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Letter from William Pound to The Archbishop of York 1847

William Pound to Archbishop of York letter

A letter from William Pound, the appointed schoolmaster to the Free Grammar School, which appears to be defending himself and his actions against complaints made by residents of Old Malton. It ties in with the Remarks on Sutton Grange.

William Pound moved the Free Grammar School from Old Malton to Sutton Grange in 1835, and changed its function to widen the curriculum beyond the "dead languages", also charging fees for access to this wider curriculum. This was not a popular move in some quarters - this letter appears to be defending his move against a recent petition from Old Malton parishioners. White's trade directory of 1840 states: 'The Archbishop of York appoints the master, and that office is now held by the Rev. Wm. Pound, who has improperly perverted the school premises to other uses, and since 1835, has conducted the school in a building adjoining his residence, in Norton parish; and he now allows £20 a year to the master of the National School, which was build in Old Malton, in 1836, by subscription." I believe this is the building which became the infants school on Town Street.

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Malton York Feb 11th 1847

My Lord Archbishop

Saving that your Grace has received a petition from the inhabitants of Old Malton in complaint that the Grammar School has been removed to another site, I beg, with permission, to lay before your Grace certain facts relating to the subject of that Petition, and Testimonies, given by the Archdeacon of Cleveland, the neighbouring clergy, and a Gentlemen who had a son boarding with me in 1837, & now has another boarding with me in 1847.

I could have added many more testimonies to show that the statement of the petition is overstrained and unreasonable but forbear to trouble your Grace with what must be sufficiently obvious.

I proceed to state the following facts.

That William Pound, Clerk, M.A. Foundation Fellow St John’s College Cambridge was appointed by the Archbishop of York to the Grammar School of Old Malton, in the year 1836

That the stipend of the Master is 90£ per an, and 2 acres of Land – that he contributed 20£ per an towards the support of a Village School; the inhabitants engaging to contribute other 20£.

That in 1837 the Master communicated to the Archdeacon of Cleveland his intention of resigning the appointment because the school premises were inadequate for the purpose of an efficient School Grammar School, which could not be supported without the aid of Boarding Pupils.

The Archdeacon of Cleveland suggested, that more suitable premises might be found, & after inspection & communication with the Archbishop of York, as Visitor, informed the Master that is Grace permitted the removal of the School to Sutton Cottage {in the Parish of Norton, somewhat more than a mile and a quarter from the former site, & for one third of the inhabitants of Old Malton quite as conveniently situated} in these words

"I had great pleasure in submitting to the Archbishop your wish for the change of residence when I saw him a few days since, and I intended, writing to you to say, that he entirely agreed to it, after the statement I made to him, had not very much business prevented.

That the Master has promoted the education of all classes in Old Malton, and (the Village School having now an inefficient Master teaching after the British & Foreign(?) plan, he has offered to contribute 30£ per annum, on condition that 20£ per am should be provided from Parochial sources to make a stipend of 50£ for a National School Master or be prepared to open the old School room & maintain there a good middle school in which Classics shall be taught.

That it is unreasonable for any persons, who know the zeal & expense, wherewith the Master has enacted the Grammar to require that he shall undo the labour of 10 years & return to the unsatisfactory position at which he set out, having given up his college prospects, & spent the best years of his life

That these words of the Petition are not true = “that in the time of the Revd Mr Richardson for 30 years he had from 12 to 15 boarders constantly in his house” appointed in 1806 – The Charity Commission visited the School in 1822 & report that the Master had declined to take Boarders (his last left him in 1818) & had only 4 day classical pupils. He died in 1834 Cllr Richardson was therefore Master 28 years & had no Boarders for the last 16 years of his life.

That there at no time any more than 12 Boarders (as affirmed by one of the families mentioned in the Petition) who were ??? crowded. The Master, a bachelor, sleeping in a dark closet That the insufficiency of the old premises was attested to by the late Archdeacon of Cleveland, & that attestation is confirmed by the present Archdeacon of Cleveland.

That your Grace will be able to ??? such a view of the above factors & … [fold] conjoined with the ??? changing testimony, as shall secure to the Master, the position he now holds, & to the Parish of Old Malton & the neighbouring Borough of Malton, the solid advantage of an official Grammar School,which they had not enjoyed (at least) for 20 years previous to the appointment of the present Master.

With the greatest greatest sorrow that your Grace should have been troubled in this matter. I have the honour to subscribe myself, you Grace’s most faithful & obedient & Humble servt.

William Pound.

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