19:
33:, Cheshire, England. It started in 1796 as a non-denominational Sunday School in Pickford Street, which catered for 40 children. It was founded by John Whitaker whose objective was "to lessen the sum of human wretchedness by diffusing religious knowledge and useful learning among the lower classes of society". Though chapels set up their denominational schools, the Sunday School committee in 1812 elected to erect a purpose-built school on Roe Street. The Big Sunday School had 1,127 boys and 1,324 girls on its books when it opened. The building is now known as
56:
cross-denominational, and through subscription built large buildings that could host public lectures as well as classrooms. In the early days, adults attended the same classes as the infants, as each were instructed in basic reading. In
Macclesfield, the Methodists withdrew from the Large Sunday School and built their own, and the Anglicans set up their own "National" schools that acted as Sunday Schools and day schools. These schools were the precursors to a national system of education. Later, a
258:
133:, which provided a model for Macclesfield. Stockport Sunday School constructed a school for 5,000 scholars in 1805; in the late nineteenth century this was accepted as being the largest in the world. By 1831, it was reported that attendance at Sunday Schools had grown to 1.2 million. Raikes' schools were seen as the first schools of the English state system.
242:
historical significance. Stockport Sunday School had already been lost. A new charitable trust, The
Macclesfield Sunday School Heritage Trust, was formed and funds were raised and the building restored. Essential work and fitting out the museum cost £500,000. The building is now known as The Old Sunday School and is managed by
67:. In the 1920s, they promoted sports, and it was common for teams to compete in a Sunday School League. They were social centres hosting amateur dramatics and concert parties. By the 1960s the term Sunday School could refer to the building and not to any education classes, and by the 1970s even the largest Sunday School at
125:
In 1781, Raikes saw the plight of children living in the
Gloucester slums. In the home of Mrs. Meredith, he opened the first school on Sunday, the only day these boys and girls living in the slums and working in the factories could attend. Using the Bible as their textbook, he taught them to read and
232:
reduced the hours that children were permitted to work, the Sunday School responded by opening a day school as well. By 1865, there were 26 Sunday schools in the town, so inevitably the number of scholars dropped from nearly 2,500 to about 1,500. It remained important as a day school, and became the
220:
It was opened in April 1814 having cost £5,639; £3,000 was raised by subscription and £1,000 came from fund-raising by the scholars and teachers. Scholars were to pay 1d a week. By this time there were 1,127 boys and 1,324 girls on the roll. Scholars were expected to be at least six years old, free
170:
In 1812, Whitaker's Sunday School
Committee decided to erect a purpose built Sunday School. The Anglicans wanted to erect a day school, and it was first thought that these could occupy the same building, but agreement was not forthcoming and two buildings were constructed. The Anglicans constructed
212:
Whitaker's Sunday school, founded on 1 May 1796, had been popular and in 1798 there were 812 pupils and the annual expenses were £68-2s–4d. In 1800, there were 1,128 pupils and the cost was £93-4s–3½d. The school was accommodated in
Hardens Factory on Dukes Street. This was financed from a monthly
55:
In 1785, it was reported that 250,000 children were attending Sunday School and there were 5,000 in
Manchester alone. By 1895, the Society for the Establishment and Promotion of Sunday Schools had distributed 91,915 spelling books, 24,232 Testaments and 5,360 Bibles. The Sunday School movement was
189:
Lord Street Sunday School, started in 1820-1 by the
Methodist New Connexion, met in the vestry of Parsonage Street Chapel. They erected a building of their own in 1869. This doubled as a day school until 1911, then served as a barracks, a temporary library and finally from 1953 as a home to an
241:
The Sunday school closed in
September 1973. It had stopped keeping registers in 1967 when average attendance was fourteen. Funds were disbursed to various missionary organisations. Though the fabric of the building was deteriorating it was listed as a Grade II* Listed Building because of its
178:
While the Big Sunday School on Roe Street, financed by public subscription was completed in April 1814, the
Methodists could not agree with Whitaker's insistence that it should be non-denominational, and withdrew to build their own denominational school on Mill Street in 1819.
122:; daughters were left to learn what they could from their mothers or from their father's library. The children of factory workers received no formal education, typically working alongside their parents six days a week, sometimes more than 13 hours a day.
167:. Some questioned the need for the chapel to invest in education, and whether the poor should be taught to read and write, but a Sunday school was opened in 1902-3 with 160 pupils. In 1880, a day school was added and a separate building erected.
213:
subscription from itś supporters. By 1812, there were 2,149 children meeting in five locations so a new school was proposed on Roe Street, a central location. The building included an auditorium with a balcony with raked seating, following the
145:'s church, opened two charity schools for the children of the poor. By 1786, 412 children attended, learning reading and the Bible. When management was handed over to a committee of gentlemen, the school failed.
225:. When John Whitaker died at the age of 47, in October 1820, his nephew Samuel Higginbotham continued as superintendent for the next 40 years. The school continued to thrive.
152:
whose father was an alderman, commenced a free Sunday School for 40 children in
Pickford Street. It was non-denominational and run by the Sunday School Committee.
129:
Within four years over 250,000 children were attending schools on Sunday throughout England. In 1784, many new schools opened, including the interdenominational
651:
186:
established themselves in Macclesfield in 1819, and had their own well-attended Sunday School classes and built their own building in 1835 on Beech Lane.
52:
in an article in his paper and supported by many clergymen. It aimed to teach the youngsters reading, writing and ciphering and a knowledge of the Bible.
204:. The church no longer saw the need to involve themselves in literacy and numeracy, and Sunday Schools saw their sole purpose as religious education.
387:
666:
44:
Sunday schools were first set up in the 1780s to provide education to working children on their one-day off from the factory. It was proposed by
91:
in Buckinghamshire, who founded a school there in 1769. However, the founding of Sunday schools is more commonly associated with the work of
413:
271:
581:
661:
622:
197:
Brunswick Street Methodist Chapel had a purpose-built Sunday School before 1845. It continued as a Sunday School until 1986.
456:
71:
had been demolished. The Macclesfield Large Sunday School was rescued and converted into the Macclesfield Heritage Centre.
172:
115:
627:
567:
542:
517:
492:
371:
341:
309:
149:
276:
80:
200:
Throughout the 19th century, reforms were being made to the provision of education in England culminating in the
656:
222:
233:
home to many clubs, societies and events. It was also a meeting place for some of the smaller trade unions.
676:
391:
221:
of any "contagious distemper" and to arrive "washed" and "combed". The trustees were prominent in the
18:
681:
417:
214:
130:
68:
366:(Reprint 1976 ed.). Didsbury, Manchester and Macclesfield: E.J.Morten. pp. 219–225.
229:
671:
156:
60:
was set up for the children of the poor, the rough sleepers and children from the workhouse.
243:
103:
38:
8:
183:
22:
Macclesfield Sunday School: Now used as a heritage centre dedicated to the Silk Industry
201:
64:
110:, or possibly tutors once they were older; boys of that class were often sent away to
563:
538:
513:
488:
367:
337:
305:
618:
263:
111:
228:
Over the following decades the working condition of children improved. When the
119:
114:, hence these fee-based educational establishments were known, confusingly, as
645:
596:
583:
92:
57:
45:
106:. The wealthy educated their children privately, i.e. at home, with a hired
191:
160:
99:, who saw the need to prevent children in the slums descending into crime.
88:
30:
246:. It has multiple uses which include a Museum with Victorian School Room.
142:
84:
102:
In 18th century England, education was reserved for a minority and was
635:
537:. Macclesfield, Cheshire: Macclesfield Museums Trust. pp. 15–17.
512:. Macclesfield, Cheshire: Macclesfield Museums Trust. pp. 10–14.
107:
257:
164:
562:. Macclesfield, Cheshire: Macclesfield Museums Trust. p. 19.
487:. Macclesfield, Cheshire: Macclesfield Museums Trust. p. 8.
304:. Macclesfield, Cheshire: Macclesfield Museums Trust. p. 7.
155:
Churches started to build and run their own. Townley Street
141:
In 1778, Rev David Simpson of Christ Church Macclesfield,
118:. The town-based middle class may have sent their sons to
79:
The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in
336:. Macclesfield, Cheshire: Macclesfield Museums Trust.
388:"Nottingham City Centre Church Group » History"
253:
617:
623:"Details from listed building database (1206950)"
136:
643:
190:amateur dramatic company serving as a theatre -
63:The role of the Sunday Schools changed with the
414:"Robert Raikes and the Sunday School Movement"
443:Towns, Elmer L., "History of Sunday School",
217:example. Gas lighting was installed in 1819.
74:
652:Educational institutions established in 1796
439:
437:
435:
272:Grade II* listed buildings in Cheshire East
459:The first fifty years of the Sunday School
432:
236:
207:
17:
557:
532:
507:
482:
331:
299:
667:Grade II* listed buildings in Cheshire
644:
478:
476:
474:
472:
470:
468:
361:
295:
293:
291:
560:Macclesfield Sunday School 1796- 1996
551:
535:Macclesfield Sunday School 1796- 1996
526:
510:Macclesfield Sunday School 1796- 1996
485:Macclesfield Sunday School 1796- 1996
450:
357:
355:
353:
334:Macclesfield Sunday School 1796- 1996
327:
325:
323:
321:
302:Macclesfield Sunday School 1796- 1996
501:
465:
288:
13:
628:National Heritage List for England
350:
318:
148:In 1796, John Whitaker, a leading
83:. Another early start was made by
14:
693:
611:
277:Listed buildings in Macclesfield
256:
662:1796 establishments in England
406:
380:
137:Sunday Schools in Macclesfield
1:
282:
159:Church had a congregation of
81:St. Mary's Church, Nottingham
7:
249:
10:
698:
445:Sunday School Encyclopedia
75:The Sunday School Movement
27:Macclesfield Sunday School
636:Macclesfield Silk Museums
558:Collins, Louanne (1996).
533:Collins, Louanne (1996).
508:Collins, Louanne (1996).
483:Collins, Louanne (1996).
457:Copyright free text from
332:Collins, Louanne (1996).
300:Collins, Louanne (1996).
364:History of Macclesfield
362:Davies, Stella (1961).
215:Stockport Sunday School
131:Stockport Sunday School
223:Cheshire silk industry
23:
657:Education in Cheshire
237:The Old Sunday School
208:The Big Sunday School
35:The Old Sunday School
21:
638:who manage the site.
244:Macclesfield Museums
184:Primitive Methodists
39:Macclesfield Museums
677:Museums in Cheshire
593: /
597:53.2580°N 2.1278°W
230:Factories Act 1844
202:Education Act 1870
97:Gloucester Journal
65:Education Act 1870
50:Gloucester Journal
29:is in Roe Street,
24:
420:on 8 October 2007
689:
632:
619:Historic England
608:
607:
605:
604:
603:
602:53.2580; -2.1278
598:
594:
591:
590:
589:
586:
574:
573:
555:
549:
548:
530:
524:
523:
505:
499:
498:
480:
463:
454:
448:
441:
430:
429:
427:
425:
416:. Archived from
410:
404:
403:
401:
399:
390:. Archived from
384:
378:
377:
359:
348:
347:
329:
316:
315:
297:
266:
261:
260:
175:on Duke Street.
95:, editor of the
48:, editor of the
697:
696:
692:
691:
690:
688:
687:
686:
642:
641:
614:
601:
599:
595:
592:
587:
584:
582:
580:
579:
577:
570:
556:
552:
545:
531:
527:
520:
506:
502:
495:
481:
466:
455:
451:
442:
433:
423:
421:
412:
411:
407:
397:
395:
386:
385:
381:
374:
360:
351:
344:
330:
319:
312:
298:
289:
285:
264:Cheshire portal
262:
255:
252:
239:
210:
173:National School
139:
112:boarding school
77:
37:and is part of
12:
11:
5:
695:
685:
684:
682:Sunday schools
679:
674:
669:
664:
659:
654:
640:
639:
633:
613:
612:External links
610:
576:
575:
568:
550:
543:
525:
518:
500:
493:
464:
449:
431:
405:
394:on 5 July 2008
379:
372:
349:
342:
317:
310:
286:
284:
281:
280:
279:
274:
268:
267:
251:
248:
238:
235:
209:
206:
157:Congregational
138:
135:
120:grammar school
116:public schools
104:not compulsory
87:, a native of
76:
73:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
694:
683:
680:
678:
675:
673:
670:
668:
665:
663:
660:
658:
655:
653:
650:
649:
647:
637:
634:
630:
629:
624:
620:
616:
615:
609:
606:
571:
569:1-870926-09-9
565:
561:
554:
546:
544:1-870926-09-9
540:
536:
529:
521:
519:1-870926-09-9
515:
511:
504:
496:
494:1-870926-09-9
490:
486:
479:
477:
475:
473:
471:
469:
462:
461:, W.H. Watson
460:
453:
446:
440:
438:
436:
419:
415:
409:
393:
389:
383:
375:
373:0-85972-034-9
369:
365:
358:
356:
354:
345:
343:1-870926-09-9
339:
335:
328:
326:
324:
322:
313:
311:1-870926-09-9
307:
303:
296:
294:
292:
287:
278:
275:
273:
270:
269:
265:
259:
254:
247:
245:
234:
231:
226:
224:
218:
216:
205:
203:
198:
195:
193:
187:
185:
180:
176:
174:
168:
166:
162:
158:
153:
151:
146:
144:
134:
132:
127:
123:
121:
117:
113:
109:
105:
100:
98:
94:
93:Robert Raikes
90:
86:
82:
72:
70:
66:
61:
59:
58:ragged school
53:
51:
47:
46:Robert Raikes
42:
40:
36:
32:
28:
20:
16:
672:Macclesfield
626:
578:
559:
553:
534:
528:
509:
503:
484:
458:
452:
444:
422:. Retrieved
418:the original
408:
396:. Retrieved
392:the original
382:
363:
333:
301:
240:
227:
219:
211:
199:
196:
192:MADS Theatre
188:
181:
177:
169:
154:
147:
140:
128:
124:
101:
96:
89:High Wycombe
78:
62:
54:
49:
43:
34:
31:Macclesfield
26:
25:
15:
600: /
143:Charles Roe
85:Hannah Ball
646:Categories
585:53°15′29″N
424:26 October
283:References
161:Unitarians
588:2°07′40″W
165:Wesleyans
150:Methodist
108:governess
69:Stockport
398:18 April
250:See also
126:write.
566:
541:
516:
491:
447:, 1993
370:
340:
308:
171:their
564:ISBN
539:ISBN
514:ISBN
489:ISBN
426:2007
400:2012
368:ISBN
338:ISBN
306:ISBN
182:The
163:and
648::
625:.
621:.
467:^
434:^
352:^
320:^
290:^
194:.
41:.
631:.
572:.
547:.
522:.
497:.
428:.
402:.
376:.
346:.
314:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.