INFORMATION SERVICE: INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS
The Industrial School Act 1857 was to make better provision for the care and education of vagrant, destitute and disorderly children who, it was thought, were in danger of becoming criminals.
It was the courts who decided what Industrial School the child was sent to, in many cases it was far away from the child's hometown - the Act also made provision for the children's religious persuasion.
Usually once sentenced the child had to stay until they reached 16 years of age, however, the Government did allow suitable children, mainly boys, at the age of 14 to join the army or work in the mines.
I have started research on these schools in England and Wales and have gathered quite a lot of information so far, which I would be happy to look-up, for anyone looking for lost children, or indeed anyone in the teaching profession as most Industrial Schools had qualified teachers.
A lot of my information comes from the 1871; 1881; 1891 census returns, admission/discharge registers and court records.
The court records, at the time of writing are for London (East).
As my research is ongoing, for anyone I am unable to assist I would be happy to keep the name and details on file for future finds.
Mary Wall
Visit Mary's web site 'Missing Ancestors' which is free to search.
If you get really stuck with your search, contact Mary Wall
