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Birmingham Industrial School.

ASTONITE

master brummie
Have any members got any information about 'Birmingham Industrial School'? It was based at Fillongley, Shustoke, Coleshill. It was listed on Google along with detention centres and reform schools, and apparently children who were in need of care or had committed minor mis-demeanours were sent there.The reason I am asking is that I found one of my great- uncles on the 1911 census listed as one of the inmates, he was one of ten children ,but all the others are listed as being at home, he was ten years old at the time. I was wondering if there was any way of finding out why he was sent there, from the sound of it they had to work while they were there.
 
This is taken from Kelly's 1896

The City of Birmingham Industrial School for outcast
boys, 1 1/2 miles south-east from Shustoke railway station
& 2 miles north-west of the church, is an extensive
structure of brick surrounded by about 110 acres of
land: it was enlarged in 1890 when additional school
rooms & offices' were erected: the institution is available
for 160 boys, 146 being now resident, who are
taught farm work, tailoring, shoe malting, carpentry &
also all kinds of house-work, including stocking mending

& washing; Frederic George Horth, master

Suzanne
 
smtr, thankyou for your reply, I'm quite fascinated by the phrase for 'outcast' boys, which is why I would like to find out the reasons for admission.
 
Hi,

I have only just joined the forum hence why I am writing so long after the initial enquiry.

My grandfather was committed to Birmingham Industrial School between 1879 and 1883. Birmingham City Archives hold the admission registersand they were able to provide me with admission details which included a physical description, why he had been committed (by Birmingham Magistrates Court), details of his parents and his level of education (illiterate).

Paul
 
hi paul
So what you are saying way back then your grand father was put away for playing the wagg truancy from school and knowing the education system was very lawfull in those days the child was sent to an industrial school as they were called then
They later became known as approved schools, remand homes and then borstal.
Years ago it was a stigma to your family if you or your child ever went to one of these industrial schools. I know my old grand mother used to say if you play up or get into trouble with the police then you will be sent there till you are 21 yrs old and little did I know at that age my grand father was a police officier and the other was a high court judge
It was only in later years that I saw a very large picture of a group of police officers hanging on the office wall in my grand father/s office in park lane aston and I was told. I have a brother in law whom was one of the locals around that period and I asked him about Fillongley. He said he remembered the school but he never went there himself
Best wishes Astonian
 
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