Journal of the Nelson and Marlborough Historical Societies, Volume 2, Issue 1, 1987
Table 5: Financial Reasons for Leaving Bishop's School
Table 5: Financial Reasons for Leaving Bishop's School
Reason | Pupils | Families | Occupation of Father |
Embezzlement | 1 | 1 | Sub, Provincial Treasurer |
Bankruptcy | 6 (+ 4) | 5 | Draper Wine Merchant Merchant Hotelkeeper |
End of Singing Scholarship | 3 | 2 | Labourer Commercial Agent |
Parents Poor | 4 (+ 2) | 3 | Cabman Chemist Storekeeper |
Father failing in business | 2 | 1 | Shipping Clerk |
Non-payment fees | 2 | 1 | Bailiff |
Indebtedness | 2 (+ 1) | 1 | Solicitor |
Want of means | 1 | 1 | Grocer |
Reduced circumstances | 1 | 1 | — |
Note: Numbers in brackets indicate cases where, although the roll does not state that the child left for financial reasons, it seems probable.
Some boys left for financial reasons. The education of 28 boys was affected in this way. 28 boys is only 5% of the school population, but it still must have been devastating for the people concerned. The important question is — how representative is this of the
page 16Nelson community at the time? Certainly the country suffered a depression during the 1880s. It may be evidence of the undermining of community development and personal advancement, which occurred at that time.
Bishop's School had parents whose occupations were dependent upon the selling of goods and services to others. If this could not be maintained at a level which enabled a family to survive, education at a fee-paying school had to be terminated. Most of the boys who left for financial reasons moved on to a government school.