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 England 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 located 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 schools and other charity schools are known for the blue tunic/cassock 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 least expensive color available. Christ's Hospital in London at first chose a russet unfiform, but quickly changed to blue. Some authors refer to blue as a common color of the "servile classes". [Popkewitz, Franklin, and Pereyra, p. 220.] We are not entirely sure how common this was or the primary source for this assessment. The basic garment was a tunic/cassock. The inspiration for this garment is widely believed to be a monk's habit, but this is not fully substatiated. The boys were certainly expected to behave with great rectitude. Apparently a yellow petticoat was worn with the tunic/cassock. Christ's Hospital served as a proptype for other hospital/charity schools which adopted in wholly or in part, even a century or more later. One reserarcher reports thast until the 19th century that the uniform at Sir Thomas Rich's school that the boys wore yellow petticvoats with the chsarity school gown. Davidson p. 11] We do not know how common that was. Eventually the boys at Christ' and many other hospital schools begsan wearing knee breeches with yelloew stoickings. This could not what they wore at g\first because in the mid-16th century, knee breeches had not yet appeared. There is an almost universal opinion that these uniforms were cosen to "emphasiuze the low status pf the children". [Davidson, p. 11.] We are less sure that the schools set out to create a uniform that was outlandish. Clothing in the 16th century was just beginning to take on its modern forms. 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. But this wa not the original uniform.
We note references to both blue coat and grey coat schools. The names of course refer to the color of the uniforms given the children to wear. We are not entirely sure about the differences between the schools other than the color of their uniforms. The subject is coimplicated by the fact that there was no central authority adminisdtering these schools, although the Anglican Church masy have had some influence. Each school had its own governing board and made independent choices about unifiorm, admissions, curriculum, school rules, ect. As best we can figure out the two diiferent types of hospital schools developed because many schools followed the program and standards established by two early London schools. The first blue coat school was Christs Hospital School and the first grey coat school was the Grey Coat School in Westminster. While they were differences from school to school these two schools set the general pattern. The blue coat schools were charity schools, but many of the bous accepted were not abjectly poor. Rather many came from humble, but not indigent families that could not afford school fees to educate their children. Hrey coat schools on the other habnd were not limited to boys. Many seem to have educated girls as well. And they seem to have often taken in children from abjectly poor families. Here we would welcome any insights that British readwers may be able to offer.
All the well hospital schools we have identified were founed for boys. Many were founded in the 16th century. Christ's Hospital School, for example, was founded in the City of London by King Edward VI (1552). We believe the others had similar foundation. Their destinctive uniforms are based on 16th-17th century dress. At the time girls were not educated ouside the home. There were no girls schools founded at that time. We do not know if any girls hospital schools were created. The Grey Coat School was founded at the turn of the 18th century, but for boys and girls, not just foir girls. It did not become a girls school until the 19th century. We have not yet found any 19th century portraits of girls in blue coat uniforms. It seems unlikely as girls in the 19th century always wore dresses. We do not yet know of any such schools. Girls schools in general were not founded until the late-19th century. Girls schools were established in the 19th century, but as far as we know, they were regular schools, not hospital schools. There was a girls' school in Hertford associated with Christ's Hospitsal School. We are 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 welfare of poor children. This probably does not 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 individuals in the Middle East, South America, Asia, Russia, and other countries. In few instances do these individuals contribute funds for charitable purposes. Even in Western Europe, charitable giving is less common than in Britain and America. (Charity is important in Islam, but seems primarily directed at religious activities.)
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.
Davidson, Alexander. Blazers, Badges & Boasters: A Pictorial History of School Uiform (Scope: Hordeon, 1990), 192p.
Popkewitz, Thomas S., Barry M. Franklin, Miguel A. Pereyra. Cultural History and Education
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