The purchase in the Summer of 1852 by Russell Scott is described in the deeds as 'being situate in the Middle Liberty of the Chase of Kingswood in the Parish of Bitton'.
Perhaps the best description one can get is to use the original particulars of the agents handling the sale; mid-rtineteenth century it may have been, but somehow the flowing style of language of their trade seems not to have altered in one hundred and twenty five years.
'All that well built and spacious dwelling house formerly in the occupation of the Governor of the School, containing besides the ordinary apartments of a dwelling house a very large dining room for the accommodation of one hundred boys and sleeping apartments for the same number, and also a washhouse, laundry, stable and other out-buildings and convenience. Continguous to the messuage is a very large and well stocked kitchen garden, and flower garden, consisting of about three acres abounding in fruit trees in excellent order.
Also the building formerly occupied as a Wesleyan Chapel. Also the building formerly occupied as a schoolroom. Also a small farmyard at the back of the schoolroom with house and low stabling and other conveniences. Surrounded by the above buildings is a large plot of ground used as a playground and containing many fine elm trees.
As soon as the scheme was made known subscriptions flowed in and over £300 was contributed. So at the beginning of September 1852 a dream came true. The buildings were furnished, a master and mistress were engaged and with the arrival of the last cart load of bedding, together with the first inmate, Mary Carpenter wrote on the 11th September 'Kingswood entered today, is too full of thankful yet agitating thoughts, mingled with hope and fear, for me to do more than to note this utterance and pray for guidance'.
The early days were not easy; financially she often forwent, with personal sacrifices so that she could afford to be generous with her project; often on a bitter cold winters day she could be seen making her way between Bristol and Kingswood on foot. The School, as yet, had no legal sanction, most of the inmates being sent by their parents and the managers had no authority to detain them, this occasionally caused problems when influence and persuasion failed. This was something new, the whole scheme of Reformatory Discipline had to be devised; it was as walking a tightrope, any false step and they were ready to take instant advantage. The 'tone' of the school had to be as if carved out of solid rock, as the balance of passion was tamed, and self-discipline learnt.
An extract from the journal which she kept for some time during the early days will show the type of situation she had to cope with.
'Saturday, March 12th, 1853. At 11 a.m. a policeman came to tell me that six girls were then in the station. I told him that it was owing to the excitement caused by the hair-cutting they had run away. It appeared afterwards that when they were frustrated in their attempt the evening before, they darted off the next morning, as soon as the gates were open, Martha, Ann and Marianne of Cheltenham being the only ones remaining. Margaret guided them all to her mother's house, who, with a presence of mind and discernment of their true interest, which are highly admirable in such a woman, at once locked them together in a room, and sent her youngest daughter to the station, whence two policemen were at once sent to fetch them.
In about an hour I went down with Mr.and Mrs. A. Instead of finding them in a room waiting for me, as I had expected from what the policeman had said to me, I was told that they were all locked up. The Superintendent was most indignant with them; he said that he had never seen such girls; they had insulted the officers and been so outrageous that he had been incited to give two a slap in the face, and to lock them all in separate cells, whence they called out, screamed and sang, in such a manner that those six were enough to corrupt a hundred.
He then led us to the entrance to the corridor, where I listened to sounds that indeed shocked me, and that revealed the wicked and audacious state in which they were. These cells had doors made of strong iron bars, so we could see and hear what passed within. He then accompanied me to the door of each cell, calling each little girl to the door, as one would call a wild beast to the front of his den.
Had I felt any doubt before of the useless and injurious effect of physical coercion, and the force of kindness and moral influence on these poor children, all doubts would have vanished. As I approached each girl and gently but very sorrowfully told her how grieved I was to see her in such a condition, when I had left her good and happy the day before, she hung her head and was quite softened; one affectionately took my hand. There was now no fear. I requested that they might be released which was done'.
Being such a new undertaking one of Mary Carpenter's main problems was the inability of the teachers to understand what she regarded as fundamental principles; and of course every new member of staff put a greater responsibility on her. 'I feel almost overpowered by difficulties, but still my faith in the good and true fails not.'
An extract taken from the Assistant Headmaster's diary dated 1st January, 1947, seems to indicate that boys do not alter with time; 'All boys paraded. All clothing, boots, shoes, gym shoes, toothbrushes were checked. Boys with missing articles of clothing left home on leave were instructed to write for them. Many toothbrushes missing. Boys will have to pay for them. Spent some time summarising results of inspection. Mr. Hutchings to deal with toothbrushes, Mr. Poolman Boots and Shoes........'.
'The Managers and Staff of Kingswood Training School request the honour of your company at the Celebration of the Schools Centenary, on Monday, 15th September, at 3.30 p.m. The Home Secretary, The Right Honourable Sir David Maxwell Fyfe, P.C., Q.C., will give an address. Tea will be served. Informal Dress. The School will be open for inspection'. So reads the invitation sent out in mid-1952.
During the year of Kingswood Celebrations there were in England and Wales, 132 Approved Schools; of that total number 18 had been founded in the 1850's and as pointed out by Sir David in his address, about four fifths of the schools were run by voluntary bodies of managers, who gave their services freely. He also drew attention to the work of Kingswood Classifying School, in that, the average length of stay in 1950 was 24 days; this was reduced to 21 in 1951.
In those two years, since opening, some 700 boys had passed through and the proportion of boys who were later transferred from one training school to another, recommitted to other schools, or committed to Borstal, was much smaller than the case of boys who had not been through a Gassifying School. Today, in 1977, the School remains on the Kingswood estate, extended to accommodate more boys, and though the work is similar to that of 1952, it is now known as the Assessment Centre.
But what of the other happenings of that centenary year? On 7th September there was a Commemorative Service at the Wesley Memorial Methodist Church, St. George, followed on 14th September by a similar service at the Holy Trinity Church, Kingswood.
The 17th of the month saw the afternoon of Open Day, while three days later it was the turn of' the boys' parents to visit the School. Besides being able to see the boys at work and play, there was set up in the Recreations room as part of the celebrations, an Exhibition of models and exhibits, telling the 100 years story of Kingswood. Included, and in a prominent position, was the original two hundred years old pulpit from Wesley's chapel, kindly loaned to the School by the Governors of Kingswood School, Bath.
A replica of the pulpit can be seen today on Hanham Mount, close to the spot where Wesley first preached. This replica, together with the Screen in the Lady Chapel at Kingswood Parish Church, the Litany Desk at St. Alban's Church, Westbury Park, the Choir Screen at Longwell Green Parish Church, and the Tower Screen at Pilton Parish Church, near Shepton Mallet, Somerset, to name but a few examples, were the work of the Carpentry Department of the Training School.
More permanent reminders of the first 100 years are still with us 25 years later, for the School bell was 're-discovered' that year and now rings in a position close to where it first rang in 1738, for Wesley's boys, and the Wesley Memorial Garden close to the front entrance of the estate is as peaceful as ever.
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