Bedhampton Schools

The first school in Bedhampton, England was built on the corner of Bedhampton Road and Bidbury Lane. Miss Dust was the original mistress, serving at the school until 1876. The first page in her log book notes that she had to "reprove a boy for fighting". [Original still held at Bidbury Infant School.] Scrutiny of the logbook suggests that Miss Dust was frequently visited by the squire, Mr Stone, and the rector, Rev Daubiney.

The next occupant of the school house, Mrs Dugdale, was to forge an association with the school which would last 46 years (Smith 1968). Mrs Dugdale (until 1902) and her daughter, Miss Dugdale [ November 2006 Parish Magazine] (until 1922) were the first two in a long line of long serving head teachers, continued by Mrs Smith (1948 until 1975), Mrs Carrick (1975-94) and Mrs Rowley (1994-2007).

After World War Two, school places were at a premium and extra places were created by turning the former Bedhampton Naval Camp into Stockheath Primary School. [For photographs of these buildings, see Hinds (2003)] .

In 1974 Hampshire County Council decided to split the primary intake, and a new school for the older children was built on land immediately south of Hooks Lane Recreation Ground, and named Bidbury Middle School. A long campaign began to move the newly created Bedhampton First School to the new site too. This eventually happened in February, 1985 when Bedhampton and Stockheath First schools amalgamated to become Bidbury First School, renamed Bidbury Infant School [http://www.bidbury-inf.hants.sch.uk/] in 1994.

Just across the recreation ground is a Roman Catholic Primary School, St Thomas More's. [http://www.bidbury-inf.hants.sch.uk/]

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St Thomas More's RC Primary School

References

Bibliography

*Smith,M 1968 Bedhampton School Centenary History (copy lodged at Havant Museum)
* Hinds,R 2003 The Naval Camps of Bedhampton,Havant and Leigh Park ISBN 0954616006