Crosshill National school was built at the same time as St. James’s church in 1844 at a cost of £289 5s 4d and had capacity for 150 boys, 130 girls and 150 infants (these figures are taken from kelly's Directory of 1891 and seem very optimistic. The figures in the reports below are probably more realistic). In 1895 the school was changed to a boys only school with Girls now attending Jessop Street school and Infants attending Mill lane school (Peverel House). In the 1930s, boys reaching the age of 11 were moved to the new Codnor Central Council School (Whitegates school) and Crosshill School continued as a boys junior school until it was closed in the 1960s eventually being demolished in the early 1970s

According to the following two reports the new school had a poor start.

Crosshill School (Codnor & Loscoe) A Report by Rev. Henry Moseley for the Committee of Council on Education
14th May 1845

This school has been opened about one year and a half  before my inspection, and 90 children assembled in it; and subsequently closed for six months, from the misconduct of the master. It was re-opened about a fortnight before my visit. 20 children only were assembled, the fee charge , 3d per week, being probably too high for the population of colliers, for whose benefit it is erected.
                                                                                                                         

Crosshill School (Codnor & Loscoe) A Report by Rev. J J Blandford for the Committee of Council on Education
18th June 1847

Amount of grant for school building                                 £67
Date of grant                                                                                 1842
Population of school district                                                 2047
Number of children the school can provide for                 130
Children in ordinary attendance                                         35
Children in attendance at time of examination.                 25
Number of teachers                                                                 1
Children reading Letters and Monosyllables             12
Children reading Easy Narratives                                         12
Children reading Holy Scripture with ease                         1
Writing on Slates, paper. Dictation or memory                 1
Writing on Slates, paper. From copies                                 14
Children performing arithmetic, addition                         4
Children performing arithmetic, proportion & practice 1

The population of Codnor & Loscoe is 2000; the average attendance at the school is 35;There is accommodation for 120. The only apparatus belonging to the school is a black board, a few slates and a ball frame (abacus), which I found in the coal hole instead of the school. The school is in a wretched state and there is little probability of improvement under the present master.
                                                                                         

In 1874 the Headmaster is recorded as William Floyd Pine.
In 1891 the Headmaster is recorded as Arthur Floyd Pine and his wife Harriett Pine was Headmistress.
In 1899 the Headmaster is recorded as Arthur Floyd Pine and Miss Fanny Pine was Headmistress.
In 1912 the Headmaster is recorded as Arthur Floyd Pine and Miss Sarah Hindmarsh Headmistress

Fig.1 Crosshill School 1906. Displayed with kind permission of
Heanor & District Local History Society

Fig.2 Crosshill Boys 1910. Thanks to Gill Hall for this picture.
Displayed with kind permission of The Ripley & Heanor News

Fig.3 Crosshill Boys 1914. Thanks to Gill Hall for this picture.
Displayed with kind permission of The Ripley & Heanor News

Fig.4 Crosshill Boys 1920. I have no information for this picture other than Andy Sharpe front row third from left. Displayed with kind permission of Heanor & District Local History Society

Fig.5 Crosshill School Boys 1922
Back Row Left to Right: H Marsden, W Lacey, W Jackson, J Hogg, G Benton, W Madeley, W Kirkham, W Berrisford, J Gillot, M Ratcliffe.
Third Row: A Potter, A Vassey, G White, F Brown, L Madeley, R Pacey, K Hogg, I Murfin, J Langton, R Greenwood.
Second Row: S Sharpe, G Bestwick, Redfern, E Whiteman, E Bestwick, J Jones,  F Waterall, E Benton, A Challands, Brown, C Cresswell, R Ratcliffe.
Front Row: R Lumm, M Sharpe, E Watson, F Whiteman, W Lumm, W Thorpe, J Burgin, J Burgin, J Parkin, M Parkin, G Haige, Murfin.

Displayed courtesy of Keith Benton

Fig.6 Crosshill Boys 1928. I have no information for this picture other than William Musson Second from right front row. Displayed with kind permission of Heanor & District Local History Society

Fig.7 Crosshill Boys 1928. Picture taken across road from the old vicarage.

Teacher: Dorothy King (left) and Head Master Mr W.H.John (Right)
Back Row Left to Right: ?,  Ernest Bailey, Bert Parr, Fred Woollins, Billy Burton, John Hall, Harold Froggart , Lewis Walker, ?, Walter Julian, ?, George Underwood, Walter Cripps.
3rd Row Left to Right: Dick Asher, Arthur Brown, Dick Spence, ?, Morris Thomas, Wilf Brewin, Worthington, ?,?,?,Charlie Whysall, Arthur Hicking.
2nd Row left to Right: Victor Brown, Fred Burgin, John Parkin, Billy Twigg, George Thorpe, Harold Hubball, Jack Roberts, Ken Riley, ?,?,?.
Front Row left to Right: Elijah Cross, Wilf Wilson, Jim Potter, Jim Burgin, Ron Birks, Arthur Farmer, Tom Thorpe, Frank Thorpe.

Displayed courtesy of Paul Birks

Fig.8 Crosshill boys 1942/43
Back Row Left to Right: Ken Brown, Alan Shawcroft, Jack Wassell, Ross Baily, Bert Foulds, Derek Anthony, Barry Whiteman, Geoff Shillito, Michael Hollis, Derek Allen.
Middle Row: Barry Nicolls, Tom Shaw, Reg Challands, Nev Robinson, Peter Brough, Geoff Shaw, Derek Argyle, Peter Bailey, Colin Wiggin.
Front Row: Kieth Woolley, Peter Young, Michael Stenson, Walter Hall, Mr Harry Savage ( Head ), Mrs Brown ( Teacher ), Kieth Watson, Denis Pettit, Trevor Stone, John Smith.
Displayed courtesy of Nev Robinson

Fig.9 Crosshill boys 1942/43 in classroom.
Back Row Left to Right:  Jack Wassell, Ken Brown, John Smith, Dennis Pettit, Derek Anthony, Barry Whiteman, Terry Hibbert, Geoff Shillito, John Clarke.
Middle Row: Peter Young, Walter Hall, Bert Foulds, Rex Hawley, Nev Robinson, Colin Wiggin, Derek Argyle, Peter Bailey.
Front Row: Geoff Shaw, Kieth Woolley, Peter Brough, Mr Savage ( Head ), Ross Bailey, Tom Shaw, Reg Challands.
Displayed courtesy of Nev Robinson

Fig.10 Crosshill Boys 1946
Back Row left t right: ?,?, Brian Strange, Denis Cooper, Ken Goodrum, Barry Allsop, ?, Roy Bamford, Brian Clarke, Michael Smith
Middle Row: ?,  Keith Shelton,  John Dunn,  Alan Waterall,  Ken Fowkes,  Tony Redfern,  Barry Daykin,  Donald Hanbury,  Arthur Lacey,  Peter Allsop, Roy Devenport,  Barry Bradley, ?
Front Row: Barry Woolis, ?, ?, Tony Dann, ?, ?, Gren Newton, John Ratcliffe, ?, Alan Colledge, ?
Displayed courtesy of Heanor & District Local History Society
Thanks to Nev Robinson for info for this picture.

Fig.11 Crosshill Junior school for boys pictured in the 1950s. Displayed with kind permission of PictureThePast.org.uk

Fig.12 Crosshill Boys School 1962

Back row left to right Peter Wardby,Eric Longdon,Peter Todd,Brenand Slater,Malcolm Dooley.
Middle row John Samson,?,Micheal leek,Ronnie Merrit,David Henson,John Hague.
Front row Les Robinson,John Polfreyman,Frank Nicholls,Clive Marriot,Mr Gregson,neil Oates,Colin Eyre,Mervyn Marlow,Malcolm Reeves

Fig.13 Crosshill Boys football team 1961-62

Back row left to right Mr King and Mr Gregson (Head master)
Middle row Albert Thompson,louis Wakefield,Dave Henson,John Searson,Roy Hutsby,Neil oates,Colin Eyre,Mervyn Marlow.
Front row Kenny Shaw,Brenand Slator,Eric Longdon,Ronnie Merrit,Malcolm Dooley,Mick Holmes,Mick Leake.

Fig.14 Crosshill Boys Cricket Team 1962

Back Row Neil Oates,Brenand Slater, Ronnie Merrit, Malcolm Dooley, Micheal Holmes, Eric Longdon, Micheal Leake.
Front row Colin Eyre, Melvin Marlow, Kenny Shaw, Mr King, John Searson, Mr Gregson (Head master), Lewis Wakefield, John Polfreman, Les Robinson.

Fig.15 Crosshill School room 1964. Thanks to Neal Wilson for this picture.
Displayed with kind permission of The Ripley & Heanor News

Information for this page was obtained from the following publications.

The Heritage of Codnor & Loscoe, by Fred S Thorpe 1990
Wrights Directory 1874
Kelly's Directory 1891
Kelly's Directory 1895
Kelly's Directory 1899
Kelly's Directory 1912

Also many thanks to Mr Marshall at Codnor Primary School for providing some of these photos.