An insight into a Hawkedon School teacher

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A chance encounter has provided an insight into village life in the early part of the 20th century, and in particular to the lady on the far left of the above photograph - Mrs Hannah Williams.  Her grand-daughter, Mrs Barbara Richardson met Judy Wilson and was able to show Judy Hannah's diaries.

Hannah Williams (already five months pregnant with her second child) was interviewed for the post of Head Teacher at Hawkedon School on Monday 1st May 1911.   Two days later she had a second interview, with the Rev Beilby Porteus Oakes, Rector of St Mary’s Hawkedon. This was obviously successful as she immediately sent in her resignation from her existing post.  She must have created a good impression and had the requisite qualifications – or else the school Governors were in dire need of a head teacher! – for it seems unusual to appoint a married lady with a year old child and another due to be born in the autumn.

By the end of the month she was travelling to Hawkedon.  She records in her diary that she left (King’s) Lynn at 2.53pm on 31st May, arrived in Bury at 6.15pm, and reached Hawkedon at 8.15 pm - ready to start work the following day. Her trusty bicycle may have been her transport from Bury to Hawkedon as she records in her detailed account book the 1/- cost of the bicycle ticket as well as her own (train) ticket. 

The baby, Alan, duly arrived on Sunday 1st October 1911 and was baptized on 5th November - this is recorded in the parish register as well as in her own diary.  Meanwhile her husband, a lawyer, working much of the time in Ashford, Kent (and later in Swaffham) visited Hawkedon, as did her mother.

Mrs Williams was evidently a resourceful and energetic lady as she travelled to Ireland and Wales during the holiday breaks to visit family, 'cycling wherever possible and managing to live well on her salary of some £6 per month (double what she had been earning previously) as well as bringing up two small children.

Sadly her diary throws little light on local or national events, nor mentions the running of the school or the pupils. However we learn that there was a three day holiday for the Coronation of George V in June 1911; and the funeral of Mrs Oakes, the Rector’s wife, is recorded on 15th November (as is Hannah’s purchase of a wreath), and confirmed in the burial register. There is no mention of the war, but it appears that life got more difficult, for it seems she started to offer individual tuition, for an additional payment, during the latter part of her time in the village. 

By May 1918 the known Hawkedon names no longer feature, so it would appear she had moved to Wales, where she had family.  

Hannah Williams is immortalized in the photograph of the school children taken outside the school, probably in about 1914.  Hannah’s son Alan is sitting on the lap of the girl at the end of the front row, and Irene (Mrs Richardson’s Mother) next to them.