In the 1780s, the Lytham Charity Foundation were using a cottage at the West End of Lytham Manor as a school for the scattered farming community which included Heyhouses. A purpose-built school was erected on Heyhouses Lane in 1821.

The old Heyhouses School (erected 1821) on Heyhouses Lane, St.Annes, pictured here in 1956, at the end of St.Annes Road East. It was demolished in 1959.

……it is well that a little of the old Whitewashed Heyhouses School should spoken of now. The interior of Old Heyhouses school I know very little about; I only went to that school one week, and then I was but a child. I believe the school was built by Mr. Christopher Wilkes, of Lytham, under whom my father (James Greaves) served apprenticeship to a bricklayer, and who worked at Heyhouses School when it was being built………

"… I remember going to that School up the old School Lane (now called St.Anne’s Road East) from my home in Church Road. The old School Lane was similar to old Common Lane, copses and hedges on either side, with gateway and there, which led into the various farmers.

The thing that I remember best at old Heyhouses School was the schoolmaster (the late Mr.T.Banister), who sat at the harmonium accompanying the schoolchildren to their songs.

I am not able to say what was being sung, for all my attention was the harmonium and not on the music. The cover­ for the back of the harmonium, which faced me, almost torn off and very jaggy and ragged, and I see the blue and white striped bellows moving up and down as the master pedalled. This must have tickled my fancy, as I remember little else than this."

The Preston Guardian, Saturday, December 6, 1879

ST. ANNE'S-ON-THE-SEA.

LAYING FOUNDATION STONE OF NEW SCHOOL

An interesting and, it is to be hopes in the sequel, an important event transpired at St. Anne's-on-the-Sea, on Thursday afternoon, the occasion being the laying of- the foundation stone of new schools for the new seaside resort

Hitherto, the children have had to go a considerable distance and at great inconvenience to school, and as the town is steadily increasing in population, the want of educational, requirements has been somewhat rather seriously felt. With a view to meeting the emergency, a movement was set on foot by the inhabitants' which has met with, hearty approval, and the result is that in a short time schools will be erected with sufficient accommodation for children for many years to come.

The ceremony of laying the foundation stone took place on Thursday afternoon, the Lady Eleanor Cecily Clifton of Lytham Hall, having kindly consented to do the honours.

Though the day was bitterly cold, and the ground covered with snow, there was a large gathering of the inhabitants and others from the district, amongst, whom, might be mentioned the Lady Eleanor Cecily Clifton, Mrs.T. H. Clifton, Mrs. T. Fair, Mrs. Terry; the Rev. Mr. W. G. Terry, Mr. T. Fair, Mr. Parkinson, Mr. Ellerbeck,. Mr. F. Lomax, Mr. Greenhalgh, Mr. ,Thompson, Mr. Pye,.Mr. Pomfret, Mr. Townsend, Mr. Gregson; Mr.Nutter,, Mr. Rawstron, Mr. Diggle, Mr. Langley,. Mr. Storemouth, Mr. Hargreaves Mr. Roberts, Mr. Ibberson, Mr. Singleton, Mr. Lloyd, Mr. Pennington, Mr.Brown, Mr. Moore, Mr. Bannister, Mr. H. Gregson Miss Thompson, Miss Ellerbeck, Mrs. Bolton, Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Lloyd, Mrs. Moore, &c.

The proposed new schools are situated on the east side of the Parish Church, in the corner. Of Common-lane and St. Anne's-road, and they are to be of access to children of all denominations. It is estimated that they will cost between £1,400 and £1,500. Towards this sum Mr. Clifton has given £500, besides the site, which includes 5,000 square yards, at a cost of £800 and the inhabitants have raised amongst themselves £500.£1,000, having thus been raised, the Lytham Charity Commissioners have promised, on that sum being: handed over to them, to supply the remaining deficiency, and to endow the schools. They will be made to accommodate 65 boys, 65 girls, and, 70 infants, and there will also be two class-rooms.

The schools will accommodate altogether 200 children ; there is a mixed department, 54 feet by 24 feet, for 65 girls and the same number of boys, and two class-rooms, each 16 feet by 16 feet. The infant school is 28 feet by 20 feet. There is a spacious lavatory, porch and cloak-room, with extensive play grounds, and offices. The school-rooms have open roofs, with the principal timbers stained and varnished, and are warmed by open fire places, with stone chimney pieces. The walls internally will be wainscotted round the lower portions and plastered above. As to the external appearance, the schools will be of Early Gothic design, having stout brick walls with buttresses, and good stone dressings to all the windows and doors. The roof will be steep pitched, with a neat belfry carried up in the centre.  The windows will be glazed with patent rolled plate in lead diamond quarries, having coloured margins. The buildings are designed so that the accommodation can be doubled when occasion requires it without taking any portion down, by building corresponding wings. The buildings are set well back, and the front will be laid out in shrubberies, and the whole enclosed by brick walls with entrance gateway. The architects are Messrs. Longworth and Gardner, of Preston, and the contractors Mr. R Warbrick,, brickwork; Mr. Rd. Hacking, masonry ; Mr. T.Walker, slating, flagging, and plastering; , Mr. J.F. Lomax, plumbing, glazing, an& painting; and Messrs. Rawstron and Fielding, carpenting and joinering.

The ceremony of laying the foundation stone, as stated, took place on Thursday afternoon, by the Lady Eleanor Cecily Clifton, of Lytham Hall. When the party were assembled the Rev. Mr, Terry, vicar, addressed her ladyship. He said: I have great peleasere in calling upon, your ladyship, on behalf of the St.Anne's School Building Committee, to lay cam foundation stone of these schools, and I feel confident that your ladyship will do it satisfactorily, and that the work will be performed with skill and good workmanship.

A bottle was then placed is the cavity, containing a local newspaper, several coins of the realm, and a piece of parchment bearing the following announcement: " These schools were erected by the trustees of the Lytham Charities Committee, by donations amounting to £1,000 and the foundation stone of this building was laid on the 4th, December, 1879, by Lady Eleanor Cecily Clifton, wife of John Talbot Clifton, of Lytham Hall, Signed—the Rev. H. B. Hawkins, the Rev. J. S Birley, the Rev. W. G. Terry, Messrs. H. L.Birley, William Bannister, T., H. Clifton, Richard Cookson, Thomas Fair, William Gregson, T. H. Miller, James Parkinson, John Sharples, A. Whiteside, Thomas Salt- house and Charles Birley." "

A mallet and a silver trowel were then presented to her ladyship, the latter bearing the following inscription : " Presented to the Lady Eleanor Cecily Clifton, on the occasion a laying the foundation stone of St, Anne's new schools ; December 4th, 1879." The stone, which has the initials " C. S.(corner stone), 1879," was then placed above the cavity and her ladyship having made the customary use of the trowel said I declare this stone to be well and duly laid.

The Rev. Mr. Terry then said: I have now to thank your ladyship for laying the foundation stone of these new schools, and on behalf of the St. Anne's Building Committee, to ask you to accept this address as a tribute of gratitude and esteem for coming here to-day.

The address, which was beautifully illuminated, ran thus:—" To the Lady Eleanor Cecily Clifton, The members of St.Annes New Schools Building Committee, take this opportunity of thanking your ladyship for coming such a distance to lay the foundation stone of our new schools to-day; and also to express our sense of gratitude for the great interest your ladyship has taken in the work from the very commencement. If it had not been for the very generous assistance of your ladyship, the committee would not have been able to raise the necessary funds, and the schools would consequently not have been built. We therefore, beg to offer our sincere thanks to your ladyship for your kindness and generosity.--On behalf of the Committee, W. TERRY, - Chairman,--St. Anne's, Dec, 4th, 1879."

In reply her ladyship said ; I am extremely obliged for the great kindness you have displayed towards me, and I hope the schools Will be successful, and be a great advantage to the children of St. Anne's.---Three cheers were then given for her ladyship, and the school children sang an appropriate hymn. This concluded the proceedings, and a number of gentlemen connected with the building adjourned to the St. Anne's Hotel, and partook of an excellent dinner provided by the landlady, Mrs. Ibberson.

 George Sanderson replaced J R Bannister as Headmaster in 1890. He lived at The Willows, Headroomgate road.

Heyhouses School Boy Scouts c1912.