Reference
QSR1824/401
Title
Examinations and depositions. Information of William Barnes Hart of Goldington, schoolmaster, regarding pupil John Rabbit.
Date free text
1824
Production date
From: 1824 To: 1824
Scope and Content
'On Sunday 14th November Sarah Clifton, one of the voluntary teachers of the Sunday School, and aunt to a little boy called John Rabbit, told me that she and her friends were dissatisfied with my not making the boy learn, and that if I were sharper with him, he would learn. On friday, the child would not look at his book - I bid him be a good boy and mind his lesson - he would not do anything. I hit him slightly with my small stick that I hold in my hand - he lay down in a fit of passion and rolled about. Then I beat him and he laughed at me, and thinking I had not made him feel, not hurt him, I beat him again on the backside, but his clothes were covering him. He would not rise, but I took him up and placed him on his seat, and he would not do anything. He did not complain of being hurt; in about an hour after he walked home.
In the evening, the grandmother and mother of the child came to our house and abused my mother and me for hurting their child. My grandmother was lying sick and dying; we told them our distress and they went away.
Next day I went to the school, and about half past nine in the morning Samuel Rabbit, the father of the child, came into the school, and in the presence of the scholars he asked my what business I had to beat his boy. I told him that the child was so unruly, and would be master, and would not do what I bid him - then he said I had no right to touch him, and that he would serve me in the same way - then he took me by the arm, and swung me round and threw me against the desk so that I fell to the ground and then he began to beat me with the stick that lay on the desk. He continued to beat me for about ten minutes, very hard, and hurt me at the bottom of my back and on the backside - I was much bruised.
I could not stay at school; I was obliged to leave and to sit at Mr Palmer's gate on my way home. I could not stand up when I got home. My mother stripped me and dressed me with 'opodeloc*' and in the evening my mother took me to Mr Hine the surgeon at bedford. He ordered me to have 6 leeches on the loins - I had them- and also some opening medicine. I still feel very sore.
After the beating which Rabbit gave me I was going home, but he said he would make me go back to the school - but I would not - he said he would cut a stick out of the hedge and force me back - he went to the hedge, but he did not follow me.
* 'opodeloc' A Kind of soap linament - O.E.D.
Reference
Level of description
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