The teacher in the centre of this 1922 photograph of Form 2 at the old Church Institute (later Canon Slade), at the end of Silverwell Street, Bolton, was Miss Margaret Aspinall. Previous to 1878, the school had been boys only, but in that year it was opened also for 'the daughters of professional men, merchants and tradesmen', and Miss Aspinall had been the first girl to go there. In 1884, however, she became a pupil-teacher, was made Assistant Mistress in 1886, and taught there until 1924, after a year as Senior Mistress. She lived in Chadwick Street, and died in 1952, aged 85. The photograph has been lent to me by Miss Lillian Hulme, of Sharples Hall Fold, Sharples, who can be seen second row from the front, second from left. She tells me that also on the picture were Dora Pearce (second row from from back, third from right), who later became Mrs Monks, Mayoress of Bolton, and Tom Ashworth, later Bolton Librarian, front row, second from left.
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