Link: NLW "The Blue Books" online - The State of the Welsh Nation in 1847

[Arranroots]

The National Library for Wales has online the Government report known as the "Treacherous Blue Books" published in 1847, it describes the impressions of three commissioners of the state of Wales and Welsh education in particular.

The report was hated by the Welsh, but is now seen as a trigger that caused many to attempt to improve their lot through education and particularly through the medium of the English language.

http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=thebluebooks&0=

Organised by region.

[Gadget]

Thanks for that link Arranroots. I knew it was coming online but had forgotten about it 

I'd read excerpts of some parishes before but the whole Report is something else. I was particularly interested in Appendix E of Vol 3 (well my ancestors were all from the North!) which gives the population size and numbers and % who spoke English for each parish.

Thank you 

Gadget 

[Peterej]

What a wonderful insight into the times - I could not put it down so to speak.

Thanks for the link.

Peter

[Arranroots]

I know what you mean Peter - there is an account of Hay school as a model, which intrigues me as families I have researched would have been there at the time.

I have to say that the inspectors would probably find me wanting - as a pupil, let alone a teacher - my gospel knowlege and "rule of three" is a bit rusty! 

Gadget, I didn't know it was coming, but someone else's thread led me to the website where it was flagged up... you know how it goes!

 

[davierj]

Many thanks for the link, I look forward to reading it, particularly the sections on Cardiganshire and Montgomeryshire.
Hwyl, Dave

[Mickytom]

Great! Thanks for that; will read it at my leisure. Co-incidentally, I was reminded of "The Blue Books" earlier today whilst reading Alexander Cordell's "This Proud and Savage Land".

Mike

[Deb D]

Welsh Library Rescources
http://librarywales.org/e-resources

[Deb D]

*sigh* ... the reply's arrived ...

It seems I'm not going to get anywhere, unless I'm willing to make a trip halfway across the world, to visit Wales

 

[Peter Evans]

For those outside Wales (in Wales for that matter), the Blue Books are found on the Wayback Machine:

https://web.archive.org/web/20080108172352/http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=thebluebooks

Fascinating information, and a good indication why some of my ancestors marked their marriage certificate with a cross.