Frances Mary Buss and her work for educationRidley, Annie E.
History
Frances Mary Buss and her work for education
Ridley, Annie E.
Buss, Frances Mary, 1827-1894
In the account of the next stage of her school-life, we get glimpses of
her social surroundings which show that there must have been much to
stimulate the child’s eager and inquiring mind—
“At ten years of age I was sent to a much higher school, kept by
Mrs. Wyand, at the corner of Rutland Street, Hampstead Road.
Here I met with the daughters of David Roberts, Clarkson
Stanfield, and other artists. Mr. Wyand had a boys’ school,
largely attended by the sons of artists. A few doors lower down
lived George Cruickshank. Clarkson Stanfield also lived in
Mornington Place; and, still nearer the school, Frederick Bacon,
the engraver, with whose niece and adopted daughter I was on the
most intimate terms. At a later date the daughters of Goodall
entered the school, and also Isabella Irving, the daughter of
Edward Irving, a tall, fine dark girl, very like her father. Her
brother, Martin Irving, was in the boys’ school.”
We have to bear in mind that at this date Mornington Crescent occupied
much the same position, as a literary and artistic centre, which is held
by Hampstead at the present day. Even as late as 1850, the westward
migrations had not begun, for market gardens filled the space between
Kensington High Street and Chelsea proper, and Notting Hill Square was
on the verge of the country. In 1850, University and King’s Colleges
made a centre in the west central district; and the establishment even
of a Collegiate School for Ladies was regarded as a slight infringement
of the dignity of Camden Street, which could boast at that date of so
choice an intellectual _cotérie_ as Professor De Morgan, Professor Key,
Professor Hoppus, and Dr. Kitto. It was near enough to town life, and
yet near the country, long stretches of green fields and flowery hedges
leading to the heights of Hampstead and Highgate. Regent’s Park was the
nearest of the parks, and the New Road had not then outgrown the
freshness of its name.
In these records of Miss Buss’ childhood we seem taken back to another
world, as we read of the “long coast journey to the Docks,” on the way
to Margate, when the child sees “the remains of the illuminations of the
day before for the celebration of the Princess Victoria’s birthday.” In
the next year also there are, again at Margate, “triumphal arches in
honour of the Queen’s coronation.” And then there is the first sight of
the young Queen—
“I had been taken to the park by my grandmother, and an open
carriage passed with three ladies in deep mourning—one was the
Queen, the other the Duchess of Kent, and the third a lady in
waiting. The following year I also saw the Queen in an open
carriage going to the Academy. She then wore a white dress, and
a very large bonnet lined with pink. I think she had a green
parasol.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account