Thring , Edward , 1821-1887 , headmaster The Teachers' Guild

Edward Thring was born in Somerset in 1821. He was educated at Eton College and King's College, Cambridge. He was ordained in the Church of England in 1846 and worked for several years as a curate, teacher and private tutor before becoming headmaster of Uppingham School, Rutland, in 1853. He remained in post for 34 years, increasing the number of pupils considerably and introducing radical revisions to the curriculum. His writings on educational theory were very influential in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Teachers' Guild began in 1883, and was formally incorporated in 1885 as the Teachers' Guild of Great Britain and Ireland. The Guild was established as a central professional body to promote the welfare and independence of teachers and create a closer bond amongst members of the profession. The Guild operated through a number of committees, of which the most significant were the Political Committee, the Education Committee and the Thrift and Benefits Committee. In 1916 the Guild established an Education Reform Council and from 1907 it administered the Anna Westmacott Trust, a charity for female teachers set up in 1897. In 1921 it became the Education Guild.It went into voluntary liquidation in 1929, at which point the funds of the Anna Westmacott Trust and those of the Teachers' Guild Benevolent Fund were passed over to four trustees, one of whom was to be a representative of the Association of Assistant Mistresses.