Guests were invited to the Ragged School Museum in East London to discover how Shaftesbury evolved from a Victorian movement offering free education for destitute and disabled children. Guests were treated to a private tour of the museum before being taken back more than 100 years for an immersive classroom experience to learn more about our founder and namesake.
Welcoming Shaftesbury supporters to the museum felt fitting according to its Director, Erica Davies, who drew on the shared values of the 7th Earl and the invited guests who help us improve the lives of people with disabilities today.
In her guided tour, Erica gave fascinating insights on how ragged schools provided a free education for the poor and orphaned; the children of criminals, the sick, those of “uncertain employment” and widowed mothers, among others. For many of these children, school was their only source of food.
Known as the ‘Poor Man’s Earl’, Lord Shaftesbury became president of the Ragged School Union in 1844. He was a much-loved figure of the time, using his privilege to campaign for the rights of the poor and the vulnerable.
This ragged school in London’s East End was among the largest in the city, existing at a time when disease and poverty was rife. Educational opportunities for the poor were previously non-existent. The school is best known for its association with Dr Barnardo who, like Lord Shaftesbury, was a man driven by his Christian values, focusing on the spiritual welfare of the poor, not just the material. Both men founded charities still in existence today, which is indicative of how influential they were.
Eight years after his death in 1885, funds were raised to erect the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain, Anteros, at Piccadilly Circus. Although commonly mistaken for Eros, it remains today as a reminder of the contribution Lord Shaftesbury made to improving the lives of ordinary people, advocating for the poor, the sick and the working child.
In her welcome remarks, Shaftesbury Chief Executive Sally Chivers highlighted the significance of the 7th Earl: “The fact we are still talking about this man 225 years after his birth gives you a sense of his importance in history, and to us as a charity that grew from his endeavour,” she said.
In her five years at the helm, Sally has made it a priority to bring the history of Shaftesbury to life to inspire future generations to support our work. She updated guests on a new project to digitalise the historical timeline, incorporating the legacies of The Shaftesbury Society, the John Groom Charity and the Prospects Charity, all of which now come under the name Shaftesbury. “We are proud of our rich heritage and do not play down our Christian roots,” she told them.
The event was an opportunity for like-minded people from different parts of the country to share their personal connections to Shaftesbury and exchange stories over lunch. Sally thanked guests for their loyalty and commitment to the organisation, in most cases, over many years.
Following the tour, guests took their seats behind original wooden desks in the museum’s Victorian classroom for a history lesson on the life of Lord Shaftesbury, delivered by a stern-looking schoolmistress in Victorian costume and brandishing a cane. Enthusiastic participants were swiftly reminded not to call out, but to raise their hand if they knew the answer to questions posed to them by ‘Miss Sowerberry’.
The actor playing this role briefly came out of character to reveal her personal connection to the event. Her daughter is a non-verbal wheelchair user who previously attended a Shaftesbury education service, Nash College. “My daughter benefited so much from the care and attention afforded to her so I have a personal debt of gratitude to people like yourselves who support Shaftesbury’s work,” she told the class.
Hosted by Shaftesbury in collaboration with the Ragged School Museum, this unique event underlined the sense that the ragged schools’ history is rarely highlighted. Erica feels it has been largely airbrushed from history: “We hear a lot about political history, less so philanthropy,” she said.
Since 2008, Erica and her team have worked tirelessly to open the canal-side building to the public. It had been due to be demolished in the 1980s, but local activists stepped in to preserve it as an important part of the East End’s history. The building is typical of a ragged school in that it was not purpose-built. The majority were converted buildings, in this case from three adjoining warehouses. Railway arches were also utilised as makeshift school settings.
The Ragged School Union movement is an important part of Shaftesbury heritage. Our work supporting children, young people and adults with disabilities continues to be guided by Lord Shaftesbury’s values and we are fortunate to have the current Earl of Shaftesbury, Nicholas Ashley-Cooper, as our Vice-Patron.