The mixed year class of 1908 at Westbourne School
Westbourne’s first school was established in 1819 in the poor house, started by St John’s church. In 1835 the church rector and churchwardens acquired land in the north of the village on the present School Lane, in order to build a National School for the education of the poor. This opened in 1846 and was designed to hold 160 pupils and a photo of it can be seen below.
In 1876 the National School became the boy’s school, and a new School for Girls and Infants opened in Church Road.
Did you know?
Around 1900 so many children arrived at the school with damp feet because of their leaky footwear that they were urged to use wooden clogs instead, with excellent results apparently!
The final move came in 1913, when the current Westbourne Primary School opened in River Street, on land acquired by the County Council from Mr George Wilder, the owner of Stansted House.
Westbourne Community Hall
Next door to the school was Westbourne Community Centre gifted to the village in 1899. It was also built on land donated by Mr George Wilder, who paid £200 for its construction. He officially opened the gym in January 1900, when Havant Gymnastics Club gave a display and boxing bouts were also held.
Two years later in 1902 Mr Wilder had a rifle range built at the rear of the gymnasium, again at his own expense. A government inspector visited the building to check that it fulfilled regulations, and congratulated the village on its construction. George Wilder officially opened it in January 1903, firing the first shot at the rifle range and scoring a bull. Initial club membership was more than 100.
After WW1 the gym became the Westbourne Working Men’s Club and then simply the Westbourne Club, when women were admitted for the first time!
In 2019 it was handed to Trustees who now run it as a Community Interest Organisation as the Westbourne Community CIO, for the benefit of all local people as a charity with no profit. The Westbourne Community Hall underwent a major refurbishment in 2021 with a licensed bar and it is is home to activities like dances, short mat bowls, evening classes, craft fairs, children’s activities and private parties.
Did You Know?
Westbourne Community Centre rifle range was where senior boys from the adjacent Westbourne school were given shooting training to prepare them for battle at the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.
- To book Westbourne Community hall or upstairs room call 01243 374578
- To see the Westbourne Community CIO Facebook page – click here
- Find out more about Westbourne Primary School – click here