Liverpool Directories, 1814 – 1818

I am beginning to build up a list of teachers in 1814.  Download the first part from here

These directories give a little bit of the history and description of the schools.  It seems there were many schools built at the turn of the nineteenth century, often catering for 500 or 600 children.  Many of them were supported by subscription and children were admitted if recommended by a subscriber; in some cases an example is given – for half a guinea subscription it is possible to nominate a child. Sounds like a school fee to me!  Girls were taught to read and write, but rarely taught maths.  They got knitting, sewing and housewifery instead.

Established in 1709 – the Bluecoat Hospital School in School Lane.  In 1814 the school catered for 122 children altogether; 161 boys and 61 girls.  Of these children, 51 were orphans, 104 fatherless and 16 motherless, and 51 had parents who were in ‘indigent circumstances’.  The boys were taught reading, writing and arithmetic and the girls were taught reading, writing, knitting and housewifery.  They were taken in at 9 and sent out as apprentices at 14.  There were problems with the building at this time; between 1799 and 1816 the school had cost £6,000 in repairs and alterations.  The master at this time was John FALLOWS.  In 1841 John, age given as 45, was living in Epworth St.  He and his wife Elizabeth were born out of the county. According to the 1851 census, John was born in Cockermouth.  He still gave his age as 46, but this time he was living in Low Hill.  Not sure if he was still teaching at the Bluecoat; he gave his occupation as English Teacher.  By 1861, giving his occupation as Mathematician and his age as 71, he was living in Everton at Prince Edwin St.  Daughter Agnes was still with him, but he was a widower.  A John FALLOWS died in the West Derby registration district in 1869; year of birth given as 1785.  For a Mathematician, this is poor numberwork!  I wonder which was right?  There were also a couple who died in the area in 1863 and 1864 – perhaps he was one of those.  Master in 181 was R W BAMFORD; by 1841 it was William FORSTER. 

Moorfields Day Charity School was supported by subscription; admittance by recommendation of a subscriber.  There were 241 boys and 174 girls (maybe including the Sunday School).  In 1816 and 1818, the master was Thomas JACKSON.

Built in 1792 by Stephen WATERWORTH, sugar refiner – Hunter St school.  This is north of the City Centre, between Scotland Rd and St Anne St.  When his sister Frances WATERWORTH died in 1803, she endowed the school with £4,000.  Linked with the Episcopal Church. Children were admitted by recommendation of trustees who were not confined to any particular category or number of pupils, or to how long they could stay in school.  Boys were taught reading, writing and accounts; girls had reading writing, knitting and sewing.  Master in 1818 was William BAINES. 

Built 1802 by Moses BENSON – St James’ Charity School, St James Rd. The school cost £652 0s 4d. He also endowed the school with £1,000. Further funds were raised by subscription – with the usual benefits of recommendation!  The school catered for almost 200 boys and was run on the Madras System of education, in the principles of the established Church.  Not sure what the Madras system was!  Running costs for 1817 - £217 11s 0d.

Instituted 1^st March 1804 – Welsh Charity Day School in Russell St.  270 boys in 1814, 380 by 1818.  Supported by subscription, admittance by recommendation of a subscriber.  This school was for poor children of Welsh parents, who were born in or near Liverpool but without parochial settlement in the town.  The master was William FOSTER, who lived at 18 Gill St.  He was probably master at the Bluecoat in 1841.

Erected 1806 - Catholic Charity School, Copperas Hill.  Address given as Elliot St in 1818. Supported by subscription; admittance on recommendation of a subscriber.  There were generally more boys (260 – 300) than girls (200 – 230).

Instituted 17^th March 1807 (St Patrick’s Day 200 years ago), the Benevolent Society of St Patrick at Bolton St, Copperas Hill.  This is parallel to Lime Street, close to the station.  Supported by subscription, the school was for poor children descended from Irish parents who were instructed in Reading, Writing and Arithmetic, clothed and apprenticed.  In 1818 the master was Patrick BRENNAN.  By the 1820s the school had moved to Pleasant St.  I think it was later called the Hibernian School.

Established in 1809 – the Liverpool Female School of Industry. This was located at the top of Wood St. In 1814 there were 12 ‘female children’ being instructed in ‘every female relative duty’, on the recommendation of subscribers.  By 1818 the school was attended by 80 girls.

Established in 1815 for the education of poor children of Toxteth Park – Harrington Free School, Stanhope St.  Based on a ‘general improvement system’.  Run by subscription, children admitted on recommendation of the subscribers. Yearly running costs - £144 10s.  Master was George EDENFIELD.  In 1841 he gave his age as 50. Still listed as a teacher, he was living in Bedford St, Toxteth Park. He was not born in Lancashire – his place of birth is officially ‘not known’ according to 1851 and 1861 census, by which time he had moved to Cheshire.  He died in the Altrincham area in about 1969, although the name given then was John George W EDENFIELD.

Built in 1818 by the bounty of John GLADSTONE Esq and endowed from the rents of St Andrew’s Church – St Andrew’s Free School, Fleet St.  This runs between Renshaw St and Duke St, parallel to Bold St.  The school could admit up to 130 boys and 150 girls, on recommendation of a trustee.  Master in 1818 was William Wright.

Friends’ Female Charity School in Duncan St was supported by subscription.  Not listed until after 1816.

Manesty’s Lane Charity School.  This road runs parallel to Paradise St, between Hanover St and School Lane, so is very close to the site of the Bluecoat.  In 1818 there were 80 boys and 80 girls; teacher was Mrs Frances MASON.  The school was supported by subscription.

Renshaw Street Charity School – attended by 70 boys and 70 girls. Supported by subscription.

Marine Free School, Blundell St.  This school was established for the instruction of the children of mariners whose circumstances would not allow them to pay for instruction.  They were taught reading, writing, arithmetic and navigation.  Master for some years was mathematician Benjamin WOOD.  In 1841 there was a 65 year old Benjamin Wood living in the Mount Pleasant St, but no occupation is given so I don’t know if it’s him!

Caledonian Free School, Oldham St – could accommodate 150 boys and 150 girls. Like many other schools, supported by subscription; admittance by recommendation of a subscriber.  In 1818 there were 170 boys and 80 girls; the master was John HORSFALL.

Circus St Day School was catering for 308 girls and 285 boys in 1814. In 1818 there were 321 boys and 180 girls.  The school was supported by subscription, admittance by recommendation of a subscriber. This was in the St Anne’s / Christchurch area.  In 1818, the master was Mr H PERKINS and the mistress Mrs FOULKES