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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => London and Middlesex => England => London & Middlesex Lookup Requests => Topic started by: VALEMBURY on Monday 29 October 18 12:57 GMT (UK)
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Hi, can anyone help me please, I am trying to find out if and where records would be held for the children that were given some sort of education in the charity school set up by the above Lady. My 4x g/grandfather John Embury lived in the Clerkenwell area most of his life and came from a poor family but could read and write. He was baptised in the chapel and I think it most likely he could have received schooling there. Any assistance would be much appreciated. Val
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Selina, Countess of Huntingdon was very active in Methodist and Calvanist religious circles, and had some 64 chapels built.
One of these was Spa Fields, built next to her home in Clerkenwell.
Nowhere can I find any reference to schools?
A religious group, called The Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion still survives in 24 chapels in the UK, and others in Sierra Leone.
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selina_Hastings,_Countess_of_Huntingdon
and: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countess_of_Huntingdon%27s_Connexion
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There’s a brief reference to the charity school here:
https://flickeringlamps.com/2014/10/31/among-the-rioters-and-resurrectionists-the-turbulent-history-of-spa-fields/
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Thank you both so much for your replies and yes, the following must have been where I read about the charity school being set up:-
Walter Thornbury, author of the 1878 book Old and New London, describes the Countess’ charitable work in glowing terms. Selina opened her house up for religious services and funded the building of dozens of chapels, as well as setting up the Spa Fields Charity School for local children. Thornbury claims that in 1780 the Gordon Rioters, who had swept through London destroying a large amount of property, spared the Spa Fields chapel when they were told of its link with the “good countess”.