On June 1, 1856 the Presbyterian Denominational School at Cranbourne was opened, although another source says the opening date was May 21, 1856. The teacher, James Henry, had twenty two pupils, eleven boys and eleven girls. The School, which was erected at a cost of 205 pounds, was located on Sladen Street, where the Presbyterian Church is today. The second teacher was Mr Walker, who was followed by Archibald Thompson, who was at the school from 1858 until around 1886.
Cranbourne School, 1890s
In 1862, the Common School Act was passed and all schools were then managed by the Board of Education and the Presbyterian Denominational School became the Cranbourne Common School, No. 144. In 1873, it became the Cranbourne State School, No. 144 and by 1876 had an enrolment of 100 pupils, with an average attendance of 70. A new school was needed and it was built on the South Gippsland Highway, just south of the Police Station. Not only was there a new location, but the school had a new number, No. 2068. School No. 2068 opened on May 1, 1878 and the old School No. 144 officially ceased to exist on May 31 the same year.
Cranbourne School, around 1900
The School gradually acquired some 'mod cons' - town water in 1924, electricity in 1947, the telephone in 1953 and septic tanks in 1959. In 1933 the school population was 118 and by 1959 it was 150 and once again the school was running out of room, so classes were held in the Anglican Church Hall. Numbers declined with the opening of Cranbourne North Primary School, No.4887, in February 1962 (this school is now called Cranbourne Park). However, there was still a need for a newer, bigger school and this was built on the current location in Russell Street and it opened on February 5, 1969. The school on the South Gippsland Highway was later demolished and is now the site of the Senior Citizens.
Cranbourne School, 1947
Cranbourne School - it looks fairly deserted, so I assume it was taken around 1969, after the school moved to the Russell Street location. The photo, below, appears to be from the same time.
2 comments:
Two years after the opening of the Cranbourne School, the Clyde North School began. The schools had links with each other. Their building styles were also similar.
A principal, James O'Shea researched the history of the school and produced a scrap book which is in the Tooradin Museum.
A strange gift to the school was a machine gun following WW1.
http://www.clydehistory.comyr.com/html/0508sch118.html
I hope some folk will come forward and offer names for the Cranbourne school photos.
Joan
Cranbourne Primary School had links with the Clyde North School. Even the main school buildings looked similar.
I'm hoping that former Cranbourne families might be able to add names to the photos.
Clyde North Primary school began two years after the Cranbourne School. Unlike the Presbyterian School it was initiated by men from several Christian religions. You can read its history
http://www.clydehistory.comyr.com/html/0508sch118.html
Hoping that this will be helpful as well. - Joan
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