Download City of Bath Technical School 1

City of Bath Technical School 1
City of Bath Technical School
The City of Bath Technical School was initially part of a co-educational Technical
College located in Bath, United Kingdom.
History
(Extract from an article published by ex-pupil Malcolm Jefferies copy at Somerset Records
office http:/ / www. somerset. gov. uk/ archives)
The college developed in many different ways and the term technical "school" was used
when it should have been technical “college” . The forerunners of the City of Bath Technical
School (BTS) were the junior technical schools which were established at the College in
1927.
It is difficult to be precise about the date when the young people started to complete
full-time education at the College; an article in Keene's Bath Journal of July 19 1902 shows
what was happening at that time. In 1913 the Government issued regulations for the
establishment of junior technical schools and in 1927 such schools were created in the
Building and Engineering Departments of the College, (there were also junior schools in
Art, Commerce and Homecrafts). By 1939 the junior technical schools started to change,
the Second World War intervened and in 1946 they were calling themselves Bath
Secondary Technical School. That title remained until 1949 when, with the appointment of
a headmaster- T.J.Nicholas- the School became The City of Bath Technical School. It was
then fully independent of the College although it used many of the College's facilities,(there
has always been some confusion between the two; see Councillor Gray's letter.
The Education Act of 1944 was the most important legislation on education and is the basis
for the system we have today. Under the Act, the statuary system of public education was
re-organised in three progressive stages- primary(age 5 to 11), secondary ( age 11 to 18)
and further education; raising the school leaving age to 15 and making provision for quickly
raising it to 16, part time education for all up to the age of 18, etc., etc. There were
different Appointed Days for starting parts of the Act; for example, it was 1947 before the
school leaving age was raised to 15. Some parts have not been implemented; for example,
there is no part-time education for all up to the age of 18.
At a meeting in December 1946 the Bath City Council approved development plans and in
particular, the establishment of a secondary technical school for boys between 11 and 16
and , as an interim policy, until the secondary technical school had its own premises, the
limitation to 60 boys a year from the primary schools of the City ( of whom about 30 would
go on to the School of Building and 30 to the School of Engineering at the College). The
Council reached this decision after considering a submission from the Bath Secondary
Technical Schools Parent- Teacher Association about restricting the yearly entry into the
Technical Schools of Building and Engineering; the Secretary was the same C.J.(Bill)
Hayman who later taught the pupils of 1947 mathematics. A paragraph from his letter of 4
December 1946 as follows.
The engineering and building industries have recommended an annual intake of 60 boys
from Bath into each School and not 30 as provided for in the Development Plan. These
admissions of 60 per annum into each school are to be irrespective of any admissions which
the County areas may request.
City of Bath Technical School 2
Apparently the Minister was content with the development plans as 52 eleven year old
pupils from primary schools within the City started at St Peters Hall, Twerton in September
1947.
There is no record when the restriction of 60 pupils from the City primary schools was lifted
or when the regular flow of County pupils began.
1947 was one of the most remarkable years in modern history;shortages,rationing greater
than in the Second World War and some remarkable weather. Bomb damage was a feature
of the landscape. Relaxation outside the home was limited to the cinema, sport and boys
clubs. Cigarette smoking was common-place. All homes had a radio, but few had a
telephone,central heating,bathroom, washing machine, fitted carpets or a car. There was no
television, videos or computers. Refrigerators were sometimes found; but deep freezers
unknown. Queuing was a way of life and public transport was fully used. The FAX, portable
phones and plastic money had not been introduced. Life in 1947 was so different.
In October 1947 the City Council received the following report on the re-organisation of the
Secondary Technical School and College. The Education Committee considered the view of
the Principle of the Technical College with regard to the re-organisation of his position, in
view of his impending retirement. It was agreed that the post be re-organised as follows.
• Headmaster of the Secondary Technical School with an age range 11 to 16
• Principle of the Technical College providing courses for all students over 16
It is understood that the School at the outset would consist of those boys who have been
recruited in 1947 and in 1948 at the age of 11 years, together with those boys who were
recruited at 13 years and who previously specialised in engineering. Boys who have been
previously recruited at 13 years for the Building School shall remain at that Building
School, but new entrants to the Building School will become pupils of the Secondary
Technical School and remain so throughout their career.
That the whole of Weymouth House School building be set at the disposal of the Secondary
Technical School when the remaining infant pupils have been transferred to alternative
primary schools.
That vocational training for the pupils of the Secondary Technical School would be provided
by using the facilities now available within the buildings of the Technical College.
In February 1948, the Council appointed Henry Burt Toft B.Sc., as Principle of the
Technical College and Headmaster of the Secondary Technical School; he took up his duties
when Major L.J. Castle retired in May 1948;. He was then Headmaster, Royal Latin School,
Buckingham and a former rugby international having captained the Barbarian F.C.,
Lancashire and England.
Mr Toft was not in post long before a decision was made to allow him to concentrate on the
College by appointing a separate Headmaster for the Secondary Technical School and the
Council in March 1949 decided to advertise for this new post. Thomas John Nicholas MA
B.Sc., headmaster of the Secondary Technical School, Wigan was appointed, he was 44
when he started in September 1949 ( in a press report at the time was the phase- When the
Bath Training College for Domestic Science moves out of the Brougham Hayes building, the
Secondary Technical School will move in).
Until 1947 all pupils were admitted at the age of 13, from that year on pupils from the City
were admitted at 11 years of age following the successful completion of the usual
examination, while pupils from South Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire were
City of Bath Technical School 3
admitted at the age of 13. It was 1954 before all pupils were admitted at the age of 11
years, the School participated in the annual transfer of pupils at 13 years from the City and
surrounding area.
Mr Nicholas transformed the School in both an educational and a building sense. By 1954 a
sixth form had started, a full range of clubs had developed, the parent teacher organisation
continued to be a strong partner and the School had all the outward and visible signs of a
successful school,including a prestigious annual speech Day when the amazing record of
“O” and “A” level passes was revealed- and an annual Carol Service in Bath Abbey. In the
buildings sense, Weymouth House School was supported by a variety of temporary
premises; for example, St James's Church Hall, part of a house in Abbey Street, the
basement of the Methodist Chapel in Kingsmead,etc. (extract ends).
Unification of the School
It was the following letter sent in 1958 that alerted the Local Authoriy of the requirement to
bring together the fragmented Bath Technical School into a building of its own.
Dear-----It has come to my notice from time to time that many members of the City Council do not
realise that the Technical School and the Technical College are quite separate institutions.
The Technical College provides, in the main, part time eduction for persons whose full time
schooling is finished, and who are engaged in industry or commerce, whilst the Technical
School is a secondary school providing full time education for boys between the ages of 11 and 18.
As a fellow City Councillor and Chairman of the Technical School Governors, I should like to
clear up some of the confusion by telling you something about the school.
There are about five hundred pupils ranging from 11 to 18 years of age following courses
which provide a sound general eduction with some emphasis on scientific and practical subjects. The
School has a highly qualified staff of University Graduates, and has achieved excellent results. In the
G.C.E. Examinations Last year 105 pupils achieved 434 passes at
Ordinary Level, whilst this year 72 pupils achieved 308 passes. In the same period 59
passes were achieved at Advanced Level.
Seven of the Advanced pupils leaving school at 18/19 years of age, gained City or County
University Awards this year, and are now at the University following Science and
Engineering degree courses; others have taken up Student Apprenticeships with the Atomic
Energy Authority at Harwell, The General Electric Co at Birmingham, The British
Electricity Authority, De Havilland Aero Co., Westinghouse Electrical Engineering, E.M.I.
Electronics, and similar firms..
Of those that leave at 16 years of age, about 80% take up skilled apprenticeships in
engineering firms in and around Bath and district, ( Stothert and Pitt, Westinghouse, Avon
Rubber, Bristol Aeroplane Co., Spencers of Melksham, E.M.I. Wells.) The others take up various
occupations, some into Building, some in Banks and other offices, and some in technical branches of the
Services.
The School works in temporary premises – seven separate buildings – scattered over more than two miles,
Weymouth House in the City centre, to the Old Jail at Twerton. The City
Council in its development plan proposes to adapt and extend the Domestic Science
Training College at Brougham Hayes, and this has become an urgent necessity if the School
City of Bath Technical School is to maintain its work and progress. Boys are walking long distances from
class to class each day in all weathers with much loss of time and damage to health. There are no school
cloakrooms, merely hooks on a corridor. Much has been tolerated by Governors and the Ministry of
Education because of the prospect of early entry into the Domestic Science Building at Brougham Hayes,
and it is hoped that the difficulties of the present time will not be allowed to displace the necessary
adoptions and extensions to these premises from the very highest priority in the approved building program
in the coming financial year.
Yours sincerely,
K.J.GRAY
(Chairman of the Governing Body)
In 1960 the School took over the Domestic Science College building in Brougham
Hayes; (four more years were to pass before the new workshop block was to open).
In December 1962 the School suffered the greatest shock in its history when the news of
Mr. Nicholas's death became known, but “the show must go on” and by September 1963
Fred Naylor MA MSc, Senior Science Master, Leeds Modern School had taken up the post.
He carried on with the development of the School, but he was facing imposible odds in the
wish of the Labour Government to introduce comprehensive schools and the surrounding
Counties building their own schools (and, therefore not sending so many pupils).
Malcolm Jefferies (the main contributor to this article) has added the following note.
In a short account of this nature it is not possible to record adequately the debt which the
pupils of 1947 owe to the teachers led by Bill Hayman and Ken Webb. Michael
Clements, one of my fellow pupils, put it best when he told me “We owe fulsome praise and thanks to staff who established and took us forward
from 1947 to form the City of Bath Technical School and all it is become in ethos and achievement. My
memories are of a group of dedicated staff, all determined to succeed. I have throughout my life felt
indebted to the School for what they found and encouraged in me”.
Amalgamation and demise
In September 1970 The City of Bath Technical School closed when it amalgamated with
Westhill Boys School (founded in 1956). It became Culverhay Comprehensive School. Early
in the 1970’s a purpose built Culverhay School was adapted from the existing West Hill
Boys School building constructed in 1956. (Built at the time to provided an additional
secondary school for the increased male infant population of the city after World War 2.
Historically now known as the "Baby Boom" era.) The building in Brougham Hayes was
taken over by Hayesfield School in 1973 (In those days the comprehensive school for girls,
it acheived Technology College status in 1979).
The staff and parent-teacher association fought long and hard to retain the City of Bath
Technical School and one advantage of the research for this short account is that the
Archives and Records Office, Guildhall, Bath, now have many of the original letters which
add considerably to the story contained in press cuttings and committee minutes. The
following press cutting is an example of the stance that the teachers took and their
commitment to make it work.
City of Bath Technical School 5
Controversy
"If it is the wish of the city, or the law of the land that a fully comprehensive system of
education should become operative in Bath we, as teachers, would do our best to make it
work, but until that time we consider it right to do everything in our power to prevent the
destruction of a school so good as ours, especially in a time when technical education is
such a vital national necessity. We favour an improvement in educational standards, see
nothing in any suggested scheme that even hints at improved standards, and intend to
press vigorously the claims of the Technical School for a role in any reorganised system in
Bath."
F.T.Naylor
( Headmaster,City of Bath Technical School and assistant members of staff)
Previous locations
Bath Technical College
Technical training in Bath stated in 1892 when Bath City Council rented part of a house in
Green Park and in 1896 the purpose built North Wing of the Guildhall (called the Bath
Municiple Technical College) was able to offer a greater range of day and evening classes.
Despite much support from additional accommodation, such as Long Acre in Walcot, the
facilities of the North Wing became overcrowded and the Municiple Technical College (now
called Bath Technical College) managed to transfer in May 1936 to new premises in Lower
Borough Walls, (taking over the buildings that were vacated when the Royal United
Hospital moved to the new hospital in Combe Park).
In 1939 the Admiralty took over the College and for six years the College managed to
provide a service from the temporary venues throughout the City. By the time the Admiralty
gave back the premises in 1945, the College was using sixteen separate venues (a plaque
on the wall inside the Beau Street entrance records the Admiralty’s occupation of the
College).
After the Second World War, the College began a new life with the Departments of
Engineering, Commerce, Languages and Home craft all base in the Lower Borough Walls
while the Department of the Building stayed on at the Twerton Institute and took over the
hutments at Brougham Hayes.
Twerton Technical Institute
Stuart Place, Caledonian Road Twerton, built in 1842 to replace the Bath City Gaol in Grove
Street, it was one of the earliest single-cell prisons in the land; each cell was 13 ft by 17 ft
by 9 ft high and each had a water closet. It catered for 234 prisoners and there was a
superb Governors House.
The goal closed in 1878 and in 1883 the Governors House became a Technical Institute.
Five years later in 1888 the goal became Goddards Sweet Factory; the factory closed in
1901 and the premises remained empty until 1914 when the entire premises, including the
former Governors House was refurbished and taken over as an outpost of the Bath
Technical College catering for a wide range of technical classes.
In the Second World War, Messrs. W.G.Walters, a light engineering firm, took over part of
the Institute and erected a temporary building in front of the former Governors House. It
City of Bath Technical School 6
was December 1945 before the Bath Technical College resumed control of the entire
building and by September 1946 it was called the headquarters of the School of Building.
The Institute remained an important part of the Bath Technical College and wood-working
classes were held there for the pupils of the Bath Technical School until temporary
workshops became available at Brougham Hayes in early 1960s.
The Institute closed shortly afterwards and in 1990 it was transformed into forty one flats
and two bungalows.
St. Peter's Hall, Dorset Street, Twerton
St. Peter’s Church Hall and the nearby annexe was the main base for the first intake of
eleven year olds to the Bath Technical School in September 1947. They also used it until
Weymouth House became available in September 1949.
The Hall was built with much local effort and was opened by the Bishop of Bath and Wells
in 1888 (there is a plaque inside the side entrance to the building).
In February 1945, the City Council agreed that the Hall be leased- from the church
authority- for educational purposes for five years from September 1945.
The Further Education Sub-Committee of the Bath Education Committee agreed in 1947
that, in view of the use of St Peter’s Hall in September by the eleven year olds of the
Secondary Technical School, a second classroom could not be made available to East
Twerton Junior School (next door to the Hall).
What happened to the Hall after 1949 is not known but it was later sold by the church
authority and in 1992 was taken over by West Country Vending.
Hutments
On the ordinance survey map of 1932 a large field is shown in front of the Somerset Boys
Home and by 1934 it had been transformed to become a hockey pitch and tennis courts for
the Domestic Science College.
In 1939 the Admiralty took over the College and the hockey pitch and tennis courts, and did
not return them until late 1944.The hockey pitch (and tennis courts) had changed because
the Admiralty had erected hutments upon them. The Bath Education Committee were
obviously so impressed with the hutments that by 1947 they erected additional ones and
redecorated the existing hutments.
By the time the eleven year old intake used them in September 1947, they had become
(along with the Twerton Institute) the headquarters of the School of Building. The pupils of
1947 used them for learning about physics, brickwork and masonry.
No photos can be found of these hutments which were used by the Bath Technical School
during the early days and in 1960 the Bath Technical School took over the former Domestic
Science College Building, they were gradually demolished and by 1964 all the hutments
had been cleared and the sports field restored.
City of Bath Technical School 7
Weymouth House School
This was the main basis for the school from September 1949 until July 1960
The Bath and District National School opened in 1816 The site was formerly the gardens of
Weymouth House (designed and built by William Killgrewin the early 1700s), part of the
house was demolished and the remaining part was incorporated into the new school. There
were 1000 pupils and it was one of the first to be conducted according to the educational
philosophy of Dr. Andrew Bell ( Dr Bell -1753-1832- taught in India and the grave shortages
of teachers led him to think that some of the work could be carried out by the pupils,
brighter boys were placed in charge of small groups. On his return to England he became
Superintendant of the National Society for promoting the Education of the Poor. The
Society established 12000 schools).The school was of an unusual circular design and it was
entirely demolished in 1896 when Weymouth House School was built on the site.
The School was severely damaged in the Bath Blitz of April 1942; at the time the school had
120 senior pupils and 121 infants. All the children were temporally transferred to other
schools – many of the seniors went to Walcot Parochial School- while the building was made
safe, infants used the ground floor until July 1949, when satisfactory arrangements had
been made to enable the infants school to close. The upper floors were used by the
Technical College for evening classes until 1950 and from that date the Technical School
was the sole user.
The intake of 1947, in their daily passage to the Technical College in Lower Borough Walls,
left Weymouth House School by the front door and crossed the playground into St James
Street South, then down Weymouth Street, passing on the left hand side, the shell of St
James Church (bombed in the Bath Blitz of April 1942). The shell of the church was
demolished in 1957.
In 1962 Weymouth House School was demolished and Marks and Spencer and Woolworths
(now Littlewoods) developed their stores to cover the site of the school, the playgrounds, St
James Street South, Weymouth Street and the site of St James Church.
Brougham Hayes
Originally built in 1864 as barracks, it became the Somerset Certified Industrial School
(otherwise the Somersetshire Industrial Home for Boys), Lower Bristol Road, Bath, was
founded under the provisions of the Industrial Schools Act 1866, and certified on 19 July
that year to accommodate 180 boys. The stated object of the home was "to reclaim
abandoned boys, and to rescue those whose unhappy circumstances would inevitably lead
them to crime and profligacy", inmates being drawn not only from Somerset but also from
places at a considerable distance. As the Somersetshire Home for Boys, it was still in
existence in 1927, but had evidently closed by 1931 (Kelly's Directory, 1927, 1931). For
plans, etc., relating to proposed alterations to the school, 1897-1900, see Q/AGz
20/4.(Somerset Archive and Records Office reference DD\SCS)
In 1947, the Hutments belonged to Bath Technical College and the Domestic Science
College occupied the building which looked a like school. So, when the pupils of 1947
entered the site via the entrance in Brougham Hayes, they turned left to enter the
Hutments and the domestic science college stood on the right.
After the domestic science college moved to new premises in Sion Hill, Bath Technical
School took over the premises in 1960 and became for the first time, a school under one
City of Bath Technical School 8
roof (Only the sports field was far away from the site at the Glasshouse, Combe Down).
Emblem
There were three badges;
The first was the Bath Technical College badge which was a simple design- BTC in thin red
letters within a shield outlined with a thin red line- and this lasted until the City of Bath
Technical School was created in 1949.
The second badge lasted until early 1954 and the only record of it is on the school
photograph of March 1950.
The third badge lasted until 1970.
The third badge was designed by Mr Ken Box, Head of Art, in early 1954 and included the
motto, 'NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA ' . The literal translation is 'UNLESS THE LORD IN
VAIN'. This is not much help. The motto is based on Psalm 127 and the more usual
translation is 'EXEPT THE LORD APPROVE WE LABOUR IN VAIN' while another
translation might be 'UNLESS THE LORD IS WITH US OUR EFFORTS ARE IN VAIN'.
The badge has the Book of Knowledge open to show the motto, over the City wall with the
Avon beneath. The open pages are white with yellow ends, the City wall is yellow, the river
Avon white and the background a shade of blue
Staff
Members of staff in the final year prior to the amalgamation with Westhill Boys included:H.J. Alvis; A.J. Bishop; R.J. Cannon; Peter Coard; L.K. Webb; F.W. Cowlin; H.J. Crossland;
H.D. Edwards; John M. Frew; W.W.J. Hammond; H. Harbour; G.N. Harris; C.J. Hayman;
P.H. Horsler; E.K. James; R.E. Jones; P.M. Keating; J.W. King; J. Leyshon; T.D. Martland;
M.R. Morgan; H.T. Mower; D.J.Cosnett; J.R. Papin; J.M. Pawson; Basil Rogers; E.J.E.
Reynolds; F. Seale; S. Spencer; D.W. Treays; R. Minikin; E. Wood; J. Oxley; S. Edwards
Chronology
1833 First Treasury Grant for Education (£20,000 for education of poor children).
1851 First Government Grant for Technical Education.
1870 Education Act. First Statutory System of Education, mainly elementary. School boards
established. School leaving age: 10 years.
1884 Report of the Royal Commission on Technical Education (The Bryce Report).
1889 Technical Instruction Act.
1890 Whiskey Money. Local authorities could raise additional funds and use them for
technical education.
1891 Fees for elementary schooling abolished.
1892 Bath starts technical training by renting part of a house in Green Park.
1893 School leaving age raised to 11 years.
1896 Bath Municipal Technical College opens in the newly built north wing of the Guild
Hall (Kellys directory 1897 page 45).
City of Bath Technical School 9
1899 Board of Education Act. Established the board to supervise the education system in
England and Wales.
1900 School leaving age raised to 12 years.
1902 Education Act. Laid down the system of secondary education. Abolished school boards
and replaced them with the local education authorities of county and county boroughs
councils.
1903 Bath Education Committee formed and takes over from the Bath and Twerton school
boards.
1906 Education (Provisions of meals) Act. Education committees authorised to spend money
on meals for children.
1906 Report on technical education (the Haldane Report).
1907 Education (Administrative provisions) Act. Local education authorities to provide
medical inspection of children in elementary schools.
1910 Long Acre, Walcot taken over as additional accommodation for technical training
mainly as a domestic science college.
1913 Government issues regulations for Junior technical schools.
1914 Old Jail at Twerton is converted and opened as Twerton Technical Institute.
1916 Junior Commercial Day School opens at the Bath Technical College.
1917 General School Certificate and Higher School Certificate.
1918 Education Act. Introduced a national system of public education. School leaving age
raised to 14 years.
1920 State scholarships instituted.
1926 Report of the committee on the education of the adolescent. (The Hadow Report).
First government report to suggest the integration of the secondary and elementary
systems.
1927 Junior Technical schools open at the Bath Technical College.
1929 Junior School of Art opens at the Bath Technical College.
1933 Junior School of Homecrafts opens at the Bath Technical College.
1934 Domestic Science College moves from Long Acre, Walcot to Brougham Hayes.
1935 Bath Technical College moves from the North Wing of the Guild Hall to Lower
Borough Walls.
1936 Education Act. Financial help for building new church schools.
1938 Report of the committee with special reference to grammar schools and technical
high schools (The Spens Report). Recommended expansion of technical schools.
1939 Admiralty takes over many large building in Bath including the Bath Technical College
and the Domestic Science College at Brougham Hayes.
1942 Mr C.J. (Bill) Hayman transfers from the West Central School to Bath Technical
School ( From 1948 he becomes the deputy headmaster).
1943 Report of the Committee on the curriculum and examinations in secondary schools
(The Norwood Report). A blueprint of the education act of 1944: Advocated the 3 types of
secondary school)
City of Bath Technical School 10
1944 Education Act. Replaced almost all previous legislation and laid the foundations for
the current education systems.
1945 Admiralty gives back many of the buildings it borrowed for the duration of the war,
including the Bath Technical and Domestic Science College at Brougham Hayes, (Having
built the Hutments on the sports field).
1946 Bath City Council publishes its plans for education in response to the requirements to
the education act of 1944. A major provision, is that the secondary technical school at the
Bath Technical College will become a separate school and a start will be made in
September 1947 when the first 11 year olds are admitted. First carol services in Bath
Abbey organised by Miss Ethel Arthurs and Mr Ray Jones (Mr Jones was deputy organist at
Bath Abbey and was responsible for arranging the carol service every year until 1969).
1947 Bath Technical School started taking 11 year olds, when 52 pupils started at St Peters
Hall, Twerton. School leaving age raised to 15 years. Government issues the education
pamphlet – the new secondary education. Bath Technical School starts a parent teachers
association ( which was an effective organisation until 1970).
1948 Major L.J. Castle retires as Principal of Bath Technical College and Mr HB Toft is
appointed to replace him, (and his appointment makes a special reference to him being
headmaster to Bath Technical School). A feature of Bath Technical School was the wide
range of lunchtime and evening clubs including violin classes! Mr Harry Edwards starts
teaching P.E.
1949 Mr T.J. Nicholas appointed headmaster of the BTS and its establishment as an
independent school. Infants leave Weymouth House School in July and BTS takes over in
September. (Technical College evening classes continue until 1950). School uniforms
criticised by some senior schools because of its use of red and blue. Mr HG Stennett starts
teaching at BTS in April.
1951 General Certificate of Education –‘O’ and ‘A’ Levels replaces the school certificate.
1952 Pupils who started at the BTS at 11 in 1947, leave to make their way in the world.
1953 Mr EK James starts teaching at the BTS in January. He retired in 1981 as deputy
headmaster at Culverhay school. New uniform including new badge, black cap with a
yellow ring, black blazer and grey trousers.
1954 County pupils from South Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire, now attend at 11
years of age as city pupils.
1956 White Paper on Technical Education. First year ‘A’ level results.
1957 First public speech day with prizes, held annually, in the Pavilion and the Pump Room.
Staff in full regalia (in 1961 it was held in the school hall). End of admission of pupils at 14
from Somerset.
1960 BTS moves to Brougham Hayes to the building formally the Domestic Science College
(it had been built in 1864 as barracks and in July 1866 became the Somerset Boys Home).
1961 First Speech day to be held in the newly held school hall. Michael Durrant becomes
the first pupil from BTS to obtain a state scholarship.
1962 Death of Mr T.J. Nicholas (December).
1963 Mr F.T. Nailer appointed headmaster. Mr HG Stennett resigns to take the deputy
headship of a large comprehensive school in Leigh- on- Sea, in Essex (November). Later
becoming headmaster. Bath education authority reviews schools and comes up with
City of Bath Technical School 11
proposals to build a new comprehensive school, but takes no action. Because Circular 10-65
is about to be issued.
1964 Schools Council for a curriculum and examinations formed. Workshop block
completed. Hutments demolished and the grounds restored at Brougham Hayes. Mr GD
Harris (Old Boy) appointed to teach physics.
1965 The government issued 10/65 on the organisation of secondary education. It declared
the labour government’s intention of ending selection at 11 and eliminating separation in
secondary education.
1966 Bath Education Authority issues its reports on secondary education (which disbands
BTS in 1975/6).
1967 The above report was rejected by the minister of education because it involved a too
long a wait before the secondary schools were brought into the comprehensive system. A
sub committee of the council considered the matter and their report was rejected by the
council.
1968 Bath City Council narrowly fails to agree a revised report in which BTS amalgamates
with Oldfield Girls School.
1969 The Education Committee then establishes a sub committee to look at applying
circular 10/65 in Bath. This shows BTS amalgamating with West Hill Boys School to form
one comprehensive school. Accepted by everyone, including the minister. Mr F.T. Nailer
seconded to the schools council to be 6th form curriculum and examinations officer.
1970 Sir Hamish MacLaren resigns as chairman of BTS Governors and Councillor Hugh
Hayden takes the chair at the last meeting on the 20th July.
1972 School leaving age raised to 16 years.
Editorial
Scope
This article cannot be considered to be a concise history of the School due to the lack of
detailed verifiable records for various periods.
In 2002 it was discovered by Tony Madden (ex-pupil whose work included the period 1947
- 54) that the Local Authorities in Bath had already destroyed many records when the
School was amalgamated in 1970. What has survived is included in its original form where
possible.
Overview
In addition to the material uncovered during research of the history of The City of Bath
Technical School, this article attempts to show the steps taken by Government and local
Authorities to introduce similar facilities into State schools that were already to be found in
the more illustrious private schools. It was to become obvious to local Authorities in
England that a limit to financial expenditure from public funds had to be imposed. The
ambitions of specialist schools of this kind, incurred significant costs in both the material
construction of the School facilities and staff employed. Because of this financial constraint
Headmasters of state secondary schools often failed in their attempts to ensure that the
highest caliber of staff were available to assist them. (This school does not appear to have
suffered this limitation when reading the letter sent in 1958 by K.J.Gray (see "Unification of
City of Bath Technical School 12
School"))
The use of links (unless appropriate) within the text has so far been avoided to allow a
clearer and uninterrupted grasp of the content
References
Much of the above information has been supplied from articles submitted by Malcolm
Jefferies a former pupil, copies of which are held at Somerset Records office - Bath & N.E.
Somerset records office ref 0411/1 and 0411/3. http:/ / www. somerset. gov. uk/ archives
see also:- http:/ / www. batharchives. co. uk/ for any other research information relating to
this article.
The remainder of the research material has been extracted from photographic and original
records held by members of the School archive and contact Website which was founded in
2002, now located (2009) at http:/ / bathtecschool. groups. live. com/ Additional
contributions have also been received from the (approx. 500 located) ex-pupils at internet
based contact sites and forums e.g. http:/ / www. friendsreunited. co. uk,
The National Archives of the Uinted Kingdom, http:/ / www. nationalarchives. gov. uk local
Authorities historical records, http:/ / www. historicaldirectories. org Kellys Historical
directories - Somerset 1887 -1919 http:/ / www. historicaldirectories. org/ hd/ b1. asp.
The following publications have assisted in the preparation of this article - see:- http:/ /
books. google. co. uk/ books
Unwittingly to School an account of the Education Service in Bath 1870/1970 published
in 1974 by the Education Committee
Affectionately Known as the Tec John Morell published 1992
The Secondary Technical School Reese Edwards published by University of London
Press in 1960
Comprehensive Schools: Past, Present and Future by Alan Weeks (Hardcover - 19 Jun
1986)
Article Sources and Contributors 13
Article Sources and Contributors
City of Bath Technical School Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=308007758 Contributors: BD2412, Cabe6403, Drmies, Francis E
Williams, S Marshall, SteelersFan UK06, Tonye-1000, 10 anonymous edits
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