George's First Letter

George, aged fourteen, writes home to let his parents know that he has arrived safely at Weston School.  Having passed his scholars certificate at Port Eynon School, he was to spend a further year in education before beginning a five year apprenticeship at his Uncle William's ironmonger's shop in Llandudno.

Weston School

Thursday July 22^nd 1875

My dear father and mother

We arrived all saftly and the first thing we did was to go to the baths and have a bathe, after that we came to the school and had to take off most of our things for the masters to see if they were marked and then we had to slip our shirts down to our middle and wash and then we had to stand before Mr. Browning for him to see wether we had washed clean and at half past eight we had to go to bed, me and Saunders slept together and the bed was rather hard.

At 7 o’clock we got up and at quarter past we had to be in the school room for breakfast we had half a pint of coffee and a good piece of bread and butter then we had to learn the tables.  And then we had to go to the baths and have a bathe and then we had to stand all naked before the master to see if we were clean and then we came home to dinner we had so much potatoes and meat as ever we could eat. and a good piece of pudding. I should have written last night only they had the key to see if all my things were marked so no more from your affectionate Son

                                      George

 His mother wrote on the bottom of the page 'George's First Letter'

George's birth certificate