Montgomery and district
Victorian school days
  Three pence per child per week  
 

For many Victorian parents finding the 'school pence' for their children's lessons was not easy. The amounts asked seem small now, but most workers in country districts earned very little.
These Log Book entries are all from Llandyssil School ...

Victorian penny
21st November
1864
School diary entry "Braddock's children at home because their parents have no money"...
4th July
1864
School diary entry
 
Victorian penny
4th July - "Jane & Elizabeth Jones left school in consequence of not supplying them with copybooks until their quarter was paid".
Many schools refused to admit 'scholars' unless they were up to date with their payments, and they were often sent straight home again to fetch the money before they could sit in the class.
Many older children were kept from school because their parents needed help on the farm, and could not afford to pay other workers.
7th December
1877
School diary entry
Victorian penny
 

7th December - "Usual routine unbroken. Mr Morris the gardener and Mrs Morgans, the Fron, called to pay their raised fees - 3d per child per week - both have grumbled considerably".
Grumbling about school pence continued until free schooling was introduced in most areas in 1891.

Back to Montgomery schools menu

 

Link to sources
Back to top
Go to Montgomery menu
RDR