VI - To School at The Union

Summary

Once the union workhouses were operational they had to cater for children as well as adults, and were expected to provide some form of education for them. At various times all the Bedfordshire workhouses had their own schools but these often caused problems, and the guardians were glad to be able to send the children to local elementary schools. The parish of Eaton Socon is particularly interesting as it had within its boundaries the workhouse for the St Neots Union, and for long periods the union children attended the village elementary school. This means that there are a number of references to them in the log books. In some other Bedfordshire parishes there were ‘boarded out’ children from various of the London unions, and again log books make references to these. Yet other teachers recorded children being withdrawn from their schools to enter the workhouse. For a short time workhouse schools were inspected on the same basis as the ordinary elementary schools and printed reports have survived. References from these various sources are given in the following section.

The Rev John Allen’s Report, 1843-4.

‘Ampthill Workhouse, 36 boys, 28 girls. Master acts as porter to the Establishment as well. His salary 10s 6d per week with lodging and food. Mistress receives 8s a week, together with her dinner. Both untrained.

Bedford Workhouse, 58 boys, 60 girls. Arithmetic, writing and spelling taught fairly well’.

PP 1845 XXXV

A more detailed series of reports, compiled by Mr H G Bowyer between 1848 and 1857, gives a clearer picture of the problems of the union schools. The following extracts have been chosen to give a picture of what happened within each Union in Bedfordshire and to indicate any points of particular interest.

‘Woburn Union School, 13 March 1848, 23 boys, 19 girls. Schoolroom for the girls. Boys taught in the ante-room by the porter. No secular books or maps. Discipline apparently good. Instruction very deficient. This school is subject to all the usual inconveniences of small workhouse schools. Second visit, 2 October 1848, 20 boys, 13 girls. Boys sent to the free school of the town. The girls were slightly improved.

Leighton Buzzard Union School, 14 March 1848, 19 boys, 19 girls. Separate schoolrooms, and a master and mistress recently appointed. No secular books. Sufficient maps. Discipline apparently good. Instruction extremely defective.