| Administrative History | Peter Webster (died 1678) left a trust to provide education for 20 poor boys in Whittington, in what became known as the Whittington Free Grammar School.
Frederick Swanwick, a Webster Trustee, in 1848 gave land in Church Street North for a new school to be built. In 1858 it became known as the Whittington Webster's Endowed School, providing elementary education. The school expanded in 1868, again due to Swanwick's generosity. In 1874 the Trust had a new scheme accepted, to build new infant schools in Whittington Moor and New Whittington and to develop the Old Whittington site.
A new Infants room was built and by 1875 there were separate Infant and Mixed Departments. In 1905 the Trustees agreed to lease the school to Chesterfield Council, as the local education authority, with effect from 1907. A new Infant school was opened in 1912 and the Mixed School was expanded in 1924.
Following the Hadow Report (1926) it was decided to build a new wing to serve as a primary school (for children up to 11) and convert the old buildings into a secondary schools. Named after Mary Swanwick, Frederick's daughter, who had maintained a close connection with the school until her death in 1917, the primary school opened in 1931 and the secondary school known as Mary Swanwick Senior Modern the following year.
In 1958 the newly-built Edwin Swale Secondary School was opened to take pupils in the Whittington area. Mary Swanwick Primary School took over the whole Church Street North site. The old schoolhouse and some adjoining rooms were converted into Community Rooms in 1984. |
| Custodial History | Transferred to Derbyshire Record Office in November 1995. Added to the catalogue as part of the FindersKeepers project by volunteer JW. |