Mylander Issue 87

Learning & Growing Birthday bells for North Street School Schools have an important place in the community and a special place in many of our lives. Most of us will recall some formative school experience, maybe enjoy our continued friendships, or lose ourselves in rediscovered schoolbooks or photos from the loft. In 2018, North Primary School and Nursery started on a journey to capture and celebrate these stories in the National Lottery Heritage Fund CXXV project, telling the 125-year history of the school and welcoming contributions from current and former staff, pupils and families. In March 2021 we produced a book to share these as a lasting legacy of our work. Just as today, by the late nineteenth century new schools in Colchester were required to meet the demand for pupil places. A number of reorganisations of voluntary and subscription schools took place in the 1890s, but in 1894 North was the first new school built by the town’s Education Board. Pupils came from Braiswick and Mile End, as well as around North Station Road, the Dutch Quarter and St Mary’s. By the end of the first term, 520 children were enrolled in the junior and infant departments, including 45 from the workhouse. At this time the school day was longer, with each child going home for lunch during a two- hour break in the middle of day. For some children this meant a walk back and 35