Leire is a village and parish in south-west Leicestershire 4 miles north-west of Lutterworth.
Daily schools for poorer families in 1818 (population 418 in 1811)
One school, paid for by public subscription and built in 1814 on land given by the Countess de Grey, had 25 weekday pupils and 75 children attended on Sundays. They were taught using the Madras system. Ten of the poorest pupils were paid for using £13 from charity funds but the parents of the remaining 15 paid 8d per week. After the school was built, a further £20 was donated and placed in a savings bank, with the interest used for the benefit of the school. It was intended that the £20 should be used to provide a school for the master if that was ever required. The rector stated that the poor were unable to afford education for their children but with an endowment paying £10 per annum he would be able to remedy this.
Daily schools in 1835 (population 455 in 1831)
There were three daily schools for 40 boys and 24 girls. Ten of these children continued to be paid for from charity funds, the rest being paid for by their parents.
Daily schools connected to the Anglican Church in 1846-7
There was one day school, supported by payments and subscriptions, having two schoolrooms but ‘not secured’. The school was united to the National Society. There was one male and one female teacher, both paid, in charge of 25 boys and 23 girls. The teachers were paid a total of £21.
Sunday schools
In 1818
60-75 children attended a Sunday school supported by voluntary subscriptions and a collection at a charity sermon, the master receiving £5 per annum.
In 1835
One Sunday school educated 35 boys and 25 girls ‘gratuitously’.
Anglican Sunday school in 1846-7
25 boys and 27 girls attended Sunday school.
In 1851 (population 433)
Return for Leire missing.
Return to A History of Leicestershire Schools: A-Z
Sources
- Education of the Poor Digest, Parl. Papers 1819 (224)
- Education Enquiry, Parl. Papers 1835 (62)
- National Society for Promoting the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Established Church, Result of the Returns to the General Inquiry made by the National Society, into the state and progress of schools for the education of the poor … during the years 1846-7, throughout England and Wales ( London, 1849).
- 1851 Ecclesiastical census