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The information in this section is an edited version taken from Llanelli - Birth of a Town a CdRom by William and Benita Rees

The British & Foreign School Society

1804 The Bible Society which later became known as the British and Foreign Bible Society, was founded in 1804 for the purpose of providing Bibles and New Testaments on a world-wide basis. These ‘Scriptures’ did not have any notes or commentaries and were designed to provide biblical translations especially for the Welsh, French prisoners of war held in England and for Continental Europe.

A committee had been set up to undertake a two-year intensive study of arrangements available for distributing the Bible throughout Europe. When the study was completed a meeting was held at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate, on 7th March 1804.

About three hundred people attended the meeting and at first not everyone was convinced that it was necessary to establish a Bible Society. By the end of the meeting, when a number of speakers had eloquently stated the reasons why they thought it was necessary, a society known as The British and Foreign Bible Society was formed and its first officers were elected. These officers soon set about starting the work of raising subscriptions so that the work of the society could be advanced.

1814 The Society was renamed the British and Foreign School Society and as it flourished throughout the 19th century it set up British Schools with non-sectarian principles. The Society also set up teacher training institutions, which were also run along non-sectarian lines. The British & Foreign School Society, as its name suggests, also established schools in foreign countries and provided staff to run them. The schools, which provided non-denominational education, were usually built and supported by voluntary contributions.

The British and Foreign School Society supported mainly by the Nonconformists including the Methodist and Congregationalists provided school in towns and villages where children were taught the ‘Three Rs’. In some of the schools the teachers relied on older children who acted as ‘monitors’. The monitors were taught basic subjects which they then passed on ‘parrot fashion’ to the younger pupils. This system was simple and inexpensive to operate.

In Llanelli the Copperworks School, Llanelli School (later Market Street), Infant, Llwynhendy, Bryn and Felinfoel Schools were said to be established on the British School principles. When the state became involved in education the British & Foreign School Society (BFSS) continued to sponsor teacher-training institutions until they either merged with other colleges, or closed.