Our History
The Brunts Academy can trace its history back to an elementary school that was founded in 1684 and had endowments equal to 100 pounds per year. In 1709 Samuel Brunts left a bequest in order that local children could learn an honest trade. The bequest and the school resulted in 40 boys and girls learning reading, writing and arithmetic by 1831 with the girls particularly studying needlework. It was not until 60 years later that the school and the bequest were combined. By 1891, Samuel Brunts’ bequest was worth £3,800 so the new school was named Brunts Technical School. The Brunts Academy is a large academy in north east Mansfield, Nottinghamshire in England.It has previously been a Grammar School and a Technical School and traces its foundation back to a bequest by Samuel Brunts in 1709. Its past students include 2008 double Olympic Gold medallist Rebecca Adlington.
In 1830 Brunts Charity owned buildings and land in East Bridgford, Nottingham’s marketplace and at Claypool in Lincolnshire. It was the richest of all the charitable foundations in Mansfield in 1832 when it was paying out £4 a year to 220 different claimants.
In 1891 a new building was built. In 1976 Brunts Grammar School became a comprehensive. Academy status was awarded in 2011 with the conversion in effect from the 1st January 2012.
The Samuel Brunts Statue
This statue used to be on the front of the old Black Boy hotel in Nottingham Market Place. When the hotel was pulled down a Mansfield coal merchant rescued the statue and gave it back to the school. If you look closely above the door to ‘Brunts Chambers’ at the corner of Clumber Street and Leeming Street you can see another of these statues.
School Song
The former grammar school was distinguished by the fact that it had its own school song, composed by a former music teacher.
Old Samuel Brunts was a yeoman staunch In the days of good Queen Ann. He’d a heart as big as his periwig And he loved his fellow man. As he strolled one day down Toothill Lane With his red-heeled shoes and his gold-topped cane, He took a pinch of choice rappee “And I know what I’ll do with my lands,” said he.
