Raggedy School

I had a great brekkie the other day with the other 2 members of the cast of "last of the summer wine", at HQ Urban Kitchen in the centre of the block at the tip of orchard street & Mansel street, between the UWTSD school of art, & what used to be Swansea Central Nick.

This was 10/10, for food, venue & value. Hat-tip Mel E. 

On the way there, Mel pointed out the Swansea Ragged School building. A fascinating story, indeed. And right next door to an old knocking shop. Handy. From History points.org:-

This building, in Pleasant Street, Swansea, was once the home of Swansea's Ragged School. The school was founded in 1847 by the first Medical Officer for Swansea, Dr William Henry Michael. Its purpose was to care for and educate boys and girls of the poor.

By 1857, about 200 children attended the Day School, and 300 attended the Sunday School. The school ran a soup kitchen which must have saved many lives in the 1850s, when, as Charles Dickens wrote, ...the children were in rags, no shoes or stockings, blue with cold...". Swansea Ragged School finally closed its doors in October 1956.

The photo above, courtesy of West Glamorgan Archive Service, shows children from the Ragged School on their annual outing to Langland Bay in 1907. The children had marched, behind the school banner, to Rutland Street station, where the Mumbles Railway's manager ensured that they safely boarded the train to Mumbles. Tea, biscuits and sweets were distributed at Langland.

More on Ragged schools I hear you day? Well ok then:-

Ragged schools and the development of youth work

From the Peoples Collection Wales 

Stu Ozymandias mentioned that he recalled a football team called 'Ragged School', and upon investigating, I found this:-

Ragged School Football Club is an amateur Welsh football team based in Swansea, Wales. They play in the Swansea Senior League Premier Division. Founded in 1949 by Glyn Cole and named after Swansea's Ragged School, the team has seen national success, winning the FAW Trophy four times - the last time in the 2008–09 season when they beat Penycae. If you want more:-

Interesting Wiki article here