Whitwell Local History Site

Whitwell - A Parish History

Schools and Education

Before the 19th century, there was no national education system in Britain. Few people up to that time had the opportunity for education. In the Premonstratensian records of Welbeck, there are references to individuals receiving some teaching from the monks, in return for services rendered, such as collecting fuel and carrying provisions. Otherwise, probably the only other form of education was in the homes of the rich, who could afford to have their children taught by a tutor or governess.

The first stage of formal education came with the introduction of the grammar schools in the Elizabethan period, usually in conjunction with a particular benefactor. Netherthorpe Grammar School, Staveley, which many Whitwell students have attended, was established in 1572; the Frecheville family was one of the benefactors.

The "Dame" schools followed - there was one at Belph. These were really places where children could be 'left' and the so-called teachers, usually old women and sometimes old men, were merely childminders.

In the 18th century, charity schools were started, usually in factories and workhouses, when the children were taught reading, writing and the catechism. In 1780, Sunday Schools began; poor children were taught reading, mainly bible reading and the catechism. Thus education before the 19th century had been hampered by insufficient schools, a lack of equipment, too few trained teachers and too few children for schooling - poverty decreed that the majority of children had to go out to work all day, to eke out a family living.

Probably the first mention of an educational establishment in Whitwell was in 1802, when the first Sunday School was formed to educate the children in the scriptures. By 1810, there was a school in the 'Dycken' run by a Richard Fitzackerley. At this time, the village with a population of about 700 was owned by the Duke of Rutland. In 1813 he exchanged with the Duke of Portland, who had owned Great Barlow. This explains the entry in 'Education for the Poorer Classes, Session 1819, British Parliamentary Paper, Volume 3', which states for Whitwell:

'Population in 1818 - 707

Rector - George King

Curate - T. Hill

One school, built by the family of the Duke of Rutland and kept in repair by the parish in which about 40 children are taught: the master receives from the Duke of Portland, from the Rector and from the Parish Chest, fifteen pounds for the education of twenty five poor children; the parish also provides coals.

Four day schools containing together sixty eight children; a Sunday School supported by voluntary contribution in which thirty are instructed; and a day and Sunday School for girls entirely maintained by the Duchess of Portland consisting of sixty. Several of the poor are without the means of education and would be thankful to possess them'.

The Directories from 1827/29 give the name of the Headmistress as Mary Carter but no Headmaster is mentioned. By 1833, when grants were given for the building of schools, the population of Whitwell exceeded one thousand.

The next record with a reference to Whitwell is in 'The Accounts and Papers Relating to Education, 1835', an abstract from the Education Returns, 1833 states:

'Population ~ 1007

One Infant School in which sixteen children of both sexes were instructed at the expense of their parents. Five daily schools - one containing about thirty, of whom six are paid for by the Duke of Portland, six by the Rector, the remainder by their parents; another contains eighty females and is supported and wholly maintained by the Duchess of Portland. Two others contain as follows ten females and twenty females, both commenced in 1831 and another in 1832 contains twelve females. In the last three schools the children are instructed at the expense of their parents. One Sunday School of forty males who receive gratuitous instruction'.

The 1835 Pigot's Directory names Mary Drabble as mistress of the 'Free School'. By 1841, Whitwell had 223 children, between four and eleven years of age and a school 'North of the Turnpike' i.e. The Old Hall, with a Headmaster, James Smith and a Headmistress, Mary Drabble, both residing at the school. South of the Turnpike was a school run by Ann Radziminski - this was at Belph.

By 1857, Thomas and Mary Hardcastle had become head teachers, residing at the Old Hall. Miss Caroline Boaler had opened a girls' boarding school 'up the Jack-Up steps', which was still in existence in 1872.

From 1863, a school logbook exists for the Boy's School, so from that time a realistic picture begins to emerge. The 1861 census returns showed an adult population of 1487 in Whitwell, yet there were only 50 boys attending school on that first morning of 7th January, 1863. The average attendance for that year was 51, quite enough for the sole member of staff, William Gray. At the annual November examinations, 41 boys attained a sufficiently high standard to guarantee the grant of £64:13s:0d. for the following year.

The first entry in this logbook records that homework books were distributed with instructions that they could be paid for by easy instalments. Unfortunately, several books were not sufficiently used, resulting in frequent punishment for the culprits.

Truancy was a common occurrence although some official leave to 'tent' birds, pick potatoes, make the hay and single turnips was acceptable: one pupil returned to school after a three year leave of absence. The Duke of Portland provided an annual gift of £10 to be shared between pupils as a reward for full attendance. Parents did not receive a monetary gift, but chose 'patterns of gifts': in 1864, 38 children shared the grant. At this period, the majority of parents were paying one penny per week towards the cost of their children's education. The children took the money to school on the first day of the week; they were fined and subsequently suspended for non-payment.

Instruction in the Church of England Scriptures was the prime subject; the Rector and his curates visited the school regularly to teach the Catechism and sections from the Holy Bible. Having such large classes, the Headteacher instructed the monitors, who in turn instructed the pupils. The 'Three R's' took up most of the day. Miss Mason, the Rector's sister, took upon herself the task of instructing the girls in needlework, providing the fabrics and threads from her own purse. Nature study included lessons on 'The Dog', 'The Cat' and 'The Cow', as well as 'Rubber growing'. Singing was enjoyed and Musical Marching made a pleasant alternative to Drill. Of course, all these subjects were examined annually by Her Majesty's Inspectors, the result of which determined the size of the annual grant.

Breaks in school routine were frequent. Being a Church School, religious festivals usually meant a visit to church for a service, occasionally the rest of the day was a holiday. On St. Thomas' Day, the school was disrupted for the distribution of corn and during the coldest months, the older boys were sent to Welbeck to carry soup from the Abbey for distribution among the needy of the village. The hounds meeting in Whitwell Wood became an accepted excuse for truancy, as did the Methodist Tea Meetings. The holiday for the Royal Wedding and for the Duke of Portland's seventieth birthday celebrations in 1870, were happy days in the village. When the Prince of Wales visited Welbeck in 1881, the village farmers carried the children to the Abbey in their wagons, to join in the festivities.

On one fine day, as a reward, the school closed an hour earlier to play a cricket match and on 28th October, 1873, the Headmaster, Mr James Phillips allowed a full half-day holiday to celebrate the arrival of the football. On 1st January, 1875, the opening of the Worksop to Mansfield railway attracted the boys, who took a day off' most of them with the consent of their parents'. However, truancy remained the favourite breaker of routine 'the weather being fine and birds' nests abundant'.

Entries in the School Log Book prove that 'boy were boys' then, as now. James Allingham and several others were punished for defacing school books - Hemsley Hind and Fred Smith for using bad language - John Thomas had played truant and spent one shilling and sixpence of his school wages 'and committed himself in other ways'- William Spouge copied his sums repeatedly - Alfred Hardcastle was punished for being saucy - G. Collingham and W. Webster actually destroyed their books. At one stage, the Headmaster asked the parents to send dinners into school for the boys, so that extra work could be completed - a suggestion that did not meet with the parents' approval. Playing near the girls' playground warranted four strokes of the birch and cutting the pump-house door two strokes.

In October 1870, plans for a new school building were prepared, possibly as a result of the 1870 Education Act. Whitwell schools were Church Schools but they had to conform to the new system. The Act stated that children would be permitted to attend school from 5 to 13 years of age and that a small fee could be charged. Grants in future would be made 'on condition'. According to the 1871 census, the population had increased by 25% in ten years to 1,945. The H.M.I.'s were becoming concerned about understaffing and in December, 1871, £20 was deducted from the grant for 'the insufficiency of teaching staff.

White's Directory for this period shows that the schools in Whitwell were in the charge of Mr John Phillips, Mrs Mary Hardcastle, Miss Ann Wordley and Miss Emma Loude, while a boarding school was run by Miss Caroline Boaler.

There was a great change in the educational establishment at Whitwell when, on 2nd February, 1872 it was decided to commence the enlargement of the school premises 'in compliance with the Education Act, 1870'. Apart from a holiday to celebrate the opening of the church organ, school continued as usual until 11th October, when books and furniture were moved to the new room. The plans prepared in August, 1871 show:

- the room known to 'Old Whitwellians" as the dance room, was to be the Infant Department. The room was 40ft long and 22ft wide with two galleries (banks of raised seats), facing the two large windows. Entry was to be through a doorway in the South-East corner.

- the boys' room was immediately above the infants' room and reached by a flight of stone steps through the doorway on the South side of the building. This room was to have three rows of desks facing the windows.

- the girls were to enter their area by the old porch. Their premises consisted of a room 30 ft long by 21 ft wide with two banks of forms; through a new archway to another room 14 ft gin long by 10ft wide, having one bank of forms; then through another doorway to a room 14ft long by 14ft wide, with a gallery.

All the rooms were to have fireplaces and were formed with high ceilings. An external wall, built diagonally from the South-East corner of the building, separated the boys playing area from that of the girls and infants - the toilets backed onto this wall with strategically placed doorways. A year of upheaval followed; one tenth of the grant had to be forfeited and in June, 1873 the Headmaster was replaced by Mr G. Bellringer.

On 24th June, 1873, the Infant Department opened as a separate unit with 13 children on the roll; within the year, the number had increased to over 70 with Mistress Ellen Morrow in sole charge. By July, 1875 as many as 88 children had attended school, although the average for the year was 55. The Headmistress and her monitor Kate Godley must have welcomed a spell of bad weather or even an outbreak of measles to keep the attendance down to manageable proportions. During the long summer break, the children returned to the Dame schools. On 20th December, Miss Amelia Johncock took charge of the Infant Department: numbers continued to rise, especially after the sinking of the colliery in 1890, and by 1892 there were 252 children on the roll. She was assisted by a pupil teacher and a monitor. The grant stood at £119:3s:Od. in 1891, when the policy of free education had been adopted, but the parents were asked for voluntary subscriptions towards the school finance.

In December 1888, the late Mrs Lindley's school closed and was closely followed in January, 1889 by the closure of Miss Lowde's school. In December 1893 due to severe overcrowding, several infants had to be transferred to a temporary branch school, which was probably the stone building adjoining the Green.

Meanwhile, in June, 1874 several scholars were lost from the Boys Department to the new school in Creswell. Boys were working in the fields; in 1880, one farmer was employing 20 boys. Two boys were allowed to attend school on three days each week and to work in the brickfields for the rest of the week. The Education Act, 1876 attempted to forbid the employment of children under ten years of age and eventually numbers began to rise. One boy returned to school after an eight-month break 'tenting cows' and another after two years 'at work'. In 1877, the Headmaster complained of overcrowding and the rickety condition of the desks. By 1882, as many as 92 boys were being taught by an unsatisfactory pupil teacher and the Headmaster. Not surprisingly, the new Headmaster, Mr Albert Henry, appointed in January, 1883 found standards generally unsatisfactory, and discipline and letter work poor.

The influence of the House of Portland was still quite strong. Boys continued to fetch soup during the cold months and Mr Tinker, Clerk of Works to His Grace, attended to the repairing of gates, windows and doors.

In July 1890, Robert Ellis (The Gaffer) was appointed Headmaster of the Boys School. His entries in the School Log Book confirm the opinions of an enlightened and compassionate man. Within four days, he had decided that the boys were doing too much slate work. By October, he had provided the 30 boys who stayed for dinner with a table and a cloth at which to eat their meals instead of running round the yard. He organised football and cricket teams, which played at home and away. He formed a Reading Circle to which he personally donated five weekly newspapers. For the first time, 100% attendance was recorded for his 96 boys. On 2nd November 1891 the school team played its first match on the new school ground in Church Field. He instigated concerts to raise money for the teams.

On 4th March, 1896 the decision was taken to build a new school in the centre of the village. The plans submitted by Mr Joseph Smith, Sheffield were passed and Mr Jos. Collingham, with a tender of £3986, was to be the builder. By March, 1897 the Duke of Portland had laid the foundation stone. We can only guess at the chaos caused by the transfer from the Old Hall. There were 182 senior and junior boys taught by the Headmaster, one teacher and two pupil teachers; a similar number of girls under Miss Needham and her assistant; and over 300 infants taught by Miss Johncock, her three assistant teachers and one pupil teacher. On 25th April 1898 the new Infant School opened with a short service by the clergy and two of the school managers. The boys moved on the 17th June; unfortunately the School Log Book for the Girls School has been lost so the date of transfer cannot be given. Later a formal opening ceremony was performed by the Bishop of Southwell.

Moving to a new building did not alter the system. The schools were still severely overcrowded: by 1901, the population had increased to 3,380. There were well over 300 schoolchildren up to eight years of age and 200 older boys attending regularly. Although extra grants had been allocated to buy furniture and books, many 'babies' were still sitting on forms without backs; of these, 31 'were seated all day' as they shared a room with 59 children from another class. Galleries were removed in 1904 and again in 1906, when overcrowding became so serious that no child under five years of age was accepted. Extra money was also allowed for staffing.

The condition of the schoolyard was most unsatisfactory for many years. In 1908, the caretaker was tipping waste paper there and burning it. Many will remember the covered area at the top of the yard; the seating underneath was frequently in need of repair. Cinders were tipped onto the lower part of the play area to level it, and when the rain fell and offensive smell was released. Many years were to pass before the yards were properly surfaced. Often repairs were done by workmen sent from the colliery and around this time water was laid on to the toilet basins.

The standard of work in the school, however, was most satisfactory; the Inspectors gave good reports on the teaching of the 'Three Rs', Drawing and Needlework. The Church officials still tested the children annually on 'the Old Testament, New Testament, Catechism, Prayer Book, Scripture, Hymns and Collects, as well as Abstracts or Writing from Memory'. Again the reports were more than satisfactory. Additional lessons were also being made available in the schools. In 1905 violin lessons were introduced at a cost of £1:1s:0d for the violin and 3d per week for tuition. By 1910, stuffed birds and live fish were being used for lessons, thus starting a new era in visual aids. In 1909 an appeal was launched for a piano, as the one in school had to be returned to the owner.

'Gaffer' Ellis continued to encourage his boys to participate in all kinds of sport. In 1905 a cricket team was conveyed by motor car to play at Welbeck Abbey, where they defeated the Marquis of Tichfield's team by 10 runs. Years later, Old Boys, who had distinguished themselves at sport professionally, presented cricket bats to the school, they included M.E. Alletson (England), H.C. Lowe (Captain of Liverpool), S. Malthouse (Derbyshire) and W. Tory (Sheffield Wednesday).

In 1924 a shield for boxing was presented by Mr T. Warner Turner. Four years earlier a girls cricket club and hockey club had been formed.

Reverting to more secular matters, a sewing machine had appeared in the Girls School before the First World War and a decision was made for Home Management lessons to occupy 90 minutes of school time. Cookery classes were organised but they were not well received because of food shortages and high costs.

Gas had been installed and an extension built onto the Boys School before the war started. The 1914-18 war is rarely mentioned in the School Log Books but staffing of the schools became almost impossible. Miss C.B. Johncock was replaced by Miss E. Hickin in the Girls School and Miss Lawrence replaced Miss Johncock's sister in the infants' School. A class of boys was taught in the Old Manor House (The Old Hall) at this time. Of course economy was of prime importance: teachers were instructed to use slates as much as possible although they had been told to sell all the slates to the children the previous year.

The provision of staff was made more difficult because the small schools at Steetley and Hodthorpe relied on Whitwell for the loan of staff to cover for sickness and other absences. The school at Steetley had opened on 14th November, 1903 and was a single room built onto the North end of the Ten Row. There were 35 children in the full school with one certified teacher, Miss Gertie Richardson and one girl assistant. The school at Hodthorpe had been opened by the Church in 1905, as separate Infants and Junior Departments. The infants' started with 108 children, with Miss E. Turner as Headmistress assisted by Miss A. Enstone and Miss V.M. Matthews. In 1911, Miss Turner died suddenly and was followed by Miss M. Farmer (1911-12) and Miss M. Matthews (1912-19). In 1919 the two Departments were combined under Miss E.L. Jackson, who had been Head of the Junior School since 1905, when she was assisted by Mr S. Buckingham, Miss E. Mellish and Miss M. Collard, with 127 children.

There were other problems in the First World War. At Hodthorpe, children were absent while their mothers were 'searching for food'. On several occasions, there was only one teacher in school despite the Supply Teacher system, which had begun in 1910. At one point the schools were closed so that the staff could distribute cards for meat rationing. School gardens were introduced. The girls took several half days to go blackberry picking: over 300lb of fruit was sent to the Bolsover Jam Factory in 1918. Several Old Boys on leave from France visited the schools and envelopes for the National Relief Fund for Belgium were distributed. War Savings were collected in school. Boys over 12 years of age were permitted to work on the land but the school grant was cut by 25%. Finally, the day of peace arrived with holiday celebrations sports, teas and presentation of mugs.

The next major change was the amalgamation of the Boys and Girls' Junior Departments under Mr Ellis on 13th April, 1921. Mr. Jacquest was his first assistant, followed soon afterwards by Mr. J.E.P. Gallagher. There were 383 children with a Headmaster and ten teachers. Miss Mary Drabble took over the Infants' School with 282 pupils and six staff. 'The Gaffer' retired in 1926 to be replaced by Mr Dix.

June, 1928 saw an average attendance of 94.6%, the highest for 12 years. Absence through sickness had been caused by diphtheria, scarlet fever, scabies, and exclusion for having head lice. Several cases of tuberculosis were recorded. The school doctor, nurse and dentist made regular inspections even though one of the infant classes had to move out onto the yard for the day. Every year there was a Health Week, when talks and film shows were given by Dr. Lawson. Support was given to local hospitals by holding egg and monetary collections (and in later years by the 'pound day'). During the 1913 and 1921 strikes, the childrens' health gave such cause for concern that they were given meals in the schoolyard. As late as October, 1933 the stench from the cesspool pervaded the school. In September, 1934 Mr Fielding made the first delivery of 106 bottles of milk to the school; these were paid for by the children. By November, Worksop Co-operative Society obtained the contract to supply pasteurised milk. This was the year in which Mr Dan Harding became Headmaster following the death of Mr Dix, to give rise to an amazing coincidence: a Miss, Drabble and Mr Harding had schools in Whitwell in the 1840's while Miss Drabble was to be Headmistress of the infants 'School and Mr D. Harding still the Headmaster in 1940. The school at Steetley had closed on 23rd December, 1932.

Children now had opportunities for further education, some gaining scholarships to Mansfield Brunts, Shirebrook Girls High School and Central School, Netherthorpe Grammar School and Worksop Central School. Sometimes entrance examinations were taken on a Saturday, but more often the pupils sat their examinations at Creswell during school time.

Each year on 24th May, Empire Day was celebrated, when the children gathered in the schoolyard waving Union flags to 'Cheer the Royal Family and the leaders of the Armed Forces'. Remembrance Day was always celebrated on 11th November, when the children gathered in the Square around the memorial, to sing hymns, to say prayers and to observe two minutes silence in memory of the fallen.

Miss Drabble made the following entry in the School Log Book on 27th September, 1938: 'A confidential letter 31 was received from Derbyshire C.C. to say that, in case of war being declared, the schools are to be closed immediately. Teachers have been asked and have consented to help in assembling gas-masks and these will be fitted to the children on Friday.'

A school memo dated March, 1939 called for preparations to receive evacuees from Sheffield; a system of shifts was suggested to ensure continuity of education. On 3rd September an order was issued to remove all important documents and records from the school as the building was required for use by the army. The children were warned to carry their gas-masks and were then sent home: the teachers prepared an inventory and removed the furniture - after several moves the furniture was finally stored at 53 Queens Road, Hodthorpe.

Requests were made for available rooms, which could be used as temporary classrooms; approximately ten children per class were taught for one hour each day and given homework. The senior children were housed in the Chapels on Welbeck Street and Portland Street. The caretaker of the chapel did not think that the vestry should be used and that the two boys found sliding along the pews should be severely reprimanded. In 1940 a vacant house in Duchess Street was used by the school. After scripture lessons each day, the rest of the time was used in teaching the Three R's.

The army vacated the school building and the children re-assembled after Whitsuntide. Air raid practices were held, the teachers leading groups of children through the streets to nearby shelters. At the end of May, equipment was retrieved from store following the news that evacuees from Lowestoft were to be expected - the teachers were to act as billeting officers as well as organising ration books for the district.

As the Lowestoft children had no accommodation, furniture or materials, arrangements were made for the Whitwell staff and pupils to use the school in the mornings followed by the visitors each afternoon. Following an air raid, many of the children were absent on the morning of 20th June and the registers were not closed until 10am on the morning following the raid. The evacuees moved into the Miners' Welfare, the Wesleyan Chapel and Hodthorpe Chapel and a second group of children arrived from Lowestoft. Following further air raids on 25th, 26th and 28th August attendance at school was below 50%. The price of war was underlined on 24th September, when pupils lined up as the cortege of Sergeant Pilot Burley Higgins, a popular former member of staff, passed through the village. The children had to scatter on 17th December on the occasion of the first daylight raid.

In 1941 the school canteen was opened in the Manor Rooms and in the same year Miss Drabble retired after twenty-one years service. Her replacement was Miss M.E. Newton, who was the instigator of the May Queen ceremonies. These ceremonies became quite elaborate with three queens and their numerous attendants giving two performances and a visit to Worksop hospital.

Eventually the schools changed from Church to Council Authority and were controlled by a Board of Governors.

There was an increase in the price of school dinners in 1944 to 5d per day or 2s per week and a free distribution of orange juice and cod liver oil to the under-fives. Overcrowding once more became a problem and the older infants began to share the Welfare Hall with the evacuees, whose numbers were failing. By the end of August they were back in their own school together with several of the evacuees, following the policy to absorb the remaining evacuees into the local school. The Infants' Department now numbered 233 with a head teacher and seven staff while the Senior Department numbered 293 with a head teacher and eight staff, using rooms in the Manor, Welfare Hall and the Chapels on Portland Street and Welbeck Street.

In May 1945 peace was declared and the schools enjoyed two days holiday. The subsequent May Day celebrations were better than ever and on 2nd July the few remaining evacuees reluctantly returned home. An increased number of pupils gained places in the schools at Netherthorpe and Shirebrook, while buses were used to bring children into Whitwell from the Common and Steetley for the first time.

By September 1946 there were approximately 456 children, aged 5 to 14 years, housed in various buildings around the village and numbers were increasing. Children were supplied with free milk, although at one time milk tablets were issued as a substitute.

Two ex-headmasters died in 1950, Mr Robert Ellis and Mr Dan Harding: the same year brought the first visit to the site of the proposed new school at Southfield Lane.

By 1954, numbers had risen to 615 under the two head-teachers. In September 1956 the room at the Jug and Glass was put into use (the Miner's Welfare, The Methodist Chapel and the Old Hall were already being used to supplement accommodation) because numbers now exceeded 650. However, in May 1958, some 229 senior children were transferred to the newly built Markland Secondary Modern School at Creswell. From the Lower School, 123 children were transferred to the Junior School and hired accommodation, apart from the Miners' Welfare for Infant P.E., was no longer necessary. There were now 253 juniors with eight staff and a Head teacher and 143 Infants with five staff and a Headmistress.

In 1969, the Hall and Canteen were opened on the new site. The building should have opened in January but lack of a footpath on to Station Road caused a delay of one month. The first meals were served on 21st April, rain fell heavily and the children were transported by bus, arriving back at school at 2.20 pm.

Numbers of schoolchildren were still rising and in 1974, Mrs Newton vacated her office and moved to the stock room to make space for an extra classroom. Provision of a new school was further discussed and in July, 1976 building commenced: the following December, the fourth-year children moved into their new classrooms.

In January 1979, the juniors moved into 'Phase 3', leaving classes 1, 2 and 3 at Portland Street; Southfield Lane now became the official address of the Junior School. The following year the price of school dinners was raised to 35p.

From 1980-82, numbers in the school continued to fall and Whitwell parents were told there was no hope of building extensions. However, November 1982, brought notice of amalgamation and a new era began in 1983. The classrooms for the Lower School were completed; Mr M. Henderson retired after 14 years as Headmaster and Mrs Newton retired after 17 years as Headmistress. On 1st September 1983 the Whitwell Infant Junior Schools were amalgamated to form Whitwell Primary School under a newly appointed Headmaster, Mr Ray.

Not until September 1984 were all primary-aged children in the village gathered under one roof. Numbers soon increased so that the erection of a 'terrapin' building became necessary in 1986 and an extra permanent classroom for the Reception Class was completed in April 1988. A nursery for the under-fives was completed and opened in November 1988 with two groups of 26 children all under four years of age.

Subjects taught are now directly influenced by the ideas of the Core Curriculum. Emphasis is now placed on mathematics, science and language in their widest senses to include history, geography and art. Calculators, computers and microscopes are all in general use. The school has its own extensive library. Out-of-school activities include football, netball, gymnastics and every July a full length musical production. The Summer Gala is also one of the highlights of the year for pupils and parents alike. All this is in direct contrast to those humble beginnings of almost 200 years ago.