Alverstone School

Alverstone Schoolroom (Village Hall)

Alverstone School, originally in the parish of Brading, Isle of Wight, was built in 1879 by Sir Richard Everard Webster Q.C. (later Lord Alverstone). At the same time he built a pair of semi-detached cottages behind the school for the teachers. Both the schoolroom and the cottages show the date 1879.

On the side of the schoolroom is a plaque:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD, AND IN LOVING MEMORY OF THOMAS WEBSTER. THIS SCHOOLROOM WAS ERECTED BY HIS SON RICHARD EVERARD WESBSTER. EVEN A CHILD IS KNOWN BY HIS DOINGS WHETHER HIS WORKS BE PURE AND WHETHER IT BE RIGHT. PROV. XX II.

In 1898, the school was recorded as being supported by Sir Richard Webster Q.C., M.P. for 67 children and infants, and the average attendance was recorded as 40.

Those who attend Alverstone school included some children from Newchurch and Brading, and their attendance were recorded by the relevant School Board.

Following the 1902 Education Act, the Alverstone school came under the Isle of Wight County Education Committee with a local management committee.

Even then Lord Chief Justice, Lord Alverstone often found time to attend prize givings at the school. At other times his daughter-in-law, Hon. Mrs. Webster, presented prizes at the school.

In 1911, the school was recorded as being supported by Lord Alverstone for 67 mixed and infants, and the average attendance was recorded as 42.

In 1914, due to ill health, Lord Alverstone resigned as correspondent of the school managers. The chairman of the County Education Committee recorded that all the communications since 1902 had been in the handwriting of Lord Alverstone, which showed his keen interest in the school. Lord Alverstone died in 1915.

In 1922 the school was closed due to the low number of pupils attending; they would subsequently have attended the Newchurch or another local school depending upon where they lived.

The head-teacher for the whole time the school was opened was Miss Bertha Lucy Biggs, at the closure of the school a testimonial of £42 was presented to her by former pupils, a pound for every year of school life.

Today (2021) the area is in the parish of Newchurch, the schoolroom is the Alverstone Village Hall and the two semi-detached cottages behind are private residences.