History of the Building

Easter egghunt 2004

Holiday Bible School 2002

The building was built in 1892 as the primary school for the village variously known as Brady Square or Washington Station.  The school itself has been called a number of names but is most commonly referred to as "Biddick Primary School".  Originally only the central hall was constructed, followed by the outer sections.

This is the earliest photograph of the school, which we believe to have been taken shortly after opening.

Of local interest, Fred Hill, Headmaster at the school in the 1930s built a nature pond in the south west corner of the land (where the yard led to the playing field).  In 1995 this was still evident though overgrown and filled in.  It now lies under the verge of the new school approach road.  Mr Hill was the man responsible for the restoration of Washington Old Hall, a 15th Century Manor House, (with origins from the 10th Century) now owned by the National Trust.  Also a pupil at the school in the earth 1960s was Fraser Kemp, currently Member of Parliament for Houghton le Spring and Washington West (2007).

We are compiling memories of those who attended the school or lived in the community around it.  Please email or write with your recollections.  Our memories page is here.

Students at the school include: Alan Suggett - who played for Sunderland, Norwich, West Brom and Newcastle where he was later Manager and Coach.

The church took over use of the property the day the school stopped using it.  There were three mobile classrooms, two of which were quickly removed.  The school also had a playing field, on the land now occupied by a special needs school opened in 2002. 

Columbia Primary School closed on 27-Jul-1995  at which time the church took over tenancy of the building.

If you have recollections and stories about your time as student or teacher at this school, please email or write and we will add them to this site.

When we first took over the building it felt cavernous and we could never imagine having a use for it all except maybe once a year.  We struggled to keep warm in those early days, frequently getting headaches huddling over a portable gas heater.

After a short while we started painting the building.  We chose terra cotta for the main hall roof.  To our surprise we opened the pots to find orange!

The portable classrooms in the school yard.  There were two alongside each other and a further one behind the photographer

The same view (same house roofs in the background) taken ten years later, showing the access road to the new school (behind photographer) which occupies part of the old school yard where the hut was.

The staff room in October 17th 1995 and again as the computer suite in January 2008

The south-east classroom on October 17th 1995  when still a school classroom and again as the crèche in January 2008

The north-west classroom on  October 17th 1995  when still a school classroom and later in January 2008 as "the green room"

The yard during the Jerusalem Fair  (left)          

(right) Remains of the wall which once divided Infants from Juniors play-yards

Washington - link to Wikipedia page