Page 208
A History of the County of Essex: Volume 4, Ongar Hundred. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1956.
This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.
SCHOOL
In 1819 there was no school in the parish. The rector, H. Soames, sent some children to Chipping Ongar Sunday school and a few others to a neighbouring day school. (fn. 1) By 1832 he had established a Sunday school in Shelley; 25 children attended it in 1832 and 17 in 1833. (fn. 2) No day school was later founded except a 'ladies' academy' in Shelley House (fn. 3) and until the Education Act of 1870 only a few Shelley children seem to have attended King's Trust School in Chipping Ongar (q.v.). (fn. 4) In 1872, however, the Education Department decided that the 33 Shelley children needing an elementary education could most conveniently obtain it if Shelley and Chipping Ongar were formed into a single School District and King's Trust School were enlarged. This policy was adopted and Shelley children then attended King's Trust School, their expenses being paid by means of voluntary contributions. In 1897-9 the rector found it very difficult to collect these contributions. (fn. 5)