| Mary Carpenter Memorial - 26th September 2010 |
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The Commemoration Service was well attended and a history on the life of Mary Carpenter was given with much gusto and enthusiasm by Carla Contractor. Two unitarian ministers were also in attendance who gave very moving tributes. Two children from Bristol's Bright Lights read poems in dedication to Mary and the service was followed by a visit to the grave of Mary Carpenter by Dave Napier (Friends of Arnos Vale Cemetery). Mary's grave has been restored to its former glory and a beautiful white cross marks famous mid 19th century Bristolian's grave.
Mary was trained as a teacher and brought the Ragged Schools movement to Bristol. She founded the first British Reformatories for children with convictions at Kingswood and The Red Lodge in Park Row, followed by other training schools and institutions for the outcaste, the criminalised and the homeless children of this city and later across the whole country. She was a founder member of the The Social Science organisation which did so much to improve the dreadful conditions prevailing across urban Britain. Her books and lectures were highly influential and led to national state educational provision, to the raising of the school leaving age, to building educational Reformatories and ended the placing of young children in adult prisons. In her last decade she went out to India alone, to carry her successful reforms there.
Photographs - Jessica Cox |
A open Commemoration service for Mary Carpenter, 1807-1877, was arranged on Sunday 26th September at Arnos Vale Cemetery.
The Arnos Vale Cafe opened for the event serving delicious cakes and drinks. Due to public demand the cafe will now be a permanent fixture (opening on Saturday's only) for all our visitors to enjoy. If you would like to volunteer to help in the cafe, either on an ad-hoc or regular basis then we would love to hear from you. Please contact Sarah Cox on 
