When I entered school in 1943 the majority of the boys were fee paying entrants.As far as I know entry was without examination . There were some County Minor Scholarships and I believe some Local Authority ones , an examination was required for these . there were very few non fee paying boys.
Recently I saw in the "Telegraph" that the Grammar School in Blackburn was moving to be a free school as in the tight economic times parents were having difficulty finding the fees of 10000 pounds a year. The nos at school had gone from 1100 down to some 450 or thereabouts. This set me wondering what were the fees to go to KBGS in the 30'sand 40's . Can any old boy tell me as it is easy to find what would be the equivalent today . Surely it would not have been near that figure now . I hadn't realised how lucky my brother and I were to get a County Minor which allowed us to attend at that time

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 43-46

Current location (optional) Tasmania

Mike

My brother, Howard, has just told me that he entered the second form at KBGS in 1932 as a fee payer (3 guineas per term) but during that year whilst at KBGS obtained a County Minor scholarship, and for the next 4 years his education was free.
I entered Form 1 in 1937 at the age of 10 as a fee payer (also 3 guineas per term) which was the last year that the main entry was into the Second Form. I also obtained a County Minor scholarship during my first year at KBGS and as far as I know my school education for the next 6 years was free. It may have been means tested but, if so, my father's income must have been below the cut off level.

My impression at the time was that fee payers were relatively uncommon but this was not a subject that you discussed with your friends.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1937-1944

Current location (optional) Huntingdon

Our Webmaster Chris's father was also a County Minor Scholar.
(Chris, I am missing visiting Singapore regularly!)

Current location (optional) Wirral

My Dad won a free scholarship to Keighley Trade and Grammar School in 1922(?) from St Mary's C of E school,Worth Village. There was no way his family could have spared the 3 gns per term

According to my uncle (his elder brother) dad was the highest placed Keighley boy scholar of his year seeking a place at KT&GS.

Unfortunately he did not take full advantage of his years at KT&GS which fact he took to his grave. He passed that inheritance to me and scanned my every report with the vigilance of an MI6 surveillant, challenging me over every less than acceptable comment - and there were several!!

He repeatedly urged me not to waste the chance I had (at KBGS) - as he had done. I didn't appreciate that had been a free scholar (as I was but in my case due to the 1944 Butler Education Act which was enacted post war in the early '50s, setting up a tripartite system of Modern, Technical and Grammar secondary schools.) I would like to think I didn't let him down.

There was, however, a price to be paid by my parents - not 3 gns per term - but the cost of all the kit and apparatus we needed to meet the demands of the education on offer - plus the loss of earnings to the family income of a son or daughter who could leave school and take employment at age 15 in the many openings in Keighley's commercial life.

That my parents should have foregone this for a further 3 years to enable me to complete the entry needs I set myself for my career is to their credit (possibly that should be "debit"). It must have cost in total much more than 3 gns per term - but in keeping with Beveridge's schema - that there should be a basic programme to defeat each of the 5 Evil Giants - in this/our case Ignorance, but with opportunities to take it further with initiative.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1952-60

Current location (optional) Lincoln

I vaguely remember reading somewhere that County Minor Scholarships were gained by top 15-20% of pupils. If true, this is a relatively high number, so I surmise that not many KBGS boys actually paid the fees, at least in my father's time there.

Thank you all for the details you have given about school fees . For a while I began to think I was going to register zero on the reply scale . It is interesting to hear that some students got the County Minor when already at the Grammar School . I took mine whilst at Highfields Council School as did my brother Peter. As you say David ,it wasn't discussed at all between ones classmates.The fee of 12.12 for three terms would have been at todays value anything from 700 to 3000 pounds , depending on all the variables you throw into the mix.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 43-46

Current location (optional) Tasmania