Summary Education Provision in of the County of Buckingham 1833
In 1833 there were 146,529 people living in Buckinghamshire
Provision of Schools
In 1833, before attending school was made compulsory , a survey was carried out to find out about what schools existed in the County. Below is a summary of what was found.
If you want to know what schools were provided in your parish please look for your parish in 'Bucks Parishes' and then 'Education Provision 1833'
School Type |
|
Schools |
Scholars |
Total |
Infants (2 - 7 yrs) |
|
34 |
|
|
|
Male |
|
161 |
|
|
Female |
|
158 |
|
|
Unspecified |
|
450 |
|
|
TOTAL |
|
|
769 |
Daily (4 -14 yrs) |
|
386 |
|
|
|
Male |
|
4,889 |
|
|
Female |
|
3,187 |
|
|
Unspecified |
|
1,989 |
|
|
TOTAL |
|
|
10,065 |
|
Total under Daily Instruction |
420 |
|
10,834 |
Sunday (4-16 yrs) |
|
294 |
|
|
|
Male |
|
7,198 |
|
|
Female |
|
8,566 |
|
|
Unspecified |
|
4,964 |
|
|
TOTAL |
|
|
20,728 |
Maintenance of Schools
School |
By Endowment |
By Subscription |
By Payments from Scholars |
Subscription & Payment by Scholars |
||||
|
Schools |
Scholars |
Schools |
Scholars |
Schools |
Scholars |
Schools |
Scholars |
Infant |
|
|
3 |
221 |
26 |
306 |
5 |
242 |
Daily |
48 |
1,717 |
36 |
1,366 |
269 |
5,195 |
33 |
1,787 |
Sunday |
9 |
840 |
271 |
19,255 |
2 |
52 |
12 |
581 |
TOTALS |
57 |
2,557 |
310 |
20,842 |
297 |
5,553 |
50 |
2,610 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Schools Established by Dissenters
(those who did not attend the Church of England)
School |
Schools |
Scholars |
Infant |
|
|
Daily |
3 |
42 |
Sunday |
107 |
8,660 |
Increase in the number of Schools since 1818
|
Schools |
Scholars |
Infant and other Daily |
124 |
3,635 |
Sunday |
138 |
12,426 |
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There were 24 Lending Libraries attached to Schools in the County
Lacemaking Schools
If you look at some parishes you will see 'lace-making' schools mentioned. These were not schools as we know them today but instead institutions teaching the skills of lace making to generally poor children from about the age of 7 and then using them as a source of cheap labour. By the age of ten they were likely to be working every day from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., were usually poorly paid and often treated badly.
Straw Plaiting Schools
Also mentioned are straw plaiting schools which were established by the beginning of the nineteenth century.
(The straw was split lenghthways and then plaited into various patterns, the finished product was then sold to the hatmakers to make straw hats)
The schools were generally conducted in a cottage by a village 'dame'. They were supposed to teach some reading and writing but very often the 'teachers were unable to read and write themselves. The conditions in these 'schools' were unbelievably squalid and they were vastly overcrowded with children, mostly girls from four to fourteen. Because straw had to be kept damp open fires were not allowed even in the depths of winter so heating was through coal or wood in earthen or metal pots called 'dicky pots' which girls put under their long skirts.
A skilled female straw plaiter could often earn more than the male farm labourer of the household so it was a skill worth learning.