History Society learns about Betley education

On Thursday evening Audlem History Society's guest speaker, Mavis Smith, gave a very well-researched and interesting talk on the topic of education in Betley before 1855. This period was chosen particularly as school-life post-1855 in the village has already been well-documented.

The first school in Betley was recorded as early as the 1690s but was not much more than lessons in a church annexe for boys only. Throughout the 1700s numbers of pupils gradually increased and there were also some free places included, usually around 10 or so for those who could not afford to pay.

Mavis explained that at the beginning of the 19th century there were 2 types of educational establishments, the first being the National Schools (where older children helped to teach the younger ones), and secondly the British schools which were non-conformist.

Betley had a National Agricultural School with the emphasis on prayers, reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic. Girls too began to be taught during the 19th century.

We were also told about the importance of Sunday Schools in education, and given instances of treatment meted out by governesses to their charges. Apparently governesses did not need to have any formal training before 1847.

All-in-all, most of Mavis' audience would have been glad that they were educated in more modern times given what they had just learnt!

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