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School, Dolgellau, Snowdonia Wales’ and the building was requisitioned by the War Department.

A landmine destroyed the property on 12 March 1941 tragically with loss of life of Army Personnel that had just recently been stationed there. When the girls returned after the war, the school had been demolished and the girls were absorbed into local schools.

In conclusionThe school was pioneering. Its purpose was to provide for the physical and moral as well as the intellectual sides of the girls lives. It afforded women the opportunity to advance into further education. Birkenhead and further education would have been poorer without it.1944 Education Act brought in free Secondary Education for all children.

Location of Higher Tranmere High School for Girls

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Ordinance Survey Map of 1927 If

you have deeds, photos etc that we can research please email Pete & Elaine @:

www.devonshirepark . wordpress .com - or - dpra.helpline@yahoo.co.uk

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