| Description | Correspondence and papers etc sent to the BFSS in London by its agents in Wales.
The spread of the Lancasterian system in Wales was slower than in England, owing to several factors - the existing background of the SPCK, the Methodist Church, the circulating schools of Griffiths Jones and the Welsh language. The Annual Report of 1816 lists schools only in Abergavenny, Carmarthen, Caernarvon, Cardiff, Newport (Mon), Swansea and Tremadog. The BFSS's Manual, although translated into many languages, was never translated into Welsh (although BFSS books were translated into Welsh in Patagonia). The Report for 1819 states that several schools have been founded in South Wales, but laments the lack of funds needed.
Sir Hugh Owen founded the Cambrian Education Society. In 1843 Owen became an agent for the BFSS. He circulated his "Letter to the Welsh People" urging them to accept the British system to counteract state control in education. Annual Report for 1846 p15 reports on John Phillips, now agent for North Wales, having established 31 new schools, providing education for 4000 children.
The increasing number of schools and demand for teachers put a strain on the Central Training School in Borough Road and in 1853 the Bangor Normal College was founded for the purpose of training teachers for the undenominational schools in Wales. |