From the Malton Messenger December 8th 1894

A new school has for sometime been found to be a necessity at Gilling, and the work has now been accomplished so far as to allow of the building being duly dedicated to its purpose, which ceremony was performed on Wednesday last by His Grace the Archbishop of York. The Revd. Canon Hudson the respected rector of the parish, undertook the work, in conjunction with Mr Wilson the owner of Gilling Castle and Estate, and with aid from other sources they have raised a good portion of the cost. Mr Wilson generously gave the site and a subscription of £250 and Canon Hudson gave a similar sum; Sir William Worsley, Bart., gave £50, Mr E.W. Beckett M.P. £20, Trinity College, Cambridge £10-10s; Mr. John Rutson £10; a Friend £10; Mrs Christian Curwen, £5; The York Diocesan Education Society, £100; The National Society, £50; £109-9s had been received from a sale of work at Gilling Castle (by permission of Mr and Mrs Grotrian); and 15s from interest. A total of £865 14s, leaving £200 to be raised. Canon Hudson gave the stone, except the first four feet; and the farmers of the parish gave most of the leading.

The new school built from the designs by Mr Brierley, architect, York is a very nice and commodious place. It will accommodate 141 children and as there are only 82 on the registers it will be seen there is ample room for them. The place is exceedingly well lighted, warmed and well ventilated and is a credit to the builders and all concerned. A folding and sliding partition which can be placed in position or thrown back in a few seconds is a most admirable arrangement. Mr Yearsley, of Pickering was the contractor, and the masonry work has been most excellently carried out by Mr H. Oldfield of Malton.

Wednesday’s proceedings commenced with a short service in the church, at a quarter to twelve. There was a very good congregation, and the service was heartily carried out. The Revd. Canon Hudson intoned the service and read the lesson, and the choir acquitted themselves well. The processional hymn was “All people that on earth do dwell”; the psalms were the second and fifth sections of the 119th; the Deus Miseratur was chanted; the hymn before the sermon was “Loving Shepherd of Thy Sheep”; the hymn after the sermon “O Lord how joyful ’tis to see”; and the recessional hymn “Praise the Lord Ye Heavens Adore Him”.

The clergy present in the procession and at the subsequent proceedings included the Revd. Canon Temple, Oswaldkirk; the Revd. G.A. Firth, Malton; Revd. M.E. Stanbrough R.D., Crayke; Revd. C.J. Chapman, Norton; Revd. P.F. Swann, Brandsby; Revd. Canon Rowsell, Topcliffe; Revd. W. Collins, Nunnington; Revd. S. Wimbush, Terrington; Revd. A.S. Brooke, Slingsby; Revd. R.G. Howard, Hovingham; Revd. G.H. Lightfoot, Pickering; Revd. G. Deane, Helmsley; Revd. L.H. Rees, Nawton; Revd. H. Toovey, late diocesan Inspector of Schools; Revd. W.G. Austen, Ampleforth; Revd. Canon Hudson, Gilling: and the Ven. Archdeacon Yeoman.

The sermon was preached by his Grace the Archbishop of York, who took for his text St. Matthew xviii, 5 “Whoso receiveth one such little child in my name receiveth me.” He claimed that the words of the text were not a mere formal expression by Christ but implied that what we do is for the furtherance of his purpose, and taught that they should deal with children in the spirit of Christ. Our primary duty with regard to children was to teach them to know God and that was what was meant by religious education. To communicate a knowledge of the Heavenly Father to children was one of the purposes of the Incarnartion, and for that purpose the schools had been provided, though they would be used for secular instruction as well. His Grace a ealed to them all to take part in the blessing so secured to those who carried out God’s purpose with regard to the children.

After the sermon a collection was taken, and the children, choir, clergy and others, then went in procession from church to school. The procession was headed by a banner, then came the choir singing Psalm cxlvii. After them followed the clergy, then the churchwardens, then the Archbishop’s a aritor carrying the mace, and next Revd. W.G. Austen bearing the crosier. His Grace the Archbishop followed, and then came the Revd. Canon Hudson and the Ven. Archdeacon Yeoman. The congregation succeeded to these and all having taken their places in the school, Psalm cxlviii was chanted. The lesson Proverbs vi having been read, the Apostles’ Creed came next, and then some special dedicatory prayers by the Archbishop. The hymn “Now thank we all our God” having been sung, His Grace pronounced the benediction, and this part of the proceedings ended.

A luncheon was then partaken of in the school by about 120 ladies and gentlemen. The Revd. Canon Hudson presided and was su orted by the Archbishop of York, Mr & Mrs Wilson, Mrs Hudson, Sir William Worsley, Bart., Mrs W.H. Worsley, the Misses Pitman, Miss Isherwood, Mr Ridge, the clergy named above, and many other ladies and gentlemen.

After luncheon Canon Hudson proposed the Queen and next thanked His Grace the Archbishop for his kindness in coming amongst them that day, amidst the labours of his great diocese. He believed it had been a congenial task to His Grace, who took a special interest in their both spiritual and temporal affairs more especially in the villages. The Revd. Canon also took the o ortunity of giving a sketch of the progress of the new school, from its inception to the present time. He reminded them that nothing would have been done but for the kind heart of his friend who now owned Gilling Estate. He also thanked all who had taken part in the work.

The ARCHBISHOP OF YORK returned thanks, and said the words spoken by the rector of the parish with regard to his presence were all the more gratifying because they came from one whom he had been glad to know as a friend for more than 40 years. It was well he said for the Church of England that there were parishes — and there were a great many — where the squire and the parson worked together amicably for the good of the Church. The result of their labours su orted as they had been by many others, was seen in that admirable school room. He could not forget that the welfare of the Church depended, humanly speaking, in a large measure on the religious education of the children, and the more they grafted in the hearts of the children the true principles of Christian life, the more could they look forward with hope to the future.

Mr Grotrian proposed the toast of ‘the Donors’ in an admirable speech and Mr Wilson and Canon Hudson responded. The latter thanked all who had helped in any way in the building of the school, and also paid a well-merited tribute to the teaching staff, whose health he proposed, especially mentioning Mr and Miss Westgarth.

Mr Westgarth, the master of the school, responded in most a ropriate terms, and the company then separated.

During the afternoon a football match was played between Gilling and Nunnington. The game ended in a draw, neither side scoring. At 4 o’clock a public tea was held in the school, and in the evening there was a dance, both of which were very largely attended and much enjoyed. On Thursday afternoon the school children were all invited to tea in the school and it is needless to say they thoroughly enjoyed themselves.