Mary Carpenter
Mary Carpenter lived most of her life in 19th century Bristol. She gained an international reputation for her social work and campaigned for a more enlightened approach to education, the care of the poor, and the criminal justice and prison system. Her father was an influential Unitarian preacher who worked in a poor district near central Bristol.
19th century Bristol had grown rapidly around the docks, railway yards and major roads which connected the city to other large cities: London; Gloucester; Exeter; Cardiff. Mines and glassworks, ship building and banking, factories and workshops all crowded together between housing and industrial buildings. In this drive to build wealth and success, it was easy to overlook the poor worker or the migrant who had come to make a better life. Government systems largely relied on laissez-faire, or a ‘leave things alone to look after themselves’ approach. The ordinary person could make a living if they could avoid sickness and disease, but for many poverty and possible starvation was always a potential risk. Driven by her religious faith and compassion, Mary Carpenter spent almost all of her adult life working to improve conditions for the poor and humble, for women and those who had fallen into crime and bad ways. She was, as one historian described her, ‘a remarkable woman.’
Activities
Activity 1: The source sheet shows the memorial to Mary in the Anglican Cathedral, Bristol.
Activity 2: Further information about Mary’s life is provided on page 3 and 4. The activity involves writing an obituary for Mary Carpenter.
An Extension Activity is provided for more able pupils: Who are the Unitarians? An enquiry activity.
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Source 1
The Memorial to Mary Carpenter,
North Transept of St Augustine’s Cathedral (Bristol)
Foremost among the founders of reformatory and industrial schools in this city and realm.
Neither the claims of private duty nor the tastes of a cultured mind
could withdraw her compassionate eye from the uncared for children of the streets.
Loving them yet while unlovely.
She so formed them to the fair and good as to inspire others with her faith and hope and thus led the way to a national system of moral rescue and preventative discipline, taking also to heart the grievous lot of oriental women.
In the last decade of her life she four times went to India and awakened an active interest in their education and training for serious duties.
No human ill escaped her pity nor cast down her trust;
with true self sacrifice she followed in the train of Christ, to seek and save that which was lost and bring it home to the father in heaven.
Desiring to extend her work of piety and love.
Many who honoured her have instituted in her name some homes for the houseless young and now complete their tribute of affection by erecting this memorial.
Born at Exeter, April 3 1807.
Died at Bristol, June 15 1877.
Activity 1: When Mary Carpenter died more than £2,500 was raised by public donations in order to erect a memorial to her, and to contribute to her ‘good causes’.
Why do you think people contributed so generously?
Would you have chosen a memorial like this? Explain your answer.
Mary Carpenter (3 April 1807 - 15 June 1877) has been described as one of the most remarkable women of the 19th century. She devoted her life to trying to make life better for ordinary people, including the poor, petty criminals and the abandoned. From the late 1820s she opened a series of schools for the poor (ragged schools), and was especially keen to develop the education of girls and young women. Mary Carpenter also supported night schools for adults, and opened the first reformatory school for girls in the building called the Red Lodge (now part of the city museum).
Supported the right for women to vote, but only spoke in public about this towards the end of her life in case the unpopularity of the idea damaged her other reform work. /
Mary Carpenter established a Ragged School (a free or charity school for the poor, which might also feed and clothe some children or provide other support). She also set up a night school for poor workers, and wrote about educational reform.
Buried at Arnos Vale Cemetery, Brislington, Bristol. Her funeral procession was half a mile long. /
A public meeting in October 1877 raised £2,500 to be spent on her reform schools and a memorial in Bristol Anglican Cathedral. /
Campaigned for women to be allowed to study for a degree at university.
Taught at her father’s boarding school in Great George Street. She was a Governess for a while and returned to teach at ‘Mrs Carpenter's Boarding School for Young Ladies’ on Whiteladies Road. /
Mary Carpenter was the daughter of a Unitarian minister, Doctor Lant Carpenter, and Anna (or Hannah) Penn who moved to the Lewin’s Mead Chapel (Bristol) from Exeter. /
Active anti-slavery campaigner for 20 years. Met ‘freed’ black American campaigners as well as British campaigners.
Campaigned for better prison conditions. In 1852 published Juvenile Delinquents, their Condition and Treatment.
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Was a founding member of the National Indian Association to promote better understanding and communication between Britain and India in 1870. /
Met and was inspired by the American Unitarian Minister, Doctor Joseph Tuckerman, who had worked with the poor in Boston.
Mary Carpenter was single until her death. She adopted a five year old girl called Rosanna in 1858.
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Visited India in 1866, 1868 and 1875; argued strongly that education of girls was important and persuaded the authorities to make reforms. /
Lobbied British MPs for educational reform, and for good quality day schools and reform schools.
Established a reformatory school at the Red Lodge in 1851, and the same year published a book Reformatory Schools for the Children of the Perishing and Dangerous Classes, and for Juvenile Offenders.
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Met Rajah Rammohun Roy in Bristol in 1833, and published details of his reforming views and desire for better relationships between different religious groups. /
Helped establish a Working and Visiting Society in the poor Bristol district of Lewin's Mead, and acted as its secretary for 20 years.
Activity: Read the information in the table above, which is listed in a random order, and then (using your own words) write an obituary for Mary Carpenter.
Using other sources of information about Mary, you could also cut out the blocks of information and place them in the correct order on a large sheet of paper.
Extension Activity: Who are the Unitarians?
Mary Carpenter’s family were Unitarians - what does this mean?
Using sources of information, write a short report on the beliefs and origins of the Unitarian Church. Use the table below to record your research information.
Source(s):What do Unitarians believe about God?
Who set up this church?
How might Mary’s beliefs conflict with those of other religions in 19th century Bristol?