Needlework sampler

It was a charity school intended to teach young girls 'in the lower ranks of life'. The girls were taught to spell and read, the elder ones also learning writing and basic arithmetic.

To fund this, they were taught plain sewing, which was taken in from the townspeople and for which moderate charges were made. The aim was to equip the girls for life as a domestic servant.

Each Sunday, all the girls were expected to go with the schoolmistress to church, both morning and afternoon. Any who did not attend church were expelled.

The charity continued to run the school until 1909 when it was taken over by the Middlesex County Council and renamed the Belmont Road Girls School. 

In 1928, it was reorganised and became the Belmont road Infants School until 1968 when the children transferred to the newly-built Hermitage School.

The old school building remained until 1986, hidden among the buildings of the Belmont Road Infant School. A large office block now stands on the site. 

She was one of 82 girls in school that year. She was born in 1814 and baptised at St Margaret's church. Her father, David, was a labourer.

In later life, she was a pedlar, travelling the country selling her wares. She died in Uxbridge in 1910 at the great age of 96, unmarried but living with her nephew.

The sampler is one of several in our museum collection and can be seen on request. (Item UXBLH : 2002.00484)