VICTORIAN SCHOOLDAYS
IN OYSTERMOUTH
By Carol Powell M.A.

NEW- More: The Early Days of Newton School >by Wendy Cope

NEW- More: Newton School from 1943 > by Val Peters

More: Local Schools >

Days Before Yesterday 

VICTORIAN SCHOOLDAYS
IN OYSTERMOUTH

By Carol Powell, M.A

For my Parents Harold and Elaine Symmons
with thanks . . .
. . . long sunlit summer days spent at Lilliput . . .
and for my Children -
Elizabeth and Cathy
as well as for my Grandchildren  -
Charlotte, Tomas, Harriet, William, Mathew and Megan
and great-grandchildren Dylan, Lily, Rory and Alexander
who, in their turn,
are gathering memories of childhood
to one day, recount to their grandchildren 

I have been here before,

But when or how I cannot tell:

I know the grass beyond the door,

The sweet keen smell,

The sighing sound, the light around the door.

D. G. Rossetti, Sudden Light  

This study has concentrated largely on the records available at the Archive Offices of the City and County of Swansea, the Reference Department and Cambrian Index Offices at Swansea Library and photographs from the Oystermouth Historical Association archives. I therefore would like to thank all their Staff for their help in assisting my searches through the documents. To Moss-Vernon Portrait Studio at the Museum of Welsh Life, St. Fagans, for permitting me to publish the cover photograph; Thanks must also go to the Headmaster of Oystermouth Primary School for allowing me access to those Victorian school logbooks, which still reside on the premises.

I am grateful to Mrs. Wendy Cope for permitting me to study her research papers on the subject and for reading and commenting on the manuscript during its final stages. To Mrs. Edna Davies and my daughter, Ms. Cathryn Medwell, for taking time to read the work and put forward their suggestions; to my granddaughter, Miss Charlotte Medwell for contributing the sketches of school equipment and Victorian toys; to my daughter, Ms. Elizabeth Powell, for keeping the InAlong Publishing accounts up to date; to Mrs. Grace Thompson for her encouragement and enthusiasm throughout.

Finally, I would like to thank my Husband, John for his support and encouragement, for willingly helping me with the graphs and for helping to edit the finished product and to 'Daisy', my golden Labrador, for sitting patiently at my feet throughout the hours of typing.

I thank you all,

Carol Powell

In early 2025, my husband, John, and I announced on the Contact editors > page of this website, that we are taking a step back from researching new local history projects, but still intend to ensure that this website and our Facebook page (also entitled A History of Mumbles) are updated and available. 

Re-publishing this version of my book, printed in the year 2000, has led to several changes. These include: a new title and a larger typeface and making other minor improvements. Unfortunately, I have had to omit the footnotes and the Index in this version, but they are still included in the printed book, available from us. Nevertheless, we have included the usual Bibliography. 

Enjoy! Carol 

Victorian Oystermouth was a seaside parish in the cwmwd of Gŵyr, cantref of Eginoy and County of Glamorgan in South Wales, situated on the western edge of Swansea Bay, some five miles from Swansea. Its boundaries extended as far as the stream at Blackpill and over to Caswell, encompassing the hamlets of Blackpill, Newton, Norton, West Cross (which was established later) as well as the village of Mumbles itself. Nowadays, the three new parishes of Oystermouth, Newton and Llwynderw serve the expanding community of this same area.

It is tempting to look back through rose-tinted spectacles to an idyllic time in a small village, with cosy cottages, views of amber-coloured skiffs in the bay, and no traffic problems. But, the reality was that life for many was hard, diseases rife, food sometimes scarce, sanitation deficient and houses overcrowded. Until early Victorian times the area had survived mostly on the oyster-dredging, fishing, limestone quarrying and farming industries, but by the 1870s, these were in decline and a new industry - tourism, was gradually developing. Additionally, as Swansea expanded and transport improved, people moved out to the countryside to escape its industrial pollution, thus increasing the resident population in the village. The needs of society were changing, bringing with them the necessity for the skills of literacy and numeracy.

Today in Britain, education is perceived to be a basic human right, but early in the 19th century, circumstances for many were vastly different. Nevertheless, during the sixty-four years of Victoria's reign, national provision of education advanced rapidly and was suitably reflected in Oystermouth, where the Parish became well supplied with government-funded, annually inspected schools.

Prior to that time, however, there had been a Church School, named Oystermouth Village School, established in 1805, with the Rev. S. Davies in charge. However, by 1847, the infamous 'Blue Books' Report described it as 'a slovenly unsystematic school of the old sort.' Additionally, there was 'a neat girls' schoolroom in the kitchen of the mistress's cottage, where the fees were 1d per week'.'

In 1856, The National Society for the Promotion of the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Established Church, opened a National school in All Saints' Churchrooms, under Mr. R. M. Bennett. (Note the plaque still visible on the end of the building.) 

For example, prior to 1867, they all met in the Churchrooms, but once the new premises was opened they were divided into sections with Mrs. Julia Wolfe in charge of 105 girls and Mr. R. Gordon with 59 boys. By 1871, both departments were re-amalgamated at Southend and by 1877, separated again, with girls and infants then meeting at the ex-British School premises in Dunns Lane.

On 14 January 1878, following Forster's Education Act, the Oystermouth Board School opened its doors to boys, albeit in a temporary home in the Congregational Chapel Schoolrooms, whence it moved in August to the site at the top of Newton Road. Later in 1890 the Girls' and Infants' departments, which had hitherto had their own independent sections and head-teachers within the same building, were combined with the boys' school under one head-teacher and a separate premises for the infants was added in the late 1890s. These are the buildings which continue to serve the village youngsters to this day.

The hamlets of Newton and Blackpill also had their own local schools. Newton had one many years before 1847, when it was described as 'in decline... the numbers diminishing children would come for a month and then not again for six weeks. The elderly Master, by now often teaching the grandchildren of his former pupils, seemed hale and sharp. His wife helped by teaching the little ones, but remarked that 'when they do get a little proud they takes off to him." A later premises with accommodation for 75 scholars was established in 1860 and became 'grant-earning' in 1865. In 1859, Blackpill School opened as a National school with places for 100 children (although its logbook only dates from 1879). Today both are private residences.

Oystermouth was and is a fascinating place with an interesting and unique history and this volume will attempt to recount the experiences of its children during a period of immense change. It will explore their education, employment, discipline, poverty, illnesses, the dreaded annual inspections and the role of the School Attendance Officers, private education, the all-too-brief after-school leisure time and the happy care-free days of Sunday-school treats and occasional celebrations.

Allow me dear reader, to take you to school in our village during the Victorian era and endeavour to recreate those times through the experiences of several generations of its children.

During the nineteenth century, many country localities experienced a rural exodus, but, not so Mumbles. This tiny village with its population of 1164 in the 1830s increased its number of residents to 4427 by 1901.

Furthermore, the line between Blackpill and Oystermouth alongside the road was re-laid, enabling the service to continue onwards to the village. In 1877, on its inaugural journey, a steam train named 'Pioneer' pulled two tram-cars with eighty passengers at 8 mph to Mumbles. It soon became a regular ride and with a good deal of rivalry, horse-drawn and steam trains worked the same line for some years until the former were discontinued in 1884.

In those days, children would invariably have travelled to school on foot no cars or special buses to the door for them! On their way to the National School in the Church Rooms in the 1850s or, from 1867 its later premises near The Antelope, they might have seen Samuel Ace outside the Pilot Inn, Thomas Howells at The Ship, Mrs. Sarah Hart at the Temperance Hotel, or perhaps watched the oyster skiffs at their moorings at Horsepool.

No field for miles around but had its gate that sooner or later would require repair;
no farmer who did not need his new cow-cribs, sheep-troughs or ladders.
No house, from the vicarage to the labourer's cottage, but had at some time or
other a defect in its woodwork, for which the services of our men would be required.
                                                    Walter Rose, The Village Carpenter

They could also have passed houses which are no longer in existence, or with addresses which have subsequently been absorbed into new ones-Sheffield Place, Somerset Place, Landsdowne Place, Castleton Terrace, Toad Place, Pond's Steps and Claremont Villas. Or Duns [sic] Cottage (later to be known as the Marine Villa), the Elms (formerly on the site of today's 'dairy' car-park), Gower House or Duns Mansion [sic], (which was demolished in the 1850s and was situated on land now partially occupied by the Square) to name but a few.

Those youngsters making their way to Blackpill, which had been a tiny hamlet in 1845, may have glimpsed the wooded drives and frontages of the big houses The Grange, Danycoed, and Llwynderw House, or passed Lilliput Hall and the Brinny and Woodman Inns. Latterly, following the growth of the area due to the increasing employment of villagers at the Castle, they might have known George Hopkins in the Post Office," Mr. Morgan at the Mill, or Richard Davies, Blackpill Station Master at the LNW railway, which could be seen passing above the road near the coal depot. For those at Norton, there were several public houses, among them the Beaufort Arms, with Landlord, Henry Nicholas," and the Three Salmons. There were also three large houses Norton Villa, Norton Lodge and Norton Hall, later renamed Norton House. At West Cross was only Osborne House, the Currant Tree public house, a Post Office and the toll gate. At Newton, in 1845 an already much larger hamlet than the others, John Woolacott was the landlord at the Rock and Fountain, Sarah Long at the Ship and Castle (later a post office) and John Davies at the Ship.

A generation later, for those walking from Outalong to the Board School on Newton Road, there would have been a stiff climb up the hill, still bordered on the right by fields where, in the summer donkeys stood awaiting hire. Onwards past, Marine Villa and the premises of John Jones, the Baker on the left, and the Misses Potts' and Hannah Riddell's schools, on the right, to their school on the corner of Limekiln Lane and Newton Road.

Outsiders, many continuing to work in Swansea, came west to live in the locality, perhaps to get away from the town's copper-smoke atmosphere, transport on the train and bus facilitating easy access for commuters. Likewise, some villagers were able to work in Swansea. Numerous people moved in to open shops, for example, A. J. Chappell; the fishmonger, and George Lee's Drapery Warehouse and, by 1899 John Eley was the Proprietor of the family's Butcher shop."

Many new houses were built, such as those at Park Street, John Street, William Street and Gloucester Place and those to accommodate the 'Coastguard' families at Church Fields. Other major changes in the village also transformed its appearance: Firstly, a new road connecting Langland with Oystermouth was completed in 1856, the first lifeboat started its service in 1866, and the Oystermouth Water Works Co. Ltd., in 1882. While in place of a lot of gardens, which disfigured the foreshore, we have an attractive promenade and the Mumbles Railway was extended from Oystermouth across the outer reaches of Horsepool, to meet the new pier in 1898, thereby removing the erstwhile haven for the mooring of skiffs.

Religious buildings, most of which are still in evidence today, were completed at this time. For example, The Primitive Methodists' meeting room opened in 1850 (later to become a Christadelphian Church). Bethany Baptist Church was inaugurated at West Cross in 1855; the Bible Christian Chapel at Glen Road in 1856; the Parish Church underwent renovations in the 1860s; the Tabernacle Congregational Church opened in 1870; the second and third premises of the Methodists opened in 1860 and 1877 and the Paraclete Church at Newton was renovated in 1880.

By the 1890s, there were many shops and tearooms in the village and The Dunns, with its premises by now on both sides of the road, was a vibrant thoroughfare. The industries of oyster-dredging, fishing, boat-building and quarrying which had traditionally supported the villagers prior to this period, had declined and tourism was rapidly gathering ground, with many villagers opening their homes to visitors For example, George Curtis at Rock Villa, Philip Harris of Albion House and Agnes Davies at Southend Villas.

Nevertheless, as late as 1878, much of the surrounding area was still rural, with agriculture still supporting thirty farmers and their families, among them - John Ackland at Boarspit, Margaret Bennett at Coltshill, Charles Gammon at Newton, John Tucker, in the Mayals, and Robert Westcott at West Cross. Sheep still meandered along the narrow green cliff lanes and there were fields with such fascinating names as Higher and Lower Silly Verland, Day's Loan, Little Harry's Loan and Little Cathy's Acres. Who were little Harry and Cathy whose names have been etched forever on the 1845 tithe map?
By 1880, The Handbook to Swansea and District was describing the village as:

A higgledy, piggledy collection of poor cottages, respectable terraces, commodious villas, hotels, public houses and shops . . . and a labyrinth of small streets. 

Flowing alongside this period of immense countrywide social and economic change, a far-reaching transformation in the lives of several generations and an increasing number of children (seven hundred of school age in the Parish by the 1890s) was materializing.

The Education Act of 1862 (the Revised Code) introduced 'payments by results' as a system for monitoring attendance, checking progress and verifying expenditure of the Government grant money. This meant that teachers' salaries and the school grant would henceforth be paid according to the regularity of children's attendance and their progress. Among its clauses was one which laid down that teachers were to keep a register of attendance and a logbook or diary of the week's events - 'the briefest entry that will suffice... which may require to be referred to at a future time or may otherwise deserve to be recorded.' For a more detailed synopsis of the laws enacted by Parliament concerning the provision of education for the children of the working classes, see the Afterword, as the main theme of this book is the story of life in the school rooms of Oystermouth.

The school day would begin with the marking of the register and would be followed, in the Church schools, by Religious Instruction from the local Clergy, Minister or teachers. Lessons would then commence with children sitting in pairs at desks which, unlike today, all faced the teacher at the front of the classroom. The subjects studied were laid down in the national curriculum of the day, as set out in the Education Act - not a new idea! The children were put into 'Standards', categorised broadly by ability. Every Standard was to study set subjects to set levels and once a year the scholars were to progress to the next level.

In 1862, only readin', 'ritin' and 'rithmetic the 3Rs, together with needlework for the girls were grant-earning subjects and much time was taken up with preparing children for the annual examinations (see Chapter Seven). Later, in 1867, Grammar, History and Geography were added to the list and in 1875, these became 'class' subjects, i.e. examined in groups rather than individually. In 1890, drawing and market gardening were added for the boys and dairying and housewifery for the girls. By the end of the century there was a wide curriculum and payments by results had been abolished.

At other occasions, time permitting, non-grant-earning studies such as girls being taught to make buttonholes, knitting, singing and poetry might be included. Songs on the syllabus in 1881 were: The Robin, The Indian warrior's Grave, Come! Come!, Heart of Oak, Far Away and some patriotic ones - Hurrah for England and God Bless the Prince of Wales. In 1887, Newton children were to sing Put your weary work aside (St. I), The Violet (St. II), The Crystal Spring (St. III) and Cows and Horses (St. IV). They were also required to learn by heart, the poems: The Boy who told a Lie (St. I), I'm only a Little Sparrow (St. II), Lucy Grey (St. III), Llewelyn and his Dog (St. IV) and The Lady of the Lake (St. V). Object lessons were Cow, Sheep, Apple, Glass, Shilling, Ass, Sugar, Water, Coal and Sunday.

For the girls, there was needlework in the afternoons and at Newton the headmistresses conscientiously noted their achievements. Jane Williams and Annie Howells commenced their garments for the exam,'  'Louise Thompson completed her night-dress on Thursday; and knitting 'many mothers have asked to have their children taught stocking knitting.' Once there was tapestry when 'Mrs. Mainwaring brought canvas and wool to teach the older girls to mark. Some time later, 'Edith Mack completed her sampler.'

Sometimes there was a new subject to master, such as when the teacher at Newton, 'gave the older children a lesson on farthings.' She recorded that they were surprised, as they had never seen any because they were not used in Wales.' On another occasion, mat-plaiting was introduced for the infants. 'The girls did it nicely, but the boys were careless and clumsy.' To help the little ones, the teacher 'taught them to count with oak-apples.' 

However, not all children could keep up with the class and some of the teachers were forthright in their comments. For example, 'Flora Michael reads very badly, in St. I, William Davies and James Brown, are really very stupid boys, Robert Michael of St. II has a 'weak intellect' while in St. III, Gammon and Thomas are very dull.' At Newton, 'I cannot teach Jane Owen to write, one girl in St. I is exceedingly stupid - she cannot learn one subject.' At Blackpill, 'two boys in St. IV are backward in writing'. A new teacher at Newton, Elizabeth Hogg 'found the children so backward that she discontinued teaching geography! Some such as Minnie Lewis, C. Chipps, James Bolsden, Oliver John, William Sutton and Ernest Jones were placed on the exception list. for dullness.'

Today, these children would probably be found to be dyslexic, deaf, or short-sighted and it is hoped, helped accordingly.

As well as the brick bats, there was occasional praise. For example, 'Christopher Lloyd and William Jones of St. VII are able to work out nearly all the sums in the New Tutor, J. Ellery's Course of Arithmetic and in Newton School, 'writing nicely done.' 'Mary Gwynn, Ethel Myles and William Thompson repeated their hymns and home prayers very good [sic]. 

Some received compliments and censure - 'Jesse Rosser made a great improvement in his writing but very little in his reading and arithmetic.

Children's education was likely to have been disrupted periodically because of Staff moving on to other jobs. For example, from the time that their logbooks were introduced, Oystermouth National School had twelve Headteachers in all, four in one year alone, although William Linnard was Master twice. Newton had five; Blackpill, six, including Mr. Linnard; Oystermouth Board School Infants' department, five, the Girls' Department, five, whereas Mr. Bessant remained at the Boys' Department from 1878 until his death in 1914. They were usually assisted by Pupil Teachers, among whom were Matilda Richards, Edith Bailey and Selina Beynon and Monitors, some of whom were Louisa Pressdee, Mr. A. C. Phipps and Maria Parry.' However, there were occasions when, 'The Mistress who has been in charge for ten months, has had to teach five standards and two Classes of infants without any paid helpers.'

Under these conditions Teaching was (and is) a demanding career. However, their role was made a little easier by the time, interest, support and practical help given by some of the Ladies of the locality. The assistance offered varied from the practical to the charitable. For example, in Oystermouth National school, The Misses Grumbly assisted occasionally with the girls needlework lessons or reading. At Newton, the Misses Emma and Harriet Strick, of Brynfield, took the 1st and 2nd classes for reading and, at another time, heard the catechism. On 14 August 1865, the Misses Amy Strick and Phillips listened to the children singing while on 18 September, Mrs Welby examined their writing. On 7 January 1870, in the needlework lesson, '21 chemises were finished for Mrs. Eliza Crawshay,' (Llan-y-llan) and 'Mrs Mainwaring, (Newton Villa) took the knitting lesson on Thursday afternoon', although Elizabeth Hocking was unable to participate as 'she had boils on her hands.'

Some ladies helped by providing materials. For example, 'Miss Young brought wool and left £1 to buy needles to learn [sic] the girls knitting and calico for them to sew which would afterwards be given to the poorer scholars. Miss Strick gave material for the girls to make aprons to sell at the school bazaar and on another occasion, 30 thimbles.'

On a more practical level, Miss Havergal gave the boys and infants dinner in school and a bun and apple each and Mrs Mainwaring thoughtfully sent a basket of apples to distribute among the children. On 1 November 1878, 'Miss Havergal brought a patent mineral by which the children at Newton warmed their hands' and during the cold winter. of 1895,' '1/2d dinners were given to all children who cared to stay. These comprised cocoa and cake or soup and bread, and were continued for the duration of the cold weather. They were paid for by voluntary subscriptions.'

Commercial enterprises often supported the education process with gifts for use in the classroom. For example, 'specimens of cocoa from J. S. Fry & Son and a map from the Union Steamship Co., or 'a parcel of toys from Sunlight soap makers to be given as prizes in a writing competition.'

We can see that schooltime in the 19th century was a rather different experience in very many aspects to that of today, although similar in some respects in that learning targets, annual inspection and tight financial resources continue to worry many teachers.

Boys above Standard III must pay 3d per week.
Oystermouth National School logbook, January 1869

There were three main sources of income for the Voluntary schools Government grants, occasional fund-raising events, the children's pennies and in addition, for the Board School, the local rates.

The Annual Inspection from Her Majesty's Inspectors was an ordeal for both pupils and teachers as on the performance that day, rested the year's grant (see Chapter Seven). From 1862, the Revised code stipulated that henceforth, the amount of grant would depend on the individual child's performance in the annual examinations in the 3Rs and on his or her school attendance. As a consequence, it was in the teachers' financial interest to get children to attend as many times as possible.

Sometimes the teachers, although doing their utmost, could lose out on income for their school through no fault of their own. For example, at Mumbles in 1867, HMI Binns 'could not allow a grant on account of the lighthouse children who had attended less than 200 times in the year, which could have been accomplished in 20 weeks of 5 days each. He could not agree that the weather had made it impossible for them to attend to that degree.

Others lost money because of their own inefficiencies, such as when HMI Binns found that Mrs. Wiseman had not marked the class registers, since the 2nd week in July last. All attendances made by the scholars from then to the present time are consequently lost to the school."

Some lost money because of poor examination results, for example at Newton, 'the grant was reduced by both as the children had passed so bad an exam in arithmetic.

School finances were augmented with fund-raising events such as when a concert was held by the Oystermouth Glee Class in the British School in aid of the school funds. The National Schools held 'a bazaar on Langland lawn and 'at the Old Castle.' On one occasion, their bazaar held in July 1891 raised £136.2.11d - a great deal of money! The children themselves were involved in the efforts 'two boys raised 30/-for footballs for the school recreation club" and the girls at Newton School 'made garments in the needlework class to be sold towards school funds.'¹º A concert put on by the children, culminating with a magic lantern, raised £1.10s for the school prize fund." This enabled 41 prizes to be presented later that year.

All schools, both Board and Voluntary, charged fees which went towards the upkeep of the premises, the teachers' wages and school equip-ment. From the ordinary families' standpoint, especially those with several school-age children, the payment of 'school pence' often proved difficult, especially in times of hardship, such as when the oyster industry was in decline. Poverty and distress increased to such a degree that a soup kitchen and a Skiff District Relief Fund were set up." As Mr. Griffiths wrote 'many of the boys have not paid fees since I've been here. Hard Times is the plea. Parents seem too poor to spare even a copper now and then for the proper education of their children." Mrs. Michael said she could not afford the fees. At Mumbles, only 10/40 boys brought their fees, several owing 3 or 4 weeks from the previous quarter." One HMI, possibly without a grasp of the reasons for non-payment, suggested a system of prepayment of fees to encourage parents to pay:

However, there were occasions when the parent had given the fees, but they had not arrived at the school 'punished Thomas Llewelyn for spending his school money.' 'Willie Mack's mother said she had given him his fees and had not kept him home.'

Some teachers tried introducing incentives, such as, 'Master promised to issue tickets weekly for punctual as well as regular attendance." The following year, 'Mr. Welby distributed 32 books to those who, in six months, had made 200 attendances. At Newton, the teacher 'presented slates to infants for regular attendance" and "Lilly Mack received a nice box and Thomas Owen, some paints for being the most regular attenders. The local Ladies encouraged them with prizes - 'Mrs. Main-waring presented Henry Gwynn and Winifred Howells with a book for good attendance. On another occasion she 'promised a prize to each child who would learn the first chapter of Genesis and repeat the same creditably at Easter. 

Nevertheless, parents would sometimes punish a teacher by sending their children to another school, thus losing that establishment a little of its grant plus the children's pence - 'Mrs. Rosser informs me that her six children are leaving because the oldest boy was punished this morning for extreme carelessness. They will attend the Board School.

However, occasionally a week of good attendance and payment of fees was noted - 'school pence 9/- this week. Good attendance' or 'pence 13/2d, highest for four years. 

Schools, in their quest for financial boosts, vied with each other for the children's attendance and in the case of Oystermouth Board School v the National School, the details became public knowledge, the ongoing argument sharply debated in the press:

School fees constituted a problem for many years, especially for many people with large families, for how could they afford even 2d a week each for perhaps six children to attend school, if the bread-winner might only have earned about 8/-? The Times supported the abolition of fees, commenting that, "The great majority of the public. . . are clearly of the opinion that the enforcement of education upon the poor, at their own expense, is a grievance from which they might reasonably seek relief.'

But it was only in 1891 that free education became law - 'a red-letter day in the history of elementary education'.

That sour tree of knowledge now a birch.
Thomas Hood, The Irish Schoolmaster, St.12.

Of course, even kindly teachers had to keep some sort of order in the classroom, but some appeared to have been extremely stern disciplinarians. Mr. Appleby, one of the latter, who became Master at Oystermouth National School in 1884, was in charge of a lot of troublesome boys who needed caning. Oscar Rowe, John Childs, J. Brace, Charles Howell, Fred Jenkins, William Parker, William Thomas and Thomas Willians 'are the worst.' However, Mr. Wormiston who succeeded Mr. Appleby, 'found the boys not so ill behaved as reports made me believe. Other instances of misbehaviour requiring punishment included 'punishing a boy for gross indecency,' 'expelling a boy for disgraceful conduct and William Gammon was punished for 'being wayward with the girls' - shades of 'Georgy-peorgy' perhaps? Two William Gammons had started school on the same day 18 March 1870, consequently we will never know which of these was punished.

Some, such as William Mack were punished for playing truant, although this seems to have been ineffectual as again on 6 August 1868, 'punished William Mack for playing truant by keeping him in at lunchtime, but he made his escape before 2.00 p.m. and was absent all afternoon. Twenty-one years later, another Willie Mack, perhaps his son or nephew, 'was absent four times in the past week. The School Attendance Officer called on his mother who said she had not kept him home.' At the Board School, the teacher noted that 'Henry Beynon and Herbert Andrews were guilty of disobedient conduct,' but, on returning to school, 'each expressed his sorrow for his disobedience and promised better behaviour.’ At Newton school, Willie Jones 'was kept in two days as punishment for his disobedience;' 'William Owen has been most rude and disobedient. He is always a very troublesome boy and takes no interest in his work; and 'several of the bigger boys have been punished for playing football in the yard after school has been dismissed. They climb over the wall every Friday, while at the Oystermouth National school, 'William Thomas wanted to fight Theodore Davies.' 

Some children were just to us perhaps, amusingly naughty - 'T. J. Ace called the Attendance Officer names,' and 'Miss Ogborne complained of someone throwing crackers into her room.' But can you imagine the scene when William Austin and Thomas Williams 'introduced small crabs into the school and let them run about the floor.' By now, Mr. Appleby appears to have reached the end of his tether as he left shortly after!

I found a thin attendance. There had been a wreck
. . . all the bigger boys were gone to look at it.
HMI Report for the Church School,
Mumbles, 1847, p. 364.

Although teachers were keen to get as many children to attend as possible, several reasons emerge for absences, over which they could have had no control - children's poor health, helping out in the community when needed, migration of families seeking work elsewhere and the effect of the weather.

Overcrowded homes, a non-existent sewage system, a growing poverty among the oyster families, resulting in a poorer diet, comprised a recipe for the spread of disease and an inevitably increased child mortality rate. In the event of even a comparatively serious illness, parents were loath to call in the doctors, as many could not afford the subsequent bill. Accordingly, traditional herbal and folk remedies were called upon for such ailments as earache, when a small heated shallot would be placed in the ear and covered with flannel, a linseed poultice could be applied for pneumonia or goose grease for a cold on the chest.

Nettle out, dock in
Dock remove the nettle sting
Country lore

For those who could afford them, proprietary medicines such as Alkaline Compound of Sarsaparilla or Friend in Need ointment could be obtained in the shops and the Methodist Times, advertised what must be the most incredible cure of all - 'the patent self-adjusting curative and electric belt' for debility, painful dreams and indigestion!

However, medical progress after 1870 was rapid, as the bacteria responsible for diseases such as cholera, tuberculosis, diphtheria, typhoid and plague began to be identified. The application of these scientific discoveries to the saving of life involved various different processes.

Other infectious diseases such as diphtheria were not water-borne, therefore isolation was vital and indeed, the only recourse in the years prior to immunization. The school logbooks continually and graphically illustrate the effects of constant outbreaks of illness on attendance. In Oystermouth National School in 1869, 'the fever is very bad about the village. Some children has [sic] it, others away because they are afraid of catching it.

By October 'three or four dead in the village.' In August 1870, the Teacher at Newton School reported 'small pox in the village" and that children were still returning to school in the September. The measles outbreak at Blackpill was noted thus:

At the Oystermouth Board School in January 1892, there were 'only 135 out of 220 children in school because of measles and other infectious diseases. Other ailments recorded were 'scarlet fever,' 'mumps,' 'typhoid at Blackpill' and at Newton, 'several children at home with severe colds who are slowly bettering.' [sic]

The plight of individual children was noted, for example at Mumbles, 'Willie Johnson's eyes are very bad;’ 'Jane Lewis very ill with inflammation of the lungs;' 'William Williams died of diphtheria.' 

At Blackpill 'One boy's head was in such a condition that the Master sent him home to undergo a thorough cleaning operation.' At Newton 'Dora and Alice Parry, Maggie Williams, Rosa Higgs, George and Annie Hixson had the whooping cough.' ‘Nelly and Willie Elliott returned to school in Black-pill on Monday after being absent six weeks.' William was destined to be one of the twelve young Blackpill men - 112 throughout the Parish, to die on the battlefields of the Great War.

Sometimes there was an unexpected holiday for the children, such as that at Blackpill when, 'the school closed for a week because of teacher's illness. Another had typhoid.

Often the school buildings themselves were not conducive to good health. One instance was at Mumbles, where in a fairly new premises, 'the schoolroom very wet as the roof is in a bad condition caused by the boys throwing stones from the hill above.22 As late as 1881, the census continued to record cases of overcrowding in many cottages. How did these and many other families cope? For example, John and Ann Childs lived at 7, Dick Slade [sic] in 'one bedroom and a slope with their eleven children ranging from David at 18 years of age, down to the baby, Sarah, aged five months. William and Jane Pressdee and their six children lived at John Street. In Clyne Lodge at Blackpill, David and Sarah Edwards brought up their seven children." At Park Villa, admittedly much larger with its eleven rooms, there were two John Tuckers, both aged 48, and their respective families. One had two children and the other, twelve, one of whom was Albina Tucker, aged 11, later Monitress at to be a Oystermouth Board School.'

Nevertheless, the Medical Officer, Dr. Jumeaux, in his report to the Local Board in 1880, said:

It is evident that the farming calendar was responsible for many absences. For example, children were away 'ploughing,' 'picking seaweed,' 'potatoe [sic] planting,' 'potato hoeing and weeding,' and on through the year until 'assisting in hay-gathering,' 'wheat harvest,' 'potato gathering" and 'blackberrying.' 

At Newton, the tourist trade made a dent in attendance as 'girls and boys away driving donkeys,' the season lasting from Easter until the autumn. In 1896, the parents of Richard Higgs, William Beynon and David Hixson were summonsed because the boys had been absent nearly every fine day during that summer.' 

At Mumbles, the oyster and fishing trades claimed the time of many youngsters 'boys gone out oyster catching,' 'bigger children loading a French vessel with oysters' and 'several absent selling fish.'

Other children's occupations were not seasonal Mildred Owen's mother asked permission for her to leave school at 4.00 p.m. every day 'to take out the milk' 'several boys absent as pigeon shooting taking place,' 'the boys have gone beating,' or 'one girl kept home because her mother was ill.'

'They were always prompt with their fees and making good progress in lessons' and 'Amelia Walford is now attending a private school at the Mumbles.' The teacher seemed delighted to report 'that she was readmitted on July 1892 and was not so forward as when she left.'

Rain, rain, go away, come back another day

Before the days of waterproof clothing and Wellington boots, children were sure to get soaked walking to school on a rainy day. Consequently the weather played a significant part in many absences - 'Gale blowing with snow, therefore only ten present, so dismissed school for the day;' or 'weather very wet preventing a few children from a great distance to attend [sic].' However, at Oystermouth Board School, 'weather very cold but full school,' this perhaps, to save the parents having to light a fire at home? Conversely, fine weather was also an excuse for some absences - 'children are required after the rain to dig up the late potatoes’ and 'delightful weather, therefore some kept at home to assist parents.’

Nevertheless, despite working, school discipline, cramming for the annual examinations, cold schoolrooms and stern teachers, these were the lucky ones. A study of the school logbooks and parish records reveals many funerals for school-age children when despite the assurances of Dr. Jumeaux, poverty, poor health, dubious drinking water, accidents and childhood diseases took their toll. These statistics of course, exclude those children whose funeral services were held in places of worship other than the Parish Church, but it is probable that there was a similar pattern.

The peak of school-age mortality coincided with the sudden decline in the oyster industry

Between 1861 and 1871, there was a tremendous rise in population, necessitating many having to live in greater proximity. Public Health measures were yet to be implemented or legally enforced, infectious diseases abounded, which coinciding with the oyster industry's decline and consequent resultant poverty, were perhaps some causes of the steep increase in childhood mortality, which is illustrated on the graph during that period.

Children were consequently introduced to death at a very early age, when brothers, sisters and erstwhile school friends succumbed fatally to illness. For example, 'Little Willie Owen died,' as did David Stephens and Mary Ann Parry. Margaret Howells died of smallpox.

Several families lost more than one child, for example, William Howell, 9, and his sister, Elizabeth, 10, died within a fortnight of each other in 1876 and Thomas, 10 and Elizabeth Hixon, 9, died in May and November of 1896. In April 1863, the Watkins family at Clyne Farm lost four siblings aged five, eight, eleven and eighteen together with their grand-father, aged sixty-nine, within two weeks."

Sometimes an accident rather than disease was the cause of the tragedy 'Children attending John Hixson's funeral, he having drowned.'

Thus, there were numerous reasons for absences, although there was one, prevalent in many areas but conspicuous by its absence in the logbooks of the Parish of Oystermouth, namely that 'little Johnnie/Mary could not attend school because he/she had no shoes. 

Boys driven in through the energy of the Children's Officer
Oystermouth Board School logbook, 20 December 1878

In 1870, the Forster Education Act empowered School Boards to enforce attendance in their schools, which would 'fill the gaps on the map', where the Church was not already involved. Each child was to be provided with an elementary school place and, in areas where the existing voluntary schools were unable to meet this need, local ratepayers were to form an elected School Board, financed partly out of the rates. However, in rural areas generally, relatively few School Boards were established, Oystermouth being one of the exceptions.

In some parishes, Boards were resisted on the grounds of expense, as people objected to the increase in the rates, which would have to support a Board's school provisions and pay the cost of triennial elections of its Members. 

From 1870, School Attendance Officers (still known in the 1950s as Board Men) over 21 years of age were appointed. Their duties were to attend all meetings of the Committee, to make inquiries into cases of employment of children, and as to their nonattendance at school. They were to record their proceedings and the result of their inquiries in a book, provided for them, and to disclose the contents to the Committee at each meeting.' However, Attendance officers, many of whom were also Poor Law Relieving Officers or local shopkeepers, were usually part-time and poorly paid, for example, Mr. Morris was a butcher. Mr. Sanders and Mr. Phillips, also had other jobs. Consequently, the quality of recruits could be inadequate, for what was such an unpopular, yet demanding job, in a locality where everyone knew everyone else. If they were busy with their businesses, they could not perhaps give the time necessary for their duties as Officers. For example, in April 1880, Mary Mattey, the Mistress at Blackpill recorded that 'School Attendance Officer has not visited since January.' In 1881, the succeeding Master, Mr. John Jones, wrote in exasperation that, 'Attendance is worse than ever, no Officer seems to look after the children.' Even by 1899, the annual Reports of the Committee of Council on Education, continued to plead that School Attendance Officers would never be of much use in securing regular school attendance, until they were paid an adequate enough salary to enable them to be impartial in their judgments.

If children were regularly found not attending school or parents were not paying the fees, and persuasion had not worked, the Board could prosecute and parents summonsed and fined. For example, the parents of Llewelyn Jones, William Thomas, St. V, Fred Hoppe, St. V, William Michael, St. IV, Polly Trevor, William Parry, William Dunkerley. Rosa and Mabel Higgs were summonsed. In May 1889, eleven people appeared before the Bench for not sending their children to school. A month later, David Baglow of Norton, and Mira Michael and Edith Lewis of Village Lane were summonsed 'for neglecting to send their children to school.' Mrs. Michael told the magistrates that she could not afford the fees and her daughter was continually sent home. The Bench advised her to make arrangements with the Attendance Officer about the fees. 

Consequently, the Attendance Officer's was not a popular job and many children were often frightened of coming across him out in the locality if they were not at school for some reason.

In order to become eligible for a Government Grant, schools had to agree to annual inspections. Those at Oystermouth appear to have grasped this opportunity reasonably quickly as the earliest is recorded as around 1835, when the British School received a grant. From 1862, with the introduction of the Revised Code and its aims of monitoring expenditure and progress, the entire school year became geared to cramming the youngsters to the required level for each Standard, rather than stretching each child to his or her full potential. The only grant-earning subjects, initially were the 3Rs, singing and needlework.

In the early days, different Inspectors had scrutinised different denominations of schools within the same area. However, this practice came to be seen as inefficient and from 1862, the same group of Inspectors checked all grant-aided schools in any given locality. If successful, the money was then paid to the school managers who would allocate the teacher's wages and expenditure for equipment. Building and maintenance grants were also assessed but separately allotted.

The Inspector visited the premises on a pre-arranged day to report on the state of the building, the quality and supply of equipment, calibre of Religious Instruction and teachers' and pupils' performance in the required subjects. This of course, included needlework of which they, being men could have had scant knowledge. For example, 'the proper holding of the needle is not well taught.' Following criticism of this aspect, 'duly qualified women were chosen where there was likely to be sufficient work for them.'

The stress placed on teachers was inevitably transferred to the scholars in the few weeks before the exams just as the HMI's overbearing attitude would be clearly communicated to both teachers and pupils on the day - 'Some that are for examinations attend very irregularly. Only four this week,' and, in a note of desperation, 'I cannot get the parents to send their children regular [sic]. I am continually sending after them.' 

Anxiously it was recorded that, 'Richard Muxworthy, who is to be presented for examination has been unable to attend school this week on account of illness. 'Richard lived with his parents and six brothers and sisters at Grange Cottage, a little two-bedroomed dwelling with a large rambling garden, near the sea between Lilliput and West Cross. Alas, it was demolished in the late 1950s and nothing of its existence remains save for an apple tree and imprints on the bough of an oak, from a swing where children once played.

Children were tested individually according to their Standard. For example, children in St. I, were expected to be capable of reading narra- tive in monosyllables; writing capital and small letters on a blackboard or slate from dictation and write or name on sight, figures up to 20; add or subtract figures up to 10, orally from examples on the blackboard. The requirements would progress in stages up to St. VI, where the pupils would be asked to read an ordinary paragraph in a newspaper or 'modern narrative'; write a short paragraph dictated once from a newspaper or narrative and work out a sum 'in practice or bill of parcels." The range of grant-earning subjects was also gradually increased (see Chapter Two) and in 1882, St. VII was introduced, however, most had left by that time as the necessity to work called them.

The comments, which were included in the annual Reports of the Committee of Council on Education, and copied into the logbooks, were frank, precise, extremely detailed, often scathing, but sometimes complimentary. For example, 'The reading and arithmetic are particularly backward;' or 'handwriting needs careful attention and the spelling is weak;' and 'Grammar was a total failure. The pupils did not shew [sic] the slightest evidence of having been prepared.' However, one year following several changes of teacher and of premises, the Inspector sympathetically remarked that 'The instruction is of quite a rudimentary character at present, but there is every reason to hope that it will improve.' 

On another occasion, referring to Blackpill, 'This little school has passed a highly satisfactory examination.'

The teachers sometimes came in for their share of criticism 'there was a little harshness in the Teachers' manner towards the children.

Dislike of the Inspection was not evident in the early days when the grant could sometimes match the amount raised locally by the Voluntary school. When the much more rigid style was introduced from 1862, imposing efficient spending and curbing the rise in the Grant, the Inspection became much more disliked. The grants were to be calculated as 12/- per child per year - 4/- depending on its regular attendance and 8/- on its performance in the exams. Failure in any one of the grant-earning subjects would mean the loss of 2/8d from the child's grant. (Infants elicited 10/6d following an Inspection without individual examination, provided that they attended regularly and 'were instructed suitably for their age. However, even their reports were detailed - 'The relative heights of the letters have not been properly taught in writing.'

Not all Inspectors were the villains of the piece however, as many were conscious of a dilemma. Should they refuse a grant, which might per-haps cause the closure of the school or recommend a grant for work, which was patently inferior to the standard required? Perhaps that was the reason behind the phrase recorded in one logbook 'The grant recommended with doubt.'

Evidently there were sighs of relief all round once that morning came to an end and when the Inspector had left, a half-holiday was enjoyed by all.

As well as the annual Government Inspection, the Voluntary schools (Oystermouth, Newton and Blackpill Nationals and the British School in Dunns Lane) held their own denominational ones. These however, seem to have been less fraught for all concerned, because these men per-haps, came seeking to bolster their particular denominational establishments rather than criticise them, in order to attract prospective pupils. For example, 'The instruction has been given with care and intelligence and the proficiency of the scholars reflects much credit upon the Master.  In contrast, the Board School children endured weekly inspections by members of the Board, perhaps, as they were accountable to the local ratepayers? They tested them in grammar, arithmetic, dictation, spelling, geography and copy-writing. The logbook notes are detailed in the performance of each class, although individual pupils are rarely mentioned.

Victorian children were evidently well used to examinations.

A superior school for the daughters of parents of the wealthier class.
Hannah Riddell's school.

Not all children, however, attended the state, grant aided schools. Some of the growing number of wealthier families in the parish opted for private education for their children. Over time, many small exclusive establishments sprang up and closed. These, of course, charged higher fees for attendance.

Among these were: Mrs. Barree's Academy

Mrs. Bush's Ladies' Seminary at Church Park

Alice Champion's Girls' School, Norton¹

Miss Chapman's Boarding School at Myrtle Lodge, Norton

The Rev. Griffith's School at 'Glyncerrig

The Misses Mary and Ann Habbakaks' private school at Haroldsmoor

Mr. Ivey's Commercial Boarding School at Zion House

Miss Thomas's school at Harold Place, Mumbles Road'

Mr. Charles Williams's School for Young Gentlemen, Norton Lodge Trevartha, a School for Young Ladies, on Overland Road"In 1886-7, the Misses Ann Amelia and Lucy Potts opened a school at 12, Castleton House, moving later moved to Brynheulog on Overland Road. Some of their scholars - Adelaide, Christianus, Victoria and Hugh Taylor, Rose and Gussie Nettell, Ronald Cavill, Reginald Byrde, Gertrude Roskell and Reginald Lane won Certificates from the Tonic Solfa College of London.

Mr. John Robert Dawe Colston took over in 1859, by which time, 'Young Gentlemen were Liberally Boarded, Parentally Treated and Expeditiously Qualified for the Learned Professions, the Counting Houses of the Merchants and prepared for the University Examinations. 

Later known as Thistleboon House, it was in the charge of R. C. Christian, who offered 'Careful moral, religious training and the inculcation of gentlemanly habits and manners. By 1881, Morgan Newman" had taken over, followed, in 1890, by the Rev. William Moody and by the Rev. F. E. Scott in 1893. In 1894, Rev. Scott moved the school to a more modern building in Langland, which he renamed St. Catherine's College and Thistleboon House was to remain empty for several years until taken over as an orphanage.

These were just some of the many small private establishments which opened and closed during the sixty years of the Victorian era, of which only a few survived for any length of time.

Why was West Cross?
Because Lilliput the Blackpill into the Oyster's mouth.
Anon

When school was out and no jobs were waiting to be done, the children would eagerly make the most of their leisure time. Inkypinky and duck-stone were two games popular with the boys. There were also stones to throw, trees to climb, birds' nests to rob (considered largely acceptable then) marbles, hoop and ball (if they could afford them) tag, leap-frog and pig-in-the-middle. For the girls, there were hopscotch, line games, such as the big ship sails through the alley-alley oh, or circle games, such as, the farmer's in his den or ring a ring o' roses. Also, perhaps using a length of their mothers' old washing line - skipping, with its many traditional rhymes, such as:

two, four, six, eight,
Mary at the cottage gate,
two, four, six, eight,
Eating cherries off a plate.

Of course, this was when they were not required at home to 'mind the baby' or help with the chores. The following rhyme from a school reading book, published in 1871, reinforced the idea of domesticity as their future.

Elder sisters, you may work,
Work and help your mothers,
Darn the stockings, mend the shirts,
father's things and brother's.'

Some liked to take part in concerts such as the event held in the National School, in which Gertrude Meredith played 'Fairy Content;' Ethel Lloyd, 'Fairy Goodwill;' Gertie John, 'Fairy Fun;' with Willie Mack as a news-boy and Rose Cottle as a serving maid.

Until comparatively recently, there were no holidays for the lower classes. Accordingly, the children looked forward to and delighted in the multitude of holy-days, festivals and little treats which came their way. Harvest holidays did not become mandatory until late in the century and several schools did not close even for short periods, when many children were absent helping in the fields. In time, they closed for perhaps a fortnight or sometimes a month. The school logbooks are peppered with references to children's absences for 'social' reasons, as any unusual event tended to colour their existence and school life continued to be, for many, of secondary importance to the goings-on in the locality.

The Church and Chapels were sources of enjoyment in the com-munity. For example, in the 1850s and 60s, Bethany Baptist Church at West Cross, held open-air tea parties and meetings attended by hundreds of people and on Sundays, farmers and their families, some on horse-back, some in horse-drawn carts, gathered there for services as did many on foot. Holy-days were one reason for time away 'Half holiday as the children wanted to go flower picking prior to Palm Sunday.

By 1900, there were five Sunday-schools, three Bands of Hope and a Girls' Friendly Society in the Parish. A Church Club for boys was open every night and there were cricket and football clubs and a gym. The Methodist Church proposed that its schoolroom should be used as a boys' reading room on Friday evenings on condition that nothing fostering gambling be permitted.

The children of the Church Schools at Blackpill and Newton appear to have benefited from the generosity and hospitality of the people of the 'big houses'. For example, Mr. Vivian of Clyne Castle, Mrs. Martin of Fernhill and Mrs. Fry of Llwynderw entertained the youngsters of Blackpill to tea periodically. At Newton, Mrs. Eliza Crawshay hosted the children with an afternoon at Langland 'where they thoroughly enjoyed themselves and Mrs. Mainwaring invited 'twenty of the most attentive girls to take tea at her home.' In January 1886, 'Captain Holme and his family invited all the village children to tea in the school-room, where the ladies had decorated a Christmas tree, which was heavily laden with presents. About 120 attended and each received a gift, the little ones also receiving an orange and a packet of sweets.' On another occasion there was a treat at Caswel [sic] with racing, jumping etc. Got back at 9.00 p.m. The Oddfellows' and Forresters' Societies held walks, so 'only a few present at school' and 'The children were let out at 3.20 there being a yacht race in the bay.'

Many places held fairs and Oystermouth was no exception with its annual Oyster fair on 1 September. There was donkey racing and sack racing. In the sea there were diving and swimming contests, punt races and climbing a greasy pole. There would be sideshows and locals would sell their wares on the shoreline. Later a regatta was held on this date and perhaps, replaced the fair. In June 1880, the Cambrian reported a display of aquatic sports with races, a duck hunt and a 'girls' Boat Race', which was won by Ellen Weborn [sic] with Mary Jenkins coming in second. In the evening Sir William Clayton distributed a pound's worth of pennies to the children gathered beneath the window of the Mermaid Hotel."

The annual ploughing competitions were much anticipated by the boys and many took time off to attend. These were held at different locations around Gower and in 1900, it was the turn of Richard Woolacott to host the festivities on his farm at Thistleboon. That year, the "boys" class competition was won by W. Davies, aged 14, 'whose ploughing skill was much admired for one so young. At Blackpill, the children must have enjoyed an event, which, unbeknown to them, was history in the making, namely watching local men pull down the turnpike gate in the hamlet, following the abolition of tolls.

If they were lucky enough, the children might be able to buy Little Folks, a Magazine for youngsters, which cost 6d per month.

Sometimes, events outside the locality were cause for celebration, as was the case at the peace celebrations following the Crimean War when the schools closed for the day. On 10 March 1863, when Edward, Prince of Wales married Princess Alexandra of Denmark, the occasion was marked by the laying of a foundation stone for a communal drinking fountain which would 'confer a great and permanent benefit' on the area. This remains to this day, in situ near the bottom of Western Lane. All the houses and boats in the bay were decked out with flags and bunting and the 700 children of the parish were treated to tea at the British and National schools and were later entertained with games and races on the open fields below the Castle. Thirty years later, the marriage of Prince George to Princess Mary of Teck was similarly celebrated and the beautiful summer's day culminated in a spectacular fireworks display. In October 1881, during the visit to the area of Prince Alfred, the Duke of Edinburgh, Mr. Dixon, a local Gentleman, kindly gave the Sunday-school children a treat by taking them on an excursion free of charge and allowing them to see the Royal procession returning to Singleton.

The year was also punctuated by customs and ceremonies from wassailing on the 12th day of Christmas, St. David's Day, Palm Sunday,

May Day and Whitsun, the Oyster fair through to the harvest and The Horse's Head at Christmas, which all added flavour and excitement to the children's lives.

Nevertheless, the highlight of all the holidays must have been the two Jubilee celebrations for the 50th and 60th anniversaries of Queen Victoria's accession. The village celebrated the first by a grand improvement scheme, under the direction of James Dickson, of a foreshore promenade and a new road cut through the hill to Bracelet Bay. The children enjoyed a jubilee tea. Ten years later, the diamond jubilee was marked by the Oystermouth Urban District Council setting aside £45 for 'giving a tea and distributing Jubilee medals, brooches or suspenders, to all those under 14 years of age.' After tea in their various schools, the children met near the Castleton schools, formed a procession and marched, accompanied by the Mumbles Brass Band to Mr. Collins's field, loaned for the purpose of 'recreation,' where they enjoyed the afternoon with games. Additionally, all those 73 villagers in receipt of parish relief, received 2/-.

By 1900, with patriotism almost at its height, the schools celebrated the Boer War achievements with relish. For example, Blackpill children had a full day-off to celebrate the relief of Ladysmith and in May, 'a holiday was granted for the relief of Mafeking, for rejoicing.' In a little comical twist, however, 'the news of the relief of Mafeking not being officially confirmed until later on Friday night, at the request of several parents, another holiday was given today.' 

Thus, there were many events and pastimes in which the children were able to take part with great enjoyment and which they would surely savour and remember for many a year.

The laws made in Parliament laid down the requirements of Government as far as the curriculum, school fees and discipline, but the practical difficulties experienced by the ordinary working family were virtually ignored by officialdom. This story has therefore set out to reveal a little of the nature of childhood in our village in those Days before Yesterday, although as Thomas Hardy once said 'The more written, the more seems to remain to be written.'

As we have seen, the locality had undergone radical changes during the sixty years of the Victorian era. The population of the parish had increased considerably, some working in Swansea, some in the local area. Jobs had changed from being predominantly oyster-dredging or quarrying to shop-keeping and tourism with its attendant occupations. Public Health measures had been implemented making for a healthier locality and major new housing had been constructed.

So too the lives of the youngsters had changed. Now, their education was compulsory and many more were encouraged to attend regularly, although as yet, not all. Following the Welsh Intermediate Education Act of 1889, a few children were considered suitable to 'try the scholar-ship.' If successful and their parents willing and able to keep them in school, they could continue their education at the Municipal Secondary Schools of Swansea and Gowerton.

For the rest, well, they remained at school until the age of ten or twelve, when with a basic elementary education under their belts and a 'labour' certificate in their hands, they left school to find work. Consequently, many a latent talent, either academic or artistic, possibly lay undiscovered or unrecognised, as family finances could not stretch to foster it. For some boys their destiny might, if they were lucky, be an apprenticeship into a 'trade' and for the girls, perhaps a job 'in service.' for a few years before marriage.

PRIMARY SOURCES

(a) SCHOOL LOGBOOKS
Blackpill National School, 1879-1901.
Newton National School, 1865-1901.
Oystermouth National School, 1865-1901.
Oystermouth Board School, 1878-1901.

(b) NEWSPAPERS AND JOURNALS
All Saints' Church Parish Magazine.
The Cambrian News.
The Carmarthen Journal.
The School Guardian.
The Mumbles Chronicle and Gower Advertiser.
The Methodist Times.

(c) LOCAL RECORDS
Minutes of the Oystermouth Local Board Meetings.
Minutes of the Management Committee of the National Schools.
Parish Records.

(d) STREET DIRECTORIES
Butcher's Directory, 1875.
Kelly's Directory, 1891.
Mathews' Directory, 1830.
Pearce's Directory, 1854.
Worrall's Directory, 1875.

(e) CENSUS RECORDS 1801-1901

(f) PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS.
Reports of the Committee of Council on Education, 1847 and 1876-7.
Returns for England and Wales of the number of children attending school known to be working for wages PP 1899, vol. LXXV.
HC 1895 xliii.

SECONDARY SOURCES

Boyd, J., Hannah Riddell: An Englishwoman in Japan (Japan, 1996).
Gabb, G., The Story of the Village of Mumbles (Cowbridge, 1986).
Goldstrom, J. M., Education: Elementary Education, 1780-1900 (London, 1972).
Horn, P., Education in Rural England, 1800-1914 (Dublin, 1978).
Horn, P., Labouring Life in the Victorian Countryside (Dublin, 1976).
Horn, P., The Victorian Country Child (Stroud, 1997)
Hurt, J. S., Elementary Schooling and the Working Classes, 1860-1918 (Thetford, 1979).
Maclure, S., Educational Documents: England and Wales, 1816 to the Present Day (London, 1973).
Palgrave, F. T., The Golden Treasury (London, 1954).
Richards, D. and Hunt, J. W., An Illustrated History of Modern Britain, 1783-1980 (Harlow, 1989).
Roberts K., Feet in Chains (Cardiff, 1977).
Souden, D., The Victorian Village (London, 1995).
Sturt, M., The Education of the People (London, 1970).
Sutherland, G., Policy Making in Elementary Education, 1870-1895 (Oxford, 1973).
Thomas, N., The Mumbles: Past and Present (Llandysul, 1978).
Wardle, D., English Popular Education, 1780-1975 (Cambridge, 1977).

ARTICLES

Cope, W., "Thistleboon House School,' Gower, XLVI.
Cummings, R., 'The logbooks of a Rhondda School', Glamorgan Historian XI, 1975.
Hart, R., 'The Crawshays of Langland' Gower, XLV.
Jones, G. E., 'Pembrokeshire Education' in D. W. Howell (ed) Modern Pem-brokeshire, 1815-1974. Pembrokeshire County History IV (Haverfordwest, 1993).
Warren, C. H., The Good Life: An Anthology of Working Life in the Country (London, 1946).

NEW-More: The Early Days of Newton School >by Wendy Cope

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