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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: ruthruss on Monday 11 March 24 22:53 GMT (UK)

Title: How much did pupil teachers earn in 1860s?
Post by: ruthruss on Monday 11 March 24 22:53 GMT (UK)
Hello there! I am curious if anyone knows or has any resources regarding the wages/salary of Pupil Teachers. My great-great-grandfather John Allen was a pupil teacher (British & Foreign Schools Society) from 1869-1871 in New Milford, Pembrokeshire. His entire family depended on this wage, and according to a letter from John's headmaster, they were in "very poor circumstances". I'd be interested to know even an estimate of how much they survived on.

I have Googled this but found nothing of value. There is also an old thread on Rootschat ("National Schoolmasters"); however the links all appear to go nowhere now.
Title: Re: How much did pupil teachers earn in 1860s?
Post by: Ashtone on Monday 11 March 24 23:00 GMT (UK)
Looks to have been about £15 a year at the time.
https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1867/apr/05/resolution

Also - " a pupil-teacher's salary had fallen from £15 under the 1846 scheme to less than. £13 10s. in the later 1860s".
Title: Re: How much did pupil teachers earn in 1860s?
Post by: youngtug on Monday 11 March 24 23:09 GMT (UK)
https://pembreyburryportheritage.co.uk/teachers-in-the-19th-century
Title: Re: How much did pupil teachers earn in 1860s?
Post by: ruthruss on Monday 11 March 24 23:23 GMT (UK)
https://pembreyburryportheritage.co.uk/teachers-in-the-19th-century

That's brilliant. Thank you very much.
Title: Re: How much did pupil teachers earn in 1860s?
Post by: ruthruss on Monday 11 March 24 23:24 GMT (UK)
Looks to have been about £15 a year at the time.
https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1867/apr/05/resolution

Also - " a pupil-teacher's salary had fallen from £15 under the 1846 scheme to less than. £13 10s. in the later 1860s".

Ooh, fascinating, thank you!
Title: Re: How much did pupil teachers earn in 1860s?
Post by: LizzieL on Tuesday 12 March 24 08:02 GMT (UK)
Some servants were paid more in the 1860s
https://www.rootschat.com/links/01t21/
Title: Re: How much did pupil teachers earn in 1860s?
Post by: ruthruss on Tuesday 12 March 24 10:31 GMT (UK)
Some servants were paid more in the 1860s
https://www.rootschat.com/links/01t21/

It's absolutely fascinating to me, that my great-great-grandfather could have gone and been a servant, or a farmhand and made more money. His parents were both unable to work, so the whole household relied upon him. His headmaster wrote that he was a "very skillful and apt teacher" so I suppose he believed in him and encouraged him to pursue the career. The headmaster even raised the three pounds to pay for him to go to Borough Road College in London.