Smeeton House, Smeeton Westerby
The facelift given to Smeeton House over the last few month is impressive.
A little history of Smeeton House would be good so here goes:
Smeeton House was originally two small cottages built in 1734. Around 1800/05 the cottages were converted into one with the addition of a three-storey front extension. The house is built of brick, and since rendered with plaster. It has a slate roof, a gabled chimney and a moulded cornice. There is a central four panel door with a glazed over-light. On each side of the door are single-canted bay windows.
Following the extension to the house it became a school: ‘The Smeeton House Academy’ and was one of the three schools in Smeeton Westerby during this period with the pupils’ attendance funded by their parents.
The following is an advertisement for the Smeeton House Academy:
SMEETON HOUSE ACADEMY, NEAR KIBWORTH,
Created by J. Buzzard
At this Establishment young Gentlemen are Boarding and Instructed in Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, History, Geography, the Use of the Globes, Stenography, Algebra, Geometry, Drawing, Mapping, etc; Practical Mathematics, such as Land Surveying, etc. etc. the Latin Language, English Grammar, and Composition.
For Pupils under 11 years of age, /perannum.
For Pupils above 13 years of age £19 ditto.
No extras except for Washing.
A present Vacation will terminate on Monday XXXI, the 17th
Smeeton. 11th January, 1812.
By 1841 Smeeton House Academy was a successful boarding school run by James Buzzard. Studying at the Academy were 29 male pupils aged between 10 and 15 years.
In September 1850 Mr Buzzard informed parents of his intention to move the school from Smeeton House to Peatling Hall, Peatling Parva, in September the following year. By this time there were 48 pupils at the school.
The Smeeton House Academy was closed until 22nd January 1852 when a Mrs Hacket ran the school until late 1856 when, once again, the school closed.
Miss Caroline Gimson, who had been running a school at West Langton, moved her school to Smeeton House where she reopened Smeeton House Academy on 19 January 1857. It is likely that the school finally closed in 1875.
The house is now a private dwelling.
Acknowledgements Kibworth to Smeeton ‘A stroll down memory lane’ by Philip J Porter, British History Online, Historic England
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