Derwenlas School 10
Life after school
The entry below from the Log Books of Derwenlas School contains a reference to the long established practice in rural areas of the 'Hiring Fair', which was a marketplace at which local farmers would recruit workers for the coming year.
It was a very rigid form of contract which bound the employee to stay in the job almost regardless of the treatment received.
school leaving ages
see our Education
pages
This extract was recorded on 5th April 1887, and reads:
"Hiring fair is held in Machynlleth today. Several are
gone ..."
Another reference to school leavers is shown below, with two boys going to work on farms and a third pupil, probably a girl, going 'into service'. It also notes that pupils were legally allowed to leave school at the age of 14 at this time.
Derwenlas School
Log Books
Powys
County Archives
M/E/PS/20/L
This extract from 19th May 1881 reads as follows:
"Three scholars have left the school this week for full-time
employment one having gone to Barmouth into service, another
has been employed by a farmer in the neighbourhood, and the third
has gone to work at a farm at Aberdovey. They are each legally
exempt from attendance at school having attained the age viz:
14 required by the Bye-laws of the district."
On the topic of prospects for school leavers it is of interest to note that the arrival of new maps from the Canadian Government Emigration Agent seems to have been a regular event in later years at Derwenlas, as at many other rural schools of Powys.
There are 19 pages on Derwenlas School. Use the box links below to view the other pages.
