Benevolent Victorian era Employer - what's your story?

[Erato]

Herbert was a pupil teacher in 1885 when he, ah, had to rather hastily get married to his under-aged wife [my g-grandmother].  I don't know the name of the school but it would have been in or around Bristol.  Possibly it was the Christ Church School.

He had been at the Christ Church School for seven years when he was given the writing table in 1893.  This seems to have been a CoE school because the desk and whatnot were presented to him by the vicar.

I think the St. Mark's School was also CoE.  It was closed in 1920 when the school building was converted into the church hall.  So Herbert then moved on to the Castle Green School which was "opened on 10 October 1887 in a new purpose-built building, believed to have been based on the design of a school in New York. Pupils were aged from five to fourteen and were mainly from the slum areas of central Bristol."  Presumably it was a state school.  It was destroyed by a bomb in 1940.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/20654194@N07/2056127279
https://www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/3394652665

There are some photos but, unfortunately, after Herbert's time.

[River Tyne Lass]

Oh well in that case I would definitely chase things up - log books may be out there.  What a great thing such as this would be to read knowing it was all written by your own ancestor! 

Let us know how you get on.

[Mowsehowse]

   I don't think the words "benevolent" and "employer" go together very well in any era.

   Perhaps not, but surely all the workers who benefitted from the model villages which were built such as Bournville and Port Sunlight could be said to have had a benevolent employer?

I found this list (England) on Wiki:
    Trowse, Norfolk (1805)
    Blaise Hamlet, Gloucestershire (1811)
    Selworthy, Somerset (1828)
    Barrow Bridge, Bolton (1830s)
    Snelston, Derbyshire (1840s)
    Swindon Railway Village, Wiltshire (1840s)
    Withnell Fold, Lancashire (1844)
    Meltham, Yorkshire (1850)
    Bromborough Pool ("Price's Village") (1853)
    Saltaire, Yorkshire (1853)
    Akroydon, Yorkshire (1859)
    Nenthead, Cumberland (1861)
    New Sharlston Colliery Village, Yorkshire (1864)
    Ripley Ville, Yorkshire (1866)
    Copley, Yorkshire (1874)
    Howe Bridge, Lancashire (1873–79)
    Bournville, Worcestershire (1879)
    Barwick Hertfordshire (1888)
    Port Sunlight, Cheshire (1888)
    Creswell Model Village, Derbyshire (1895)
    New Bolsover model village, Derbyshire (1896)
    Vickerstown, Lancashire (1901)

It does list others too.
The link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_village

[River Tyne Lass]

I knew someone would find some benevolence somewhere!   

See there TotH .. you old cynic you! (Oh well, perhaps me as well)

Thanks for this mowsehowse!

[Liz_in_Sussex]

One of my direct Victorian ancestors died at a very young age leaving a wife and 2 very small children. He was servant to a very wealthy man and his accommodation came with the job.

The employer provided for the children as if they were his own, sent them to the best schools and provided a house for the widow which she stayed in until WWI.

My ancestor came from a poor ag lab type background and his death was in no way the fault of his employer - I have seen the hospital records (treatment paid for by the employer) - we can only assume that he was a much valued servant by a man who really did care. The man was a public figure but not one known for his benevolence so I suspect he did not seek the limelight for his good deeds.

Liz

[Mowsehowse]

That is good to know.
Thanks Liz.

[Top-of-the-hill]

  Just thought I would put the cat among the pigeons! My rural socialist upbringing showing itself. I suspect Quakers were involved in at least some of those places listed, and they were mainly good people with good intentions.

[Mowsehowse]

  Just thought I would put the cat among the pigeons! My rural socialist upbringing showing itself. I suspect Quakers were involved in at least some of those places listed, and they were mainly good people with good intentions.

Quite so, but still Victorian employers......

[River Tyne Lass]

Thanks for this story of benevolence Liz.  It is good that some employers had a sense of social responsibility and seemed to genuinely care.  Your ancestors family were very fortunate.

This contrasts with a story I once heard from my Dad.  He came from a mining background and told me that when he was a little boy one of the miners in his village was killed at work.  Shortly, after the widow and her children were turfed out their home and ended up in the workhouse.  Obviously no 'injury lawyers' around in those days.  And when you think of how much those who owned the mines must have been raking in! 

It is good though to hear that there were some benevolent employers back then and that they weren't all villains and just out for themselves.