The Ragged School Museum

Ragged schools were charitable organizations devoted to the education of poor children in 19th century England & Scotland.  The museum itself was one such school (Dr. Barnardo's Copperfield Road Free School), opened in 1877 to serve the children of Mile End, East London.

Mile End Park

Ragged school students

The school is on the Regent's Canal.

Ragged Cafe (not a feature of the
original school!)

An 1879 article on the Copperfield Road Free School.

Dr. Barnardo

Thomas Guthrie, advocate for ragged schools
in Scotland.

Old-time abacus

A replica of the room in the photo below.

Note the dunce caps on the teacher's desk.