Education
Ellerton, being an agricultural parish, had little need for formal schooling for its children, most being required to start earning their way as soon as they were able. However, it would be wrong to say that there was no provision for education for children, for those whose parents wished it.
Visitation Returns
The Act Books and Visitations Returns of the Archbishops of York provide useful evidence of schooling in even the smallest parishes in the Diocese of York.
The Visitation Act Book of Archbishop Herring in 1743 contains the answers from each parish on a number of questions put to them, including the answer to the question: 'Is there any Publick or Charitie School, endow'd or otherwise maintain'd in your Parish?' to which the answer from Aughton was, ‘.’
The same question was posed in Archbishop Drummond's Visitation of 1764, to which the answer was, ‘None’.
Parliamentary Returns
In a response to a circular letter from the Select Committee on Education of the Poor &, 1818, the curate, John Wilkinson, informed the Committe that there were no endowments for the education of the youth, but there were three small schools. He offered the observation that 'The poorer classes have not sufficient means of education for their children, and are desirous of possing them'.
The Parliamentary Papers for 1833 contain an Abstract of Education Returns. The evidence from these is more encouraging:
ELLERTON PRIORY Parish (pop. 305) – One Infant School, in which there are 8 males and 1 female; and - - One Daily School (commenced 1828), wherein are 7 males and 6 females; in both schools the children are paid for by their parents. - - One Sunday School, of 40 children of both sexes, is supported by a collection.
Directories
Further evidence can be found in the 19th century Trade Directories and Topographical Dictionaries. The Baine's 1823 Directory lists William Wilkinson, schoolmaster, while White’s directory of 1840 lists a Isaac Morley, schoolmaster (also listed in the Aughton section).
By the time of The 1851 Parliamentary Gazetteer, the situation is clarified, when the entry for Ellerton says: ‘Here is a daily school’.
The 1857 Post Office directory continues to list Isaac Morley as schoolmaster.
The Visitation Act Book of Archbishop Thomson in 1865 contains the answers from each parish on a number of questions put to them, including questions about schooling in the parish. The replies to these queries from Ellerton were as follows:
14. Objects for which collections have been made?
The Church Missionary Society and The Village day School.
15. What schools are there in your parish, distinguishing daily schools for adults, children, and for infants under six years of age, and Sunday Schools, how are they supported and how many scholars are there in each?
No school in connection with the church. I have long tried to obtain one but without success.
16. Are you able to retain your young people in your Sunday School after they have ceased to attend the Daily School?
No Sunday School.
17. Have you adopted any other mode of retaining them under instruction by Adult or Evening School? And, if so, what success have you found to attend to such Schools?
There is no building for the purpose.
The Post Office Directories for 1872 and 1889 have no schools or schoolmasters listed. However, Bulmer’s 1892 Directory lists ‘Ainsworth Miss Susannah, schoolmistress’ .
Kelly’s Directory for 1913 informs us that there is a ‘ Public Elementary School, erected in 1895, for 68 children; average attendance, 64; the Aughton children now attend this school; Miss Amelia Usherwood, mistress.’
Similarly, the Directory for 1925 gives – ‘Public Elementary School, erected in 1895, for 68 children; the Aughton children now attend this school; Miss Florence Mellish, mistress.’