Hi Margaret I have often seen it said many people could write their name but little if nothing else, like today I suspect a lot depended upon the parents as to how or if they learned to read or write and like today what importance they placed upon their childrens education , who taught you to read and write? I could certainly do both before I went to school as my parents taught me Because someone signed the marriage register (which is the usual evidence given for literacy) does not necessarily mean they were what we would call literate , do you have any other evidence ? Likewise someone's X on the register isn't proof of illiteracy, if the minister said put your mark there, I suspect some did just that even though they could sign I cannot recall his name but recall reading of a well known poet who taught himself to read while working as a shepherd of ag lab parents (perhaps someone else knows his name?) Heres a brief timeline of education in England which may help (or not <g>) http://www.dg.dial.pipex.com/history/timeline.shtml If not from the parents I would be looking at Sunday schools as a possible source of education at the time you are asking about Best wishes Nivard Ovington, in Cornwall (UK) >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

Hi Nivard, Thanks for the reply. I do realise that but the family did seem to value education as George's sons seem to be reasonably well educated for the time. George's grandson, Arthur Herbert did even better and became an architect, which as the son of an estate carpenter at Bletchley Park was pretty amazing. Sir Herbert and Lady Leon seem to have taken a great interest in education. I wondered if the Duncombs did too. They did but to a limited extent. Margaret ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nivard Ovington" <ovington1@sky.com> To: <bucks@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, April 13, 2009 12:16 PM Subject: Re: [BKM] schools in early 19th century > Hi Margaret > > I have often seen it said many people could write their name but little if > nothing else, like today I suspect a lot depended upon the parents as to > how > or if they learned to read or write and like today what importance they > placed upon their childrens education , who taught you to read and write? > I > could certainly do both before I went to school as my parents taught me > > Because someone signed the marriage register (which is the usual evidence > given for literacy) does not necessarily mean they were what we would call > literate , do you have any other evidence ? > > Likewise someone's X on the register isn't proof of illiteracy, if the > minister said put your mark there, I suspect some did just that even > though > they could sign > > I cannot recall his name but recall reading of a well known poet who > taught > himself to read while working as a shepherd of ag lab parents (perhaps > someone else knows his name?) > > Heres a brief timeline of education in England which may help (or not <g>) > http://www.dg.dial.pipex.com/history/timeline.shtml > > If not from the parents I would be looking at Sunday schools as a possible > source of education at the time you are asking about > > Best wishes Nivard Ovington, in Cornwall (UK) > > >>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 > > *************************************** > > BGS Website: http://www.bucksgs.org.uk/ > BFHS Website: http://www.bucksfhs.org.uk/ > Bucks Genuki Website: http://met.open.ac.uk/genuki/big/eng/BKM/ > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > BUCKS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message