Towyn British School Log Book, Merionethshire, 1863-76 [page 7, image 1 of 34]

Description

The following pages have been selected from the Log Book of the Towyn British School, Merionethshire, for the period 1863-7. This Log Book contains numerous references to the attempts of Mr Edwin Jones, the headmaster, to prevent the children from speaking Welsh. In the entry shown on this page (14 August 1863), he says that he is 'at a loss to know the best method to adopt in order to prevent the children generally from speaking Welsh'. He explains that he has decided to use a 'Welsh stick' or 'Welsh Not' in order to punish the children who are caught speaking Welsh.

The 'Welsh Not' was used in some schools during the eighteenth and nineteenth century in a bid to prevent pupils from speaking Welsh. The 'Welsh Not', which usually consisted of a small piece of wood or slate inscribed with the letters 'W.N', was hung around the neck of a child who was caught speaking Welsh. At the end of the school day, the child wearing the 'Welsh Not' would be punished by the schoolteacher.