b'Bishop Wilton Village School Log BooksKath Nevens & Kate PrattB ishop Wilton School is lucky enough to have keptwas a Draper and Post Master for Bishop Wilton.] their Log Books, the earliest starting in 1863. KathFor a time after that all the children were taught at Nevens became fascinated by them several years agothe boys school, a situation which the Master found and she rescued the two early books by re-spiningvery troublesome.A new Mistress was appointed in them. Before her untimely death in August, she hadOctober 1867, and the only information available on it, spent a lot of time analysing the information theyfrom an Inspectors Report, is that the room in which contained, producing copious notes. This article isshe teaches is miserable, dark and in hot weather based partly on her painstaking research.must be almost unbearable. The first Mistress It was made compulsory to keep a daily logmentioned at the new school site was Miss Doughty in 1876, to record any noteworthy events suchwho taught both the girls and the infants.as absences, illness, deaths, reasons for schoolThe earliest Log Book was kept by the Masters closure, visitors to the school and, in the earliest daysof the boys school and one problem has been with particularly, any other concerns of the Master. It is thecompiling a list of the Masters, as some of them who preceding years therefore that are of special interest,wrote in the Log Book failed to identify themselves as the writers seem less inhibited in their comments,by name. The following list has been compiled from thereby providing more incidental information. Directories, Census returns and the Log Books:Reading between the lines of the Log Book, there1.Thomas Shepherd, 1823 (Baines Directory)were two different schools in Bishop Wilton until the2.George Seller, 1840-1861 (Whites, Kellys & Sykes family of Sledmere provided the current building sometime before 1871. The boys school was in theWilliams Directories) [born at Leavening c1810, small brick building near the crossroads, but therewife Elizabeth born Bishop Wilton c1835]3.George Fryer, 1863 (though may have been was also a school for the girls and infant boys up to the age of 6, when they transferred. We may not knowearlier)April 30 1865 [b Nostell Priory c1839, where this other school was located, but we do knowtrained at York Training College. On 27 August a few of the names of the school-mistresses. In 18611865, 4 months after he gave up his post as Mary Giles, aged 34, lodging with George and SarahSchool Master, his son, George William, died. Kirby at a village farmhouse, taught the girls schoolMr Fryer continued to live in the village for many until 1864. In 1864 it was apparently taught by Mrsyears in Rose Villa (87 Main Street). His wife Duckwith, whose husband George died in JanuaryCatherine died, aged 53, in 1879. His adopted 1865. [A George Duckwith is listed in the 1861 censusniece, also Catherine, died the following year, as a tailor, 20-year old son of James Duckwith whoaged 12. Although Mr Fryer resigned as Master, his close relationship with the school continued BULLETIN 16 301'