This map application to present information on the schools and places of worship in Melton Mowbray has been built as part of the St. Francis Catholic Primary School Heritage Project, Funded by lottery Heritage fund.
the app was built by ekit.co.uk and additional content will be added as it is contributed.
Built next to Tower House in 1964, the Franciscan Chapel is a beautifully bright place of worship. It was blessed and opened by His Lordship the Bishop of Nottingham, Edward Ellis on July 1st that year and celebrated the First Mass.
It has two side chapels, Our Lady and St Joseph. The chapel is used occasionally by the children at St Francis School. It has 14 picutred around the walls, "The Way Of The Cross", depicting the events leading up to the crucifiction.
John Fernley college is named after John E Fernley an English equine painter from Melton Mowbray. The school was built in
Brownlow School was Built in 1928 and formally opened By HRH the Duke of Gloucester on 7th December 1933. Originally called "Modern boys" the name was changed to Brownlow school in 1954.
It seems they chose the name Brownlow from a local pharmacist family the Brownlow’s who owned a chemist in Melton town centre. The school was named after Jack Easom Brownlow and this person was Alexa’s Great Grandad’s Cousin. Alexa’s grandad was called Jack Brownlow Easom which always caused confusion!Some facts gathered from the pupils at Brownlow School:
Great Dalby School was opened in 1876 with the purpose of providing elementary education for the children of the village. A site was established called 'Hall's Yard' and building began in 1875.
The first headmaster was called Mr Frederick Holden and his salary was £90 per year. Children paid 3d or 2d depending on their family's financial circumstances. The early log book suggests that there were several issues affecting attendance:
In 1902, the children learnt the new song and the school was closed for a week in account of the coronation celebrations (King Edward). When the school bell rang at 9am children would line up and as they entered the school they had to scrape the dirt off their shoes as there were no roads and they'd have mud, dust and manure on them!
The school started with around 25 pupils and has risen in size and now has around 140 attending. We have appointed a new Head, Nick Sale, started in August 2022
Saint Cross Methodist Church is also a community centre that serves wide range of community individuals and groups in the centre of Melton Mowbray.
Melton’s grammar school began life in 1910, situated on the east side of Burton Road towards the top of the hill. After an initial intake of 54 pupils, the school had grown to take over 800 by the year 1960.
In 1964 comprehensive education was introduced and the school was renamed to King Edward Upper. After further building and expansion the school was awarded Technology College status in 1997 but ten years later the school roll was falling and much to the shock of old Grammarians it closed permanently, in 2010.
At the time of writing (2022), the brick built main block, a listed building, is the only part of the original school to survive, but the rest of the site is being completely redeveloped.
Previous headmasters:
A class photo from the next generation, in 1966:
Top Row:
Mick Holmes, Dave Moulds, Mike Boston, David (Fuzz) Thorold, Mick Hay, Don (Gabby) Haines, Peter (Willie) Sanders, Anthony Kitson, Stephen Taylor, Mick Savage, J.R. Jackson
Middle Row:
Dennis Lowe, Anne Munslow, Marianne Tracey, Penny Skinner, Rosemary Perry, Sheena Knight, Liz Holmes
Bottom Row:
Christine Jacob, Marilyn Hunter, Pat Brutnell, Jane Medwell, Gwyneth M Evans, (Mr. Brake, form teacher), Liz Spiby, Margaret Jesson, Winnie Suggett, Norma Rudkin, Anne Bradwell
In 1961, The plot of land on which the church stands was purchased for the sum of £1520. The first £600 was collected from parishioners' donations.
The Statue of Our Lady, at the front of the church, was originally sited at the Polish Chapel based at the post-WWII polish camp on the Junction of Hatop Road and Dalby Road. The Statue was consecrated there then moved to its current site in the 60s.
The build of the Church was helped by a strong Polish community of willing helpers. Children as young as 12 were encouraged, and were also keen, to contribute with barrowing concrete on the site.
in 1963 Bishop Edward Ellis of Nottingham and the Archbishop Gawlina from Rome consecrated the newly built church at a ceremony attended by 2000 people.
The old Baptist Chapel in Melton Mowbray was used for worship until later in the 20th century when the building was purchased and rented our for commercial purposes.
The building was then bought by Melton Vineyard and then converted the building for use to support the local community. The building was aptly named "the Hope Centre".
St Bartholomews Church is a 12th century sandstone church surrounded by green fields.
All that remains of the hamlet of Sysonby is St. Leonards church, To have been built around the mid-1300s it is a small simple church with one small tower and a churchyard.
the building was restored in 1892 and in 1925 a small side chapel was added in the memory of the Dagleish family
Reference: www.melton.leicester.anglican.org
Swallowdale primary school first opened in 1973 and was built in two phases. It is a Large Primary School of nearly 400 pupils and is part of the Bradgate Education Partnership.
More information from the pupils of Swallowdale:
We are in the process of gathering a history of schools & churches in the melton area. If you can help with any information,
photos and history then we would love to hear from you. email: nowt
Many thanks
In 1946 in south Melton Mowbray, RAF land was used to accommodate a growing population of Polish people. The accommodation was Nissen huts: long, simple buildings using corrugated steel roof sections. The Schools at the time were based in nissen huts.
This first photo is from the Polish Junior school on the airdrome from June 1955.
In the photograph, the teachers seated are Mr Guckler and Mrs Kaye-Krolikowska (wife of F/Lt Zdzislaw Krolikowski Pilot of 301 Bomber Squardron). In the back row is Mrs Kulakowska (Cook and Welfare Officer). Tadeusz, featured in the video in this section, is second from the left in the back row.
The school moved to the site at the corner of Hartopp Road and Dalby Road (roughly in the place where The Edge building stands) in 1956.
Tadeusz then started at Brownlow School which occupied the left part of the current library and the right part was then the College of Further Education. There was a grass quadrangle between the two buildings. An assembly Hall ran along the front of the building. Bartons Bus Garage was at the corner of Wilton Road and Loughborough Road next to what was then the roundabout
St Mary's is the largest parish church in the Diocese of Leicester. It's plan is cruciform and the building layout is more commonly associated with cathedrals.
Parts of the church date back to the 12th century when Henry II was on on the throne, though most of the building is dates from the 13th, 14th & 15th centuries.
The church had some major updates and work in 2017 which included a beautiful new stained glass window by glass artist Derek Hunt. The Church's impressive organ, the Sir Malcolm Sargent Memorial Organ, was also rebuilt in 2017.
The Limestone tower has 10 bells, the oldest of which dates from the 14th Century.
The Franciscan Sisters Minoress, then known as the Franciscan Missionary Sisters, first arrived in Melton Mowbray in 1900. They opened a school for girls at the Manor House and in 1903 purchased Tower House and Catholic life and education started there.
The New School Building started on 29th October 1955 with the St Francis Foundation Stone laid and was finished in early 1957.
A more in depth history of St Francis Primary School can be found on the St Francis heritage timeline app
