The blurb:
Before 1846 the education and care of children in Birmingham and other expanding cities was neglected. Children over the age of 7 years who broke the law were treated as adults and could be hanged, transported or imprisoned. In 1850 more than 11,000 were admitted to prisons in England and Wales.
The origins of the Martineau Centre are in the founding of the first Ragged School in Lichfield Street Birmingham, by the Revd. Grantham Yorke; also in the free Industrial School, which was opened in Gem Street in 1849. The Bishop of Worcester was a patron of the new institution and the Mayor of Birmingham was a member of the Management Committee.
The new Gem Street school had 3 departments:-
1. A Day School teaching the 3 R’s, moral and religious values, history, geography and singing.
2. An Industrial class, teaching practical trade skills, including carpentry and metalwork.
3. An Asylum for deserted and orphaned children offering full board up to the age of 14 years.
In 1850 the daily diet was:- Dinner at 12 noon - bread and dripping or pea soup and bread or boiled beef and potatoes and :- Tea at 4pm - thickened milk and bread or seed cake, or bread and cheese, depending on the day of the week.
By 1864 the standard diet had improved and included, green vegetables, fruit, coffee. Roast meat and butter with bread.
This is it.
