Read and write?

Subject: Read and write? Tue Nov 07, 2023 1:05 pm

What Percentage of the privates taking part in the AZ war could read and write?
And was there censorship or could one write just anything when writing home?

Subject: Re: Read and write? Tue Nov 07, 2023 1:27 pm

Funny enough, last night, I read (somewhere on this forum) that in 1871 80% of Privates could read and write (apparently slightly more if they were Welsh)

Subject: Re: Read and write? Tue Nov 07, 2023 9:15 pm

Hi all

Of course, the Welsh would have had to if their first language was their mother tongue.

Subject: Re: Read and write? Tue Nov 07, 2023 9:25 pm

Eddie wrote:: Hi all

Of course, the Welsh would have had to if their first language was their mother tongue.

Hi Eddie

I'm not sure if someone's first language/mother tongue was Welsh, why it would mean that a higher proportion were literate.

I do wonder how many 'Welsh' Privates spoke Welsh?

Maybe Welsh schools were better?

Ta

Simon

Subject: Re: Read and write? Tue Nov 07, 2023 9:39 pm

Hi SRB1965

You would find that more would have spoken Welsh than they do today. What I was attempting to say was, if their mother tongue were Welsh, then they would have needed to read and write in English, as you stated.

Subject: Re: Read and write? Tue Nov 07, 2023 10:22 pm

Sorry Eddie but I'm struggling with this.....its a pity I can't find the original post on the forum

Subject: Re: Read and write? Wed Nov 08, 2023 11:24 am

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Subject: Re: Read and write? Wed Nov 08, 2023 9:09 pm

Nice one

Subject: Re: Read and write? Fri Nov 10, 2023 10:47 am

I have recently done some research on this.
Two national assessments of literacy among adults were taken (from the 1871 & 1891 Censuses) in order to assess the impact of Forster’s Education Act 1870:
“According to figures from the Registrar General, between 1871 and 1891 the national literacy rate for men rose from 80 to 94 per cent; that for women from 73 to 93 per cent. By 1900 the literacy rate for both men and women had reached around 97 per cent: illiteracy had been almost completely eliminated.” Lawson, J. and Silver, H., A Social History of Education in England, (London, 1973), p. 324.
Percentages of literate people in the Welsh language in Wales would seem to be much higher as 'education' began quite early in the C19.

Subject: Re: Read and write? Fri Nov 10, 2023 11:03 am

Yes I believe that the army abandoned its compulsory Education classes in the 1870s or 80s because the education of recruits had got better and there not needed for Privates.

So I was sort right (well as near to being right about anything on this forum) when I asked were the schools better in Wales

Subject: Re: Read and write? Fri Nov 10, 2023 11:06 am

Not necessarily better in Wales. It's just that the chapel schools were up and running in Welsh for the working classes from the early 1800s.

Subject: Re: Read and write? Sat Nov 11, 2023 8:46 am

I intend producing something on Welsh education and the soldiery with Paul Bryant-Quinn so will keep info and sources back for the moment.

Subject: Re: Read and write? Sat Nov 11, 2023 9:20 am

Julian,

Don’t forget the man from Clydach, when you do!

JY

Subject: Re: Read and write? Sat Nov 11, 2023 9:22 am

Wrth gwrs ddim!

Subject: Re: Read and write? Sat Nov 11, 2023 9:35 am

Julian Whybra wrote:: Wrth gwrs ddim!

Have you got a sticky keyboard. Julian?

That looks like some of my texts that I used to send when I was going though my drinking phase.....

Subject: Re: Read and write? Sat Nov 11, 2023 9:38 am

I thought you might recognize it.

Subject: Re: Read and write? Thu Dec 07, 2023 10:09 am

Stefaan,

I have found this on the Internet, it had some info about literacy in the army.

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Cheers

Simon

Subject: Re: Read and write? Thu Dec 07, 2023 6:48 pm

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