Category: Schools

Arthur Stote – headmaster at King William Street School

Arthur Stote was born in Lymington, Hampshire in 1835 and married Anne Jenvey in 1860. The newly married couple set up home in Yorkshire where Arthur held a teaching post. They moved to Swindon with their two elder sons, Walter and Cuthbert, when Arthur took up an appointment as headmaster at King William Street School on May 1, 1871. They went on to have another two sons, Arthur and Francis, born in Swindon.

Arthur retired on December 31, 1899 aged 65. For more information about the history of King William Street School follow the link

Swindon Magistrate’s Death

Mr Arthur Stote

There was removed by death on Sunday one of the oldest and best known inhabitants of Swindon in the person of Mr Arthur Stote, who passed away at his residence, 16, The Mall. Although he had reached the great age of 86 years, he retained all faculties to the end, and even last week he was out cycling – his favourite pastime, for he was always to be seen about the town on his tricycle. He was able to get out as recently as last Saturday. The end came quite peacefully on Sunday afternoon.

In 1906 Mr Stote was one of the first to receive His Majesty’s Commission of the Peace for the newly formed borough of Swindon, and he served actively on the Bench almost to the last, taking the greatest interest in the work of the children’s courts.

Mr Stote was a man of remarkable activity even in old age. When in his 79th year, in 1913, he completed a record of 40,000 miles of cycling made in less than eleven years, and this in addition to a considerable mileage of motoring. The funeral took place at Swindon Parish Church on Wednesday.

The Faringdon Advertiser, Saturday April 16, 1921.

Descendant of an Ancient Family

Mr Arthur Stote, who has died at Swindon in his 87th year, was a descendant of an ancient yeoman family. His ancestors held considerable properties from the Prior of Breamore before the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and after this a New Forest free tenancy remained in the family for nearly 300 years. Mr Stote went to Swindon in 1871, and for 29 years was headmaster of the Church of England Schools. He had served the town as an urban district councillor and guardian of the poor, was a prominent Conservative and churchman, and for ten years was hon. Secretary of the County Nursing Home at Swindon. He also occupied a position on the borough magistracy. In 1913, when he was in his 79th year, he completed a record of 40,000 miles of cycling in less than 11 years. Two of his four sons are clergymen.

Western Daily Press, Bristol. Wednesday April 13, 1921.

Arthur StoteArthur Stote was buried with his wife Anne in plot E8615 in Radnor Street Cemetery.

Clara Ellison – Head Teacher at Even Swindon Infants School

Clara Ellison had taught at Even Swindon School for 25 years when she resigned in 1908. Then aged 48 she might have expected to remain in post for a few more years. There is no mention that she was suffering from poor health so we have to ask did her husband’s bankruptcy case influence the members of the Swindon School Board?

Clara Illidge Shelton was born in 1860 in Birmingham, the daughter of William Shelton, a cab driver, and his wife Elizabeth. By the time of the 1881 census Clara was living in Eastbourne where she was employed as an assistant school mistress and lodged with William Cole and his family.

On December 1, 1883 Clara (by then living at 34 Wellington Street, Swindon) married John Ellison, a brass finisher in the Works, at St. Mark’s Church. Even Swindon Infant School was built in 1884, which is the earliest date at which Clara could have been teaching there. By 1891 the couple were living at 17 Linslade Street where John describes himself as a Brass Finisher and Clara as a School Board Teacher. They had two young sons, Gerald 6, and Wilfrid 4. Clara’s widowed mother Elizabeth lived with the family.

But was there a prejudicial attitude to Mrs Ellison prior to the events of 1908? In 1896 Mr Henry Day (Head Teacher at Even Swindon Mixed School) and Mrs Clara Ellison (Mistress at Even Swindon Infant School) both applied for an increase in their salaries. The School Management Committee initially recommended that they both receive a £10 annual increase whereupon Committee member Mr McRae immediately opposed both applications. In the case of Mr Day there was no seconder but Mr Keene also raised an objection in the case of Mrs Ellison. Some discussion followed when another member, Mr Sewell, entered a protest against Mrs Ellison holding the post, and ‘keeping a single girl out of work.’

But then came the matter of John Ellison’s bankruptcy in 1908 and a recommendation by the Teaching Staff Sub-Committee “that Mrs Ellison, head mistress of the Even Swindon Infant School be given three months’ notice to terminate her engagement.” Swindon Advertiser, Friday, May 22, 1908.

By August 1908 John’s bankruptcy examination was closed and Clara had resigned.

Even Swindon School published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library

Presentation – On Wednesday afternoon, at the Even Swindon Infant School, Mrs Ellison, late headmistress, was the recipient of a very handsome pair of bronzes, given to her by the teachers (past and present) on the occasion of resigning her position as headmistress, which post she has held for 25 years. In making the presentation, Miss Witt said how very much they all felt the parting, but they hoped Mrs Ellison would be spared many years to enjoy the rest so thoroughly earned. – In reply, Mrs Ellison, thanking them, said how much she would value their beautiful present, and the very happy time spent amongst them would never be forgotten by her. She wished them every success, and trusted they would all work as happily together in the future as they had always done in the past.

Swindon Advertiser, Thursday, August 20, 1908.

Clara died the following year and was buried on October 1, 1909 in grave plot D128, a public grave, which she shares with her husband who died in 1924 and one other, probably unrelated, person.