Raising money for the buildings in which the Museum stands is nothing new. The National Schools, one for Boys and one for Girls were opened in 1841. As early as 1843 there are newspaper reports for fundraising events.

In 1845 the Schools are described as being in an ‘unfinished state’ and on a November Sunday, church collections added £17 (just over £1000 today) to the funds. By 1866, efforts in the School, at Christmas time, included a tree and sale of work ‘to aid in liquidating the debt on the …National Schools’. Despite precarious finances in the 19th century, in 1892, the Boys School was classified ‘very good’ by the Inspectors and the Infants and Girls School as ‘excellent’.

In later years, many local people became ‘subscribers’ to the Schools but the financial situation remained difficult and reliant on voluntary contributions. The Schools were used, over the years, for many different events, some aimed at raising money and others for entertainment or education. They included ‘penny’ lectures and concerts, evening schools and even an ‘Old People’s Tea’ in 1891

Please, if you can, support our current fundraising appeal for the roof of the Museum which was, once, the roof of the National School.