AOSA CENTENARY HISTORY 1841 - 1941

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Contents
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII
Appendix

Return History
Contents

Two months passed; several letters had been received ‘encouraging the proposed undertaking.’ Returns from most of the particular meetings, ‘altho’ very incomplete,’ were nevertheless encouraging, and at Newcastle on January 5th, 1841 a conference of Friends ‘interested in the proposed school’ decided to appoint John Pease, Caleb Wilson, Henry Pease, Edward Backhouse, Junr., and William Robson to look for a suitable estate to lease or buy in the neighbourhood of Bishop Auckland. But on February 22nd John Pease reported ‘that nothing eligible has offered.’ A month later it was made known that ‘John Pease has been in correspondence with Thomas Richardson in relation to the purchase of an Estate at Ayton towards which Thomas Richardson has offered to contribute very liberally.’

This was news indeed for no one knew better than North country Friends that Thomas Richardson of Stamford Hill would implement his promises. An interview was deemed necessary ; John Pease posted off to see Thomas Richardson in London and returned in eight days to report that ‘Thomas Richardson cordially confirmed the alteration of his Donation to the proposed School from £500 to £5,000 without any stipulation of any description, beyond requiring that the money should be appropriated towards the purchase of a certain estate at Ayton containing about 74 acres of land besides buildings to be had for £6,500.’ He also ‘takes for granted that every care will be exercised to ensure the education (of both boys and girls) being at all times in accordance with the Christian views of our Society.’

Such open-handedness smoothed the way. Within two days Friends had made ‘a satisfactory inspection of the Ayton Estate and Buildings’ and had come to a decision.

The rest was necessary formality ; the essential minute agreed to ask the sanction of Durham Quarterly Meeting for further progress, and requested that it would take the proposed institution under its general care. On the following day, 6th April 1841, the Quarterly Meeting adopted a minute recording that the ‘proposed establishment of an Agricultural School for the North of England has been solidly considered and this meeting feeling unity with the said proposal agrees thereto.’

This decision was immediately conveyed to the first School General Meeting which thus was at liberty to proceed. It appointed a Committee of twenty-four men, including five Backhouses, four Peases and two Richardsons, with W. Backhouse, Junr., as treasurer, and Isaac Sharp as secretary. It instructed the Committee to complete the purchase of the Ayton estate, to collect further subscriptions and to appoint a suitable person or persons to take the management of the Institution.

The School had started. Quaker caution and deliberation had prepared the way. From the plan’s public inception to its consummation five months later Friends interested had met nine times in Committees and conferences. Sound finance buttressed the structure ; Friends had subscribed £6,295 13s; the Quarterly Meeting had allowed the Trustees of the late Edward Walton’s Trust ‘ to sell out of the public fund the money now invested in their names, namely £3,000 in new 31 per cents and lend the proceeds on mortgage of the intended purchase at the rate of 4 per cent to the Trustees of the Agricultural School.’

Thus the Quarterly Meeting combined duty and business; the wise investments of the past, the personal generosity of the founder and the subscriptions of local Friends decided the immediate place and destiny of the Institution which had just been born.

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