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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Bedfordshire => Topic started by: Churchie on Wednesday 21 July 10 11:04 BST (UK)
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Trying to establish the name, or any other details of a boarding school in Lidlington, Bedfordshire.
Two young children from my family were there in the 1851 census.
George Church aged 7, and Emily church aged 4, there was a total roll of 38 pupils
They were not orphans, their family owned a pub in Whitechapel.
I have gone back into all the census records from 1841-1871 and found the actual address for the school at 70 HIGH STREET, Lidlington Village.
By 1871 it was still listed as the school house, but there were no pupils, and the schoolmaster from 1841 and 1851 was farming.
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The school appears in the post office directory of 1854 but only gives scant details:
Wright, Wm. Boarding and day school.
It should be remembered that the lord of the manor at that time was The Duke of Bedford who then owned not only vast amounts of land in Bedfordshire but also in London.
As many of the children in the 1851 census appear to have been born in London, including your George & Emily, it is possible that the Duke was perhaps patron of a school that he set up in order to provide a good education for children from the capital. It may even be that the children's parents were connected in some way to the Duke, tenants perhaps of property he owned.
I think it may be worth searching the BLARS web site (Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service) http://tinyurl.com/36wd23 (http://tinyurl.com/36wd23)
to see if anything is listed.
Alan
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Thank you Alan, that's definitely worth following up.
All the children seem to have been sent to boarding school at one time or another.
Their father came from a very poor background, but had grand ideas and they all seemed to marry well or have 'better' employment than their father and grandfather.
I found it interesting that a four year old, (and a girl) would be sent away to boarding school, but 10 years later she was at another!
Caroline
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This is a bit belated but have only just seen your email. Today I found that the 7 year old son, of a publican named Muggeridge in Southwark, London (then Surrey) was a boarder at Lidlington School in 1841. Perhaps it was a school for members of a guild or livery company; It's possible that publicans would have had a guild one too.
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I just came upon this thread with a google search, as I tried to find information on the school mentioned above.
My gg-grandfather Francois/Francis Bauer was a student and boarder there in 1841. He also came from London. He was born and baptised in Westminster in 1828, parents being Joseph and Isabella Bauer. Joseph stated on the census that he was born in Paris, France, and was a cook/chef, and he seems to have travelled to England via Ireland, as the eldest son Hugo/Hugh was baptised in Belfast, Ireland.
Oral history from older Australian descendants has always said that Joseph worked in the French Court, and on linking up with Canadian descendants of Hugo/Hugh, I found they had been told the same story.
By 1833 when Joseph and Isabella had a daughter, Joseph gave his address in Heston, Middlesex, as Barracks, and occupation as Mess Room. Isabella died soon after her daughter’s birth, and Joseph was left with 4 children to bring up. It seems he sent them all off to schools. In 1841 the three younger children were at schools in Lidlington, Stoke Poges, and Margate.
I still can’t find out any more about the William Wright School in Lidlington though. I've always wondered why Francois was sent to school in Bedfordshire, and find the mention of the Duke of Bedfordshire possibly being a patron of the school quite interesting in light of other things I know about my family in the 1880s.
If anyone else can add to this thread now, it would be much appreciated.
Dee :)
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This thread came up when I was researching William Wright and William Bell Wright (father and son) who were listed in Lidlington at the school in 1851. Fascinating coincidence!
My ancestor, William Wright, was the schoolmaster referred to above in 1841 and 1851 and I have wondered about him seeming to become a farmer later in life. I haven't researched him in any detail yet as am working on his son, William Bell Wright, at the moment but the information in this thread has provided some interesting background information.
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Hi Gillian, how interesting - I'll wait to see if you find any more information.
Since 2010 when I started this thread, I had added a note to this census record to research the Harpur Trust schools, but looking at it again this morning I do not see a connection to Lidlington.
Interesting story though:
https://www.harpurtrust.org.uk/our-history
I have located George and Emily's father's will and his lavish family vault in the City of London Cemetery, so he may have come from humble beginnings, but in 1883 died a wealthy man with a keen interest in investments, and furthering industry and the railways. Young George is a mystery to me, such a common name, but I will have another look for him.
All the best,
Caroline.
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I hadn't realised this was such an old thread and marvel at the wonders of the internet!
If I find anything which might be useful/interesting re the school etc. I will let you know.
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I'll watch with interest. :)
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Just found this chat when looking up Lidlington school in the 1861 census. I had an ancestor who is shown at the age of 12 attending this school (school master was John Miller). His parents came from Bedfordshire, but the children were born in Chelsea as the father, William Fountain, was a publican. Thought it strange that this son should be sent away to school. The other children remained in London, but they were girls and the older boys were 14 yrs + older than this child (Frederick William Fountain, but appeared to go by William). Would love to find a photo of the old school. Couldn't find anything when googling. It would appear that it was located at the juncture of the High Street and Church street?
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Amazed to notice this thread continuing - I just checked an ordnance survey map and there was a school directly opposite that junction, but it may have been connected to the church...
The common link seems to include the children of publicans.
Caroline.
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I don't have a subscription to British Newspapers Online (or findmypast), however I can see a reference to a boarding school at Lidlington in an advertisement in the Morning Advertiser 6 July 1858 "an old established boarding school situated at Lidlington". It appears under the heading "Licensed Victuallers Protection Society".
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Brilliant! Thank you, I'll have a look. Old posts never go away :)
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Two advertisements - they are in a column listing numerous private schools.
The Licenced Victuallers advertisement at the top of the page is a co-incidence.
This was an expensive school - not a charitable set-up at all!
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That's excellent.
I can see John MILLER and family at 70 High St Lidlington in 1861, so the right school. :)
Modified:
Sorry, I should have read the post by Trador2016 a bit more carefully, I see that they already said this. - Welcome to RootsChat Trador2016!
I also hope Dee sees this, I know she hasn't been on here in a while. - Hope you're well Dee!
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As featured in a series of Our Heritage' drawings published in the local Bedfordshire Times... this was from 3rd July 1942
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That's brilliant John! what a great find - a wealth of information for all those interested in the School.
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Thank you so much John!
11 years after I started the thread it all makes sense, apart from sending a 4 year old girl away to boarding school, though it would no doubt be a safer environment for a child than her home in a pub in Whitechapel.
George Church was a firm believer in success, and education clearly played an important part in his plans for his children.
CC
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Thank you so much to all. Very interesting and love the newspaper bits, especially the photo/drawing of the school. Just goes to show, old postings are still relevant to others years later!