Folios 226-267. Copy of the Bromsgrove Union Special Inquiry into the complaints...

Folios 226-267. Copy of the Bromsgrove Union Special Inquiry into the complaints preferred by the schoolmistress, Elizabeth Dance against the matron Anne Pope [wife of the master, Joseph Pope] and also the complaints preferred by the matron against the schoolmistress.

Statement of Elizabeth Dance, covering complaints and differences of opinion with the matron about children taking cans from the dining hall; applying for a change of linen; the behaviour of some of the girls; where the girls were to have their hair cut; the fact that the matron had told the children not to do what the schoolmistress said; the sorting of clothes; the undermining of her authority in regards to mending work on clothes; having an assistant to help her.

She gives some of the insults that the matron said to her. She also said that it was proved by the children before the board of guardians that the matron had said she was a brute.

Anne Pope stated she had been workhouse matron about nine months, before that was schoolmistress of the Penkridge Poor Law Union [Staffordshire]. She gives her counter arguments to those given by Dance.

Joseph Pope, said he was master of the workhouse. Dance in his presence told the matron she had behaved cruelly to Stephenson and he had heard Dance more than once deny this. He heard the matron call Dance 'a vile woman'. He did not hear the matron call Dance a liar. He considered Dance did not bahave with respect to the matron.

Maria Ince, said she was a pauper inmate aged 15 who had been there eight months and before the Popes came. Dance had once flogged her with a rod for not sweeping the rooms clean. She had not been punished when working in the kitchen and had not told Pope so. She was first in the workhouse nine days before going to Mr Potter's where she was 11 months. She then came back to the workhouse and had been there ever since.

James Potter, said he was a guardian for Hunnington. Ince had been in his service for about 10 months. He said he 'would not believe her on her oath.'

Harriett Depper, said she was single, had been in the workhouse nine months with her two children, Josiah [Josiah Depper] who was six and Edwin [Edwin Depper], four months. She had seen Dance drag Josiah to the lavatory but did not see her beat him. He had a bruise on his face. Depper told the matron who then saw Dance.

Emma Banner,] said she had been an inmate but was now a nailor. She saw Dance box the face of Joseph Depper with her hand and he fell to the ground. Dance picked him up and then the matron came. His face was swollen and 'marked but a little'. Banner bathed his face in warm water. Banner said she had received no extras from the matron.

Joseph Sandford said he was a pauper inmate. He had seen through the window a child crying by the lavatory, heard a woman calling out and saw the matron going to the yard. She asked the children what was the matter and cautioned them to tell the truth. He saw the matron and the governess in conversation. The matron afterwards asked if he had seen the schoolmistress beat the child and he said no. He then saw the boy in the cooking kitchen, the matron having sent for him to be a witness; there was a small mark on his right cheek, which was swollen a little. Sandford did not see the child fall.

Catherine McMahon said she was the wife of a labourer who had been in the workhouse 23 weeks. She had helped Pope bathe the children. She did not remember anything being said about Dance. She saw Pope every Friday check the clothes as they were put in place by Ward. She never knew any adult go without a proper change of linen. She helped in the kitchen. She never saw Henry Gossage in the kitchen having lunch. She never said Pope made a difference between young women and married women. She had helped Pope cut the Bridgwaters' hair in the old women's ward; she never saw the matron cut the hair of any child except when they came in 'with creepers'.

Phoebe Ward said she was 13 and had been in the workhouse seven years. She did not hear 'with my own ears' Pope call Dance a brute. Pope had never asked her to say an untruth. Pope came to the schoolroom and asked the girls who had been in the boardroom something, Ward had forgotten exactly what, about 'brute' to which the girls answered 'yes'; Pope then brought McMahon, the visiting guardians and Mr Pope to the room. Pope had never promised Ward a place in service if she would say she had not heard Pope call Dance a brute. Ward heard children tell Dance that Pope had called her a brute. Ward saw Pope once hit Elizabeth Guest, a young girl, on the back. Guest afterwards asked Dance to look at the mark. Sarah Ann Guest had complained to Dance that Pope had once boxed her ears which Ward had seen. Ince told Pope that Dance had beaten her till she nearly bled. Ward said Dance had beaten her a long time ago. Ward told Pope that Dance had beaten a boy named Bott, but she had not seen this.

John Aurelius Rose said he had been the previous master and Mrs Kings the previous matron. Dance had been the schoolmistress for the three and a half years he was there. Kings had been elderly and partially infirm, and Dance had assisted her. Dance was competent and kept the school in good order; she was always willing to make any alteration which Rose or Kings suggested. Dance always acted under Rose's or Kings' authority. He considered Dance to be of even temper; he never saw any exhibition of such bad temper as had been imputed to her. She treated the children kindly and they were much attached to her.

Other people mentioned are: Soloman Reeves; Elisabeth Gossages; Maria Jones; Amelia Bird; Joseph Devon; Emma Banner; Phoebe Ward; Mr Browne, Inspector; Thomas Day, Clerk to the Guardians; Stephenson; Hemming; Martha Millingham; Hill; Bennett, the laundry woman; Emma Mitchell; Hart; and MacMahon.

Also included are testimonials to Dance. Five testimonials from lady visitors, including Mary Ann Kings, the previous matron, and M Murray, wife of the chaplain and vicar. They all stressed the children's cleanliness, obedience, cheerfulness and obvious attachment to the schoolmistress.

Also included are extracts from the master's journal sent to the Poor Law Board. A copy was made on 3 September 1863 on the journal entry dated 26 May 1863, complaining of interference by the schoolmistress in the management of the workhouse. She had supplied Sarah Ann Liddele and three children with workhouse clothes for leave of absence without reference to either the master or matron.

Copy of 4 August 1863 entry: the master in accordance with article 208 no 29 reported that the schoolmistress left the workhouse on Sunday evening 26 July 1863 without informing the master or matron and did not return until midday the next day. Since then she had neglected to perform her duties and left the house several times without notice.

Also enclosed are testimonials to Southern [later Pope] before her appointment as schoolmistress at Brewood [Staffordshire]. Five references for when she, as a widow, applied for the post of schoolmistress at Brewood in 1856, all stressing her good education, integrity and saying they were sure she would be diligent. Lady Hatherton had written to Pope on leaving Brewood saying her 'cheerful patience had led many a wayward child to obedient docility' and had written also to Lord Lyttelton [one of the Bromsgrove Board of Guardians] praising Pope in the highest terms.

Paper Number: 33608/1863.

Poor Law Union Number: 526.

Counties: Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.