Sharnbrook School in 1904

Bedfordshire County Council became Local Education Authority for the county in 1903, following the Education Act 1902. In 1904 the CountySurveyor reported on the condition of all the council and voluntary schools in the county under LEA control, excluding those on Bedford and Luton Boroughs which had their own executive arrangements. The surveyor's report [ref: E/SA2/1/1] took the form below.

These are brick built, with stone dressings and tiled roofs. 

Main Room - 47ft c 19ft x 12ft 6in and open roof 11ft 6 in high 

This is a well lighted room. All the transom lights are hinged to open inward stayed by chains; these, i note, give way, and let the casement lights fall. Glazed rebated cheeks would form good hopper lights and air inlets to ceiling. The ridge air shafts are too small. 

There is no need for any further renovation in this room. 

Infant Room - 30ft x 19ft x 12ft 6in 

Class Room - 14ft 6 in x 14ft 6 in x 12ft 6 in

These are both in good repair, the same remarks apply re. windows. 

Lobby to Main Room 

This is small, and appears to be very cold and draughty. As no lavatory is provided here, it would be quite possible to contruct and outer lobby cloak room and lavatory combined, which would make both these rooms more comfortable and save firing. 

There are two other lobbies and cloak rooms. 

Office

These are of the pail closet type, with means for removing, cleansing and replacing pails; they should be provided constantly with dry earth; this might be easily effected at no considerable cost. Some of these offices are much out of repair. I submit that now is the time to render them all effective, sanitary and non-offensive. 

External Repairs

The roofs need repairing, and all wood and iron work so done before cleaning down and painting two coats. 

Fence Walling, also Divisional Walls

These are needing repairs and pointing, they are extensive in length, and quite the half height needs restoring. 

The wooden gates and posts in these walls are very poor, all need throroughly restoring. 

Water Supply

The pump is placed a long way from the well, with a long horizontal draught, which causes it to be generally out of repair and useless. This could be fixed near to the well, which is near to the Master's house, so as to serve the school and house, the drains being near to. 

House

This is chiefly a new building, with very commodious rooms therein. Part of the old building adjoining is used as a kitchen, with bedroom over, and beyond the old schoolroom is used as a general store. 

The latter would be improved by cleansing and whitening and two coats of paint. A new frame and sill is needed for the outer door, also repairs to doors and fastening. 

The new portion of house measures as follows: 

Ground floor: 

Floor room - 15ft x 15ft x 9ft 

Hall and staircase - 15ft x 6ft 4in x 9ft 

Larder - 11ft x 5ft 2in x 9ft 

Sitting Room - 15ft x 15ft x 9ft

Bedroom floor: 

Front Room - 15ft x 15ft x 8t 6in 

Centre Room - 12ft x 9ft 6in x 8ft 6 in 

Back Room - 15ft x 11ft x 8ft 6in 

Old Room over Kitchen - 16ft 2in x 11ft 9in 

The ground floor is in very good condition excepting the front room, which is rather poor, owing to shrinkage, and defects in plastering. 

The chamber floor partition walls and ceilings have badly shrunk and cracked, evidently from the use of unseasoned timber,

The joinery has all shrunk very badly, needing readjustment and some portions cramping and filling up. 

The fractures to walls and ceilings need making good, also cleaning and whitening, all walls papering, all new wood work painting four coatsm and all work previously so done two coats. 

The house is practically an eight-roomed dwelling and very commodious. 

N.B - There are lights into these premises from those adjoining, occupied by Mr. Pacey, that should be dealt with before they become ancient lights.