Folios 271-272. Letter from Joseph Knight, Clerk to the Guardians of the Newcastle...

Folios 271-272. Letter from Joseph Knight, Clerk to the Guardians of the Newcastle under Lyme Poor Law Union, to the Poor Law Board, regarding a complaint from [Edward Ellison], Schoolmaster against the governor of the workhouse [George Fox, Workhouse Master]. The schoolmaster claims that the governor used threatening language to him. The board enquired into the complaint and decided that it was a frivolous one. As the governor and the schoolmaster could not work in harmony together the board unanimously resolved that the schoolmaster should be required to resign. The schoolmaster was called to the board room and informed of the decision of the guardians and also that the board had no fault to find with his teaching. At the meeting of the board the schoolmaster declined to resign. The board instructed Joseph Knight to forward a copy of the minutes of the two meetings to the Poor Law Board as they relate to the matter. The guardians ask the Board to support their decision by calling the schoolmaster to resign and if he should still refuse to dismiss him from his office.

Copy minutes of meeting of 24 October 1859. The schoolmaster having made a complaint against the governor for having used threatening language to him the matter was investigated and it was found that there was no probability of the governor and the schoolmaster living together in harmony it was therefore resolved that the schoolmaster should resign his situation.

Copy minutes of meeting of 7 November 1859. The schoolmaster having declined to comply with the recommendation of the board that he should resign his situation it was resolved that the clerk write to the Poor Law Board with a copy of the resolution of the previous meeting and stating that the guardians are still of opinion that the schoolmaster should be called upon to resign both on the ground of the frequent disagreements between him and the governor and others and because he is unable to maintain the boys in proper order as is instanced by the fact that although he has at the present time only 14 boys under his care there have been 12 complaints of insubordination and misconduct of boys brought before the board during the past month.

Annotated: inform the guardians that it will be necessary to give the schoolmaster an opportunity to submit any explanation he may have to offer. The guardians are to inform the Board if they can give examples showing acts of misconduct on the part of the schoolmaster with reference to his disagreement with the master and his incompetency to preserve discipline in the school. On receiving this information the Board will write to the schoolmaster asking for his explanation which will determine what course the Board should take, 14 November 1859.

Paper Number: 42077/1859.

Poor Law Union Number 421.

Counties: Staffordshire.