The development of Roman Catholic education in the nineteenth century, with some reference to the diocese of Hexham and Newcastle

Abstract

This thesis seeks to examine the development and growth of English Catholic education in the nineteenth century. Several important milestones mark the progress of Catholic education from the turn of the nineteenth century to the Education Act of 1902. The Relief Acts of the late eighteenth century brought Catholic education into the public domain. The Act of Catholic Emancipation in 1829, combined with mass Irish immigration, saw the need for greater educational provision for the children of poor Catholics. Grant Aid, first issued to Catholic schools in 1847, legitimised the Church's claim to educational equality with her Protestant neighbours, which was pursued vigorously by the Catholic Poor School Committee, founded in 1848. The 1870 Education Act, which stands at the centre of the educational politics of the nineteenth century, brought in a state-supported educational system which stood in opposition to the systems created by the various Christian denominadons, chiefly the Church of England, and to an extent, the Methodists. This started an effort, mainly on the part of the Catholic Church, to secure Rate Aid for denominational schools. This was realised by the Education Act of 1902.This thesis seeks to examine these events from the viewpoint of the Catholic community which saw education as part of the continuous teaching charism of the Church, dating back, in England, to Saxon times. It also seeks to show the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle as an example of how national events in education were interpreted and came to fruition in the local Catholic Church.