Part 31

Among the inconveniences occasioned by the general dissolution of the monasteries, one of them must have been that of being deprived of those conventual schools. How long the town continued without any substitutes for them, we are not able to say. Something probably might be done in the reign of _Edward_, though we have not been able to discover any clear proof of it: only the fact may be supposed, as it is well known that many schools were established in that reign, and endowed with some small fragments of the abbey-revenues. Indeed there is some reason to conclude that there was a school, on a very small scale, established here by the corporation, almost immediately after the dissolution, as appears from the following passage in an old memorandum book, extracted chiefly, as it would seem, from the Hall-records—“1538, Sept; 29. Thomas Person, prest, late ffryer, was chosen to be Charnell Prest: He to have for his selary viii_l._ iiii_s._ and licence to preche iiii tymes every Quarter, _and frely to teche vi Child.[ren.]_”—The last expression necessarily implies the establishment of a _school_ for the education of _six children_: and as the teacher was the charnel priest, it may reasonably be concluded that the school was kept at, or over the charnel house. That also being the place where our Grammar School was kept till the erection of the present building, it seems not improbable that this little school for the education of half a dozen boys may have been the origin of that seminary. How long our means of education were confined to one solitary establishment for six boys, we are not able now to say; but we could discover no appearance of the existence of any thing further till _above forty years_ after the dissolution of the convents, when a respectable seminary, on an extensive scale, began to give additional dignity to the character of the town.—We will now proceed to give a cursory view of our principal schools, and present state of education.

1. _The Grammar School_. This has long borne a respectable character among the grammar-schools of this country. It is supposed to have been established about the middle of the reign of Elizabeth, as we have been able to trace it no further back than the year 1580, when we find it an established school, and its _master’s_ name _Iverye_. {1140} He died in 1590, and was succeeded by _Alex. Roberts M.A._ who had a stipend of 20 marks a year, and the house where his predecessor lived. He becoming one of the ministers of the town, was succeeded in 1593 by _Nic. Eston M.A._ of Pemb. Hall, Cambridge. Eston in 1597, was succeeded by _John Man_ M.A. who in 1608, was succeeded by _Hen. Allston_, on condition that he _considered himself as holding the school only during the goodwill and pleasure of the Mayor_, _A. and C. C._ He appears not to have been on the best terms with the corporation; and about 1613, was succeeded by a _Mr. Armitage_. He dying in 1618, was succeeded by _Mr. Robt. Robinson_. He died in 1626, and was succeeded by _Ambr. Fish_, who shortly after gave up his charge, and was succeeded, 11. May 1627, by _Robt. Woodmansea M.A._ of Loughborough. He removing in the spring of 1634 (or rather 1635,) had for his successor _John Rawlinson M.A._ of St. John’s Col. Cambridge, who removed, as it seems, in 1637, and was then succeeded by _Edw. Bell M.A._ who, if we are not mistaken, held the place 40 years; and dying in 1678 was succeeded by the memorable _John Horne M.A._ who held the mastership of this seminary still longer; even no less than 51 or 52 years, with much credit to himself and no small advantage to his numerous pupils. He was succeeded May 21. 1730. by _Charles Squire_; who was succeeded by — _Pigge_; and he by _John Danville_, and he by _John Knox_, who resigned in 1760, {1142a} when he was succeeded by _Dr. David Lloyd_, who continued at the head of this seminary 34 years, and supported during all that time a character no way inferior, perhaps, to the most eminent of his predecessors. He was succeeded in 1794 by his eldest son _Henry Lloyd D.D._ the present Hebrew Professor at Cambridge. Upon his resignation in 1797, he was succeeded by _Richard Scott_, who in 1803 was succeeded by the present master, the rev. _Martin Coulcher_. {1142b}

The course of education in this seminary, is similar to what is usual in most of our endowed grammar-schools, or free-schools. Its original object seems to have been to teach the rudiments of the learned languages, which still forms a principal part of the plan; but like the generality of our modern numerous and respectable boarding schools, it has now for many years embraced divers other objects, and even all those branches of education, the knowledge of which is now deemed necessary to fit our youth to become men of business, and useful and accomplished members of society. The endowment to this seminary is about 60_l._ a year, and a handsome dwelling-house for the master; for which he is to teach a certain number of freemen’s children gratis: but it is only in grammar or classical learning; for which reason they are but few in number; and he depends chiefly for his support upon those pupils he derives from other quarters. In some cases those who go from this seminary to the university, are entitled to certain exhibitions or pecuniary aids, which some well disposed persons deceased have bequeathed for the benefit of such young scholars.

Our other _boy_-schools are now pretty numerous, and are entitled to different degrees of estimation, from those of Messrs. Coulton, Smith, and Bonnet, down to those of our veriest or humblest abecedarian pedagogues, who yet are doubtless very useful in their sphere.—Of _girl_-schools there are here likewise a great many, and they also are of different sorts, and descend, like the former, in various gradations, from the respected boarding schools of Miss Nichols and Miss Henderson, to the liliputian seminaries of those homely dames whose pupils are made up of young misses and masters of two, three, and four years old. The two schools here first mentioned, (those of Miss N. and Miss H.) are very respectable; and the former has been so for a great many years, and still maintains its character with undiminished reputation. But as these good ladies can be in no want of any encomium or praises which are in the power of this writer to bestow, he will here drop the subject.

We must not however close our account of the Lynn schools, without noticing those which are formed on the Lancasterian plan; of which there are two here established—one for _boys_ and the other for _girls_. Of the latter the following sketch, it is presumed, will be found pretty correct.

“_The Charity School for Girls_ was founded by voluntary subscription, at a meeting of ladies held at the Town-hall, April 13. 1792, and opened May 28 following. It provided instruction, in reading, sewing, and spinning, with some portion of clothing, for 30 children. A room in Purfleet street was for some years hired for the purpose; but in 1805 a much more suitable apartment, adjoining to the north tower of St. Margaret’s Church, was fitted up by the subscribers: and the school has been since extended to 50 girls, under the direction of _Miss Harriet Howell_, who has successfully adapted the new or Lancasterian method of education to the instruction of girls—This school is now supported in a great measure by taking in plain work; as the whole amount of the subscription, for the current year is only 49_l._ 7_s._”

The other charitable seminary, that for _boys_, and which in fact is our proper Lancasterian school, is of much later origin than the preceding. Of its rise and progress the following brief account, we doubt not, will be found pretty accurate—

“It is remarkable that in so large a town as this, there was no public charity school for boys prior to the year 1808. Complaints were loud and universal of the number of idle and disorderly boys, who were rioting in our streets, and sometimes committing great depredations upon the property of individuals. But the very magnitude of the evil seemed to discourage all endeavours to remove it. The expense of educating so large a number upon the old plan of instruction, which required one master to every 30 or 40 boys, precluded all hope of raising an adequate contribution from the public; and no effect could not be expected from a private person commensurate to the existing evil, of so large a portion of the population being destitute of all moral or religious instruction. But the rise of the new system of education, by which one master can teach almost any number of boys that one room can hold, soon attracted the attention of those who felt for the rising generation: and as this improved system was then practised only by Mr. Joseph Lancaster, in London, an application was made to him for a master. Upon which he kindly offered to come down, and gave a public lecture at the assembly room upon the subject, February 8. 1808. Several resolutions for the establishment of a school in this place, by his assistance, were immediately agreed upon; a committee of 15 subscribers for the management of the institution, were afterwards nominated; the Corporation granted the use of a building well adapted for the purpose, and on Wednesday, May 11. in the same year, the school was opened for 230 boys. {1146a}—The success and the utility of this institution have fully answered every reasonable expectation which could be formed respecting it.—The annual subscriptions for the present year amount to 111_l._ 6_s._”

Besides these schools, which are under the direction of the clergymen of the establishment, there are here two sunday schools under the direction of the dissenters. The chief of these, and of the longest standing, is under the care of the revd. _I. Allen_, and kept at his meeting house, in Broad Street; but it is supported by the subscriptions of persons of different denominations, churchmen as well as dissenters. {1146b} It has existed some years, and is deemed a very useful institution. The other is of more recent origin, and at present on a much smaller scale, and is kept at the Baptist meeting house. It is only for boys; whereas Mr. Allen’s is for both boys and girls, but chiefly the latter. In his last annual account, if we are not mistaken, Mr. A. has represented both these schools as only one school, making the whole number of scholars 249—143 girls, and 109 boys. Of the latter about 60, as we are told, belong to the _Baptist_ Sunday School. These institutions, it is to be hoped, will long prove very useful to the town.—But we must not omit here to mention that the Lynn Sunday Schools originated with the _Methodists_ about 25 years ago. The school which they then established was carried on with much spirit, and to very good purpose for several years; but was at last given up in favour of an extensive day-school, which was then planned, and which it was supposed would render the other unnecessary. But either that day-school was not established, or it did not succeed; so that the Methodists were too hasty in discontinuing their school, which if we rightly recollect, consisted of about 200 children. {1147}

From the foregoing account the reader may form some idea of the present state of education in this town. The Lancasterian schools have answered the most sanguine expectations of their patrons and promoters, and especially the boy-school, which has hitherto given abundant satisfaction, and has greatly conduced to the credit both of the managers and the teacher. The dispute which has agitated other parts of the kingdom as to the respective merits of Bell and Lancaster, will, it is to be hoped, not materially affect this town. For though the Church Catechism is taught here, which the present writer thinks in part very absurd; yet if the young pupils think at all as they grow up, and advert to the new testament, that absurdity will not long have any very strong hold upon their minds, or remain a great while unperceived. As they will be enabled to read the scriptures, if they will take the trouble of searching them, and judge for themselves, they may be soon very capable to determine how far the Church Catechism and the Common prayer book are to be deemed necessary appendages to the inspired writings.

As to our schools of the better sort, or of the higher order, we judge that they are as well conducted as those of the like description in most other places. Some indeed have found fault, especially with those for female education, for what may be called too much uniformity, or not varying more the course of instruction, and adapting it to the ranks, circumstances, or prospects of the respective pupils. Hence the tradesman’s and petty farmer’s daughters are taught music, drawing, and other genteel accomplishments, in common with those of the squire, the merchant, and opulent farmer, who are expected and designed to move in a much higher sphere. In giving the former the education of fine ladies they are supposed to be unfitted for that station in life in which they are likely to be placed, by having their minds filled with such high notions as can but very ill accord with their probable future destiny. This therefore has been deemed contrary to the dictates of reason, and every just rule of prudence and propriety. But however absurd this may be, the blame seems not imputable to the governesses of these seminaries, but rather to the parents or guardians of those pupils. Nor would it be very safe perhaps for our governesses to remonstrate with these, or even so much as hint on the absurdity or impropriety of such an indiscriminate and preposterous course of instruction, as it would be taken as a reflection on their superior wisdom, or their competency to dictate the proper line of pupilage for their young relatives. But it is not intended here to insinuate that the circumstance in question is peculiar to our Lynn Boarding-schools: on the contrary, the same is supposed to be very much the case in many, if not in most other places. If however it be so improper as many have supposed, it would no doubt, be very desirable to have it discontinued. But the world is not very likely soon to agree to discontinue all improper practices.

☞ Here before he begins another section, or proceeds any further, the author begs leave to apprize the reader of an error he has committed at page 1134, in suggesting that Framingham endowed 11 out of the 12 dwellings in the Broad street Almshouse. He has understood since that he endowed but _ten_, and that the _eleventh_ was endowed by Ald. Goodwyn, and the twelfth by the elder _Hogg_, great grand father of our present alderman of that name, and founder of that respectable mercantile family. This correction is made, as due to the memory of the said _Mr. Hogg_, which stands much higher, as a benefactor to the poor, than that of any of our wealthy men who survived him.—It is also due to the sacredness of historical truth, which demands as much fidelity as a statement of facts upon oath in a court of judicature.

SECTION VI.

_Sketch of the Corporation_, _with cursory remarks on its power_, _possessions_, _privileges_, _&c._

The Corporation of Lynn was established in the reign of king John, which is not mentioned here as a circumstance redounding to its honour, or yet to its dishonour. Our corporations might be very proper and useful in those feudal and barbarous times, as a check to the despotism and tyranny of the barons and feudal lords; but in the present state of the nation their propriety and utility are very far from being obvious; seeing such places as Birmingham, Manchester, and Sheffield, appear to have done full as well, and thrived quite as much, without any chartered immunities, or such a privileged order of men, as our most famous or favoured corporations. It is not however to be expected that these dignified bodies will readily descend from their elevated situations, and place themselves by the side of their unprivileged neighbours.

The Lynn Corporation is generally considered as consisting of a Mayor, Recorder, Lord High Steward, twelve Aldermen, eighteen Common-councilmen, town Clerk, Chamberlain, two Coroners, and several inferior officers. {1150} The power, privileges, and possessions of this body are very considerable, so that their dignity and consequence seem not a little superior to those of some others of our corporate bodies in different parts of the kingdom. Their various immunities are distinctly specified in their numerous charters, which they obtained of different sovereigns, from John to Charles the second. But as it seems to be intended shortly to publish those Charters, it may be needless to say any more here about their contents. There has been a pretty general wish for some time to have these documents published in English, that the freemen might know the full meaning and extent of the oaths tendered to them in taking up their freedom, of which not one in twenty of them are supposed to have at present any adequate idea: and as there is known to exist now in the town a fair translation of them, it is hoped and expected that it will ere long be made public. In that case the dignity, power, and prerogatives of this privileged body will be sufficiently explained, and our future freemen will be enabled to discover the nature and extent of the obligation imposed upon them by their burgess oaths.

The possessions of the Lynn Corporation in landed property &c. are said to be very considerable; and together with their various tolls, tallages, and privileges, produce a large annual income, which we are told might be considerably increased, were their lands all let to the best bidders, or according to their full value, instead of letting them in the usual unfair and partial manner, for the accommodation of their own particular friends and favourites. With such an ample revenue as their means might be made to produce, and of which they are understood to be but the trustees of the commonalty, our corporation might be real and great benefactors to this town, and secure to themselves the esteem and applause of all their reasonable and respectable fellow-citizens; but being apt sometimes to carry themselves rather too haughty and arrogantly towards their unprivileged neighbours, they are not always in possession of the respect that would otherwise be very readily paid to them. It is not however likely that they are much more despotically disposed than the generality of the rulers of other corporations.

The _mayor_ of Lynn is chosen annually on the 29th. of August, from among the aldermen, by the members of the common-council: and he must be one who has not served the office previously for at least five years. In case he declines the appointment, or refuses to serve, without reasonable cause to be allowed, the major and aldermen may fine him in any sum not exceeding 60_l._ {1154a} Also in case of such refusal, or of a mayor’s death, the common-council-men may within eight days choose any other alderman, who has not served for five years, in his room. The new mayor being elected on the 29th of August, he is not sworn in till the 29th. of the ensuing month, or Michaelmas-day, when his official year commences. If he should happen to be sick, so as not to be able to attend at the Guild-hall to be sworn, on the day last mentioned, it shall be lawful to administer the oath, or oaths to him at his own house, or wherever he shall be within the borough. {1154b}

Formerly it was customary to have here at the hall, both on St. John’s, and St Michael’s days, elegant entertainments or sumptuous public dinners, given at the mayor’s expense, and often much expatiated upon by former writers; but the custom has of late been discontinued, and we are not sure that it will be ever again resumed: nor are we sure that its resumption would be at all desirable; on the contrary, it seems more probable that its utter abolition would be of far greater use to the community in general, at such a time as this, as it might serve to remind us all of the absolute necessity of retrenching and observing the utmost economy in the management of all our temporal affairs, as the only way to escape starvation and all its concomitant miseries. For all which we have to thank the vile maxims that have directed and distinguished our public affairs for these 50 years, and especially those that characterize the administration of the last Pitt and his successors.

Of the present revenue of this Corporation, which is understood to be very considerable, we have not been able to ascertain the exact amount. It is one of those secrets, it seems, which the members make a point of keeping to themselves, and whose disclosure would render them liable to expulsion. It being therefore a corporation and sworn secret, we will not presume to pry any further into it. But it is very certain that several of their present sources of revenue did not at all belong to them formerly. Among which are to be reckoned the possessions of the Gilds of the _Trinity_, and _St. George_, and perhaps of some of the others; which were granted to the Corporation at the dissolution. Also the profits of the _Toll-booth_, which were originally divided between the _bishop of Norwich_, and the _Earl of Arundel_ as lord of _Rising_, comprehending what is called _Tronage_, _Measurage_, and _Lovecop_, {1155} with the _baily-ship of the Water of Wiggenhall_, &c. Of these, after passing through several hands, a _fourth_ part was vested in the prince of Wales, as Duke of Cornwall, and the other _three_ parts afterwards reverted to the crown, and were by Henry VIII. granted to the corporation, who have been in possession of them ever since. The fourth part is supposed to belong still to the duchy of Cornwall, and rented from the managers of its concerns by the mayor and burgesses.—An _admiralty_ jurisdiction within the liberties of this borough, has also been granted to this body corporate, by king James’ Charter, which will probably avail them very materially in their present dispute with lord William Bentinck.

Before we close these remarks we may just observe, that four or five of our aldermen, and several of our common-council-men are now absentees, or live out of town—a case, it is supposed, never known here before, and which would not have been allowed in former days: for absence or removal out of town was always heretofore succeeded by expulsion, if the absentees did not think proper to resign of their own accord. It seems somewhat difficult to account for the unexampled indulgence with which our present absentees are treated, especially as the mayor is said to find it often very difficult, on that very account, to get a Hall, or muster such a number of members as is necessary for transacting their municipal business.