What The Papers Say

Chelmsford Chronicle, 23 January 1846

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that an aged BLACK HORSE, which came astray in the manor of Theydon Mount, in the County of Essex, on the 3rd day of November last, will be SOLD by AUCTION, at the town of Epping, in the said county, on Friday, 30th of this instant January, unless the same is claimed by the owner previous to that day, and all expenses of its keep, advertisements, &c. paid.

Application must be made to Isaac Smith, Bailiff of the said Manor.

Essex Newsman - Saturday 28 January 1905

WALKED 185,000 MILES
Mr. A. Yates, rural postman from Epping to Theydon Mount, has retired after 37 years service, during which period he is said to have travelled 185,000 miles. His colleagues – indoor and outdoor staff – have presented him with a cruet as a token of esteem.
Lincolnshire Echo - Friday 07 June 1901

PARISH WITHOUT A CLERGYMAN OR A POLICEMAN.
The parish of Theydon Mount, in Essex, is able to lay claim to the distinction of possessing no clergyman and no policeman, and as the nearest station is three miles away, on the Ongar branch railway, strangers seldom set foot in the quiet village. Furthermore, Theydon Mount has no public house and, consequently, no publican; and as the population does not total 300 there is no Parish Council.

Essex Newsman - Tuesday 29 August 1950

PARSON WINS BUS FIGHT
After five years of agitation, a group of North Essex villages have persuaded London Transport to run a bus service from Epping to Toot Hill, near Ongar, through Theydon Mount and Stapleford Tawney.

Chief protagonist for the villager has been the Rev. E. Bennett Rees, M.C., Rector of Stapleford Tawney and Councillor for Ongar Rural District.

He says he will ride in the first bus – scheduled to run tomorrow.

When the villagers started their own service, the Transport Commissioners stopped them.

Theydon Mount School

Chelmsford Chronicle - Friday 20 October 1911

EDUCATIONAL EXTRAVAGANCE!
SHOULD PROTEST MEETINGS BE HELD?

At the meeting of the Ongar Rural Council on Tuesday, Capt. Wellesley G. Pigott referred to an inquiry held by a deputation from the Essex Education Committee at Theydon Mount Schoolroom, which school was considered by the County Committee to be structurally inadequate. That view was not shared by the people of the district, parents as well as ratepayers, and Mr. Prance and his friends fought well. He though it would be a good idea to have a meeting to protest for the whole district against the spirit of extravagance in education which prevailed. There was a very strong feeling about it. He could see that by the way that they had fought at Tawney, where the ratepayers turned up splendidly, and they defeated the extravagant people.

The Rev. L.N. Prance: Unfortunately they are judge and jury too.

Mr R. Waltham: The parents will be quite as strongly with you as the larger ratepayers.

Capt. Pigott: They cannot build a new school there without holding a public inquiry at which anybody can attend and protest. It is the County Education Committee that I blame. I do not include Mr. Atkins, but otherwise I believe they are worse offenders than the Board of Education – they are more extravagant.

Several members expressed agreement with the idea of holding a meeting of protest for the whole district.

THEYDON MOUNT SCHOOL THREATENED

The Inquiry to which Capt. Pigott referred was held at Theydon Mount schools. The members of the special committee of the County Education Committee present were Mr B. N. Buxton, chairman, Mr W.S. Chisenhale Marsh, and Mr J. H. Burrows. There was a large attendance, among those presents being the Rev L. N. Prance, chairman of the managers, Sir William Bowyer Smyth. Sir Drummond Smith, Capt Wellesley, G. Pigott, J. P., Mr T Atkins C. C., Mr C. Hunter, Dr. Gidley Moore, Mr Jacob Miller, Mr John Miller, Mr A. Richardson, Mr Page and Mr Laws.

The inquiry was held with a view to hearing local views as to the decision of the County Education Committee that the structure of the school was inadequate.

Mr Buxton said the demands of the Board of Education were not very low and they would not regard Theydon Mount school as one to be maintained indefinitely. He, with Canon Tancock, had visited the school and came to the conclusion that it was hopelessly out of date and it was not worthwhile spending money upon it. There was a comparatively small number on the books in the county could not be expected to maintain a small school with the building past redemption. The objection was that the school was built low, appearing to be an adapted house; it was not well lighted ventilated, and was unlikely to be permanently recognised by the Board of Education and if brought up to such a standard it would be at the risk of those who spent money on it.

The Rev. L. N. Prance said it was a small parish of 150, and the average attendance at the school for the last year was 42. It was a small country school and very well attended because it was placed in the very best position. He read the report of H.M. Inspector on the visit referring to the careful teaching and excellent behaviour and said they tried to get the best possible education. The work of the girls was so successful that their scholars took no fewer than eight prizes at the Ongar Agricultural Show for needlework. With regard to the health of the school, when the schools around were closed their school was open. The structure was sufficient for the purpose to which it had been put, and it had worked admirably in giving the education they required.

Mr Buxton: Whatever good it has done in the past, it does not come up to the modern standard.

Mr. Prance said there were six windows and it was well ventilated, capable of accommodating 52 children. The report stated that the height was only 9ft, but it was more, and in some parts 13 1/8 ft. The average height was 11ft. It seems hard for the committee to complain that the offices would not up-to-date when the County Architect himself drew up the plans in 1904. It was not possible to have the same arrangements in a small school as in a large one, but the Inspector said some of the best teaching took place in small schools.

Mr Chisenhale Marsh: We all know you have a very good teacher here.

Mr. Prance said the children received a thoroughly good education, and he submitted that the school was perfectly sufficient for the needs of the parish. The managers had done their best, and were satisfied by regular visiting that the school was well suited to the requirements.

Mr. Atkins referred to a visit to the school in July, when there were 40 children present, and they found the room well ventilated. He suggested that the cost per head was not £4 to £5 as stated by the county, but £3 8s.

Mr. Nicholas (clerk to the Committee) said the corrected cost per child was £3.13. 9d.

Mr Atkins said on behalf of the children he made an urgent appeal to the Committee to use their influence with the Board of Education that the school, with certain improvements might remain, and on behalf of the agricultural population he asked that they should not be put to extra expense, as the increase of rates must re-act on labour. He hope that they would do their best to preserve the Theydon Mount and Stapleford Tawney Schools.

Mr. Buxton said that they had satisfied themselves that the school could not be made satisfactory structurally and in the best interests of the parish a new school should be built.

Captain Wellesley Pigott: If you had already formed an opinion isn't this inquiry superfluous? It is prejudged before the inquiry.

Mr. Buxton: It is for the purpose of hearing what anybody may say to the contrary. If you wish to carry it further when we give notice of our intention to build a school, you will have the opportunity of challenging then.

Mr. Chisenhale Marsh: Do you think it satisfactory to have the room 9ft high?

Mr. Atkins: If it is not unhealthy for the children. My room is 7ft 6in. (Laughter).

Mr. Chisenhale Marsh: we are not responsible for you. (Laughter).

Mr Laws said he had two children to school for the past seven years and was perfectly satisfied with the way they had been treated. They had had excellent health all the time and their education compared well without other children.

Mr. Prance: I think all the parents say the same.

Sir W. Bowyer Smyth said that they were all very much against the change and the school had done very well in the past. Two small schools are better than one because when one was closed on account of illness, the other could remain open.

Mr. Hunter said that as the largest ratepayer, he would look much more favourably reasonable alteration than a magnificent school built the public charge, which would be very disastrous to a poor rural district where it was a struggle for many to make both ends meet.

Mr Chisenhale Marsh thought the cost of alterations would not be under £312.

Sir Drummond Smith said he considered their school good enough, wholesome, clean and healthy. Prices were rising and economy should be considered. He understood that they had ordered a large number of schools to be closed in the county. This was not economy, but an attempt to do away with a small schools and Church Schools. It would be a monument of extravagance, and in his opinion it was all nonsense. The managers who devoted their time to the work had not been considered.

The inquiry then closed.