1 74 History of the 



" In Memory of JOHN KERSHAW, of Wolfenden Booth Fold, the 

 beneficent donor of the estates situated in Heald, in Bacup Booth, for the 

 benefit of New Church Scliool. He was buried the ist of February, 1701, at 

 the age of 85 years. 



" ANNE KERSHAW, his wife, was buried 4th January, 1709 : — 

 " They lived long beloved, 

 And dy'd bewailed, 

 And two estates 

 Upon one school entail'd." 



It is unfortunate that these estates are not more advantageously 

 located for increase in yearly value and consequent usefulness. 

 Endowments of this character, when judiciously administered, are 

 often the instrument of conferring untold blessings on the 

 neighbourhood possessing them ; and, taken in the aggregate, they 

 form one of the distinguishing glories of a civilised and free 

 country. To no nobler purpose can wealth be devoted than that 

 of providing the appliances of education for the rising generation 

 in present and future times. 



The first school under the Trust was situated at Boothfold, 

 having been built in 1701, This continued in use till 1787, 

 when it was converted into cottages (still in existence, as re-built), 

 on the erection, in the latter year, of the school at the top 

 of Bridleway; which was re-built in 1830. The last-named 

 was demolished in 1889 (a temporary iron structure being 

 used in the interval), and the new school buildings, on the 

 same site, were completed and opened in 1890, at a cost oi ^£^2200. 

 This result is largely due to the active exertions of the late 

 headmaster, the Rev. R. W. Hay, M.A. (now of Garsdon Rectory, 

 near Malmesbury). The new structure, of which Mr. Thomas 

 Bell, of Burnley, was the architect, is a vast improvement on its 

 predecessors. The style of the elevation is simple but effective ; 

 there is a handsome bell turret in the farther gable, and the 

 mullioned and transomed windows give a collegiate character to the 

 building. A new scheme was formulated by the Charity Commis- 

 sioners in 1890, under which the management of the school is 

 extended and its usefulness and popularity increased. Under this 



