In 1891 the Catholic community around Rumford established a small school at St Anthony’s Church. A grant was applied for from the Education Department in Edinburgh to assist the costs. The teacher was Miss Smith and in 1899 there were 44 pupils on the roll and an average attendance of 40.
The school seems to have used a room attached to the presbytery adjacent to the church. The Ordnance Survey map of 1913 shows that this building had been demolished by then and the caption “R.C. Chapel & School” applies to the church building, which must have been used for both purposes.
The school did not last long. A long-running campaign began in 1937 to have it re-opened at the expense of the Stirling County Education Authority. Analysis of the potential pupil numbers that year showed that 51 Catholic children attended Maddiston School, 33 Wallacestone School, 25 Drumbowie School, 16 Redding, 6 Redding Village School, 2 Muiravonside, 12 Avonbridge, 1 Polmont School, and 12 St Francis School in Falkirk. There was thus a total of 158 who might attend a new school at Rumford. However, when taking in the travelling distances from places such as Muiravonside, this number had to be reduced to a mere 85. The numerous petitions were rejected. The pupils of St Anthony’s RC School were ultimately housed in Comely Park School.
Sites and Monuments Record
| South Craigs Road | SMR 835 | NS 9337 7725 |
Falkirk Local History Society 