Bengal Street Industrial School, Glasgow

[allyj50]

My great grand-dad JOHN MORRIS WILKIE was a pupil teacher at this school in 1871.
I recently found out that he was illegitimate and his mother Caroline Wilkie died of TB when he was just 5 years old. He went to live with his Aunt Elizabeth & Uncle Thomas McCubbin and I presume was brought up by them.

In 1881 he was back with the family working as a jeweller and one of the McCubbins sons was a watchmaker. Both aged 24 now.

What I am interested in - is what sort of trades would be taught in the school. Was it a school or a workhouse? As a pupil teacher, who would teach him and who would he teach? I checked on the internet about the school and there seemed to be one founded by a John Maxwell I think but it gave me very little information about it in general.

Wondered if there were any learned members on this forum that might be able to help me with my query?

Regards
ALLY x

[carolchipp]

Hi Ally
I'm not sure if the system was the same in Scotland as it was in England but my grandfather was a pupil teacher in Lancashire at the turn of the century. From what I know, it meant he stayed on at school and to begin with helped teach the younger pupils. He was a pupil teacher , aged 15, on the 1901 and as far as I know, after a couple of years remained at the school 'learning the job', becoming a certified teacher in 1906.
In terms of your g.g.grandfather, Bengal Industrial school was set up to provide free basic education for local children and teach them trades. I don't know anything else about it but it wasn't a workhouse.

Carol

[Peter Goodey]

I don't know about Scotland but in England Industrial Schools were similar to the later Approved Schools (if you remember what they were).

This site has some information on Industrial Schools.

This research guide has some information on the pupil-teacher system in England.

Here's a good summary, courtesy of East Sussex Record Office -

Before 1933, approved schools were called reformatories or industrial schools depending on the age of the inmates. Industrial schools (for children under 14) and reformatories (for children aged 14 to 18) were set up following the Youthful Offenders Act 1854, and the work of industrial schools was further defined in the Industrial Schools Acts of 1857 and 1866. Industrial Schools were established 'for the better training of poor and neglected children' who were 'in danger of becoming criminals' (Industrial Schools Act 1866). Children were housed, fed, clothed, educated to an elementary level, and given some industrial or agricultural training

[carolchipp]

The Glasgow Herald April 23rd 1858 carries a report of an inspection of the schools in Pollokshaws, including the industrial school, which mentions the teaching of trades, namely tailors, shoemakers and joiners. Judging by the report, it was considered a model institution.

[allyj50]

Thank you Carole and Peter for your replies. In Peter's reply, g. g/dad became a jeweller and apparently had a shop along Rutherford Road in Oaklands but at least 20 years later he had changed trades and was now a loco time keeper! I presume it was better paid work!

If there is anyone on here with knowledge of Scotland's rules, I am still interested.

Cheers
Ally x

[carolchipp]

Thank you Carole and Peter for your replies. In Peter's reply, g. g/dad became a jeweller and apparently had a shop along Rutherford Road in Oaklands but at least 20 years later he had changed trades and was now a loco time keeper! I presume it was better paid work!

If there is anyone on here with knowledge of Scotland's rules, I am still interested.

Cheers
Ally x

If you search this .... https://www.education.ed.ac.uk/aboutu...rt3/index.html (it's the University of Edinburgh, so I think it's allowed), there is quite a bit of info about the introduction of the pupil-teacher system to Scotland.

[janeygee]

If you search this .... https://www.education.ed.ac.uk/aboutu...rt3/index.html (it's the University of Edinburgh, so I think it's allowed), there is quite a bit of info about the introduction of the pupil-teacher system to Scotland.

Hi Carol;
I read with interest your above reply and wonder if you can point me in the direction
to find my Mother's school records,, she was born 1904 at 31 Milton St,Partick/Wwest
Glas/Scot,, she went to Milton St,school. I have one class picture of her age 5-6 taken
at this school,her siblings all went to same school as family lived at this address till 1920.

Any info or ideas where to look will be greatly appreciated,thank you;

Kind regards;
Janey;