Then and Now: Schools for ladies at Grantham House

During the latter part of the 19th century and early part of the 20th, many schools ‘for the education of ladies’ began, including several in Grantham.

In the 1790s, Middlemore House Boarding School for Young Ladies, was run by Mrs Montriou, but was taken over by Mrs Challons by 1809.

Another school run by Mrs Batson was based in Finkin Street.

There was also a school for Ladies in Grantham House for a short time.

These schools advertised that they would teach arts useful and ornamental, all sorts of needlework, English grammar and reading, geography with the use of globes, writing and arithmetic, music, drawing and dancing.

This was in sharp contrast to the nearby Grammar School for boys, which taught Latin, Greek, religious education, mathematics including algebra, trigonometry and land surveying, English and science.

At that date, boys went to the Grammar School at eight years old and left for university at 14, or went into an apprenticeship. Girls would often stay at the school until aged 18 when they would return home until a suitable marriage could be found. Some girls also became governesses or taught in similar Schools.