Ludlam & Horsfall Trust
This plaque on the south wall of Thurstonland First School commemorates the endowment of a school in Thurstonland in 1766 by Misses Ludlam and Horsfall.
The trust is still active today, financially providing additional support to Thurstonland First School and looking after the School House property.
There are seven trustees drawn from different aspects of village life.
The chair person is Richard Wood, representing St Thomas’ Church and the secretary is Angela Carmichael who is also a Green Hills First Federation school governor. Other trustees are Cllr Richard Smith representing Kirklees Council, Robert Barraclough representing Kirkburton Parish Council, Mr Tony Clifton representing Thurstonland Village Association and Rev. Canon Sean Robertshaw and Lynsey Wagstaff, as Headteacher, are ex-officio trustees.
The trust meets each term to discuss the upkeep of the School House and to decide how best to support the children. Recently they were able to contribute a sizeable sum of money to the refurbishment of the barn and each year they give a grant, as was originally intended in the terms of the trust, for the purchase of books and teaching materials and support the developing life of the school.