In 1868 the British School opened in Hereford Street, Presteigne. This was set up by a group of local people who felt there should be a school for local children which was not run by the Church of England.
The new British School was managed by Baptists, Methodists and members of other local chapels.

This picture shows the children of the British School with their Head teacher Mr Culley on the left.

The school had all the usual problems experienced by new schools in the Victorian period.
Children were often late or absent because of illness or because they were needed to work to earn extra money for the family in hard times.

More about the local rivalry...