Education in Aberdare and Llanwynno
in 1847

T HE following facts are taken from the Reports of the Commissioners as published in the famous
“Blue Books” of 1847:

The National Schools at Aberdare were visited by Mr. R. R. W. Lingen, M.A., on the 30th March, 1847, and also the two schools at Hirwaun the same day. He was accompanied by the Vicar of Aberdare. The particulars furnished about, the other schools were compiled probably from forms filled by the teacher. The date of founding the National School is uncertain. In the Blue Books report, 1830 is given as the date of its establishment, but actually there was a school there in 1824. There was a definite disparity between the accommodation provided for boys and that for girls, because girls were not expected to require as much education as boys in those days. None of the children attending the school at the time the Blue Books report was issued had been there more than three years. Many stayed only a few months, or a year or two. Eight girls and 18 boys (out of a total of 170 on the books), were over 10 years of age.

The master at Aberdare National School had been a carpenter up to three years previously, and his wife had no other qualification recorded except that she was married, and this applied to all the other women who kept school. Mrs. Jones of Llwydcoed was 71 years of age. The master of the Hirwaun Fireman’s School had been a labourer, and Mr. Jones, of Moss Row, Abernant, (aged 60), had been a weigher at a machine. Mr. Davies, of Pontypridd, had been a tiler, and the teacher at Rhigos (aged 58), had been a grocer and draper. (The Rhigos school, was a church school, supported by the Marquis of Bute, but held in the Wesleyan Chapel). The master at Cwmbach was the Baptist pastor, and the school was held in his chapel. The master at Blaengwrach was the Unitarian minister, and he, too, conducted the school in the chapel.

The Hirwaun schools were supported by a ½ d. poundage, kept from all the men employed at the works. At Blaengwrach, a 1d. poundage was deducted from each workman.

The examiner (the Mr. Lingen already referred to), tested the geography of the Boys’ National School by asking the three head boys to point out a few places on a map of the world. One of them (the master’s son), pointed out Moscow, St. Helena, etc., but “the other two boys did not know much.” The map was “the master’s own property.” Of the girls’ school, the inspector remarked that he heard the 1st class read from the history book. “They were utterly ignorant of all that had gone before—saying that Julius Caesar and Agricola had converted the Ancient Britons to Christianity.”

The examiner reported that the Hirwaun Miners’ School “was held in a room over a stable—very close and crowded,” and nothing was professed to be taught beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic. The only reading book was the Bible, and the examiner heard eleven children read the Seventh Chapter of Acts. Nine read with ease. They knew what they read better than many children whom I have met (the incumbent of Aberdare was present). They were able to add simple figures with extreme rapidity. They mentioned several places in Glamorgan, but did not know in what county the Beacons were.”

The examiner added: “The Firemen’s School is held in the master’s kitchen—he is a Roman Catholic. Welsh is almost universally spoken here. There is a wish on the part of the ministers and the workmen to erect a school on the British system. They were unable, however, to obtain a site. Shortly before my visit, the schoolmaster from Talgarth, Brecon, had been at Hirwaun, with one of his pupils as a specimen.”

The parish of Llanwynno was visited on the 14th and 15th March, 1847, calls being made at Darrenddu, Graigwen, Hafod, and Nythbran Collieries “to which no schools of any kind ware attached.” This shows that the only day schools in the parish of Llanwynno were at Pontypridd. The great majority of the children had to go to work at a very early age, and those who did attend, received but very little elementary knowledge. Were it not for the Dissenters’ Sundays Schools, they would have had no instruction whatsoever. Such was the state of education in our district in 1847. At Penderyn and Ystradfellte, there were only Sunday Schools.