Book of the Month: Blue Coat Boys
The Blue-Coat Boys or School Life in Christ’s Hospital is a personal account of life at the school from 1843 – 1851 by an Old Boy, William Harnett Blanch.
The subject of flogging (in this case with
the birch) is front and centre of the book as it was written after a scandal in
which a 12-year-old boy at the school committed
suicide by hanging in 1877 because he feared
repeated punishments, including floggings, at the school.
Here’s an extract from a chapter ‘School
Punishment – floggings.’ The full book is available free-of-charge in several
places online, including here.
Originally published by E. W. Allen
(London: 1877).
Traditional
School Discipline
Traditionalschooldiscipline@gmail.com
It sounds like a dreadful place at that time and most definitely not one for sensitive boys. I came very close to attending there in the 60's.
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