ng of the century. Over and over again the answers to the
Bishop of Ely's questions in 1791, show that there was no school in the
parish, and, as Sunday Schools were not generally established till many
years afterwards, it may safely be said that during the first few years
of the present century, not one person in ten of the labouring
population could read, much less write.

The Sunday School movement, the real beginning of the education of the
people, both secular and religious, commenced at a very early date in
several parts of Hertfordshire, but in the beginning these schools were
very different from what is now understood by that term. So far as
Royston is concerned I believe the Nonconformists generally claim that
they were the first to start a Sunday School in the town--that the
first Sunday School was established in connection with the Old Meeting,
now John Street Chapel. If by a Sunday School is meant what it now
means--the voluntary service of lay workers in teaching the children,
this may be true, but taking the word in its more general sense of
teaching children on Sundays, the first step of which I can find any
{118} record would be that taken by the Church people. In July, 1808,
there occurs this entry in the Royston vestry minute book--

"At this Vestry it is considered that the Churchwardens Do put the
Galary in proper Order for the Reception of the Children belonging to a
Sunday School."

From the wording of this minute it is evident that the Sunday School in
question had just been established, and this is confirmed by what
follows in the same book--

"Boys to be admitted at the age of 6 years and continue to 12, girls to
be admitted at the age of 6 years and continue to 14."

"The Masters to receive the scholars at 9 o'clock in the morning and to
go with them to Church at 11. The scholars are to return to school at
2 and go to Church at 3 and return from Church to school, and _continue
there till between five and six o'clock_"!

"The master, H. Watson, jun., to be paid six guineas a year for his
trouble."

This Sunday School was established during the incumbency of the Rev.
Samuel Cautherley, a name still honourably connected with Sunday School
work in the town.

Henry Watson, who was appointed master of the Sunday School, had also
the picturesque duty to perform of wielding his ten-foot wand over the
heads of the scholars during divine service at Church, and for this
purpose would walk u