What was a Victorian reformatory school?

What was a Victorian reformatory school?

Reformatory and Industrial schools were Victorian and early Edwardian institutions, which were established as a response to a perceived increase in juvenile crime. The schools operated from the 1850s until 1933, after which the two types of school were merged under the Approved Schools Act.

What was the purpose of the reformatory school act?

An Act to amend the law relating to Reformatory Schools and to make further provisions for dealing with youthful offenders. 1. Title and extent. (3) 3 It extends to the whole of India except 4 the territories which, immediately before the 1st November, 1956 , were comprised in Part B States].]

How were prisoners treated in Victorian times?

They tended to be damp, unhealthy, insanitary and over-crowded. All kinds of prisoners were mixed in together, as at Coldbath Fields: men, women, children; the insane; serious criminals and petty criminals; people awaiting trial; and debtors. Each prison was run by the gaoler in his own way.

What were school punishments like in the Victorian era?

Boys were usually caned on their backsides and girls were either beaten on their bare legs or across their hands. A pupil could receive a caning for a whole range of different reasons, including: rudeness, leaving a room without permission, laziness, not telling the truth and playing truant (missing school).

What was life like at a Victorian reformatory school?

In 1854 Reformatory Schools were set up for offenders under 16 years old. These were very tough places, with stiff discipline enforced by frequent beatings. Young people were sent there for long sentences – usually several years.

Do they still have reform schools?

Today, no state openly or officially refers to its juvenile correctional institutions as “reform schools”, although such institutions still exist. The first publicly funded reform school in the United States was the State Reform School for Boys in Westborough, Massachusetts.

What was the worst punishment in Victorian schools?

When children at Victorian schools behaved badly, they were often punished by being hit on the hands with the teacher’s cane. Many teachers were very strict and most schools kept a “Punishment Book” to record the names of the bad ones and the details of their offences.

What did Victorian girls do at school?

Boys and girls were segregated for some subjects: girls would study needlework while boys studied woodwork. Children used a slate to write on, which could be wiped clean. They might also use a quill pen (like a feather), which was dipped in ink from an ink well on the desk.

How many reformatory schools were there in the UK?

In the wake of the 1854 and 1857 Acts, Reformatory and Industrial Schools were set up across the country, all of which had to be officially inspected and certified before they could begin operation. By 1875, there were 54 certified Reformatory Schools and 82 Industrial Schools in England and Wales.

What was the Reformatory School Act of 1854?

The Reformatory School Act of 1854 enabled voluntary schools to be certified as efficient by the Inspector of Prisons. Convicted juvenile offenders, under the age of 16, could be granted a pardon on condition that they were committed to a Certified Reformatory School for a period of 2 to 5 years.

What was the difference between industrial schools and reformatories?

The clear distinction between Industrial Schools and Reformatories was that the children sent to Industrial schools were destitute and those sent to Reformatories were juvenile offenders. As the 19th century neared its close people started to realise that all children deserved to receive an education.

How old did children have to be to go to jail in Victorian times?

Before Victorian times no distinction was made between criminals of any age. Accordingly, young children could be sent to an adult prison. There are records of children aged 12 being hanged.