Hi again Roz
I had a look at the entry for your gran in the 1921 census. Your gran’s uncle, David Gray who completed the census form, has a very clear style of hand-writing and I don’t think there’s any doubt that your gran was attending Hall Lindler Academy on a full-time basis.
You thought 17 years of age was a bit old to be engaged in full time studies but it’s worth bearing in mind that the 1920s was a ’boom’ time for women’s education. The school-leaving age had risen from 12 – 14 just a couple of years earlier in 1918 and, perhaps more important, women were also given the vote that year - albeit not on the same terms as men! The suffrage movement fought not only for voting rights but for women’s rights in general including the right to education.
Further education was becoming popular among the working classes and towards the end of the 1800s even the male dominated Mechanics Institute was allowing women to attend its courses. So there was a lot happening on the educational front for women!
I’ve been researching Bedlington and its nearest neighbours for 14 years now and I haven’t ever stumbled across Hall Lindler Academy. That, however, is not to say that it didn’t exist in Bedlingtonshire or anywhere else. Also worth bearing in mind is that the word ’academy’ in 1920 shouldn’t be confused with the same word used today for many establishments for full time secondary education.
There were two types of academy: those who’s aim was to advance science, art and literature and those whose aim was to give training in a special field or skill – especially those skills which were useful/needed for employment. The latter arranged courses in just about anything: shorthand, typing, languages, mechanics, woodwork etc. and the courses could range from weeks to years. So, while your gran was engaged in in whole-time studies it may only have been on a short course.
I note that David Gray was working for the Coal Company in a white collar position, as he was a clerk (which would account for his neat hand writing!). Perhaps he could have encouraged your gran to move away from the then traditional, factory, serving girl, housekeeper and laundress type of jobs in favour of the ’cleaner’ jobs of bookkeeping, typing, teaching and clerical work. These, together with dressmaking and shop work, were the areas where women predominantly worked in the 1920s.
I note that Mary Jane and her husband are living apart a few years after their marriage. Mary Jane and her daughter – your mother – are living in Belford and her husband John Robert is living in Gosforth. While household duties are given as Mary Jane’s occupation, could she have been living there by reason of some earlier special employment? Perhaps you know something of her employment prior to her marriage. That could give some indication of the nature of her education.
Sorry I couldn’t be of more help in unravelling the mystery of Hall Lindler Academy but I hope this has given you something to think about.