In some parishes, one of the "duties" of the vicar's wife - and sometimes older teenage daughters - was to run an evening class in simple writing and arithmetic for the "men and boys" of the village. I have notes from a rural vicar's family - distant relatives - in 1875 in which this was an ongoing event. (One may suspect that the assistance of the teenage daughters increased attendance from the young men of the village, of course.) This family was in Wiltshire, but I would assume that a similar tradition was carried out elsewhere. Most schooling for poorer folk who could not afford private school was carried out in "church schools" in England well into the 1900s and I'm guessing that these grew out of the less formal classes that were originated by the Vicar and his family. Happy hunting! Diana Robinson (nee Gardner) Now in Rochester, NY, USA ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:02:52 +0100 From: "Margaret Holmes" <margaret.holmes4@ntlworld.com> Subject: [BKM] schools in early 19th century To: <bucks@rootsweb.com> Message-ID: <0847D5CAF52E40538CCEC5E123268543@holmesd428a94c> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" I have been reading the book "Henry Mundy - A Young Australian Pioneer" which has set me wondering about schools in or close to Great Brickhill. My husband's great great grandfather John Holmes, a shepherd, was seemingly able to write his name at least. His son George, a groom was similarly literate. John was born in 1799 and George in 1826 so where at that time would they have learned to read and write? Henry Mundy went to a school in Simpson but Leighton Buzzard or Slapton would probably have been nearer to Great Brickhill. Was there a school in those places between 1805 and 1840? The National School in Little Brickhill was opened in 1840 so probably George's children would have gone there. Margaret