Queen Street School

Queen Street School.
On Thursday 21st March 1895, tenders were invited for the erection of schools at Queen Street, Abertillery to accommodate 625 children. Plans and specifications could be seen at the office of the School Board’s architect Mr George Rosser Victoria Buildings Abercarn. Tenders to be sent to Mr I. Aled Jones, clerk to the Aberystruth School Board, Blaina Mon.

At a monthly meeting of the Aberystruth School Board the tender of Mr A. P. Williams, contractor of Abertillery was accepted at £4,840 for the erection of the proposed school at Queen Street, Abertillery. It was decided to make an application to the Public Works Loan Commissioners for a loan of £5,450 over 35 years at three and a half per cent.

The Opening of the Queen Street School.
There are no known reports on the official opening of the school though the building had been completed in July 1896 and first term officially began on Wednesday 19th August 1896.

Miss Helen Howells.
The first headmistress at Queen Street School was Miss Helen Howells, she began her duties on Monday 10th August 1896.

Miss Margaret Williams.
The deputy headmistress was Miss Margaret Williams, Miss Williams was contracted to start on Sunday 1st November 1896.

The First Pupil.
The first pupil registered at the school on Wednesday 19th August 1896 was Master Arthur Rawlings, son of Mr Thomas A. William Rawlings of Green Meadow Terrace, Abertillery.

Following is a Link to – The Queen Street School Pupil Registers 1896.  

Mr Edmund James Williams.
In 1899 Mr Edmund James Williams became headmaster at Queen Street School, Mr Williams left in 1900 to become the licensee of the Bell Inn, Somerset Street, Abertillery.

Mr William Blunt, Miss Clara Davies and Miss Ellen Howells.
In the 1901 Kelly’s Directory Mr William Blunt was headmaster, Miss Clara Davies was girls’ mistress and Miss Ellen Howells was infants’ mistress.

Miss Margaret Williams.
Miss Margaret Williams finished at Queen Street School in April 1903. Miss Williams was replaced by Miss Lizzie Gilligan.

Miss Lizzie Gilligan.
On Friday 1st May 1903 Miss Lizzie Gilligan took over as deputy headmistress from Miss Williams.

Miss Helen Howells.
On Saturday 31st of October 1903, Miss Helen Howells finished as the headmistress and was replaced by Miss Lizzie Gilligan.

Miss A. Gregory and Miss Bridget McCarthy.
In the 1914 Kelly’s Directory Miss A. Gregory was mistress and Miss Bridget McCarthy was the infants’ mistress.

Miss A. Gregory and Miss E. M. Jones.
In the 1920 Kelly’s Directory Miss A. Gregory was mistress and Miss E. M. Jones was infants’ mistress.

The Miners Lock-Out 1921.
In April 1921, at the start of the miners’ lock-out (a bitter dispute between the miners and the colliery owners) the government drafted in the Royal Navy to protect the collieries from the dangers of flooding due to the withdrawal of the safety workers. The sailors of the H.M.S. Malaya, veterans of the Battle of Jutland were sent to Abertillery. The navy men were billeted in the Abertillery Drill Hall, opposite the Queen Street School, the sailors were generous and gave freely to the children’s food fund and they also entertained the local children with concert nights held in the Queen Street School.

Mr E. M. Rowland.
In the 1930’s Mr E. M. Rowland was headmaster.

Mr T. Thomas.
In 1940 Mr T. Thomas was headmaster.

Mr C. O. Coldicott.
In 1942 Mr Clifford Owen Coldicott became headmaster having recently been transferred from the Cwmtillery Cock n Chick School. Mr Coldicott was the headmaster until 1950.

Mr Edwin Cook.
In the 1950’s Mr Edwin Cook was headmaster.

Mr William John Vernal.
In the early 1960’s Mr William John Vernal was headmaster.

Mr Ivor George.
In the mid to late 1960’s Mr Ivor George was headmaster.

Mr P. Morton.
In the late 1960’s Mr P. Morton was headmaster. Mr Morton was transferred from the Beaufort Hill Junior School.

(More information to come).

The Later Years.
The Queen Street School was still functioning as a school and along with its sister school Bryngwyn Primary were the only two original schools still operational in Abertillery. Though owing to the dilapidated state of both Queen Street and Bryngwyn Schools it was decided to close them both and to construct a new modern school to take in all their pupils in one building.

The Six Bells Campus.
In 2018 the new school was under construction at the old Arrael Griffin Colliery site at Six Bells. This new school is called Six Bells Campus and will accommodate all the pupils from Queen Street and Bryngwyn Schools and will be operational in September 2019.

 

Points of Interest – Mr Alfred Prosser Williams – A. P. Williams was one of Abertillery’s largest building contractors. He was born on 25th March 1849. He re-built St Michaels Church, the Market Hall, the Globe Hotel, the Abertillery Vicarage in Church Street, he built the Co-operative in Church Street, Blaentillery School, Queen Street School, Arael School, along with many other buildings and also re-built the Globe Picture House Blaina.

He was the first person in Abertillery to have a private telephone installed in his residence Gwentland House, Oak Street, Abertillery. Upon his retirement he went to live at Herbert Hall, Crickhowell, he later came back to Blaina to supervise building work and lived at “Lismore House” New Bennett St, he died in 1932.

His Mother was a direct descendant of the Vaughan’s of Tretower Court Crickhowell also Davy Gam who was killed at the battle of Agincourt 1415, and Knighted on the battlefield by King Henry V. Sir Davy Gam was a Llewellyn by name and was from the Herbert and Vaughan families.

Miss Lizzie Gilligan.
The headmistress Miss Lizzie Gilligan, born in 1871 at Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, was the daughter of Job and Harriet Gilligan. Mr Job Gilligan was from Bilston, Staffordshire and was a forge manager at Wolverhampton, the family later came to Abertillery and Job started work as a forge manager at the tin works. The family lived at 33 Castle Street, Abertillery.

In 1910 Miss Lizzie Gilligan became the second wife of the builder & contractor Mr Richard Tudor, Mr Tudor built the Crown School, Blaenau Gwent and was responsible for rebuilding the Liberal Club in 1911.

(More information to come).