The building that gives it's name to Institute Road now hosts the library. In it's former guise it provided entertainment and education for many of your Marlow ancestors. Before we deal with the Literary and Scientific Institute, I'd like to give credit to Marlow's very first Institute. While this is now almost entirely forgotten, it had a huge effect on the lives of hundreds of local working class people in the early 19th century because it taught them to read.
There were several groups active in Marlow who gave out Bibles to the poor. But the trouble with this was a great number of labourers were completely unable to read them. Marlow gained their National schools for children in around 1812 but what about the adults who were too old to attend? This question bothered a group of local clergyman who decided to form an Adult Institution, centred on Marlow. The first meeting was held in 1814 in Maidenhead Town hall, when the details of the clergymen's plan was thrashed out. The objective was initially to teach reading to both men and women over the age of 16, with the overall aim of getting them to be able to read the Bible independently. The hope was to establish as many evening schools as possible, not forgetting rural areas. Their system would use central funds and organisation, and would be paid for by public donations. They hoped that there would be enough donations in the towns to pay for provision in the more rural areas around Marlow.
It may seem an innocuous aim but there was still local opposition. These critics are anonymous and their arguments summarised later by the Institution's supporters. It seems some people could not see why the working classes would really need to read, and others were worried that while the aim may be to teach the workers to read a Bible, what if they used this new ability to read something more seditious? Rev. Goddard replied that it would be wrong to neglect those "whose labour the society to which we belong is supported." The Institute managed to secure a number of high profile patrons and supporters regardless. A few months after the first meeting, follow ups were held at Marlow Town Hall and Lord Grenville became the President and no less a figure than the Prince of Wales became it's patron with a £100 donation. The General Secretary was Rev. Charles Goddard of High Wycombe, and it's he who would seem to have done the most to get the classes going. Although 15 clergymen representing parishes fanning out from Marlow were initially invited to take part, the group later aimed to expand to work throughout Bucks and Berks, and indeed hoped even to become a national institution.
The number of schools they managed to establish in the first year is a testament to Goddard's "zeal and energy." 57 were in place, teaching 1045 adults and youths. The intention had been to pay teachers to give instruction where the local ministers or other trustworthy individuals could not do so. I have not been able to find out for certain who performed this role in Marlow. This decision to employ teachers was also contentious. The Sunday School Repository, reporting on the plans for Marlow's "Adult School Society" (an early alternative name) said that in order to successfully teach adults, only those motivated purely by an earnest desire to educate should do the work. It required "that degree of patience, of perseverance, of kindness, and of attention to feeling and even to the prejudices of the scholars" which could not be expected to be forthcoming from those motivated only by a pay packet! The Institute also considered using the older pupils of Borlase to provide instruction (in return for money).
Teachers did not work in dedicated premises. Instead the Institute expected them to host classes at their homes, or in Sunday School rooms where they existed. Classes ran 3 days a week during the winter and early spring, with men and women attending on alternate days, from 6-8pm. Why only in the winter and spring? Most of those attending were outdoor labourers who could not work in the dark, and so their evenings were more likely to be free in the shorter days of those seasons. The regular classes were expected to cease each year when longer hours of daylight and the demands of the corn harvest and hay making made evening classes difficult. Instead of a set term, it was recommended that local teachers should try and keep classes going for as long as their local industry demands allowed, with most ceasing between May and June. As many parishes as possible were encouraged to offer Sunday Evening classes throughout the year, and Hambledon was one of the places that did just that. The starting age of 16 was quickly lowered to 10 because it became apparent how prevalent illiteracy was amongst older children. There were rumblings about bad behaviour in lessons amongst some of these younger students and the teachers were told to maintain order, with the help of a magistrate if necessary!
Although the donations received in the first flush of enthusiasm were substantial, the following years did not produce such levels of support and costs were rising. Initially the Institution offered support and a teacher for anyone that wanted to set up a school. But by 1816 they had to consolidate some of the smaller school groups. They did however decide to offer financial bonuses to some of the paid teachers for maintaining high levels of attendance, including at Lane End.
In 1816, of the 1,062 adults attending classes, 522 learners had began without any knowledge of their letters at all. Yet many left the classes able to read well enough to follow the Bible. The Institution published details of their methods and experience in order that other groups could follow their example. But their hopes to be the centre of a national body for adult education came to nothing. Funds were too low to pay for so many teachers and the need to pay to hire of school rooms in some places added to the burden. Gradually mentions of the Institution faded away and by 1820 it seems to have ceased to exist in organised form. But some classes probably continued with volunteer teachers where they could. In Marlow, the more wide ranging Literary and Scientific Institution was formed in 1853 and from approximately 1856 there was a night school for men ran by the Vicar of All Saints with his curates and Sunday school teachers as assistants. (The school was largely instigated by Rev Frederick Bussell who died in 1861.) It catered mostly for agricultural labourers, who could pay a half penny per session. This included the use of a slate and pencil but not a a copy book or pen. Classes ran on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7pm. The term was from October to March. Those who had attended at least 20 sessions qualified for the free end of season supper, which in 1862 was followed by a magic lantern show. This was paid for by well wishers. 50 students attended that - a number down on previous years - which shows how many had been learning to read and write there.
*A night school for boys running on Sundays only, was also instigated in November 1890. About 80 boys credited as attending in the first couple of months.
Researched and written by Kathryn Day.
*To find all mentions of your ancestor, use the A-Z person index in the drop down menu. For other Marlow history posts, see the General History Post option in the drop down menu*
For a list of schools in Marlow (70+) see this post here
Life for boys attending the Blue Cost School (Borlase school) in the 1830s-50's -here
And for other education related posts, see our listing here which also covers posts about every day life in old Marlow.
Sources
An Account of the origins, principles and results of the Adult Institution - Goddard, Charles. R Griffiths, 1817
The Sunday School Repository, Vol 1, issue 8. (William Kent, 1813)
Monthly Review, Volume 63. Griffiths, George Edward, Griffiths, Ralph (Editors) 1817
The nature of the recent calls on public benevolence in the neighbourhood stated and explained by a member of the Adult Institution South Bucks district - "Nature", 1815
Night School reports. The Church Journal, Vol 2. (Guild of St. Albans,1861, 1862)
Windsor and Eton Express, 25 December 1814, British Library Archive, accessed via the BNA.
Berkshire Chronicle, 15 June 1861. As above.
Slough, Eton and Windsor Observer 16 December 1890. Slough reference library.
©Marlow Ancestors.
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