Bradgate Road School – circa 1888

The children in the photo are half timers.

Although the 1878 Factory Act prohibited children under 10 to work in factories, it stated that 10- to 13-year-olds could work as long as they attended school for 1 session a day.

This meant that children could either attend for half day every day or 1 full day on alternate days.

Even if children were full timers, they would still have been expected to do some work before and after school.

Albion Chard, the school’s headmaster is on the left.