Suffolk
In 1870 the Trustees of the Thorndon Town Estate met to discuss the erection of a new school. In 1872 a decision was made to call on all land owners to devise a means of raising the necessary funds. The Reverend Thomas Faulkner Lee DD offered the site of the old workhouse (1 rood perches) as a suitable site. Sir R. Sandford of the Education department said there should be a union of the parishes of Braiseworth, Stoke Ash, Rishangles and Thorndon. The Trustees did not like this and as a result Stoke Ash built their own school whilst Braiseworth and Rishangles children attended Thorndon Voluntary Parochial Church School.
On February 8th 1873 Landowners agreed a voluntary rate of 1/- in the pound, they contributed two thirds of the cost and occupiers a half towards the building. The total cost of the school came to £450 and in October 1873 Mr Pennings charged £2 2s to prepare the plans. In 1873 a loan of £100 was obtained from Gurneys Bank of Eye. Mr Rudd was appointed schoolmaster at a salary of £20 per annum and the school was opened in January 1874, the average attendance being 94. In 1911 the school was enlarged to hold 120 children the cost being £226 and at this time the Schoolmaster was Harry Birkenhead.
