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Biography of Amy Flint (schoolmistress)
 Contents
Overview
Principal of school
Family
References
About 1898, Amy Flint assisted by her younger sisters Annie, and
Mary started a girls' school in Cowleigh Road, North Malvern which they
called Clarendon. The school remained in Malvern until about 1948, when it
relocated to larger premises at
Kinmel Hall, Abergele, in north Wales. Following a fire in
1975, which caused extensive damage, the school relocated to Hawnes or
Haynes Park mansion in Bedfordshire, taking over the premises of
Hawnes girls' school which was in existence from 1929 to 1975. Finally in
1992, due to financial pressures, Clarendon merged with
Monkton Combe School in Bath
(ref 1).
Amy Flint, the founder of Clarendon was born in Stratford
upon Avon about 1870. Her father was a Brewer's Clerk and her paternal
grandfather was a Relieving Officer for the Guardians of the Poor of the
Stratford Upon Avon Union (ref 2). We guess she grew up in a middle class
family, probably with Christian values and a concern for the poor.
The 1891 census recorded that Amy Flint was first a
Governess (school) living with her parents in Shakespeare's town of
Stratford upon Avon. Perhaps Amy first came to Malvern to work as a
governess in a girls' school, but by 1900 she had started a small school of
her own. Kelly's Trade directory of Worcestershire, 1900 listed:
Flint Amy (Miss), girls' school, Clarendon villa,
Cowleigh Road
The 1901 census recorded in residence at Clarendon
Ladies' School:
Amy Flint, aged 31, Principal; Annie Flint, aged 25,
governess; Mary Flint, aged 24, governess (music); Ruth Petter, aged 19,
pupil governess; Ellen D Fletcher aged 16, pupil governess; Mary B Prosser,
aged 16, pupil governess; plus 21 pupils aged between 10 and 16 years, a
cook, housemaid and under housemaid.
By 1911, Amy's sister Annie Flint had become Assistant Principal but
Mary was still a music governess. In addition there was an English
governess, a German born German governess, plus 24 pupils, a cook and two
housemaids. At that time two of the pupils were born in Australia, one in New Zealand, one in India
and one in British Columbia.
Trade directories record Amy Flint as Principal until 1928.
The history of Monkton Combe School (ref 1), includes an
interesting account of the history of Clarendon girls' school. It records
Amy Flint was headmistress until 1930, when there were 46 pupils, and comments on the Christian ethos of
the school.
Amy Flint died on 8th August 1941 at 'Pillerton' 41
Hornyold Road, Malvern. Her executors were her three sisters, and she left
effects of £1,375. Her sister Kate died at the same address in 1963, as did
Mary in 1964. Amy's mother who was widowed in 1905, had also died at that
address in 1930 (ref 4). Amy's house was probably named after Pillerton
Hersey, the village near Stratford upon Avon where her grandfather Robert
was born.
Annie Flint, the last of the four sisters, died at
Malvern in 1968 aged 92 years.
Clarendon in later years
The school in Cowleigh Road continued to expand under
later headmistresses eventually growing to 150 pupils and occupying 11
houses including Little Clarendon and Westbury. In 1948 the school left
Malvern for larger premises in North Wales.
The photo at the top of the page is annotated Clarendon
Senior School House Malvern - we don't currently know who the photographer
was or when the photo was taken. Can you tell us?
Amy Flint was the daughter of Thomas William Flint (1844
- 1905) and Mary Ann Butcher; her father was recorded in the census as a
Brewer's Clerk and her mother was the daughter of a nurseryman.
Amy's grandfather Robert Flint was a Relieving Officer
for the 'Guardians of the Poor of the Stratford Upon Avon Union'. In those
days the worthy poor needing relief might either receive it by entering the
workhouse, or in special circumstances receive aid enabling them to stay at
home.
Click to read more about the Stratford Workhouse. Inmates of the
workhouse were housed in categories, for example men, women and children.
Tramps and vagrants of no fixed abode were expected to stay in the Tramp
Ward, one night only, and then move on.
In 1881, Amy's uncle John Charles Flint (1846 - 1898) had
been Master of Stratford upon Avon Workhouse. In 1891 he was Master of
Steyning
Union Workhouse. So what became of his children who were Amy Flints
cousins? In 1911 Fred was a (married) cycle maker and restorer living in
Shoreham; his brother Robert was a cycle maker, assembler and a shop-keeper;
John was a married motor fitter living in Worthing; Margaret was a teacher
working at a small private girls' school in Fokestone; Oscar, the youngest,
was an assistant master at a school in Maidstone - in WWI Oscar served as a
driver with the Royal Army Service Corps when his enlistment papers
described him as an advertising agent. All Amy's cousins survived the Great
War and lived to a good age.
Besides her three sisters, Amy had three brothers, Charles, Walter and
Thomas William. Unlike her sisters the brothers all married. Charles became
a pharmacist and optician; Walter became a chemist and emigrated from
England to South
Africa, while Thomas worked for a bank.
 Sadly, Amy's nephew, Eric Flint, the son of her brother Charles, was
killed in WWI. He is mentioned in De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour thus:
Flint, Eric, Private No 2808, Anson Battalion, RND, third son of Charles Flint
of 28 Bargery Road, Catford, London SE, FSMC, Optician and Pharmaceutical
Chemist, born Exeter, Devon 11th July 1895; educated
Colfes Grammar School,
Lewisham SE; was a clerk in the head office of Messrs Barclay's Bank,
Lombard Street SE; joined the RNVR early in 1913; served with the
Mediterranean Expeditionary force in Gallipoli, and later proceeded France,
and was killed in action at Beaucort 13th November 1916. Buried on the
battlefield. Unmarried.
Although Eric joined the Royal Navy, it seems recruits who
were not needed for duty at sea were formed into infantry units. It is sad
he survived Gallipoli but perished at The Somme.
Though Amy Flint never married, she was survived by
several nephews and nieces, including Charles Norman Flint who was an
executor of her sister Kate's will.
- Cuthbertson, Michael J, the history of Clarendon
- Census of England and Wales
- Index of Births Marriages and Deaths
- National Probate Calendar
- Wikipedia
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