School History

This page gives a little of the history of education in Hillfields

Although there are a number of private schools mentioned in the early Victorian memoirs of Hillfields, most schools were built in the mid 19th century as the area was developed for housing. Most of these old schools closed down or were rebuilt in the late 20th century as modern standards were introduced. 

Primrose Hill House (1816)

Historic records of Hillfields show that Primrose Hill House was converted to a school in 1816 but this closed in 1837. However in 1848 Rev. J.S.Gilbert and T. Wyles opened a boarding school at the House. 

St. Marks School, Stoney Stanton Road (1836)

The school was initially established in 1836 but moved into new buildings in 1872. This school a National School, associated with the nearby St. Mark's Church. There was fire damage to the school in 1964 and again in 1965. After repair the school re-opened initially for Coventry Samaritans who moved in 1970 to the former Blue Coat school building. St. Mark's School was then as a multi-racial play school. After it closed the buildings were used as the temporary home of the Shree Krishna Temple but were later demolished when the Temple moved to Harnall Lane. 

Memories of St. Mark's School by Joyce Powell

St. Peter's School, Yardley Street (1844)

St. Peter's School was built in 1844 as a "National School" to serve the growing community of the recently created "new town". The land was donated by Joseph Gilbert. It accommodated 115 boys and 60 girls. The school was enlarged in 1852 and 1873 and by 1888 the number of pupils had increased to over 400. As a national school there were fees for attendance, which in 1888 ranged from 1d to 7d a week. In 1919 the school was taken over by the City Council and in 1923 it became a Junior and Infants School. The school closed as a Day School in December 1929 and was then used for Sunday School classes, Church Socials and Scouts and Cubs. It was bombed during the blitz and was not repaired until 1950. The buildings were re-opened as a Social Centre and Parish Rooms. The building  was demolished in the 1960s and is currently the site of a public car park. This drawing is from a souvenir magazine 1948, courtesy of the Hillfields History Group.

The first Headmaster was Mr. John Tansley, but the outstanding personalities were Mr. Joseph Bates, appointed in 1868 and Mr HA Seaton, who succeeded him in 1888 and remained until 1919. Famous pupils at St. Peter's School, include T.E. Friswell who became Lord Mayor of Coventry and H.B.W. Cresswell, who became Coventry's first Lord Mayor.

Swanswell Seminary School for Young Ladies, Jesson Street (1852)

There is a confused history about small private schools in Jesson Street. It appears that at least three properties in this street have been used as schools. A school was opened by the Misses Nevill in 1852. No other information is known about it but in 1853 a school was opened at 1 Jesson Street by George Jukes. This may or may not be the same premises. Miss Wyndham moved her school to Jesson Street in 1856 (see below). In 1863 a Miss Mead opened a school for ladies at No. 9 Jesson Street. In 1864 a Mrs and Miss Williamson opened a school at No. 10 Jesson Street. This was taken over by W. Taylor in 1867 and the school closed in 1870 when its pupils were transferred to Miss Wright's School in Smithford Street. In 1872 Miss Slingsby opened a preparatory school in Jesson Street (exact address not known). 

Holy Trinity School, Ford Street (1854)

Ernest Cooke was head teacher there for twenty years from 1888 - 1908 and was known as a strict disciplinarian, he gave all late-comers two one each hand with the cane, whether or not they had a good  excuse. The school closed in 1915 and the buildings were incorporated into the adjoining School of Art  (see below).

Mrs Wyndham's Boarding and Day School, Ford Street (1855)

There is a confused history about a school or schools in Ford Street and/or Ford Terrace. A Mrs Wyndham opened a boarding and day school for girls at "Ford Terrace" in 1855. The exact location of Ford Terrace is not known. She moved the school to Jesson Street in 1856. It would seem likely that this is the site mentioned above. A Mrs Sturdy is said to have moved her school from Much Park Street to Ford Street in 1857. In 1861 Fanny Brown moved her school from Ford Street to Hay Lane and in 1861 another (?) Miss Brown moved her school from Ford Terrace to Little Park Street. In 1862 a Miss Watson opened a school at 6 Ford Terrace. This was taken over by Miss Catterns in 1867.

Another mention of Ford Street is that in 1867 a Miss Worcester moved her school to Russell Terrace in Ford Street from Stoke.

St. Mary's RC School, Raglan Street (1860)

A temporary Catholic School was opened in Raglan Street in 1855 and the permanent building was opened in 1860. The school pre-dated St. Mary's RC Church which was built next to the school in 1889. The old building were demolished after the new school was built on Landsdowne Street in 1950. The school was amalgamated with St. Benedict's RC Primary School to form St. Mary and St. Benedict's RC Primary School in 2002.

School of Art, Ford Street (1863)

The School of Art was opened in 1843 as part of the extension to the provinces of the work of the School of Design, started five years earlier at Somerset House in London. This school, under the control of the Board of Trade, was intended to extend opportunities for proficiency in art and design to the "industrious classes" and as such it received the support of Albert, the Prince Consort. It was demolished in 1968 to make way for the new Ring Road.

The Freeman's Orphanage School for Girls, The Industrial School for Girls)  Swanswell Terrace (1865) 
Sir Thomas White's Girls School, Swanswell Place

There is some confusion about this school as it is referred to as the the Freeman's Orphanage for girls, Swanswell Place, in some documents and the Industrial School for Girls, Swanswell Terrace in others. Swanswell Terrace is now part of the site of Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital. 

In 1889 The Industrial School for Girls in Swanswell Terrace was pulled down and a new and larger building erected on the site, then renamed the Sir Thomas Whites School for Girls. The 1901 Coventry Directory lists the building as an "industrial home and school" with Miss Susannah Goulding as Superintendent and Mrs Annie Graham as Schoolmistress. The girls had a grey uniform and were often supervised by the Grey Ladies from St. Nicholas Street. In 1909 a new wing was added to the School and in 1916 the school was closed and the building, after conversion, added as an extension of the Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital. It was then known as the Sir Thomas White Block and contained four wards: a men's medical, a women's medical, a maternity ward and the eye ward. 

Preparatory School for Juniors, Primrose Hill Street (1869)

Miss C. Newark opened a Preparatory School for Juniors Under 12 years at 44 Primrose Hill Street in 1869. She moved the school to Clinton Terrace, Stoney Stanton Road, in 1870. 

South Street School, South Street (1874)

This school was built in 1874 as the South Street Elementary School. The school became Southfields School  in 1948 and moved to a new site adjoining the older buildings in the 1970s.

Famous pupils included England Rugby players the Wheatley Brothers, Jimmy Giles and Alan Clarke. The school had many associations with Rugby with the associated club known as the Southfields Tigers - the symbol of the tiger is still used by the Southfields School today and a sculpture in the shape of a tiger was created as the school in 1999. 

Memories of South Street School by Coventry Kid "Liz".

St. Joseph's RC High School, Walsgrave Road (1874)

St. Joseph's RC High School was opened facing Gosford Green in 1874. The school was destroyed by enemy bombing on the night of 14/15th November 1940.

Wheatley Street School (1893)

The Wheatley Street Board School was opened in 1893. A housewifery and laundry centre was added in the girls section in 1909. In 1912 part of the school was used for "mentally defective" children

	The Infant School staff, 1895.

Former pupils include Bill Wilson MP who was at the school from the age of 5 until 13. His mother had been a pupil at the school from the day it opened. He went on to become MP for Coventry South.

Selina Dix was the Head Teacher of South Street and Wheatley Street Girls schools and famous for her work for children and women’s rights. One of the Hillfields blocks of flats was named after her.

In 1939 all boys from Wheatley Street School were transferred to Frederick Bird School in Swan Lane and in 1948 the school became a Girls Grammar School, named "Priory High School". A classroom for infants was erected on the playground in 1950. The High School closed in 1981 and the buildings were temporarily used as a court room. Most of the school was demolished in 1983 to make way for a new bus garage. The former science block still remains, adjoining Generation Nightclub.

John Gulson School (1908)

John Gulson Elementary School opened between George Street and Leicester Causeway in 1908. The school was damaged by enemy bombing during the blitz. The senior pupils from the school were transferred to Caludon Castle Comprehensive School in 1954 and some of the buildings were demolished in 1956. 

Frederick Bird School

The school was named after a local chemist and City Councillor Frederick Bird who served on the council at the turn of the 19th century. Allan Freeman had fond memories of the school. The school moved into new buildings and continues today as Frederick Bird Primary School

St. Benedict's RC Primary School

The school was built to meet the growth of Catholic pupils in the 1960s and was originally an offshoot of St. Mary's RC Primary School, with the same set of Governors. After operating separately for many years the school was amalgamated with St. Mary's RC Primary School to form St. Mary and St. Benedict's RC Primary School in 2002. 

Sidney Stringer Comprehensive School (1970)

This school was formed in 1970 from the amalgamation of Frederick Bird and Broad Heath Secondary Modern Schools. The school became the first Community College in the 1980s and in the 1990s was the first Technology College to be designated within the state education system. The school thrives today as Sidney Stringer Community Technology College.

Information sources for this page include: Looking Back at Schooldays, Book IV of Hillfields in their own Words, published by Hillfields History Group;  Mr Albert Edward Wilson's history of Harnall (City Records Office); Kenneth Richardson - Twentieth Century Coventry. David McGrory writing in the Coventry Evening Telegraph.

This page was last updated 31/03/03