Seafield School Lytham
A school was opened in Dicconson Terrace by M.L.Tait. About 1853
it moved into purpose-built premises in Seafield Road and it
became known as Seafield House School.
Over the years school principals were: The Misses Tait; Dr.John
Sisson Slater (by1885); Messrs. J Bouch M.A. & E.C.Pochin; Mr.
Keith B.Sewell M.A., from 1935, until the schools closure in
1937.
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Extract from the Lytham St.Anne’s Express, November 1937.
CLOSING DOWN OF SEAFIELD
WIDELY KNOWN SCHOOL WHICH HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR OVER 100
YEARS
AFTER ninety years' existence Seafield School at
Lytham is to close down. Its going will cause a pang of regret
to many people in Lytham St. Annes. That regret, like the
ever-expanding ripple on the lake when a stone is thrown on the
placid surface of the waters, will reach a good deal further.
Old Boys throughout Lancashire, and Old Boys in many parts of
the British Isles, will feel sorrow at the passing of their
school. With the immediate Lythamites, as apart from those who
received their early education there, it will be as the end of a
cherished institution. Lytham, in a sense, will not be Lytham
without Seafield School.
It was founded in 1847 as a school for little boys, writes one
of the former pupils, by the Misses Tait, who were assisted in
the early stages by Miss Fanny Townsend, " a lady of strong
character." She afterwards went into partnership with the Taits,
and later a Miss Oxley joined Miss Townsend for a period.
Mr. John Sisson Slater, M.A.; came on the scene as, an assistant
master, and eventually married Miss Townsend. Under his
enthusiastic and able guidance the school took on a broader
purpose, educating boys of older years and laying the
foundations of an education which led many of its students on
ultimately to the well-known public schools and to the
universities.
When Lancashire was Prosperous.
Seafield reached its height under the control and direction of
Mr. and Mrs. Slater. It was a school for boarders and day
pupils, accommodating about fifty boys. Those were the days of
expansive prosperity in Lancashire and general trade, when money
was plentiful. boys came to Seafield from all parts.
In a recent reference to Seafield, a newspaper recalled the
names of many men who were at Seafield-Sir George Agnew, William
Edward Leach, of Rochdale; William Garnett, of Quernmore Park;
Col. Slater (Bolton), F. Hardcastle, M.P., A. Hampson Lord,
J.P., W. H. Hartley, Burnley; Rev. A. Crofton, late Vicar of
Codicote, Herts.; Ben Walmsley, Capt. Stanley Musgrave, Horace
Bleackley, Herbert Shepherd Cross, who became M.P. for Bolton;
A. N. Hornby, a past captain of the Lancashire County Cricket
XI; and Sir James Travis-Clegg, the late chairman of the
Lancashire County Council, These are but a few. Seafield boys
rose to positions of eminence in all parts of the world. Of more
recent pupils half the Lancashire Hockey XI attended Seafield
in their early days.
Dr. J. S. Slater, who later was called to the Bar, and was a
former chairman of the Urban District Council, continued his
active control of the school for many years. Seafield stood
alone as the only house in the road for many years during his
career, and he attached the field extending to Church Road to
the school for the purpose of a home farm, having other land at
the Woodlands.
Great Achievements.
When Dr. Slater relinquished control the school passed into the
hands of the late Messrs. J. Bouch M.A., and E. C. Pochin M.A.,
and for the past three years Mr. Keith B. Sewell, M.A., has been
the principal, at first having a partner.
The high achievements and traditions of The as built up by Dr.
Slater have been admirably carried on and sustained by the
succeeding principals, but as so many once well-to-do people in
the County sadly admit times since the war are vastly different.
There have be great changes and many old -private schools in
Lytham St. Annes have passed out of existence. And so Seafield
lacks the support boarders and day pupils which alone would keep
the doors open.
Former Features Recalled.
When reference is made to the home farm, thoughts turn to the
old Billy go with long horns, which roamed the field for many
years. It provided much sport for the boys in that it was always
keen on a fight. Old Boys well remember.
And then, again, the older generation of Lytham men will recall
the great Fifths of November at Seafield in the more spacious
days. A huge bonfire was built in the corner of the playing
field on the south of the house, a there were glorious displays
of fireworks with a distribution of parkin and toffee. Seafield
Guy Fawkes' night was institution.
So great was the enthusiasm of Dr Slater in the affairs of the
school that he constructed a small swimming bath in the school
grounds. One of the Old Boys, writing of days at the school,
says: "There was a holiday once a month, when the boys were
given 2s. or 2s. 6d. out of their purses, which were collected
at the beginning of the term, and those boys not visited by
their parents were marched into the town to spend the money."
Only two shops were visited-one toy shop, the other a sweet
shop, amount to be spent on sweets be: limited to sixpence. This
boy says spent three happy years at Seafield before going on to
Charterhouse. And now, at the end of 90 years this fine old
preparatory school, it n be said "Farewell, a sad farewell, to
thy greatness." The school closes at the end of term.
T.H.T. From the Lytham St.Anne’s Express, November 1937. |
