Figure 1.--This CDV portrait shows an unidentified English shool boy leaning on a a cricket bat. He almost certainly attended a preparatory school, probably in the 1870s. The portrait ws taken at the La Fosse Studio in Manchester, apparently near Nigner Broughton. We think that the school was located close by because we notice similarly dressed boys taken at the same studio. We are not sure how common his cap was or even if it was a school cap..

Major changes ocuured in British education during the late-19th century. There was a major expansion of both state and private schools. Local authorties began to implement the Education Act of 1864 which massively expanded free primary education. And then the Education Act of 1870 which basically created a state school system. Another huge step was the Elementary (primary) Education Act of 1880 which established cimpulsory education as a matter of law. The Act required children aged between 5-10 years of age to attend school. And it included means of ebforcenet. The demands of the growing Empite also let to the expansion of the private sector with the creation of new preparatory and public schools. The idea of a standard school uniform gradually was accepted at private schools and by the 1870s was widely observed at most public schools. And by this time we begin to see many more photographic images showing the boys in their uniforms. The clothing list at these schools coulod be amazingly extensive. Another part of the reforms implemented at mid-century was to separate or take special steps to protect the younger boys. Many preparatory schools appeared in the late-19th century to accomodate the needs of the yonger boys. Uniform requirements were more relaxed at these new schools, but they gradually adopted uniform requirrements as well. England began to develop a pubically financed state school system. The English effort to found a national system of state schools lagged behind several countries on the continent. Countries like Prussia at an early stage saw an educated population as important in building a strong state. Important elemenent in England were concerned about the social impact of educating the working class. Despite the misgivings, there was a great expansion of schools for the average English boy during the late 19th century. A wide variety of schools were opened, including ragged schools, board schools, national schools and several others. Only by the late-19th century did educational reforms began creating a national system of state schools out of the variety of schools that had been created. Uniforms were not required at these elementary schools. State financed secondary schools were a rarity throughout the 19th century.

The 1870s

Major changes ocuured in British education during the late-19th century. There was a major expansion of both state and private schools. Local authorties began to implement the Education Act of 1864 which massively expanded free primary education. The demands of the growing Empite also let to the expansion of the private sector with the creation of new preparatory and public schools. Another part of the reforms implemented at mid-century was to separate or take special steps to protect the younger boys. Many preparatory schools appeared in the late-19th century to accomodate the needs of the yonger boys. And to accomodate the needs of an expanding empire, we see new public (private boarding) schools. Uniforns varied we see Eton suits and knicker suits. England began to develop a pubically financed state school system. The English effort to found a national system of state schools lagged behind several countries on the continent. Countries like Prussia at an early stage saw an educated population as important in building a strong state. The United States also led Britain in developing a fine public school system. Important elemement in England, especially the landed aristocracy, were concerned about the social impact of educating the working class. Despite the misgivings, there was a great expansion of schools for the average English boy during the late-19th century. A wide variety of schools were opened, including ragged schools, board schools, national schools and several others. Only by the late-19th century did educational reforms began creating a national system of state schools out of the variety of schools that had been created. Uniforms were not required at these elementary schools. State financed secondary schools were a rarity throughout the 19th century. This began in the 1870, but was more fully implements in the subsequent decades. The idea of a standard school uniform gradually was accepted at private schools and by the 1870s was widely observed at most public schools. And by this time we begin to see many more photographic images showing the boys in their uniforms. The clothing list at these schools could be amazingly extensive. We mostly see boys wearing long pants uniforms. Uniform requirements at the new preparatory schools were more relaxed at, but they gradually adopted uniform requirrements as well. We also see long pants in the new state schools.

The 1880s

The developing state school system was increasingly well established by the 1880s. There was no uniform at these schools. We notice quite a range of clothing at the new board schools flowing from Education Act of 1870. By the 1880s there were thousands of these schools and the fees initilly charged were dropped. As there were no uniforms required, the lothing we see in early achool potraits are a good reflection of populr fashions at the time. Another huge step was the Elementary (primary) Education Act of 1880 which established cimpulsory education as a matter of law. The Act required children aged between 5-10 years of age to attend school. And it included means of ebforcenet. Attendance Officers were empowered round up truant children, even going to the homes of children who were attending school. And as more school portraits are available. We have an increasingly large photographic record availablre to assess popular styles. Our understanding of girls' fashions is somewhat limited by the fact that so many girls wore pinafores covering up their dresses. As the boys did not wear pinafores, we have great detail about what they wore to school. Here we are talking about mostly pre-teen children. At the time, few working class children went on to secondary schools. Most of the boys wore suits. Suits at the sime were standard garments for boys. These were motly collr butting suits, but we also see cut-away jackets. Older bpys might wear laoel jackets. We do not see many sailor suits yet. They would become a major feature of 1890s scgoolwear. By mid-decade with the adebt of the Guntlero Craze we begin to see boys with large collrs, xomething thar we do not see at the beginning of the decase. We do not see as many large bows as we see in America. We note boys wearing knee pants and long stockings. Younger boys wire socks. There were uniforms at the private schools. We see more preparatory schools in the 1880s. While there were no standard preparatory uniform, but Eton suits and knicker suits were very common at public schools. Headwear varied we see peaked caps and mortar boards. e note more boys wearing knee panrts nd knickers, but motly younger boys. Older boys still mostly wore long pants.

The 1890s

England by the 1890s had implemented thec reforms sketetched out in the 1864 Reform Act. Free public eduction was fully established by the 1890s. This was for the most prt primary ediucation. Few working-class children pursued secondary education. Uniforms at the grammar schools which were secondary schools tended to follow the curriculum, ethos, and uniform trends of the public (private boarding schools) schools. Caps varied. We note several public schools which still had mortor board caps. This seemed more common in the 1860s when we first see large number of images because of the intriduction of the CDV. We see many schools adopting the peaked cap as the uniform cap for the younger boys. Boaters were also worn. When first introduced it was a games cap. Eton-style suits were popular for uniforms and the Eton collars even more common. Many public schools and grammar schools had knickers or knee pants uniforms for the younger boys. The state schools generally did not require uniforms. We note the boys wearing a variety of school styles like school caps. Eton collars were also vary common, not because the school required them, but because they were an established style. The same was true of the knee pants suits that many boys wore to school.

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Created: 4:14 AM 2/18/2011
Last updated: 7:36 PM 5/27/2016