Robert Raikes

In olden Days it was the rule,

Children never went to school.

In factories to work were put,

Climbing chimneys, sweeping soot.

Sundays the streets were full of boys,

Playing games and making noise.

This Robert Raikes had tried to stop,

Whilst sat above his printers shop.

The working class, weren’t very bright,

None of them could read or write.

Robert Raikes being no fool,

Started up “The Ragged School”.

He took the urchins of the street,

Found them somewhere safe to meet.

Some people said this was absurd,

He used his paper to spread the word.

Within two years the schools had grown,

He could no longer cope alone.

Two Bishops came to lend a hand,

And schools sprang up throughout the land.

( Robert Raikes 1735 -1811)   Founder of The Sunday School 1784

Buried at St Marys’ De Crypt

The two Bishops were from Chester and Salisbury