R3/4285

Letter Reads- Conversation with Pearse, vicar of Westoning; children from Priestley farm coming to Sunday School are dissenters, who have no resident minister, they have begged it as a favour; labourers in West & adjacent parishes have asked to get a day school. There was one in former times, but masters of a bad sort & done no good to themselves or scholars; pop. too poor to pay a master sufficiently. He proposes scholars shall pay part; rest of cost made up by subscription; then dissenting children need not come to church Sunday school. Schoolroom; 180; house addj. 120. Site will be given & conveyed to vicar in trust. He expects 20 boys from Flitwick. Duke has only 1 cottage in Priestley, but owns 1/3 of parish. As schoolhouse is required perhaps subscription might be 15 or 20. Westoning was one of the most pauperised parishes; notorious poachers; farmers only a little above labourers & no better educated; no proprietors take any interest; state of ignorance not to be wondered at.

18 Aug 1840

From: 1840 To: 1840

English

item

Pearse,
Haedy, C

Flitwick Priestley Farm, labourers, poaching, letters, WOBURN, Woburn Abbey, WESTONING, FLITWICK