The Education Act

The Elementary Education Act of 1870, commonly known as Forster's Education Act, after William Forster, who drafted the law, which was Passed on the 17th February, 1870. Local authorities had to provide details including the number of children in their area and the existing educational provision. The number of children in education was compared with the number of children of school age, recorded in the census returns. If there was a shortfall, a school board for the district would be created. Board members were elected by the ratepayers. The number of members depended upon the size of the local population.

The boards were financed by either a local poor rate or a municipal rate and could apply for a government loan. They also had to create a by-law to make attendance compulsory unless there was a good reason, such as sickness, living more than three miles from a school, or having reached a high standard of education. All schools were inspected and could apply for an annual government grant.

In October, 1870, Wolverhampton Council decided to apply for the formation of a School Board for the Borough. The election for eleven Board members was held on the 28th November. The Board included six members of the council: Henry Hartley Fowler, who was chairman, Harry Jones, Sir John Morris, W. Edwards, John Hawksford and Thomas Bantock. The Board’s first meeting was held in December 1870 and the Board took over the British Schools in Walsall Street, the Chillington School in Monmore Green and the Ragged School in Salop Street.

The Ragged School

Wolverhampton’s Ragged School began life in the notorious Carribee Island district off Stafford Street. It began with evening classes in 1848, taught by volunteers. The area proved to be too unhealthy for the school, which soon moved to Princes Alley. In 1849 there were 252 children attending the school, with an average attendance of 52. The ragged schools were for children from poorer families who could not afford to contribute towards their education.

At a meeting held in the House of Lords on the 13th May, 1861, Mr. Leigh, who had been a stipendiary magistrate for Wolverhampton for 14 years, as well as being involved with the Ragged School Management Committee, stated the following:

"We took boys and girls from all parts of South Staffordshire; and I can state, as a matter of fact, founded on my own experience there, that there was a very considerable diminution in the number of juvenile offenders in that district in consequence of the successful operation of the Wolverhampton Ragged School. The change was so marked that we received letters from Major Fulford, the governor of Stafford jail; from Colonel Hogg, the chief constable of the county constabulary force; and from Captain Segrave, the chief constable of the Wolverhampton Borough Police, all testifying to the fact, and attributing the diminution in the number of juvenile offenders to the ragged school. We saved many boys from a life of crime."

The Ragged School moved to Salop Street, on the corner of School Street in 1852. The school became the Day Industrial School in 1881, catering for 150 boys and girls. Activities included basic academic study, mat making and wood chopping for boys and cooking and washing for girls. In the 1880s the average attendance was between 60 and 80. The school closed around 1919.