Photographs I've gleaned from flea markets, junk shops and sometimes ebay. The cheaper the better. Anything with a story that can be extracted from hand written notes, location research, local histories, census records......anything. A small band of fellow enthusiasts worldwide have helped me with many of these. Of course there are always mysteries that defy research, but there's even a story inside these. All images can be viewed at super-size on Flickr.

Monday 20 June 2011

"Miss Sarah" and her pupils. Watford.

Girls' school, Watford. 1870s

Girls and their teacher posing with croquet mallets and ball. Pencilled on the reverse: "School at Watford kept by three sisters. Miss Sarah here." Watford museum have been trying to find out more about this one for me, and sent me this message:


It turns out there were several private schools, generally run by spinsters or widows, for the education of 'young ladies' at this time in Watford. Having a look at the Kelly's Directory on 1878 there were 10 private schools listed. None specifically mention a Sarah although often the first name or initial wasn't included. In the Peacock Directory of 1890 there are three schools mentioned as being run by sisters:

The Misses Payne, St Albans Road .
The Misses Moor, Gwynmoor, Vicarage Road .
The Misses Yorke, High Street.


At the time it was one of the few avenues of income for ladies to set up and run their own schools but little information about them survives.
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