Bear Club School, Devizes
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In 1756 the Bear Club, a social club founded at the Bear Inn, provided a fund for the teaching and clothing of six boys. By 1775 the provision had been increased to 16 boys. In 1848 the Bear Club Trustees formed their own school and took over the old Free School in Maryport Street. They ran it as an independent boys' school and took in boys from all Wiltshire. The school maintained a good standard but by 1858, when there was one master and 30 boys, it was said that the results were poor for the amount of expenditure. The reputation of the school declined and it closed in 1875 and the boys being transferred to the Town School.