Powys County Archives
Education
School Attendances: Llanbister Cantal School
Llanbister Cantal School had similar problems. As usual for 1891, the bad weather affected attendance and the head teacher rewarded those who had a good record in that respect, although days of poor attendances were not always because of the weather:
"Mar 6th As the attendance suffers from the Knighton fairs and markets, I gave the regular children an hour's play this morning. Aaron Stephens and T Hamer have been kept from school to go to the fair at Knighton."
Aaron Stephens gave him some cause for concern:
"April 7th Aaron Stephens is absent today, having gone to the sale at Bryndraenog. This boy was reported to the Board for irregular attendance on 4th April."
However, Aaron's distaste for school finally resulted in his leaving before his due age:
"June 9th I find that Mr J Bound has engaged Aaron Stephens (st V) to work for him. This boy is not 13 years of age for another month."
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1891 Census
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| 28 Rhosgree, Llanbister | ||||||
| Name | Position in household |
Marital status |
Age | Occupation | Place of Birth | English/ Welsh speaker |
| John Bound | Head | M | 46 | Farmer | Radnorshire, Heyope | English |
| Hannah W Bound | Wife | M | 44 | Radnorshire, Llanbister | English | |
| Henry Bywater | Uncle | Widr | ?7 | Retired farmer | Radnorshire, Llanbister | English |
| Lizzie James | Serv | S | 21 | General Servant | Radnorshire, Llanelwill | English |
| Bryan Evans | Serv | S | 30 | Farm Servant | Radnorshire, Pilleth | English |
| Matthew G Williams | Serv | S | 24 | Farm Servant | Montgomeryshire, Llanfair Caereinion | English |
| John Meredith | Serv | S | 22 | Farm Servant | Radnorshire, Pilleth | English |
| Price Noel Parker | Serv | S | 16 | Farm Servant | Radnorshire, Llanbister | English |
| 31 Ffoesllappery, Llanbister | ||||||
| Evan Stephens | Head | M | 47 | Farm Bailiff | Radnorshire, Llanbister | English |
| Mary Ann Stephens | Wife | M | 47 | Radnorshire, Llanbadarnfynydd | English | |
| Aaron Stephens | Son | 12 | Scholar | Radnorshire, Bleddfa | English | |
As with many other schools in Powys, Llanbister Cantal was hit hard by the influenza epidemic in early summer.
"May 28th Numbers very low. Twenty two absent. Eleven of these are under the 'Influenza'."
Although not all were telling the truth:
"May 29th Nine girls and 3 boys have been absent all the week. One boy, viz Richard Evans, Coxhead, reported ill, was at the Knighton markets yesterday."
The teacher eventually had to close the school because of the epidemic.