Highlights of the project
On this page we will put some extracts from the archive which seem to be particularly relevant/appropriate in some way. Please note that all links on this page will open in a new window.
In view of the recent news about funding to buy land for affordable housing (see here for details) it is interesting to realise that shortages of housing for those working in the area haven't just occurred in recent times.
These two images are of correspondence concerning the house attached to the school.
This first image is a copy of a telegram sent in October 1925 asking if the person then staying in the school house could remain in the house and offering to accommodate the new temporary teacher. You can see the full image just by clicking on it.
It is interesting to note that the matter was considered so important that the telegram was sent with payment for the reply already made!
We don't yet have a copy of the actual reply telegram but we do
know what it said.
The second image is the reply received from the clerk to the Education Authority in which he gives approval on the conditions that the new schoolteacher is agreeable and that it is understood that the arrangement is a temporary one.
It also contains the reply sent by telegram: "Temporary teacher arriving probably to-morrow expect you to accomodate her, writing."
In this time the majority of the housing in the area was in tied cottages provided by the larger estates for their own workers. There were also a number of crofts. The shortage was therefore most acutely felt by those in jobs which did not provide housing.
We do have a
copy of another letter written in May 1925 asking whether the
schoolhouse would be available for let as the existing postman has
to:
"...vacate my present house in November. I would also have to resign
my place as postman as there are no houses available."
We don't have a copy of any reply.