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You are here: Home>Herts history>Towns and Villages>Hitchin>British Schools Museum

British Schools Museum

Joseph Lancaster (1778-1838) ferevently believed that all children had the right to be educated - and he did something about it.  His first school was in Southwark, London.  In Hitchin, William Wilshere founded Hertfordshire's first Lancasterian School in 1810 on the site we occupy today.

Today, you can tour the historic school site and re-live the history of the Hitchin British Schools, and find out how Joseph Lancaster set about educating the poor.  You can follow the 'Discovery Trail' dressed as Victorian children, sit at old desks, try writing with dip pens, slates and sand trays, and play with Victorian toys.

  • A Hitchin Heroine
    A Hitchin Heroine
    A pupil from Hitchin British School "does her bit"
  • Events at The British Schools
    Events at The British Schools
    some of the events during 2009
  • Hitchin British Schools
    Hitchin British Schools
    Entries from school log books for the Autumn Term
  • Hitchin British Schools celebrate 200 years
    Hitchin British Schools celebrate 200 years
    A bicentenary of 'a place of learning'
  • Past Pupils' Experiences
    Past Pupils' Experiences
    British Schools (Queen Street) Hitchin
  • Past Pupils' Reunion
    Past Pupils' Reunion
    7 May 2010
  • The BBC 'Just William' at Hitchin British Schools
    The BBC 'Just William' at Hitchin British Schools
    Filming classroom scenes
  • The Queen's visit to Hitchin
    The Queen's visit to Hitchin
    Presenting British Schools Museum with the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service
Hitchin
  • 1959 - Gray's Garage Collapse
  • 20s style travel
  • A Hitchin Heroine
  • A Hitchin Life
  • A SHORT-LIVED 'ODDITY' ON THE HERTFORD LOOP
  • Anti-Slavery Society in Hitchin, 1825
  • Apprentice indenture
  • Bills and Recipts
  • Chanor Sports Supplies
  • Christmas in the Workhouse
  • Continuity and change in Sun Street, Hitchin
  • Culture frozen in time
  • Dame Margaret Tuke, Academic/Educator
  • Dance and Fancy Dress, Hitchin
  • December 1918
  • Early years in WGC and Hitchin
  • Elizabeth Impey, Suffragette
  • Emily Davies, Suffragette & Founder of Britain’s First Women’s College.
  • Events at The British Schools
  • Frozen in time
  • Girton College’s Hitchin Origin
  • Growing up in Hitchin
  • Hermitage Road, Hitchin
  • Hitchin
  • Hitchin
  • Hitchin
  • Hitchin
  • Hitchin - Back Street Meeting
  • Hitchin British Schools celebrate 200 years
  • Hitchin Lavender Fields
  • Hitchin Library Comes of Age : 50th anniversary of the library locating to its new building at Paynes Park on 24th May 1965
  • Hitchin Photographs
  • Hitchin Riot 1914
  • Hitchin Trades, Bancroft Drier Beds
  • Hitchin. Church and Warner
  • Hitchin. Edward Radcliffe
  • Hitchin. Elizabeth Simpson or Dissenters
  • Hitchin. James Carter
  • Hitchin. The Biggin
  • Hitchin's High Street: a 1911 snapshot.
  • Isabelle Ellis (Harris)
  • Katherine Warington and Winifred Brenchley - Scientist
  • Leisure time in Hitchin
  • Merrick
  • Minsden Chapel, Hitchin
  • My Favourite Place
  • My Favourite Place in Hertfordshire
  • Mystery photos
  • News from the Front
  • Old Street Scene
  • Past Pupils' Reunion
  • Petition from Hertford and North Herts re the abolition of slavery, 1830
  • Pinehill Field
  • Piracy and the Priory
  • Poor relief in Hitchin
  • Railways Excursions
  • Raising the Dead in Tilehouse Street- how a disused graveyard was cleared for a housing project
  • Rhythms of the World 2012
  • School photo taken in Hitchin probably about 1926
  • Slum housing in Hitchin, 1850s - 1930s
  • Spring-heeled Jack in Hertfordshire
  • St Mary's Church, Hitchin
  • St. Mary's Church Bells
  • Sun Street, Hitchin
  • Sun Street, Hitchin
  • The BBC 'Just William' at Hitchin British Schools
  • The Hitchin Boys School Football team 1926-7
  • The Local Yokels Hitchin & Letchworth Carnival
  • The Priory Picnic
  • The Queen's visit to Hitchin
  • Thomas and Annie Currell
  • Tour of St Mary's Church, Hitchin
  • Upstairs and downstairs at Hitchin Priory
  • Valentine’s Day in Hertfordshire
  • Walsworth Evening TG
  • Wartime Memories
  • Watercolour Images of Hertfordshire
  • Windmill Hill
  • British Schools Museum
  • Hitchin Girls' School
  • Walsworth Evening Townswomens Guild
What's new
  • Queen Elizabeth II and her visits to Hertfordshire
    Queen Elizabeth II has often come to visit Hertfordshire. Learn more about some of these visits.
  • Past Jubilees in Hertfordshire
    Read about how Hertfordshire celebrated the Queen's Silver, Gold and Diamond Jubilees.
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