Genealogy Chat

My education as a left-hander in the early 1950s wasn't easy but wasn't quite as harsh as others had to endure. I was allowed to write left-handed but at that time we still used dipper pens and nasty ink. I only found out years later that pen nibs were 'handed', which explained why my nib dug into the paper and splodged. My brother is 2 years younger than me and by the time he changed from pencil to pen they had changed to ball-point pens. Didn't help with scissors though, especially the safety ones which always seemed to have a loose pivot.

My brother was born in 1945 - me 5 years later. Before the age of 10 , I was teaching him to read and write because his schooling was a disaster. - He was left handed and the teacher used to tie his left hand behind his back and MAKE him write with his right hand. - This lead to nightmares, sleepwalking, and a fall downstairs, leaving him with a stammer. I was the only one around to teach him. My father also had to be helped - He had been an epeleptic and was very poorly educated - I helped him too and he at least got to the stage where he could read his favourite 'Cowboy' books - Very popular in the 1950/60's. NOT SO LONG AGO !! ???, and in the age of compulsory education ! ?? Dea x

lol nell - his mum couldnt write either -even in 1925 when she registered the death of a grandchild. I wonder if she felt humiliated when she went to sign and justy had to put a cross,,,

He didn't learn to write at school; maybe he was dyslexic or perhaps his attendance at school was bad. Maybe he had a damaged hand and couldn't grip a pen. Maybe he was lazy! My great-great uncle signed his Will with an X because he had lost his sight. nell

Thanks everyone. I have a rellie born 1888 - so he should have gone to school. However, on all certs he sugns with a cross, any ideas?

1870 - provision for all 1880 compulsory for all, to age of 10yrs Jay

thanks all

Children could leaglly go to any school from 1406, but many parents chose not to send them. Foster's Education Act 1870, empowered Local boards to open schools to provide basic elements of education (elementry) Sandon's 1876 Act made school compusary for 10 - 14 year olds but it didn't have to me full time and excemptions applied (not stated what they were). Mundella's 1880 Act required all children to attend school full time up to 13 but excemptions applied from 10 years old. In 1893 free ed was raised to 11, and in 1899 was raised to 12. In 1918 school leaving age was fixed at 14. The book does not continute beyond 1918. But my dad left school at 15 in 1964, and mum at 16 in 1973 as per the law at those times. Hope this helps

I think that the education act was in 1870. It was only up to 11 or 12 and it wasn't free. There would be a lot of truancy at harvest time, hoppicking etc Scholar on some of the censuses appears simply to mean 'no recognised form of work' (my quotes).

1870 education made compulsory from 5-13. Another act passed in the 1880s tightened up attendance. Further info here: www.kbr30.dial.pipex*com/educ19.shtml#1861

I have a book with info on this in give me a min and I'll find it

Does anyone know when it was made law for children to go to school - and at what age. I've found a great site for the school in Altofts where a lot of my rellies come from but I can't find some of them, thanks