MARSHFIELD School started as Chapel Green Board School in September 1877 and comprised two sections - infants up to the age of eight and a senior section for pupils up to the then school-leaving age of about 13.
Chapel Green was the name of the area opposite the present school on Thornton Lane. It subsequently moved to its present site in 1886, at which time it became known as Thornton Lane Board School. The old school premises became Thornton Lane Chapel and doubled up as a concert hall for the school and is now the Shree Hindu Temple.
In 1899 the name was changed to Marshfield in order to avoid confusion with other schools in the township of Thornton, which had just been incorporated into Bradford Borough.
Further reorganisation took place in 1928 when Marshfield Junior & Senior Mixed Schools became Marshfield Primary School and Priestman Secondary School respectively.
I joined Marshfield Infant School in 1946 and left the Juniors in 1952, transferring from one to the other in 1949.
In 1973 another reorganisation of the Bradford schools resulted in Marshfield Infants & Juniors becoming Marshfield First School, but further reorganisation has now changed the name back to Marshfield Primary School and it now occupies the whole of the site including the former Priestman School.
There are many hundreds of photographs recording the progression of countless pupils through the school, the earliest of which is a 1919 infant class with Miss Overend, but my favourite from this era was taken in 1921 with Miss Hodgson. There is much informal interest in this picture: the raised desk with inkwells and bell where the head teacher would sit, and a model lighthouse behind in the corner, the daily attendance chart and time table hanging on the wall, plants in cultivation on the table and caps and gloves casually tossed alongside.
Close examination and manipulation in a computer drawing programme reveals a woman in a period hat - probably a mother - observing the proceedings through the door leading to a cloakroom on the right hand side. The door itself has pictures of birds on it.
The toys and ninepins dressed as dolls were acquired in 1884 and are still in use in 1921.
Moving on to 1948 we have a Christmas party taking place and a photo of pupil Sylvia Holroyd shaking hands with Father Christmas with awestruck friends on one side and a brightly trimmed tree on the other.
Two other pictures show revellers at the party doing the Hokey Cokey and wherever there is some action taking place you will find the headmaster, Mr Shaffner, in the middle of it.
End of term concerts were also held around this time and one of the pictures from 1949 shows the cast and producers of a show by class Standard 2A.
Finally, I have included a photo of Standard 4A in 1955 and another Christmas party picture also from 1955.
Interestingly, the teacher who took 4A at this time was Mr Dennison, who came to Marshfield from Woodroyd three months after I moved the other way in 1952. He went on to become head of a school in Liverpool before retiring to Barnoldswick where I met him and received a useful selection of photos of both schools.
A few more comments on the Punishment Book might be in order. The School Board allowed the headteacher to dispense corporal punishment to maintain discipline but such punishment should be by cane and in no case should a child be struck on the head.
The first entries in the book were on November 16, 1903 when two boys and a girl - Caroline Coates - received two strokes from G W Holmes for inattention and dirty work.
Carrie Coates went on to make another appearance and it was not uncommon for first offenders to become repeat offenders. Misdemeanours such as theirs along with lying, cheating, laziness, and cutting a desk were common in those days.
I was guilty of another common transgression for which I received two strokes and that was climbing on the school roof.
It was ever so easy to climb up there, at least it was for a 10-year old.
Mr Shaffner had a very busy day on March 7, 1947 when a total of 27 boys received one stroke each for snowballing.
Snow? In March? Who has heard of such a thing? The final entry in the book was on April 28, 1965 when Mr Coverdale gave two strokes for disobedience.
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