To usher in the New Year we at Explore Your Archive have spoken with the City of Doncaster Archives about their newly published Doncaster Grammar School collection. With students across the UK now over halfway through their first term back at school since the Christmas holidays, this article offers an introspective view on the life and times of a grammar school which has existed since 1350, as told through its archive collection.
A collection of national importance
During July and August last year the City of Doncaster Archives took in, on deposit, the archives of Doncaster Grammar School. The collection is of national importance as a state school archive, which goes back 300 years. The DGS archive was established in 1933 but took in many items dated earlier than this.
The earliest mention of a Grammar School in Doncaster was in 1350. Doncaster Grammar School was a boys-only school until 1970, when it amalgamated with the Municipal High School for Girls and became co-educational. In 1983 the School became fully comprehensive, changing its name to Hall Cross Comprehensive. One more change in 2012 saw the school become what it is today – Hall Cross Academy.
A varied collection
The Doncaster Grammar School Archive consists, in the main, of the official records of the school – produced in the course of its day-to-day life. It’s a very varied collection of documents, some which you would expect and some surprises. The school has a number of famous ex-pupils including ex-Doncaster Central MP, Dame Rosie Winterton, and One Direction star, Louis Tomlinson, and details of their time at the school are likely to be found in the records such as admission registers and pupil files. Paperwork regarding the running of the school includes school governors’ minutes, school office and headmasters’ papers and correspondence, speech day reports, examination papers and results, and plans of the school.
In addition, there is an extensive collection of school sporting records and achievements from the 1930s to the present time. The archive also includes a considerable number of photographs from 1860s to present, covering all aspects of school life, as well as a small collection of tape recordings and films. There are some examples of extra-curricular aspects of the school such as school societies, the Old Danensians (former pupils’ society), and the Parents Association. There are notes, mainly from previous staff, related to the history of the school.
Punishment and detention
Two documents which provide entertaining details of punishments handed out at the boys’ Grammar School are the detention register and punishment book. The detention register highlights the reasons for detention as neglect of schoolwork, misconduct, playing, and chatting. But one that appears a number of times and is rather amusing is ‘throwing peas’! One of the boys with the surname Gerard is a repeat offender in the punishment book. Most punishments record how many strokes of the cane on the hand a boy gets, but Gerard not only receives that but on 17 September 1867 he receives 6 strokes of the cane ‘on his behind’. His misdemeanour is ‘throwing stones, and allowing another boy to be suspected of breaking the window, and only confessing, when another (pupil) came forward, who had seen him do it’.
2010 boxes and a statue of St George
There is in total, 335 feet of records stored in 2010 boxes. Each box holds numerous files, pieces of paper and photographs as well as items too big to be boxed, such as punishment canes, uniforms, a wooden desktop and a statue of St George by Donatello. The original plaster cast of St George was presented to the school by a Miss Brown on her retirement in 1949. It was placed in an alcove on the main staircase. During the Easter break in 1963, three small boys broke into the school and badly damaged it. It was recast by a craftsman from the British Museum at a cost of £12 + £3 carriage.
Left: Copy of Donatello’s statue of St George and long panoramic photograph of Pupil and staff. © City of Doncaster Archives.
As part of Explore Your Archive we held an Open Day, where we displayed a selection of records and items from the Doncaster Grammar School collection.
Hall Cross Academy is continuing to collect and archive school records, which will hopefully join this wonderful collection at the City of Doncaster Archives to continue the story of the school.
Article by Helen R Wallder, City of Doncaster Archives Cataloguer (Archives).
Edited by Jake Doyle, Blog Coordinator.
Further information
For further information about City of Doncaster Archives feel free to explore the following:
Website: https://www.doncaster.gov.uk/services/libraries/archives-local-studies-and-family-history
Heritage Doncaster: https://www.heritagedoncaster.org.uk/archives/#