No, we haven’t forgotten Bratton Clovelly. It’s just been another very busy year. So to make up for lost time, here is a transcript of the Bratton Clovelly Board School Log Book. It’s not the kind of historical record that lists the name of everyone in the school, although it does have many references to staff, church and parish officials, those who gained entry to secondary schools, those who became ill and the like. But what the Log Book is best at capturing is the rhythm of daily life in the parish, things like the harvests, holidays and celebrations, weather, disease, examinations and the comings and goings of children to and from the school.
The Log Book also captures a lot of change, such as changing attitudes toward schooling, the rise of health care, the expansion of central government, the impact of war as the London evacuees arrived and, of course, the shrinking school population and its eventual closure in 1961. We hope you’ll find something of interest! If you have memories of the school, please feel free to share them by leaving a comment below or sending us a note.
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