Hilda Marian Lumsden (1897-)
Attended St Hild’s teacher training College between 1917 and 1919
Hilda Marian Lumsden was a scholar at St Hild’s College, a teacher training college for women in Durham. She wrote a letter in 1977 remembering her time at the College between 1917 and 1919.
Born on 23 March 1897 in Durham, Hilda was the second child of Frederick George Norie Lumsden and Maria Ann Lumsden nee Palmer, who married on 5 May 1895. She had one older brother, James, who was born in 1896. When the 1901 census was taken the Lumsden family are listed as visitors in the household of Frederick’s older brother, James. By 1911 Hilda’s family were living on the Avenue in Durham, at which time Frederick was working as a shipping clerk.
Having attended Johnson Secondary School in Durham, Hilda went on to study at St Hild’s college in Durham between 1917 and 1919. This was one of the oldest women’s teacher training colleges in England and the women played a vital role in filling teaching roles left by male teachers who were serving in the First World War. In 1977 Hilda wrote about her time at the college giving a detailed description of how the women spent their days. She also mentions time spent by the students in the summer of 1918 picking flax near Wellingborough which was needed in the production of aeroplanes.
It is probable that Hilda was employed as a teacher after this training at St Hild’s. It has not been possible to trace where this was but her marriage banns record her as living in Sunderland in 1925. She married Joseph Lawrence, a solicitor, on 25 August 1925 in Leeds. At the time of the 1939 register Hilda was living with her husband at Winnipeg Place in Leeds. The couple had one daughter, Kathleen, with the register suggesting they also had an older child.
Civil Parish: Durham St. Giles
Birth date: 23-Mar-1897
Armed force/civilian: Civilian
Residence: Crossgate, Durham (1901 census)
28 The Avenue, Durham (1911 census)
Mount Road, East Sunderland (Marriage Register 1925)
5 Winnipeg Place, Leeds (1939 Register)
Education: Johnson Secondary School, Durham
St Hild’s teacher training College, Durham 1917-1919
Family: Parents: Frederick George Norie Lumsden, Maria Ann Lumsden nee Palmer
Siblings: James Lumsden
Husband: Joseph Lawrence
Children: Kathleen Lawrence
Gender: Female
Contributed by Fiona Johnson - Durham
