If you try and find what schools your ancestors went to in any town, you will quickly come across references to both "British" and National schools, and later "Board" schools as well. The National schools, run under principles of the Church of England, are well known in Marlow, as they survived a long time. Marlow's British Schools didn't last long enough to leave much record behind, and so it was once thought that Marlow never had any. These were schools established by the "British and Foreign School Society for the Education of the Labouring Classes of Every Religious Persuasion" - in reality they appealed to non conformist families. Given that Marlow had a number of non conformist places of worship and they had a tradition of promoting education, it did not seem likely that no British school was established in our town. So I began a search and can now confirm we had both a Boys and Girls British school in Marlow in the 1850s. They may not have lasted decades but there would have been a small group of children who had most of their education in one of the schools.
A meeting was held at the Salem Chapel (aka the Independent Chapel/Congregational Church, now the Christchurch URC, Oxford Rd) in 1852 to discuss the desirability of setting up a British School. The response was positive, and fund raising began immediately. The supporters were naturally from mostly non conformist families, and those who were identified as supporters of the liberal political fraction (the two tend to go hand to hand in Marlow). The latter is probably why the use of the town hall, which was under the control of the conservative MP, was refused for the meeting. The fact a prominent guest was the unsuccessful Liberal candidate in the recent election, Jacob Bell, probably didn't help either. Later the school idea was identified as proceeding from the supporters of Bell. Although he was not a Marlow man, to his credit he maintained an interest in the school for this place he was not in the end elected to represent. No doubt he had half an eye on future election opportunities here. But he had campaigned on the extension of the vote (including to women) and he said such voting rights would be meaningless if not backed by good quality non sectarian education for the voters.
In February 1853, a second meeting was held, to proudly announce that support had been sufficient to allow for the establishment of the boys school which would open on the 1st March. The meeting was said to have far outstripped any similar public one "as regards numbers or respectability". After the meeting proper, there was a fundraising tea and exhibition of penmanship and drawings from the pupils of the British School High Wycombe. The ladies organising the tea provided the food to the school for free, so every penny of the sale of tickets could be regarded as profit.
It was always intended to begin one for the education of girls too, but they decided to start with boys because it was there they could, at the time, be most confident of generating enough demand to support the school. They also intended to build a permanent dedicated school building but until then they would use a temporary home. I am not certain which building(s) they adopted at first. I can see references to places they held various events and meetings such as public examinations and special teas but I can't pin point the location of the hired school rooms beyond the fact that they were located somewhere in the High Street in 1856. I don't believe the British school were able to realise their dream of a permanent school building but this is still being researched. I can say for certain that they had not erected or purchased one by August 1856 as it was noted that £10 raised towards this was sitting untouched in a bank account. A plea was put out to raise the remaining amounts needed in order to save the schools the ongoing cost of room hire.
A few months after opening, the Boys British School had 71 pupils, a number that had exceeded initial expectations. This encouraged the supporters to move quickly ahead with the girls branch. They were confident it would meet with equal success. In April the list of potential female pupils was fast filling up. Then in August 1853, a fundraising "aquatic excursion" to Medmenham Abbey was organised in aid of the girls, with 500 supporters gathered in the grounds. I believe the girls branch opened shortly after. Jacob Bell addressed this meeting too.
Sir William R Clayton gave some medals to the first scholars for good attendance in the first few months of the school's life as well as medals for making good progress in their studies. I wonder if any have survived?
The mentions of the activities of the schools while they lasted, create an impression of a happy bunch of scholars kindly treated and taught with an enthusiasm that extended beyond teaching them the bare basics of the 3Rs and scripture. For example, the school started a choral society which provided free vocal and instrumental training to the children. This was quite extraordinary for a school catering for working class children and suggests that initial financial support was good. The children's Choral Society met every Thursday to pour forth "beautiful strains that are calculated to gladden and enliven the heart." The children gave a number of performances to the public. Other subjects the children were examined in include history and geography. Rev Thomas Styles of the Independent Chapel took care to test the youngsters religious knowledge. (The first examination took place in the Wesleyan Chapel and endearingly the musical pupils began with a song, and performed another between the tests for each subject. No doubt this provided a happier atmosphere for their equivalent of exam day! The readiness and accuracy with which the youngsters have their answers was regarded as "truly astonishing". The day ended with the choir singing the National Anthem followed by a public tea. The conductor was Mr Teale, organist at the Roman Catholic School who provided his services each week entirely free of charge.)
In September 1857, the boys enjoyed two treat days. On the first they gathered at the "large rooms" in Albion House (known as the Albion Rooms, used by the breakaway congregation of the Salem Chapel, a Catholic School and Borlase at different times, among others). Here they gathered for a "bountifully provided" tea accompanied by much laughter and singing. The boys are said to have enjoyed a large helping of cake in particular. They then gave cheers of appreciation for those providing the goodies. Later the boys gathered in Mr Middleton's meadow to play a cricket match. They marched there carrying a flag and a school banner. This seems to be the favoured method for the children arriving anywhere, ideally accompanied by song. It is nice to see how happy many of the occasions enjoyed by the little pupils were. They seem to have played a number of cricket matches, and also went, as a school, to watch others - yes, marching all the way.
The last mention I can find of the schools, as yet, dates from 1858. The children were giving their traditional summer recitation to an approving audience, with a prize giving afterwards. Then things go quiet. Thorough listings of existing schools in the 1860's do not mention either of the British Schools. I think a possible explanation is the recent opening of the Oxford Lane infants school, which expanded general schooling provision in the town, although this was a National school. There was also a possible indication of falling numbers amid a disagreement among families supporting the British Schools. In 1855, at a celebration tea at the Salem Chapel following the public examination of the pupils of both schools, one of the speakers told the audience to pay no heed to those who would find fault as they seldom contributed anything in their own right and so would not be missed if they left. The school had prided itself in considering applications from teachers of any denomination, including the Church of England. In January 1857, this lead to the appointment of Mr Fincham of London University as master of the boys school. There had been 15 applicants, and Fincham was regarded as the best. But he was a member of the Church of England. This may have upset some parents. Perhaps they thought their children may as well attend the National schools, although Fincham was bound to respect the broad base required for the religious teaching at the school. Nine months later, a different master is recorded, a Mr Baxter*. Another indication of turmoil? Perhaps there were not enough families to support the schools long term in any case. In 1857, when Mr Milne of the Borough Road Institution came to examine the boys, he spoke of the credit that should reflect on the master "for the care taken in providing under great disadvantages a liberal and unsectarian (qv) education" to the youth of the town. The disadvantages spoke of might be lack of sufficient support or perhaps no permanent classroom. The schools clearly had their struggles.
As a footnote, newspaper reports from 1865 reported a rumour that a British School would again be brought to Marlow. It was said that land suitable for the erection of a school house and masters residence had already been purchased. Unfortunately there does not seem to have been any truth in this. However a night school was established by the Congregational church in the same year, with 40 pupils enrolling on the first day.
Notes -
A meeting to set up a Bucks Association of Teachers in British Schools in 1839 listed a teacher from Marlow amongst the attendees, a Mr Greenwood. He was presumably working outside of Marlow, unless there was another short lived British School at this earlier decade? Food for thought.
The Commitee appointed to organise the foundation and erection of the school were as follows:
W P Gaskell, J Wright, F Wright, J Meakes, W H Mane, Richard Gibbons, Thomas Fullicks, W Wigginton, Thomas Butler, W Almond,Thomas Wellicome, H C Curtis, Ralph Spicer, George Brangwin, Henry Stallwood, T Ware, W Humphreys jun, G Kidd, J Morgan
* I have traced two further teachers, Mr Verney and Mr Ringsell. Mr Verney may well be the same man who opens a boys day school in 1856. For more see here
To find other education related posts, see our listing here
Written and researched by Kathryn Day.
Sources include:
The Education Magazine - Vol 2, 1839, digitised by Google.
Report of The British Schools Society 1856.
Berkshire Chronicle 26 February 1853. From the British Library Archive, accessed via the BNA.
Reading Mercury, 26 February 1853, 6 August 1853, 18 August 1855, 10 January, 25 July & 12 September 1857, 26 June 1858, as above.
South Bucks Free Press November 1865, as above.
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