THE SCHOOL MASTERS
Stoke Goldington British School had six masters:-
John HOOTON – received the children’s pence as his salary. If it did not amount to ten shillings (10/-) the committee made it up to that sum. Four months later his salary was made up to fifteen shillings (15/-) per week. He was also allowed to live in the school cottage rent free.
However, Mr Hooton was not satisfied with his remuneration and when his six-month agreement expired, he was unwilling to commit himself to the same terms. He was therefore given three months’ notice.
The Committee applied to the parent body, the British School Society in Borough Road, London, asking the Secretary – Mr Dunn, if he could supply a new Master.
He replied “offering to send a Master upon the Committee’s guaranteeing freedom from all debt and 20/- per week for six or twelve months.”
In the meantime, it was stated that “Mr Hooton had closed the school and dismissed the children without the consent of the Committee stating as his reason for doing so that it was not his intention to continue the school for another master from London to preside over”.
The Committee then agreed to accept somebody sent by Mr Dunn and in June 1838 Mr Bristow duly arrived.
Mr BRISTOW stayed for three years, seven months and appears to have been a very good teacher. At the committee meeting on 29th June 1840, he wanted to know “the opinion of the committee as to his taking certain children without payment”. The committee could not accede to his request “considering that it would be a precedent in other cases and might ultimately become general”.
At the meeting of 16th September 1840, he applied for a portion of his salary because “free from the Accounts it appeared there were £34 due to him and not more than £12 or £13 in hand”.
How was it that Mr Bristow could manage with eight month’s salary owing to him?
Fortunately for him the Treasurer was able to report at the next meeting on 15th October that £22 had been forwarded to Mr Bristow “leaving 16 weeks at present unpaid”.
The school now appeared to be at its peak, the Secretary at the General meeting in Mr Cooper’s barn reporting there being from 70-80 children in the school. On this occasion a vote of thanks was passed to Mr Bristow “for his exertions in promoting the interests of the children”.
On the 29th October 1841 it was reported that a letter of resignation had been received from Mr Bristow. The committee regretfully accepted it and –
“they cannot at the same time but express their satisfaction at the progress made by the children under his tuition and their earnest desire that in the sphere of labour to which he is about to remove he may experience much personal enjoyment and be the means of more extensive good to the rising generation”
The Committee now had the task of finding a successor to the worthy Mr Bristow. Mr Adkins was despatched to London to see if Mr Dunn had a suitably trained teacher.
Mr Adkins was to state the terms the Stoke Committee could offer, viz. £30 per annum plus the children’s pence. Mr Adkins reported that Mr Dunn had thought “no master could come unless £1 per week were guaranteed”.
The Committee then agreed to “guarantee payment of £1 per week for 4 months”
At the meeting of 25th January 1842 mention is made of the new master…
Mr CONNOR. His terms were agreed as £1 per week to be paid quarterly, “stationery for the school to be provided by Mr Connor”. The Committee was to provide pens and ink.
On 4th April 1842 it was stated:
“that Mr Bristow, on a visit to the village during the last month, had been circulating, in the presence of the children and other persons, certain reports, which the Committee deem not only a reflection upon themselves and as calculated to do injury to the cause in general but being untrue are alike unworthy of himself as a man and a professed Christian”.
The 3rd May brought these rumours into the open. Mr Connor had stated his views about Mr Bristow removing four of the children with him to Leicester and upon the state of the school generally.
Mr Bristow said that that one time the Committee owed him £35 – this was quite true – “that canvassing for children was a thing which he never did, that that was a thing which should be done by the Committee or the Minister if he deserved the name”.
The Committee considered the reports ’unworthy’ of Mr Bristow as a ‘professed Christian’ and they sent a letter to him informing of their views.
Mr Connor’s request for the rent from the school cottage as part of his salary was not agreed.
After examining the children on 8 August 1842, the Committee found the school was deficient in respect in respect to the more important branches of useful Moral and Religious Knowledge and of a nature that will fully justify them in asking a Teacher in other respects more suited to this particular sphere of labour.
Mr Connor was given three months’ notice and he asked the Committee for a testimonial because Mr Dunn, the National Secretary of the British Schools had required him to obtain one, to include: “Moral and Religious Conduct – Prudence – Industry and Energy – Perseverance – Good Temper – General Fitness for a Teacher”.
There was great activity to find a successor but the Committee was forced to offer its own terms on which a Master could be engaged. An advertisement in the ‘Patriot’ brought nine replies which were vetted by the Rev. Morris of London.
A Mr HOWIE seemed most anxious to be appointed. The salary was to be £25 per annum plus the children’s pence, but this was estimated to have been only £1.2.1d for six weeks on 12 December 1842, and so Mr Howie declined the post.
The Rev. Morris then sent a Mr NYE “as an experiment for a month at £1 per week”. Mr Nye who had five children, was paid “£25 per annum with the children’s pence and cottage, coals and candles for the use of the school (say 1 ton coal and 3 doz. candles), pens and ink – Mr Nye to provide copy books”.
They did not think it ‘proper’ to agree a specific time “being in doubt as to his ability to continue under these terms”. He produced references from Sir Culling Smith and Lady de Grey “relative to his moral character”.
The Committee’s fears were soon justified, for at the meeting on 27th February 1843 it was stated that Mr Nye “wished to have their money weekly”.
On 29th May Mr Brown directed the committee’s attention to the funds and the state of the school generally. The Committee inspected the school and then interviewed Mr and Mrs Nye expressing “general dissatisfaction particularly in the want of a system and the unbusiness-like proceedings and habits of the master”.
Mr Nye, however, was “entirely unconscious of any defect in his manner if proceeding” and although given the opportunity to resign, did not do so. He was given notice to leave on 1st July 1843.
On 12th June he asked for a reference and the Committee was relieved to find it was only to be “as to his Moral and Religious character “and that they did not need to furnish him with one “relative to his eligibility as a British schoolmaster”.
Furthermore “in view of Mr Nye’s straitened circumstances the Committee offered to make up 30/- amongst them to assist in his removal to London”.
On the recommendation of Mr Dunn of Borough Road, the fifth teacher of Stoke British School arrived;
Mr TOWERS who entered into a verbal agreement with the Committee and was employed on the same terms as Mr Nye. At a private examination of the school the Committee
“were pleased to express their entire satisfaction in the progress made by them (the children) and also in Mr Towers to whose care they had been entrusted and to whom they would give their warmest sympathy. They trust the school may increase under his care and that they may yet be permitted to see if in its former state of prosperity and usefulness”.
Mr Towers then asked for two weeks off to visit his friends at Christmas. After such a glowing report this was not refused.
At the end of 1844 however, all was not well. There were now only 17 children attending the school but besides this they did not feel satisfied “with Mr Towers’ proceedings in Teaching”. He was given two months in which to improve, but by the end of the month he had given his notice.
The care of the school was left in the hands of John HOLLOWELL, Mr Towers’ assistant, this being the only occasion when an assistant is mentioned.
Mr Osborn wrote once more to Mr Dunn at Borough Road and he “induced a party new to with them to come and have a try”. This ‘party’ was a
Mr John BURTON “late master of a school in Wolverhampton”, but he did not think it worth his while to continue unless the Committee could increase his salary. He refused an offer of an additional shilling per week, but finally it was resolved that Mr Burton be allowed “after the rate of £30 per year” an increase of two shillings per week on the previous master’s salary.
When the school eventually closed down Mr Burton left on 2nd May 1845 and Mr Brown wrote to Mr Dunn in London “exonerating Mr Burton of all blame in the matter”.
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