Sacred Heart School Byermoor.

Written By: Miss Sheila McGahon.

Following the construction of the first temporary Church in 1869, Father Mathews the Parish Priest, began the establishing of education for the children of the Parish. The Church building was combined to share Services and formal schooling. On the 4th March 1871 teaching began. A total of 48 Pupils began attending, which gradually increased in number throughout the following years. Pupils had to pay for their lessons, the charges being as follows: Standard 1 2d (old pence) per week Standards 2 - 6 3d (old pence) per week If more than one child per family. 2d (old pence) per week.

That same year, in July, an outbreak of small-pox occurred at the School. A number of Certificated Teachers took charge, with Assistants and girls who were paid Monitresses. (figures show a total of 10 Teachers and 2 Monitresses served at the School between 1871- 1883). Miss Blanche Lamb (of Gibside Hall), and Miss Elizabeth Surtees (of Hamsterley Hall), often visited the School, where they distributed sweets and held parties for the children. In 1876, following the building of the new Church, the old building was now used solely as a School. In 1880, it was recorded that the number of pupils now totalled 164. (81 Boys and 83 Girls).

On October 14th 1881 tragedy struck, following a violent storm, a fierce wind battered the School and the whole wooden structure collapsed and was destroyed. It was said at the time, apparently the two main doors had been left open and the wind had simply swept through the building with disastrous results. The outcome was, the children now had to take lessons in the new Church. Shortly afterwards, work commenced on the building of a new School, also two houses (standing off the main Newcastle road). One house for the Headmaster and the other for the School Caretaker.

On the 5th January 1883, the new Roman Catholic School at Byermoor (pictured above, on the left with a current school photograph on the right) was formally opened. It was built at a cost of £1,600. One of the Benefactors was the Marquis of Bute. An average of 150 children attended School. In 1905, the School was enlarged to three classrooms and one large room, big enough to use for two classes. The Girls and Boys playgrounds (or yards), were divided by Sheds. In the Girls Shed, a stove was kept, where children brought their cans of tea, to be left to keep warm, along with their sandwiches. Children walked long distances to School in those days, some, from Sunniside, Andrews House, Marley Hill, Burnopfield, Leazes, Tanfield and Rowlands Gill.

Pictured on the left are Teachers of the 1940’s: Back Row Mr Frank Doran, Mr James Kehoe (Headmaster), Mr Eric Smith. Front Row: Miss Winifred Clark, Miss Clare Arnold, Father Austin Pickering (Parish Priest), Miss Alice Kehoe.

Life at School flourished, the children being given a good grounding in religious and academic studies, with lots of activities. School Concerts were very popular. From the 1920's the Girls attended weekly Cookery Classes at the Board School, Marley Hill and were given excellent tuition in the art of Domestic Science. The Boys attended weekly Woodwork Classes at the School in Burnopfield.

Pictured above on the left: Mr Nicholas Kelly with the football team of c1912, with pupil Tom Kehoe second from left.

Pictured on the right: A school team with Mr Matthew White.

Down the years, Byermoor School produced many good Football Teams and kept a good record in other sporting activities, winning a number of Honours and gaining Cups, Medals etc. against other Schools, a number of it's former Pupils going on to become professional footballers at top Football Clubs, another became a well-known Test Cricketer, playing for England on a number of occasions. This excellent little School, with it's dedicated teaching Staff, has throughout the years played it's part in the formation, both morally and educationally, in helping towards forming the characters of it's past Pupils, which has enabled and prepared them to face with confidence, the trials, problems and challenges of the outside world.

Former Headmasters of Byermoor School: Mr Nicholas Kelly, Mr Daniel Henry, Mr Matthew White, Mr Matthew Coleman, Mr James Kehoe, Mr Henry Gardner, Mr Anthony Hannon, Acting Head Miss Kim Bradley, Mrs Margaret Sands, the current Headmaster is Mr Denis Godfrey.

A School Class of 1949:

Back Row: Moya Dwyer, John Gavin, David Young, Edward Bond, Kelvin Mc Hugh, Hugh Mc Ginn, Kevin Mountford, Tony Doran, Billy Callaghan, Alan Nash, Mary Connor, Pat McGhee, Ann Dunphy, Maureen McDermott.

Middle Row: Barbara Cairns, Patricia McConnon, Margaret Ratcliff, Catherine McGee, Monica Hagan, Ann Joyce, Sheila Graham, Sheila McTaff, Kathleen Harbron.

Bottom Row: John Hall, Tom Smith, Dennis Clark, Kevin Connor, Michael McCormick, Tom McGee, Vincent McTaff.

The current Staff 2005 are:

Mr Denis Godfrey Headteacher, Mrs Kim Bennett Deputy Headteacher, Mrs Angela Smith year 5/6 Teacher, Miss Rachael Tate year 3/ 4 Teacher, Miss Helen Willey Reception Class Teacher,

Mrs Tracey Mothersdale Classroom Assistant, Mrs Susan Turnbull Classroom Assistant, Mrs Lisa Williams Classroom Assistant,

Mrs Kelly Hodgson School Clerk,

Susan Broughton Dinner Supervisors, Sarah Storey Dinner Supervisors.

In November 2009 a meeting took place at Byermoor School called by Gateshead Council Education Officials to discuss a possible closure of the school.

There was an excellent attendance of parents, grandparents extended family members and members of the community.

It was made very clear by the panel that the main consideration was financial. They stressed that pupil numbers had fallen below the acceptable level. Three schools, Byermoor Sacred Heart, Washingwell and Marley Hill were under scrutiny and may face closure although no decision had been made until after a period of consultation. A large number of points of view and questions were posed to the panel by the assembled people and indeed pupils of the school. It was significant that the Panel members were unable to answer many of the questions.

The Panel were certainly taken aback by the depth of feeling and outrage feIt by the assembled public. But it is probable that as we left the meeting we all shared the same view, nothing had been achieved, most questions remain unanswered and the threat of closure is still a reality.

This is not the first time our School has been threatened with closure. We must continue the fight and lobby everyone we think can help. It was pleasing to witness the attendance at the meeting of Father John Taggart as well as Councillors and a representative of our Member of Parliament Dave Anderson.

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We have previously stated that the School was due for closure in 2011. This was based on media reports and other sources. It appears that the Schools future is still under discussion something we were completely unaware of.

As a result we have received several e-mails from people with an interest in Byermoor School.

We apologise for causing any upset, we have the interests of the School and the children very much at heart. Please be assured that had we known of the ongoing situation this would not have happened.

The fight for the Schools future goes on! We will do anything we can to help and we sincerely hope that there will be a successful outcome for the Children, Parents, School Staff and the Community.