This view is of St. Bede’s Roman Catholic School. In those days as churches were built in their relevant parish schools were often attached to the church. St. Bede’s school was built around 1868, to accommodate an expanding parish. At the start of its life, the school was situated on Chapel Road and initially accommodated only senior girl pupils. After a heavy influx of immigrants from Ireland (Irish families looking for work) in addition to the original school was built on Monkton Road around 1870/1 (above) (Picture taken 1965).
At this particular time, Jarrow was experiencing an influx of Irish immigrants many of whom would have left their native land to find work. This is not surprising when you consider Palmer Shipbuilders employed more than 80% of Jarrow’s population and had become recognized worldwide as the leading shipbuilders of their time.
An increase in the population also saw the need for more schools. The above photo is of St. Bede’s school built as an addition to the original girl’s school, this part would meet the needs of the growing Roman Catholic Community and would accommodate the Juniors at street level and the Infants would have a classroom in the cellar.
The picture above and below shows what it looks like many years later. While St. Bede’s Church remains, gone is the old school building to be replaced with trees and shrubs. St Bede’s School was re-sited to Staple Road some five minutes walk from this location and would have been a bright new modern airy building. I say “would have been because that bright new modern airy building no longer exists in this twenty-first century”.
St Bede’s along with St Peters and other parts of Staple Road has been demolished. St Bede’s because a past survey showed the school had serious subsidence, and St Perter’s to make way for the New Tyne Tunnel Approach Road, thankfully taking much of the heavy traffic away from inner and residential parts of Jarrow. Hopefully making the air we breathe a lot more user-friendly and smell-free.
Hester Leicester
Note:
Many Thanks, to Hester Leicester for leaving more information on the history of St. Bede’s school.
St Bede’s School on Staple Road closed and joined with St Bede’s Juniors, Harold Street, to become the new St Bede’s Primary School. That was in April 1990. The school recently celebrated 100 years of education on the Harold Street Site. The site on Staple Road became a Nursing Home and was only demolished because of the building of the second Tyne Tunnel.