Athol Academy, Douglas

Athol Academy, Crescent Douglas - from an advertisement in Slaters 1852 directory

from O/S 1868 plan XIII.4.24

The main building, the left hand portion, was built in 1824 on land just to the north east of Castle Mona estate, as part of the Duke of Athol's plans to encourage tourism to the Island; opened as the Mona in 1824 but renamed the Crescent on transfer to John Cloke in 1826 - Cloke bought the hotel from the Duke in 1830 for £750[SSS Oct 1830 29] - in 1840 he borrowed £600 from the IoM Joint Stock Banking Company giving the house &c as security[CTD Tri 1840 28] - in Oct 1840 there is an announcement offering it for lease - 'no goodwill required' - it is possible that John Cloke died around this time as in February 1841 there are notices for the sale of the hotel furniture though the property would appear to be in the possession of his daughter Catherine and husband. It would appear to have continued as a hotel, noted as 'late Clokes' under Wm Hill until 1848 when he moved to the Royal Hotel near the Pier - there are newspaper notes of considerable enlargements in May 1839 - comparing the 1868 plan, which corresponds well to the 1852 woodcut, with the deed plan, it would appear that part or all of the ground of Shell cottage to the north east formed the rightmost part of the academy, with the central part a new extension to the original Crescent Hotel.

plan attached to deed of sale 1830

Walter Forrester first school appeared in the Manx Press in 1835 as an inserted notice of the various school prizes awarded - his schoolroom was stated to be at the east end of Athol Street, probably on the corner with Pospect Hill as in April 1837 Mr Corteen had removed to 'that commodious room on Prospect Hill, formerly occupied as a school room by Mr Forrester; later in the mid 1840s noted as held in a large school room at Shaws Brow. The early address probably gave rise to the name of his academy which moved with him to the Crescent. There are three known children Agnes, Jane and George - all baptised Douglas St George's; his wife was Margaret Watson, but no record of the marriage or burial found on the Island. Their eldest daughter, Agnes was baptised in 1830 so suspect they arrived in the late 1820s. Noted as a widower aged 45, teacher of classics and mathmatics, in the 1851 census; in 1861 he describes himself as retired schoolmaster and a member of the Council of the University of St Andrew.

He had already gathered some reputation as Mona's Herald, Friday, September 5th 1834 carries the following:

PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS.— We learn with pleasure that our worthy Archdeacon [Philpot] has expressed his wish to carry into effect the suggestions of our talented correspondent "A Manx Farmer" and that he is exerting himself to place the Parochial Schools of this Island upon a more respectable and systematic footing. We also learn that Mr. Forester, (a talented-schoolmaster of this town,) has visited many schools, (probably at the request of the Archdeacon,) and has been kind enough to suggest improvements which are calculated to expedite the education of our juvenile inland population ; and we are happy to learn that several of the masters of these schools are about adopting the system recommended by this gentleman. — If Mr. F. would be kind enough to favor us with the measures he has suggested, we will readily give them insertion, and our columns shall be open for the remarks of our correspondents upon this interesting subject, which we conceive are calculated to further the grand object of liberal education.

It does not however appear that Mr Forrester took up the editor's invitation and the issue of the newspaper containg "Manx Farmer's" article has not been digitised. That there was felt to be a need for such an establishment is seen from the following letter in Mona's Herald, Saturday, July 9th, 1836:

MR. EDITOR,.—As a parent, I am glad to observe the interest expressed in your last paper by "The Father of a Family", relative to a proposed Academy for the education of the youth of this town, and I heartily coincide with him that a place so extensive and thriving as Douglas and its vicinity ought to possess some established means for extending a liberal education to the rising generation, at as small an expense as possible. As the originator of the plan published a year ago for founding an academy by small subscription shares, and affording the subscribers in exchange the means of a cheaper and more liberal education for their children and wards, I take the liberty of replying to your correspondent's interesting inquiries. The plan alluded to was never abandoned, but became suspended for the following reasons;.—
1st. It was received in a very lukewarm manner by many,
2d. The Subscribers were not unanimous respecting the site of the Institution.
3d. The piece of ground in the best site was so far beyond the sums subscribed that it was out of the question to purchase it under existing circumstances; and,
4th, The immediate and most pressing wants of the Subscribers were supplied by Mr. Walter Forrester, teacher, Shaws Brow, undertaking to erect a school room and enclosed play-ground for his pupils, sufficiently spacious for present purposes.
And Mr. F.'s spirited conduct in that respect deserves no less praise than his merits as a teacher of youth. I shall he happy to communicate with "The Father of a Family" on this subject at any time, and to state to him the particulars of the imposed scheme. Yours, &c. July 1st, 1836. A PARENT.

He would appear to have removed to the Crescent Hotel, and then renamed Athol Academy in 1848.

References

Hinton Bird The Island that led - The History of Manx Education vol 1 pp222/5