education in yeovil

gentleman's boarding academy

Kingston

 

In the 'Academies and Schools' section of Pigot's Directory of 1830 George Rossiter's "Gentleman's Boarding Academy" was listed at Mansion House. It was noted in the 13 February 1828 edition of the Taunton Courier, that George leased the property at an annual rent of £55 (around £4,800 at today's value). It was mentioned that Mansion House contained a school room, play ground, lawn and shrubbery.

George Rossiter was a member of the Yeovil Freemasonry Lodge of Brotherly Love, being initiated on 18 April 1826. He remained in the lodge certainly until 1834.

George was listed in the Yeovil poll books of 1832 and 1834 by virtue of being an "occupier of lands" in Kingston so, presumably, his academy was still active at this time although by 1841 Rossiter had moved on from Yeovil. Certainly by 1843 James Morse had opened his 'Classical, Mathematics, English, French and Commercial School' in Mansion House.

 

gallery

 

Mansion House photographed in 2013. The original house which housed George Rossiter's academy is at centre with a later nineteenth century addition to the right (Magnolia House) and an early twentieth century addition at left.