Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1892-1913 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
0.26 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Education Department of the Middlesex County Council may be described as one of the most important, progressive and vital public services provided by the council throughout its history. The Middlesex Education Authority, following its inception in 1903, stood as a pioneer in numerous aspects of its work. Previously various attempts had been made to provide public education, since the passing of legislation in 1870. Before 1870 schools were run as private concerns including small private schools and dame schools, the endowed grammar schools, and the beginning of the development of the Public Schools, and for the very poor there existed schools run by religious organisations.
Forster's Education Act of 1870 marked a watershed in the history of English education. It was based on the principle of elementary education for all. It aimed 'to cover the country with good schools and to get the parents to send the children to the schools', and principally to provide instruction in basic literacy and numeracy until the age of 12. The Act provided for the division of England and Wales into school districts. Wherever surveys showed that existing voluntary schools could not provide enough places for all the school age children within their districts, the ratepayers elected school boards, which were required to supplement the existing schools with (what became known as) Board Schools. Funds to build and maintain were to come from fees, government grants and the rates. This was the starting point of local responsibility for education expenditure, and of the partnership of central and local authorities.
School Boards were abolished by the 1902 Education Act and replaced by Local Education Authorities (LEAs), which were, in effect, the county councils or county borough councils. They were given charge of all elementary and much secondary education throughout the country. Not until the 1944 Butler Act did the over-riding responsibility for all stages of education lie with the county council.
The Technical Education Committee of the Middlesex County Council was established following the passing of the 1889 Technical Instruction Act and 1891 Technical Instruction (Amendment) Act. The National Association for Technical and and Secondary Education sponsored the Acts to provide impetus for meeting deficiencies in the existing provision of technical and secondary education. The Acts empowered the (new) county councils to set up Technical Education Committees, to raise money through the rates for technical and secondary education, to give financial aid to institutions and to provide scholarships and exhibitions to students.
The Middlesex Technical Education Committee was one of the first such committees to be established. It's first meeting was held on 28th April 1892 under the chairmanship of Mr Littler (Chairman of the Council). Local Committee Districts were established together with a scheme to provide scholarships for boys to go to secondary schools/. Over the next decade the Technical Education Committee was responsible for establishing polytechnics, institutes, and secondary schools, and became heavily involved in their running. The curriculum's of the schools were also widened, and in 1899 the Committee became the authority for science and art classes in the county. Provision was also made for Middlesex scholars to attend schools and institutes outside of the county.
The Technical Education Committee was merged into the newly created Education Committee in May 1903. The formers work had been vital in establishing the high standard of secondary and technical education in Middlesex.
Repository
Archival history
MCC/EO/TCOM 1892-1913 Collection 0.26 linear metres MCC , Middlesex County Council x Middlesex County Council
The Education Department of the Middlesex County Council may be described as one of the most important, progressive and vital public services provided by the council throughout its history. The Middlesex Education Authority, following its inception in 1903, stood as a pioneer in numerous aspects of its work. Previously various attempts had been made to provide public education, since the passing of legislation in 1870. Before 1870 schools were run as private concerns including small private schools and dame schools, the endowed grammar schools, and the beginning of the development of the Public Schools, and for the very poor there existed schools run by religious organisations.
Forster's Education Act of 1870 marked a watershed in the history of English education. It was based on the principle of elementary education for all. It aimed 'to cover the country with good schools and to get the parents to send the children to the schools', and principally to provide instruction in basic literacy and numeracy until the age of 12. The Act provided for the division of England and Wales into school districts. Wherever surveys showed that existing voluntary schools could not provide enough places for all the school age children within their districts, the ratepayers elected school boards, which were required to supplement the existing schools with (what became known as) Board Schools. Funds to build and maintain were to come from fees, government grants and the rates. This was the starting point of local responsibility for education expenditure, and of the partnership of central and local authorities.
School Boards were abolished by the 1902 Education Act and replaced by Local Education Authorities (LEAs), which were, in effect, the county councils or county borough councils. They were given charge of all elementary and much secondary education throughout the country. Not until the 1944 Butler Act did the over-riding responsibility for all stages of education lie with the county council.
The Technical Education Committee of the Middlesex County Council was established following the passing of the 1889 Technical Instruction Act and 1891 Technical Instruction (Amendment) Act. The National Association for Technical and and Secondary Education sponsored the Acts to provide impetus for meeting deficiencies in the existing provision of technical and secondary education. The Acts empowered the (new) county councils to set up Technical Education Committees, to raise money through the rates for technical and secondary education, to give financial aid to institutions and to provide scholarships and exhibitions to students.
The Middlesex Technical Education Committee was one of the first such committees to be established. It's first meeting was held on 28th April 1892 under the chairmanship of Mr Littler (Chairman of the Council). Local Committee Districts were established together with a scheme to provide scholarships for boys to go to secondary schools/. Over the next decade the Technical Education Committee was responsible for establishing polytechnics, institutes, and secondary schools, and became heavily involved in their running. The curriculum's of the schools were also widened, and in 1899 the Committee became the authority for science and art classes in the county. Provision was also made for Middlesex scholars to attend schools and institutes outside of the county.
The Technical Education Committee was merged into the newly created Education Committee in May 1903. The formers work had been vital in establishing the high standard of secondary and technical education in Middlesex.
Acquired with the records of its parent authority, the Middlesex County Council, and with successor authorities.
Records of the Middlesex County Council Education Officer's Department relating to the Technical Education Committee, 1892-1913, including correspondence from Acton Secondary and Technical School; correspondence relating to the Committee's application to be an authority for art and science; correspondence from Godolphin School, Hammersmith; correspondence and scheme of management for Kingston Endowed Schools; and correspondence, scheme of administration, pamphlets and scholarship examinations from Strode's Charity, Egham, Surrey.
The material is arranged in one series MCC/EO/TCOM/001-082.
Available for general access.
Copyright to these records rests with the Corporation of London.
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
For more records relating to education see MCC/CL/L/EO.
For further information on the history of the Middlesex County Council please see Middlesex by Sir Clifford Radcliffe (2 editions, 1939 and 1953), LMA Library reference 97.09 MID; and The County Council of the Administrative County of Middlesex: 76 years of local government, 1 April 1889 to 31 March 1965, by Middlesex County Council (1965), LMA library reference S97.09 MID.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. April to June 2009 Strode's Charity , Egham, Surrey Kingston Endowed Schools Godolphin School , Hammersmith Acton Secondary and Technical School Technical Education Committee , Middlesex County Council Education Committee , Middlesex County Council Education Officer's Department , Middlesex County Council MCC , Middlesex County Council x Middlesex County Council Schools General technical education Education Universities Technological institutes Higher education institutions Vocational schools Art colleges Hammersmith and Fulham London England UK Western Europe Hammersmith Egham Surrey Kingston-upon-Thames (district) Kingston-upon-Thames Ealing Middlesex Acton Educational institutions Europe
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Acquired with the records of its parent authority, the Middlesex County Council, and with successor authorities.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of the Middlesex County Council Education Officer's Department relating to the Technical Education Committee, 1892-1913, including correspondence from Acton Secondary and Technical School; correspondence relating to the Committee's application to be an authority for art and science; correspondence from Godolphin School, Hammersmith; correspondence and scheme of management for Kingston Endowed Schools; and correspondence, scheme of administration, pamphlets and scholarship examinations from Strode's Charity, Egham, Surrey.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
The material is arranged in one series MCC/EO/TCOM/001-082.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Available for general access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright to these records rests with the Corporation of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
For more records relating to education see MCC/CL/L/EO.
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English