| Description | Class XIV was started around 1859 and was one of the junior classes at Severn Street First-day School with around 12 boys. By 1871 there were around 66 scholars, and needing more accomodation, the class moved to the Friends' Mission Rooms in Cross Street. As the boys had by this time grown up, it became a Men's Adult Class. By the time the class moved to Bristol Street Board School in 1877, there were 95 members and this had increased to c. 400-450 by 1895.
Its members were very active in extension work, and after a meeting in the Workman's Hall, Elliott Road, Selly Oak in 1882 where they explained the aims of the Adult School movement to those present, both a Sunday Morning and Afternoon class were started there. In 1893, some Class XIV members opened a further branch school in Bearwood, and a Sunday Afternoon branch class was established which met at the premises in Severn Street. Members of Class XIV were also active in supporting the Adult School which had already been established in Northfield. All of what became known as the Bristol Street Division schools took part in a monthly exchange of visits. By 1895 there were c. 560 members of the branch schools.
In addition to the Men's Classes, there were also meetings for women, known as Social Afternoons, held at Bristol Street, Selly Oak and Northfield which had an attendance of about 300 per week.
Other activities organised by Class XIV were fishing, cricket, football and cycling clubs, sick clubs, savings clubs, blanket clubs, a mutual aid society, and a small loan society which lent money at low interest rates for those wanting to start a new business.
Teachers involved with the men's school in the 19th century were George Cadbury senior, Alfred Little and Edward Cadbury. Dame Elizabeth Cadbury taught the Women's Class for many years.
By 1940, the Class XIV needed new premises so it was decided that it would move to the Beehive in Bishopsgate Street which had been vacated by members of the Beehive Adult School in the previous year due to the outbreak of war. It later met at Cotteridge Meeting House.
Additional records of Class XIV are available at SF/2/1/1/13/5-6.
For records of the Beehive, see MS 703/3/3.
For records of Northfield Adult School, see MS 703/3/20. |