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Preface
Contents
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII
Appendix

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On my return from America a tall young man with large mustache and whiskers came and shook hands with me. Although I recognised an expression in his countenance of some one I had known, I apologised for not being able to call him to mind. He said “you ought to know me for you used to whip me;” his wife standing near said she had no doubt but lie deserved it. I related to him what Thomas Richardson once said to me. “The best thing that ever happened to me in my life was I had a hard master.” This boy, when taught obedience, became one of my best boys; he wrote a good hand and was quick at accounts, and during the latter part of his time at school he helped me with the school accounts; he went to he clerk in Middlesbro’ Owners’ Gas office and was afterwards appointed Borough Accountant with a salary of £400 a year. To return to Edward Pease. At one committee meeting an Irish boy was passed for admission; he was one of those with whom his mother, a widow, had difficulty. He gave me very little trouble, submitting pleasantly to the rules and regulations of the school, but full of Irish wit. One day we had a piece of work which required prompt attention and a number of boys were drafted off to do it. “Now, boys,” I said, “many hands make light work,” and, without a moment’s thought, he replied “too many cooks spoil the broth.” At the next committee, Edward Pease enquired how my Irish scholar was getting on, and seemed pleased to hear a good account of him, saying “in the Irish there is generally a screw loose somewhere.”

For 16 years Edward Pease never missed attending our general meetings, and always at the close would have the scholars forma circle on the play ground, and would send some young Friend round to put a sixpence into the hand of each boy and girl. These were kept for the annual picnic to the sea-side, which was a great treat to country children who had never seen the ocean. We are glad to give the old scholars a photograph of their dear old Friend.

Most of the early Friends of the school, who watched over it, prayed for its success, were willing to spend and be spent for it, have gone to their rest and their works do follow them. Their manly forms and benignant faces rise up before us, a vision of the past. Besides our dear Friend, Edward Pease, we call to mind Jonathan Backhouse, Thomas Richardson, John Pease, William Holmes, Caleb Wilson, George Richardson, William Backhouse, Alfred Kitching, Caleb Richardson, Edward Backhouse, junr, Joseph Pease, junr, Henry Pease, John Richardson, of Langbaurgh, Isaac Brown, Philip Heselton, &c. The only Friends living, whose names appear on the provisional committee of 1841, are our beloved Friend Isaac Sharp, for 40 years secretary of the institution, of whom we have yet to speak, and William Bennington, who has several times since then served on the committee and only retired in 1890.

Among the original subscribers there are only four living, viz.: William Bennington, Isaac Sharp, Ann Richardson (now Foster), and Ann Ianson.

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