3-011-380 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Festival of Ragged-School Teachers at Nutfield Priory, the residence of Mr. H. E. Gurney, near Reigate, 1864. Annual entertainment. 'Amongst other ways of expressing his sympathy with this useful and laborious class of teachers in their work among our city poor, [Mr. Gurney] has, for the last seven years, given a fete every autumn to the voluntary teachers of each district of London. He has, in this manner, already entertained 2200 teachers from the 165 connected ragged schools now existing in London. Here they received, as usual, a cordial welcome from their host, who informed them that the house and grounds were their own during the day, expressing at the same time his gratification at their visit...Mr. H. R. Williams, of the King Edward-street Schools, Mile-end...traced the progress of ragged schools during the last twenty years. They had increased, he said, from 20 schools, with 200 teachers and 2000 children, to 165 schools with more than 2800 teachers and 30,000 children...Nutfield Priory is agreeably situated on one of the hills near Reigate, commanding fine views into the loveliest parts of Surrey and Kent'. From "Illustrated London News", 1864.