Children of Frederick and Anna Maria Andrews

Facing the centre of the main building, but on the opposite side of the quadrangle, of Ackworth School, is a glorious copper beech, in full leaf, that was planted in 1879, to commemorate the centenary of the schools foundation. It was planted by Miss Margaret Andrews, at that time the diminutive four-months-old daughter of Frederick Andrews, the "head" of honoured memory, and she used an ivory-handled silver trowel, bearing an inscription setting out the event.

Andrews of Ackworth

I understand that Councillor Margaret Andrews is presently leaving Ackworth for Scarborough, where her father, Mr. Frederick Andrews, the former head of the famous Quaker school, is in retirement. Miss Andrews, who has this week laid one of the foundation-stones of Ackworth's new houses, received her first silver trowel when she was four.

MISS MARGARET ANDREWS

The death is reported from Rome of Miss Margaret Andrews, eldest daughter of the late Mr. Frederick Andrews, the former head master of Ackworth School. Miss Andrews, who was 56, was a sister of Miss Helen Andrews, who is in charge of the Guest House, at Cober Hill, Cloughton, near Scarborough.

Miss Andrews was a member of Hemsworth Rural District Council when she was at Ackworth.

Her public life began early for, at the age of four months, she planted a tree at the foot of the girls' green as part of the Ackworth Centenary Celebrations in 1879. After a short period of school life at Scarborough, she went to the Mount School, where at first she had the distinction of being both the youngest and the tallest girl. She early developed considerable artistic talent, and went to the Slade and later to the Paris Salon to follow art as her career.

When the new Headmaster's House was built at Ackworth, she returned to act as housekeeper for her father. She had accompanied him on his tour round the world, and had brought back many sketches made during this unforgettable experience. She fitted into the life at the school with happy results for everyone, for a period becoming drawing mistress on the boys' side. Her help was always sought for every sort of entertainment and her histrionic ability, especially, was of a high order and continually being called for. She spent the early years of the war in Canada with her sister Gertrude. But her great longing was to do something for mothers and babies. She started her Babies' Welcome at Ackworth with the valued help of Dr. Qyston and at the same time was elected on the Rural District Council. She had trained and taken her C.M.B. at the Royal Maternity Hospital in Edinburgh.

For the last 15 years of her life she gave whole-hearted devotion to infant welfare work in London, where she was first of all Superintendent of the Bermondsey Club for Mothers and Babies, and later Superintendent of the Infant Welfare Centres, Hampstead. She was President of the Ackworth G.S.A. in 1925-6. Never sparing herself, she broke down in health, and under doctor's orders went to winter in Rome.

HERBERT ANDREWS (scholar 1889–1894), the only son of Frederick and the late Anna Maria Andrews, was born at Ackworth on 18th March, 1880. When nine years old Herbert entered the school as day scholar. He quickly made his way through the classes, reaching the first class when twelve years old. Here he stayed for two years before going to Bootham School, York. Ackworth boys have the reputation of getting on at Bootham, and Herbert Andrews proved to be no exception to the anticipation.

In school hours and out of school hours he showed more than average ability. In later years he had the satisfaction of captaining the Foxes Football Club team against both Ackworth and Bootham Schools.

He left York in 1897, after Matriculating and winning the scholarship and the coveted Natural History Prize.

On leaving York Herbert Andrews entered upon business life in London in the employ of R. and J. Beck, Ltd, Cornhill, Manufacturing Opticians and Camera Makers. He soon made himself a most important position, taking the post of manager of the Photographic Department, and finally becoming a director of the Company.

He took the principal part in the writing of a book on Photographic Lenses, published by his firm, of which some 13,000 copies have within a short time been sold.

In the early summer of 1904 he contracted a severe chill. He recovered sufficiently to call at his business in the city and to proceed to the home of his fiancée in Kendal, on a visit for rest and recuperation. Unfortunately the journey proved to be too great a tax on his lowered vitality, and on reaching Kendal he was obliged to take to bed again at once.

A time of great anxiety to his relatives and friends followed, and though at one time there seemed to be a fair prospect of a return to health and strength, it was not to be, for on October 19th, after many weary weeks of suffering, alleviated to a large extent by devoted watching and nursing, he passed away very suddenly in his twenty-fifth year.

Ackworth Old Scholars' Association, Annual Report, 1905 

Ackworth Land Girls' Guild.

A little circle of land workers met on Sunday, March 10th, at Ackworth School. There were two members of the Land Army and three other land workers. We had a very jolly tea together and talked about the library which we are starting in the district and other means of enlivening the girls, who live so far from each other in our neighbourhood. We were fortunate enough to have struck a day on which there was a charming lecture in the School Hall on "English Spring Flowers." In breaks between the slides a gentleman with a glorious baritone voice sang us some grand classical songs. Needless to say, we all enjoyed our evening and are convinced our little Guild will flourish.    HELEN ANDREWS.

"I am a born farmer, and craft work is the outlet of the agricultural mind." So Miss Helen Andrews, the head of the handicraft centre at Cober Hill, near Scarborough, explained the origin of the work which has been done at Cober Hill, and the reason for the development about to be undertaken there. This is a proposal for teaching "home craft" as it is understood in Scandinavia.

During the war Miss Andrews had charge of the women land-workers in Cumberland, and, with a view to making their lot not only tolerable, but interesting and worth while, she set to work to teach them handicrafts in their spare time. When the Guest House at Cober Hill was started by the conversion of Sir Frank Lockwood's old home, and Miss Andrews became head, she introduced courses for the training of teachers in handicraft during the winter months.

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ANDREWS, Helen (Scholar 1892–1898), was born at Ackworth in 1884, a daughter of Frederick Andrews. She inherited her father's prowess at games and his outstanding integrity and strength of character. She trained as a gymnastic and games mistress and held posts in schools at Southport and Penketh before being appointed by the West Riding CC to introduce gymnastics at Normanton and Castleford.

In the First World War she joined the Women's Land Army, where her organising skill and ability were found most useful. Later she played a prominent part in Friends' Relief Work in Europe. The best remembered incident was her purchase and transfer from Holland to Austria of a large herd of cows and bulls to save the children of Vienna from malnutrition.

Helen Andrews was skilled in various handicrafts and in gardening and her knowledge and experience were always at the service of Women's Institutes over a large area. As manageress of the Cober Hill Guest House at Cloughton, near Scarborough, she will be remembered with gratitude by those who worked with her and by hundreds of guests. Her work on the Parish Council, as Chairman of the R.D.C. Health and Housing Committee, as a school manager and as a J.P. will live in the memory of many local residents.

She was a former president of the A.O.S.A. and for many years a valued member of the Ackworth School Committee. She laid the foundation stone of the new classroom block in 1953 and throughout her life maintained a loyal and active interest in all that concerned the school. Her courage and presence of mind in the fire at the School Farm was a unique performance. No one else dared tackle the task of leading out of danger a newly arrived bull maddened by the danger. She offered to do so, merely stipulating that she should be provided with a piece of currant cake. This was brought and armed with it the dangerous adventure was successfully carried out.

After a life of vigorous health her final breakdown was a severe trial to her, but she bore the pain and frustration bravely. She will live in the memory of all who knew her as a staunch friend, a good administrator and a vivid personality, enthusiastic, forthright and very kind. She died at Scarborough on May 2 1958, aged seventy-four.

WALKER, Gertrude (Scholar 1894–1900), youngest daughter of Frederick Andrews, died in Kentville, Nova Scotia after a brief illness, on May 12, 1967, in her eighty-first year.

She was born at Ackworth on August 15, 1886. Her mother, Anna Maria (Lean) died in 1888 and her young cousin, Madeline Collinson, came to care for the four children. She attended Ackworth School and then went on to the Mount. After a period at home, looking after her father, she went to Bedford Physical Training College. In 1911, whilst teaching at the Dollar Academy, Scotland, she was twice chosen to play hockey for Scotland against England, at which games her performance as left-back was outstanding.

In the summer of 1912, she and her two sisters, Margaret and Helen, went on a caravan trip from York to Sandsend and Great Ayton and back, across the moors, navigating the steep hills with a strong-minded horse, Polly, with all the thrills attendant. This trip was written up in The Wheatsheaf of July 1912, by Margaret Andrews with photographs by Gertrude Andrews, entitled 'Three Old Maids and a Caravan'.

In November 1912, she left her homeland, her profession, her friends, to travel across the Atlantic to marry Frank A. K. Walker, Scholar (1897–1903) in Truro, Nova Scotia. They had three daughters, all of whom attended Ackworth School. Frank Walker passed away in 1940. She revisited England and Scotland five times, and her sisters both visited Canada, but it was her great regret that F.A. died without having done so.

She continued her interest and enthusiasm for games throughout her entire life: she played tennis, participating in Nova Scotian provincial tournaments until the club closed during the war years of 1939–1945. She then resumed her golf and played until 1965, again winning cups year after year competing with people half her age. She was a good swimmer: saved a life before she was married, and had been in the ocean the summer before she died. She was an enthusiastic spectator of cricket, baseball and ice hockey, both live and on television. She did volunteer work for the Red Cross during World War II. Throughout her life she maintained her membership in the Pontefract Monthly Meeting.

Gertrude Walker is laid to rest in a small cemetery at Chipman Corner beside her husband and his youngest sister. The cemetery is next to the house she lived in for the fourteen years of her married life. Her interest in young people was perhaps her most outstanding characteristic. They all loved her and found in her a vitality, courage and ready wit which will be greatly missed).