A school had existed on this site since the 18th century. The original building was built in 1816/17 and accommodated about 70 boys and 60 girls. The latter building was built in 1849/50, designed by the architect Richard Cash and built at a cost of £700 for 200 pupils.
Ruthin National School opened around 1850.
The first log book began in July 1863 and by April 1864 79 boys and 59 girls are recorded present. The first Head teacher recorded in the log book is Evan Williams who resigned in December 1865 after 8 and a half years as Head teacher of Ruthin National School. Following this a number of Head teachers are recorded - John Taylor, W Jones Evans and Edward Jones until April 1873 when R Lloyd became Head teacher and brought some stability to the school until 1900 when he retired after 27 years in post.
Numbers of pupils on roll and actually present fluctuated over its history. According to HMI reports the school was extremely overcrowded despite building work in 1877, and later partitioning of the main classroom in 1899, and alterations and extensions to the building in 1912.
Originally built for 200 pupils by November 1880 there were 203 on roll rising to 290 by December 1902 with 100 in the Infants department by 1904.
ED/LB/90/7 page 10 HMI report in 1907 describes the poor accommodation for the numbers on roll. All children above Infants are taught in 3 large classes each taught in a divided part of the main room. The Infants also split into 3 classes but taught in 1 undivided room of twenty four square foot.
The Head teacher from 1900 till 1925 was WG Hodgson, and from 1925 till 1948 it was Evan Davies. Both were progressive Head teachers - extending play facilities for pupils, in 1912 a playground and playing field in 1932, introducing military drill in 1900.
A scheme for teaching Welsh was introduced in 1906.
In 1907 the Head teacher gave an instruction class to his staff on the teaching of arithmetic and in 1912 an 'open evening' was held for parents to view the work of the school and bring them closer to the school community.
The July 1939 HMI inspection still highlighted accommodation issues at the school with 123 pupils in the junior section still being taught in a partitioned school room with 3 classes in one half and 2 in the other. The Infants department had 91 on roll - ED/LB/90/11 page 110 - with just 2 classrooms accommodating 2 classes in one and 37 five year olds in another.
Also known as Borthyn School.
This collection includes log books, admission registers and accounts.
Location-
Borthyn, Denbigh Road, Ruthin LL15 3NT
OS 25 inch 1874 Sheet 19-7 - National School - Boys and Girls
Related material held at Denbighshire Archives-
ED/SBD/36-7- Plans of Ruthin British and National School 1846-56 - NOT TO BE PRODUCED
NTD/631- Ruthin National School building grant plans 1847
DD/DM/2/28- Notes of Borthyn School and Ruthin Grammer School 19th Century
DD/DM/807/1-9- Photographs of Borthyn School Groups, weekly attendance tickets and attendance certificates 1919-1926
DD/DM/1024/5, 9, 14, 22- Miscellaneous items relating to Borthyn and Brynhyfryd Schools 1952-1962
DD/DM/1335/27- Photograph of Borthyn School pupils c1955
PD/90- Ruthin Parish Records
Related material held elsewhere-
TNA- School Building Application for Ruthin National School. School number 3705 Page 575 (1833-1881)
Secondary sources-
David Williams 'Borthyn School - A Gossipy Guide To Its Past - An Old Borthynian'