From
the report of Samuel Scriven (1842) into the conditions for Children in the
Staffordshire Potteries:
Report on Sunday Schools:
The
subjoined return of the weekly, Sabbath, and infant schools, with the number
of places of worship, is, as far as it goes, conclusive evidence that no
efforts are spared on the part of the wealthy classes to afford ample
opportunities to the younger branches of the community of acquiring moral and
religious education. Indeed I do not believe that there is any other part of
the country, certainly none that I have visited, where such examples, "so
worthy of all imitation", are to be met with: -
note:
the population of the Borough in 1838 was calculated to be 63,000
| Returns
of Sunday Schools in the Staffordshire Potteries and Surrounding
Neighbourhood (February 1841) |
| Number
of churches: |
63
|
| Total
number of Sunday School scholars: |
18,016 |
| Number
of Sunday School teachers: |
2,2
57 |
| Ratio
of scholars:teachers |
8 |
| The
Sunday Schools opened 9.00-10.30am and 1.00-2.20pm |
There
are defects in the system of Sunday-school training
. children
being so
profoundly ignorant as not to know one letter from another, and yet regularly
"attend Sunday schools"
..in an educational point of view they are not doing the good which is
attributed to them:
1)
first, on account of the limitation of the hours of schooling;
2) next; from the absence of writing, and other such secular
instruction; and,
3) thirdly, on account of the teachers; who with honour be it spoken,
are eight-tenths of the working classes, yet unequal to the task of teaching.
I
do not mean to detract from the merits of Sunday-schools as a source of
religious knowledge, which by some is considered the basis upon which all
others should be built, or from the moral effects resulting from the
congregating of children in religious places; or from associating with
religious friends; but would rather give my humble praise to the many sects
who have with such determined efforts striven to stem the torrent of
infidelity, profligacy, and drunkenness, and continue with pious zeal, in
imitation of their founder, to extend the knowledge and love of God.
Report on Day Schools:
| Returns
of Day Schools in the Staffordshire Potteries in 1841. |
| Number of
day schools: |
17 |
| Scholars
attending Bells system schools: |
1,930 |
| Scholars
attending Lancaster system schools: |
494
|
| Infants
attending Day School: |
417
|
| Total
number of Day School scholars: |
2,841 |
| Number
of Day school teachers: |
29
|
| Ratio
of scholars:teachers |
98 |
.the
attendance upon these, as compared with the Sunday-schools, there is a sad
falling off; nearly all of them are handsome and spacious edifices, and
capable of holding and seating comfortably four times the number of children
in daily attendance.
Most of the schools belong to
the National Society, and are therefore upon Dr. Bell's system, and do not
admit the children of other denominations unless they conform to the worship
of the Church
I almost tremble, however,
when I contemplate the fearful deficiency of knowledge existing throughout the
district, and the consequences likely to result to this increased and
increasing population
.. more than three-fourths of the persons therein
named can neither read nor write
. this
state of things is attributable to the three following causes:
1)
The first, and perhaps most prominent, I conceive to be that of sending
children at too early a period of life to labour from morning till night, in
hundreds of cases for 15 or 16 hours consecutively, with the intermission of
only a few minutes to eat their humble food of "tatees" and
"stir pudding", and where they acquire little else than vice, for
the wages of ls. or 2s. per week, whereby they are necessarily deprived of
every opportunity of attending a day or evening school.
2)
Another is the total indifference of parents, who, although in numberless
instances earning from 2s. to 3s. or 4s. per week, and not requiring the early
labour of their offspring, nevertheless care so little about their immediate
or future welfare, as to be equally satisfied whether they continue in
ignorance or not.
3) A
third is doubtless the poverty of others unemployed
. in
all the schools 2d. per week is required from every pupil, which, although
trifling in amount, is beyond the reach of many
read
more of Samuel Scriven's report on education 
read British Board school teacher
reports
Examples of
the different schools in Burslem
|
|
|
Hill
Top Chapel, Burslem
BURSLEM SUNDAY-SCHOOL, Wesleyan New
Connexion, for Children of all Denominations
This
impressive building was built in 1836 on the corner
of Westport Road and Hall Street.
Closed in January 1977, a fire caused widespread
damage in 1983. Beyond repair the main body was
demolished in 1987 but the dramatic front
portico remains (and is a listed building ). |
Note:
This Sunday School was built when the teachers and students were locked
out of the Methodist Sunday School in nearby Swan Bank. The Methodist
Conference had banned any 'secular' teaching, reading was only to be from the
Bible and the church Minister disapproved of writing on the Sabbath.
The teachers at Swan Bank refused to adhere to this ruling and were locked out
by the trustees.
In
1841 the Superintendent, Joseph Wood, was interviewed by Samuel Scriven - you
can read the interview here:
In the
1840s pottery manufacturers cited their support for such institutions to get
their industry excluded from the factory legislation which regulated
children's employment in textile mills and coal mines. As a result there
were no restrictions on the age of children or the number of hours they
worked in pottery factories until 1864.
'Dame schools' were set up in their cottage living room by any old
man or woman. Most were no more than a 'child minding system'.
Charles Shaw attended a Dame School which was better than
most.
