Figure 1.--The students ast Christ's Hospital School wear the traditional blue coat uniform. The schools are also known as blue coat schools. Christ's Hospital is the best known of these schools. |
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Some of England's most well known schools are the hospital schools. Many are also known as the blue coat schools because of the blue tunics many of these schools as an early school uniforms. Early school uniforms in Enhland were first and inicator of poverty rather than a bage of attending an exclusive private school. They are some of the earliest English schools still operating. Unlike the name suggests these schools had nothing to do with medicine. The term hospital in the 13th century was used to mean a charitable institution for the needy. Hospital schools were charity schools for boys whose parents could not afford to educate them. There are several different hospital schools in England. The Lincoln Christ's Hospital School traces its origins to the 11th century. The Royal Hospital School in East Anglia is one of the newest hospital schools. It was founded nearly 300 years ago as part of the Crown charity, Greenwich Hospital, to educate the sons of seafarers.
Some of England's most well known schools are the hospital schools. Many are also known as the blue coat schools because of the blue tunics many of these schools as an early school uniforms. Early school uniforms in Enhland were first and inicator of poverty rather than a bage of attending an exclusive private school. They are some of the earliest English schools still operating. Unlike the name suggests these schools had nothing to do with medicine. The term hospital in the 13th century was used to mean a charitable institution for the needy. Hospital schools were charity schools for boys whose parents could not afford to educate them. Some hospital schools were in fact originally locate in alms' houses. A variety of modern schools in various countries are now called hospital schools using the modern meaning of the word. These are often scools for sick children in hospitals or schools for children with a variety of serious medical dissabilities like disfigurement. The schools that HBC deals with here are the schools using hospital in the historical scence as a charity school for poor children.
The hospital/blue coat schools are known for the blue tunic uniforms that many of the schools adopted. For this reason the schools are also known as blue coat schools. Blue was reportedly chosen as ther color of the coat because blue dye was at the time the less expensuve color available. At Christ's Hospital in London, the blue tunics were worn with knee breeches and long yellow stockings. HBC is not sure how common this was at the other hospital/blue coat schools. Not all of the schools had blue tunic uniforms. The boys at the Royal Hospital School, for example, wore sailor suits, understandable as the school was created for the sons of seafarers.
All the well known hospital schools were founed for boys. At the time girls were not educated. A few hospital schools for girls were created I believe mostly in the 19th century, Christ's Hospital School was founded in the City of London by King Edward VI (1552). It was associated with a girls' school in Hertford. I am not not sure when it was founded. The boys preparatory school for Christ's Hospital School was also located at Hertford. The boys and girls' school were united at a site in Horsham (1985). The surviving original hospital schools have largely become coeducational.
The history of the hospital schools is a fascinating insight into 16th century Britain. Numerous wealthy individuals were motivated to contribute their money for the wlfare of poor children. This probably doesnot seem strange to modern Americans and Britains. In both countries private charity is a well established tradition. One has to ask, where else in the world did this happen? Not only was it inusual at the time, but it is unusual even today. Outside of Western Europe it is still unusual. There are very wealthy indivisduals in the Middle East, South America, Asia, Russia, and other countries. In few instances do these individuals contrinute funds for charitable purposes. Even in Western Europe, charitable giving is less common than in Britain and America.
There are several different hospital schools in England. Many date back to middle ages and are still opperating. We have some limited information on the different schools. Perhaps the best known is Christ's Hospital in London. There are, however, several other hospital schools. Christ's Hospital has since moved to Horsham where it was unites with the girl's school.
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