Can anyone give me an idea of what a normal school term would have been in Portsmouth in 1873? My gggrandfather, William Scott, a principal warder at Parkhurst, became a widower on 16 February 1873 when his first wife died. He was left with four children ages 4 through 13. On Sunday, 14 of September he "farmed" the children out to family members in Portstmouth and Westbourne, paying each of these family members a maintenance fee of 3/6 per week to 1 pound per month but also paid an additional amount for schoolinng (seven weeks cost 1/2 for the youngest and 2 shillings per month for a twelve year old daughter). I am trying to determine why all four would have been sent on this particular day to other family members (some keeping the children for at least 1 1/2 years) and wondered if it was done because that was the start of school? There of course could be many other reasons, but would like to determine if the schooling was a particular cause. Any insights much appreciated. Kenneth Scott Dunedin, Florida

Kenneth Some of this may help. . At about that time in England there were during August what were called "harvest holidays" and the opening of school was at times delayed if the harvest was not collected. They would often be closed at other times for other agricultural reasons (Berries, Hay) and of course disease. These Harvest Holidays could be the reason that William Scott's children starting school in September or it could simply be that it took him some time to organise matters. Schooling did not become compulsory until 1880 and was not free until 1891. The rate varied; by class or ability to pay for example a farmer would pay more (4d a week) than farm labourers (2d a week) and by numbers as there was a discount for quantity, probably the reason for the different rates in your case. And no credit was permitted. The sons of the wealthy would of course go to Public School and the daughters would have a governess Until 1870 schooling was provided by the church through Schools which they ran, through Dame Schools (cheaper but substandard) through Ragged Schools ( John Pound was a cobbler in Portsmouth who began to use his shop in 1818 as base for educational activity for local poor children neglected by other institutions) - in 1880 there were about 350 such free school established - and Sunday Schools.. The 1880 Act established a dual system, aiming "to fill the gaps" by establishing Board Schools. Schooling at that time in England was behind the standard of most other Western European nations, and this was the beginning of a slow process of reform. David ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kenneth Scott" <ken@kenscott.com> To: <HAMPSHIRE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, January 02, 2006 11:35 AM Subject: [Ham] School terms 1873 > Can anyone give me an idea of what a normal school term would have been > in Portsmouth in 1873? > > My gggrandfather, William Scott, a principal warder at Parkhurst, > became a widower on 16 February 1873 when his first wife died. He was > left with four children ages 4 through 13. On Sunday, 14 of September he > "farmed" the children out to family members in Portstmouth and > Westbourne, paying each of these family members a maintenance fee of 3/6 > per week to 1 pound per month but also paid an additional amount for > schoolinng (seven weeks cost 1/2 for the youngest and 2 shillings per > month for a twelve year old daughter). > > I am trying to determine why all four would have been sent on this > particular day to other family members (some keeping the children for at > least 1 1/2 years) and wondered if it was done because that was the > start of school? There of course could be many other reasons, but would > like to determine if the schooling was a particular cause. > > Any insights much appreciated. > > Kenneth Scott > Dunedin, Florida > > > ==== HAMPSHIRE Mailing List ==== > Parish Register transcriptions for some parishes are available on line at www.knightroots.co.uk - click "parish registers" >

And I believe Scottish schools still have an allowance for a holiday for the potato harvest in the autumn Regards Jane -----Original Message----- From: DAVID PARKER [mailto:parker3250@rogers.com] Sent: Tuesday, 3 January 2006 8:01 a.m. To: HAMPSHIRE-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [Ham] School terms 1873 Kenneth Some of this may help. . At about that time in England there were during August what were called "harvest holidays" and the opening of school was at times delayed if the harvest was not collected. They would often be closed at other times for other agricultural reasons (Berries, Hay) and of course disease. These Harvest Holidays could be the reason that William Scott's children starting school in September or it could simply be that it took him some time to organise matters. Schooling did not become compulsory until 1880 and was not free until 1891. The rate varied; by class or ability to pay for example a farmer would pay more (4d a week) than farm labourers (2d a week) and by numbers as there was a discount for quantity, probably the reason for the different rates in your case. And no credit was permitted. The sons of the wealthy would of course go to Public School and the daughters would have a governess Until 1870 schooling was provided by the church through Schools which they ran, through Dame Schools (cheaper but substandard) through Ragged Schools ( John Pound was a cobbler in Portsmouth who began to use his shop in 1818 as base for educational activity for local poor children neglected by other institutions) - in 1880 there were about 350 such free school established - and Sunday Schools.. The 1880 Act established a dual system, aiming "to fill the gaps" by establishing Board Schools. Schooling at that time in England was behind the standard of most other Western European nations, and this was the beginning of a slow process of reform. David ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kenneth Scott" <ken@kenscott.com> To: <HAMPSHIRE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, January 02, 2006 11:35 AM Subject: [Ham] School terms 1873 > Can anyone give me an idea of what a normal school term would have been > in Portsmouth in 1873? > > My gggrandfather, William Scott, a principal warder at Parkhurst, > became a widower on 16 February 1873 when his first wife died. He was > left with four children ages 4 through 13. On Sunday, 14 of September he > "farmed" the children out to family members in Portstmouth and > Westbourne, paying each of these family members a maintenance fee of 3/6 > per week to 1 pound per month but also paid an additional amount for > schoolinng (seven weeks cost 1/2 for the youngest and 2 shillings per > month for a twelve year old daughter). > > I am trying to determine why all four would have been sent on this > particular day to other family members (some keeping the children for at > least 1 1/2 years) and wondered if it was done because that was the > start of school? There of course could be many other reasons, but would > like to determine if the schooling was a particular cause. > > Any insights much appreciated. > > Kenneth Scott > Dunedin, Florida > > > ==== HAMPSHIRE Mailing List ==== > Parish Register transcriptions for some parishes are available on line at www.knightroots.co.uk - click "parish registers" > ==== HAMPSHIRE Mailing List ==== Genealogy is contagious and you don't have to sneeze to pass it on -- Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.7/180 - Release Date: 23/11/2005 -- Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.7/180 - Release Date: 23/11/2005