AmlwchMemorialHall

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Amlwch Viking Festival 2006

According to the book "Two Centuries of Anglesey Schools by David A Pretty, the "British school " at Amlwch was established in 1860 and opened 26 March 1860.

The donor of the land was a William Jones of Dwygyfylchi in the then County of Caernarfonshire.
The cost of construction was £2500 but a Treasury grant of £1146 was paid towards the building costs.
The Education act changed considerably in the following 50 years and various acts brought about the education system as we know it.

The provision of a grant for the construction of schools meant the Government began to adopt education as its responsibility. ( previously there had been church schools , private schools etc.)
In November 1894 a "County Governing Board" was formed and a temporary scool at Llangefni and utilising the town hall etc to provide education. Pupils from the Amlwch Cemaes areas travelled to Llangefni on a daily basis if they were awarded a scholarship to be educated there.

I think there were "County schools" at Beaumaris Holyhead and Llangefni by this time but plans to provide a fourth County School at Amlwch were abandoned because of lack of funds.
The adoption of the County Governing Board meant that Anglesey raised its funds for education from rates etc.

Anglesey County School was finally opened at the "Memorial Institute" on the 16th April 1940.
The classes were split into three preparing for a Central Welsh Board exam in the summer of 1941.
Caradog Evans was the headmaster.

There is ref to "incorporating the old British school " therefore I guess this is when it was extended or altered.

It remained the Amlwch County School till the Syr Thomas Jones school opened its doors officialy on the 19th June 1953.

A new school was necessary because the Memorial Hall site became too small and "classess" were conducted at various locations atound Amlwch.

The schoolroom at the chapel in Wesley street was used and the former library building which is the polling station today.

I have found two photos of Amlwch schools.
The first dated 1918 is possibly the memorial hall school but the second dated 1920 is listed as being the Memorial Hall school