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Chester Cathedral Choir School was an private preparatory school for boys under the direct supervision of the Dean of Chester Cathedral providing choristers for the choir. In its modern form, the school was opened by 1891 and closed at the end of summer term 1975. In 1973 the school's roll was 83 boys in 5 classes with the largest class of 22.

A boy's school and choristers for the abbey existed pre-reformation which continued until 1851. A separate choir school was established for the first time in 1851. By 1880 choristers were admitted to the King's school and then in 1891 the school separated again until it closed in 1975.

History

Boy choristers had been a feature of the pre-reformation church in England from at least the 7th Century and there is evidence that there was a school and boy choristers at the Benedictine Abbey of St. Werburgh, Chester before the English Reformation.

During the English Reformation and the Dissolution of the monasteries, in 1541 the Abbey of St. Werburgh was closed and a new cathedral was established in the same buildings. The legal statutes for the new Chester Cathedral set out the roles and responsibilities of the Dean, Canons, and others associated with the cathedral. The statutes created a grammar school at Chester Cathedral (for the teaching of latin grammar, and other subjects "for 24 poor and friendless boys") and also established 8 choristers and their choir master. The cathedral would be responsible for the education, board and lodgings of both scholars and choristers.

For 300 years, until the mid nineteenth century the choristers received some general education in the King's School. However whilst the statutes referred to the possibility of boys being in the choir and in the grammar school, this was not the always the case, the statutes did not demand any other education for choristers other than in singing and divine services but did afford preferential access to the grammar school.

By the mid nineteenth century in common with many schools funded by private endowment, schooling at the cathedral was suffering poor financial support, inefficiencies and accusations of maladministration. It was claimed the cathedral reduced scholar numbers whilst focusing on choristers, failed to pay endowments for university positions for scholars, and was not funding the grammar school properly, i.e. both staff salary and pupil stipends for subsistence were grossly insufficient.

In 1851, Chester Cathedral Choristers were taught separately in their own school for the first time. By 1857 the schools were operating completely separately:.

The Endowed Schools Act 1869 resulted in continued endowment from the cathedral to the King's School, but at the same time removed requirements for some endowed grammar schools to have teachers licensed by the Church of England. Following the King's School improvements and reorganisation under this act in 1873, by 1880, choristers were again receiving general education at the grammar school.

The final reorganisation of the chorister's schooling commenced under Dean Darby (1886-1919) in 1891 when their education was separate from the King's School again. The school operated as an independent private preparatory school called the Chester Cathedral Choir School from this time.

In 1936, the school offered places to non-singers for the first time, with fees of £5 5s. per term. Non-singers would boost the roll to a limit of 40.

By 1944, there were 4 classes with mixed ages and abilities. Board of Education inspectors commented on the unusual setting for the school but the overall lack of qualifications and teaching skills of the 3 full-time and 2 part-time teachers.

In 1973, HM Inspectors of Schools carried out a full inspection of the school. Many issues were identified with accommodation and facilities, teaching, timetables and the school as a community. Most of the issues stemming from either the limitations of the buildings, or significant demands on staff and governors when running a very small school with modern demands made upon them.

In the same year, the Dean and Chapter realized "the writing was on the wall" and that the school would have to close. Reasons given included inflationary pressures, the small intake of the school (80) and the inability of the building to allow expansion and the significant capital expenditure to move premises.

With some boys transferring to King's and other schools, Chester Cathedral Choir School closed at the end of the Summer Term 1975.

Buildings and Facilities

For most of the first 310 years from the reformation to the first separation from the grammar school, all boys were taught in the refectory of chester cathedral.

Dean Anson (1839-1867) and Howson (1867-1885) oversaw significant renovation of the cathedral, the installation of the cathedral organ in 1875, rebuilding of the southern and western part of Abbey Square, replacement of the Old Bishop's Palace and overall improvements to church musical achievements. At that time, the King's School moved into the new buildings from their ancient home in the original monks refectory to part of the rebuilt section of Abbey Square.

The choir practice room at this time was the refectory (which King's had just exited). However, this period of construction also provided choir school rooms under the cathedral library where the old Bishop's Palace used to be.

By 1944, the school used various rooms in the cathedral buildings. A chapel was used for assembly (most likely St. Anselm's), the refectory used for various activities including physical education and 4 classrooms in the rebuilt old bishop's palace.

In 1960, the King's School moved out of the premises in Abbey Square. In 1963, the Choir School moved into these neo-gothic buildings of the 1870's after some adjustments, e.g. partitioning the main hall to produce a dining hall. The school was in one building with two stories. The ground floor had a single corridor with classrooms and washroom off. The boys toilets were to be found in a lean-to outside. The school had the use of the Deaneary Fields for games.

The HM Inspectors report from 1973 includes many details including the year II classroom being small and dark and the overall impression of the building was "cramped and drab", "uninviting and impoverished". The report stated "Whilst some of the accommodation is of architectural and aethetic merit it falls short of what could be reasonably expected of a school of this size...".

Fees

Generally throughout the existence of the Choir School, choristers received their education paid for by the cathedral and largely free to the chorister and his family. Fees became payable for non-singers only when the school expanded in the twentieth century.

The statues of the cathedral established in 1541 that the scholars of the grammar school and the choristers would have their education, board and lodgings paid by the cathedral. A stipend was reintroduced in 1852 as payment to the boys of the school and choir of £3 6s. 8d. reportedly as set out in the statutes of King Henry VIII which continued to be paid without any consideration of inflation until at least 1919

In 1940, choristers still received their stipend and non-singers fees were £5 5s. per term. By 1973, "Fees are £100 a term except for singing boys who pay £5.25 a term during their first and second years ... and no fees as such thereafter."

Notes

1. By the mid eighteenth century, the grammar school started to be called the King's Cathedral Grammar School, or King's School.
2. Dean Howson commented at the time that the cathedral having to continue the historical endowment of £280 p.a. to the King's School was an injustice.
3. It is interesting to note that whilst A.L.Munday, the headmaster of King's stated in 1974 that the choir school was "an off-shoot of the Kings school and ... returning" after 100 years, Rev. E. Weir, headmaster of the choir school stated its history back to 1541, i.e. being in its 423rd year in 1963. There was always some controversy in the relationship between the Chester Cathedral Choir School and the King's School.

References

1. ^ "Secular v. Musical Education". Cheshire Observer. December 26, 1891. p. 6. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
2. ^ "Choir school to close next year". Cheshire Observer (CITY ed.). July 6, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
3. ^ Report by HM Inspectors on Chester Cathedral Choir School (Report). London: Department of Education and Science. December 3, 1973. ED 172/541/5.
4. Williams, Jenevora (Nov 25, 2011). Cathedral Choirs in the United Kingdom: The Professional Boy Chorister. Springer eBooks. Springer Nature. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
5. ^ Hackett, Maria (1827), A Brief Account of Cathedral and Collegiate Schools: With an Abstract of Their Statutes and Endowments. Respectfully Addressed to the Dignitaries of the Established Church, JB Nichols and Son
6. ^ "History of Chester Cathedral". Chester Cathedral. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
7. ^ "Statutes of Chester Cathedral". Chester Courant. August 30, 1871. p. 7. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
8. "Chester News". Chester Chronicle. April 11, 1776. p. 3. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
9. ^ Howson, J.S. (September 24, 1881). "The King's School and the Cathedral Boys School". Cheshire Observer. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
10. Gillard, Derek (2018). "Education in the UK: a history". Retrieved 15 November 2024.
11. "Tory opinion of Bishops, Deans and Chapters and their doings". Chester Chronicle. July 6, 1851. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
12. "King's School, Chester and the Town Council". Chester Chronicle. November 29, 1851. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
13. "Cathedral Trusts". Chester Chronicle. June 15, 1850. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
14. "The King's School". Chester Courant. August 25, 1852. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
15. STATE AND CONDITION OF THE CATHEDRAL AND COLLEGIATE CHURCHES IN ENGLAND AND WALES (Report). London: HM Stationary Office. May 25, 1855.
16. "Chester Cathedral Choir School". Liverpool Dail Post. April 25, 1884. p. 7. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
17. ^ "Educational: Chester Cathedral". Cheshire Observer. May 28, 1892. p. 4. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
18. "Prize Giving". Cheshire Chronicle. November 14, 1936. p. 16. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
19. Full Inspection Report of Chester Cathedral Choir School, Chester (Report). London: Board of Education. July 1, 1944. ED 109/349.
20. "Final prize day at cathedral choir school". Cheshire Observer. November 22, 1974. p. 30. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
21. "Choir School has to close". Chester Chronicle. July 26, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
22. "Red caps may vanish but choristers will sing from a new nest". Cheshire Observer. July 26, 1974. p. 46. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
23. ^ "A year of quiet growth". Cheshire Observer. November 27, 1964. p. 23. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
24. Barrow, J.S.; Herson, J.D.; Lawes, A.H.; Riden, P.J.; Seaborne, M.V.J. (2005), "Part 2, the City of Chester: Culture, Buildings, Institutions", in Thacker, A.T.; Lewis, C.P. (eds.), A History of the County of Chester, vol. 5, London: Victoria County History
25. "Ground floor as existing". King's School Chester Archives. 1957. GB.3154.A2006/25/41. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
26. "King's School: Our History". June 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
27. "Bishop of Chester Visitation: King's School". Cheshire Chronicle. March 13, 1852. p. 8. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
28. "Chester Cathedral: Vacancies for Probationary Choristers". Cheshire Chronicle. March 22, 1919. p. 1. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
29. "Chester Cathedral Choir School". Cheshire Chronicle. April 20, 1940. p. 8. Retrieved 15 December 2024.

External links

• Chester Cathedral website
• Chester Cathedral Choristers’ Association

• Choir schools in England
• Schools in Chester
• 1891 establishments in the United Kingdom
• 1975 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
• Church of England schools in the Diocese of Chester