Hello Robert
If I have properly followed the message thread on this Group then you were curious about a reference to Cuzner’s Collegiate Academy.
Perhaps I can fill in a few details. More correctly known at the Beckington Collegiate School it was established in 1837 by Daniel Cuzner who was one of my G-G-Grandfather’s younger brothers. Beckington is a small Somerset village near Frome, and in the 17th and 18th centuries was home to some wealthy families involved in the cloth manufacturing industries. By the mid-19th century Beckington was home to a number of independent schools, including the Collegiate School and a surprisingly high number of cordwainers.
The Beckington Collegiate School was in independent establishment providing an education in both the arts and sciences for day scholars and boarders whose ages ranged from about eight to seventeen years. Daniel was both the Principal of the School and teacher of English literature, language and music. His brother David specialised in the sciences, including astronomy. David’s son, George taught science, and was recognised for his experiments with electric motors in the 1870s.
Pupils who graduated from the School included members of the Yerbury family who were responsible for large housing developments in North London between 1860 and 1885. Other pupils became local dignitaries, such as Sir Richard Brown, mayor of Trowbridge. In the 1880s the School began providing an English education for foreign students and this brought a number of titled ladies from mainland Europe onto the school roll. One of the most interesting ex-pupils was W S Andrews who later became head of science teaching at the Collegiate School. He emigrated to the USA where he became a senior assistant to Thomas Edison and supervised the commissioning of many General Electric power generating stations for him in the United States of America and in Canada.
The Collegiate School’s distinctive three gabled building of Bath stone still stands in the centre of Beckington and immediately next to it is the ‘old cottage’ where Daniel Cuzner, his father and two younger generations lived. However, the School effectively closed its doors in 1894 when Daniel died.
This branch of the Cuzner family continue to be part of the teaching world. One of George’s sons, Edgar became a history teacher in south London, and Alan, one of George’s grandsons headed the Archives department of the Department of Education & Science in London. Alan’s son, Robert (me) was head of the publishing department of the Further Education & Curriculum Development Unit in London, and Alan’s granddaughter, Elizabeth, is a history teacher.
One of Daniel’s younger brothers, Joseph, also started a Cuzner line of teachers. Joseph’s sons emigrated to Minneapolis in Minnesota and worked at the University of Minneapolis. Two of Joseph’s granddaughters, Hazel and Fay, became teachers, while his grandson, Harold became a professor at the University of the Philippines.
I hope this has been of interest to you.
Best wishes
Bob Cuzner (Hampshire, UK)
> Message Received: Sep 30 2008, 03:22 PM
> From: cuzners_in_their_genes_@...
> To: cuzners_in_their_genes_@...
> Cc:
> Subject: [cuzners_in_their_genes_] Digest Number 50
>
>Messages In This Digest (2 Messages)
- 1.1.
- Re: Cuzner's Collegiate Academy From: stevecuzner
- 2.
- Thomas Cuzner From: stevecuzner
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Messages
- 1.1.
Re: Cuzner's Collegiate Academy
Posted by: "stevecuzner" stevecuzner@... stevecuzner
Tue Sep 30, 2008 2:39 pm
Interesting. My ggrandfather, his father, and possibly his father
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> before him were expert machinists. Ggradfather and gggrandfather lived
> in Ohio, around Dayton.
>
> Steve
>
> --- In cuzners_in_their_genes_@..., "Robert Mark Cuzner"
> > wrote:
> >
> > A few months ago my sister came across an old article written about
> > someone who worked for Thomas Edison and graduated from the "Cuzner's
> > Collegiate Acadamy". I thought you might get a kick out of this. Has
> > anyone heard of this? Also, there is apparently a toy factory that
> > was started by some Cuzners. On antiques roadshow a Cuzner a few
> > years ago, someone brought out a little toy from the 19th century
> > called a "Cuzner Trotter". It was some sort of figure on a bicycle
> > with moving legs and wheel.
> >
>
>
> Messages in this topic (7)
- 2.
Thomas Cuzner
Posted by: "stevecuzner" stevecuzner@... stevecuzner
Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:18 pm
Hi All,
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>
> I'm new to the list and am searching for information on Thomas Cuzner
> (1811-1847). He was born in England and seems to have lived in many
> places in a ring arond London before arriving in the Marylebone region
> of London. He Married Mary Ann Peperell and had 6 children: Charlotte
> (1833-1884), Mary Ann (b 1837), Alban Thomas (1839-1920?), William
> Arthur (b 1841), Louisa Sophia (b 1846), and George John (11 Jan
> 1848-1919). George was born within thee months of his father's death.
>
> Mary Ann went to New York with all the children in 1849. I have
> information on Louisa Sophia and George John, and some possible
> information about Alban Thomas, but very little on Chalotte, Mary Ann,
> and William Arthur. I'm also trying to find out where Thomas was born
> and who his parents were. Based on UK census records, it appears that
> Mary Ann Peperell was born in London, but Thomas was not. Based on the
> few records I have Thomas worked with "coaches" in some capacity, but
> I don't know what. I also understand that Marylebone at that time was
> a neighborhood for skilled craftsmen.
>
> If anyone has any information on this family, I would greatly
> appreciate hearing from you.
>
> Steve
>
>
> Messages in this topic (1)Recent Activity
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