Early Schools, Hankerton

It seems that there were no schools in the parish of Hankerton until 1827, apart from Sunday Schools. Even Sunday schools were quite poorly attended; in 1818 there were 30 children attending but in 1846 only eight youngsters attended. In that year a master was paid £4.10s.0d per annum. In 1827 the wife and daughter-in-law of Thomas, Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire, paid for the education of 25 local children. Hankerton is approximately two miles from Charlton and Charlton Park, the seat of the Earl of Suffolk. The school's attendance increased to 35 by 1833. Another school, probably at Cloatley, may also have started c.1827: in 1833 the attendance was 15, of whom six were paid for by the daughter of Joseph Pitt of Manor Farm.