GENERATIONS of children were captured on camera during their time at Rawdon National School.

The school,which was built in 1861, was destroyed by fire in 1951.

But a lasting photographic record of some of the youngsters, and teachers, who passed through its doors over a 90 year period can be seen in these images from the archives of Aireborough Historical Society.

The AHS website says: “Thomas Layton had St Peter’s Church School built in 1710, as a school for boys at the junction of Layton Avenue and Town Street.

“A church school for girls and infants was built on the present site on Town Street in 1861 and extended in 1876 with two classrooms for boys, together with a master’s house.

“The school, but not the masters house, was burnt down in 1951. It was rebuilt and reopened in 1955, and the master’s house was then and still is today occupied by the school caretaker.

“The old building erected under Thomas Layton (The Institute) was used for parochial purposes from 1876 to 1979 when it was turned into a private house.”

A remarkably well-preserved, if slightly faded, photograph from 1893shows a class of children with two teachers.

Another image of pupils from 1901 shows headmaster Mr Cockcroft on the right. The teacher on the left is thought to be Miss Bilton.

In an image from 1902 one of the female teachers was possibly Miss Mary Palliser.

Mr Cockroft appears again in an image from 1902, and was still appearing in school photographs in the 1920s.

In a picture from the 1920s donated by Val Ryan Mr Cockcroft can be seen again. Rene Long is on the middle row, fifth from the left with her hair on her shoulder.

A photograph taken in around 1935 was donated to Aireborough Historical Society by Paul Metcalf who also supplied some of the names.

They are Clifford Rawnsley, Frank Clark, Clifford Bailey, John Broadhead, Harry Hogg, Dennis Beals, Eric Harper, Elsie Dibb, Mary Newall, Eva Wilkinson, Edna Drake, Joan Beilby, Dolly Hudson, Molly Braithwaite, Phyllis Drake, Paul Metcalf, Frank Hattersley, Ben Thomas, Peter Hogg. Headmaster Jos Collins is on the right.

A picture of the school football team in 1948/49 shows teacher George Crompton on the right. The person on the left is thought to have been the then headmaster.

The names of the players, not in any particular order, were P Braithwaite, G McGuire, Stanley Ellis, G Harrison, G Yeadon, J Stephenson, D Myers, M Hutchinson, B Barker, A Walsh, and A Rayner.

National schools were founded on the 19th century across England and Wales by the National Society for Promoting Religious Education. The schools were established to provide elementary education to the children of the poor in accordance with the teaching of the church of England.

The National Society for Promoting Religious Education was founded in 1811. Its aim was that “the National Religion should be made the foundation of National Education, and should be the first and chief thing taught to the poor, according to the excellent Liturgy and Catechism provided by our Church.”

Other national schools in the local area included those at Guiseley and Horsforth.

The schools eventually became part of the state system, either as fully state-run schools or as faith schools funded by the state.

Rawdon’s National School was destroyed by fire in 1951. But in 1955 St Peter’s School was built on the site.