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Home » Neighbourhood and Community » Language use » Welsh Not

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Page 1

  • This example of a 'Welsh Not' was found at Garth School, Bangor, which has since been demolished. The 'Welsh Not' was used in some schools during the eighteenth and nineteenth century in a bid to prevent pupils from speaking Welsh. The 'Welsh Not', which usually consisted of a small piece of wood or slate inscribed with the letters 'W.N', was hung around the neck of a child who was caught speaking Welsh. At the end of the school day, the child wearing the 'Welsh Not' would be punished by the schoolteacher.
'Welsh Not' from Garth School, Bangor
  • The following pages have been selected from the Log Book of the Towyn British School, Merionethshire, for the period 1863-7. This Log Book contains numerous references to the attempts of Mr Edwin Jones, the headmaster, to prevent the children from speaking Welsh. In the entry shown on this page (14 August 1863), he says that he is 'at a loss to know the best method to adopt in order to prevent the children generally from speaking Welsh'. He explains that he has decided to use a 'Welsh stick' or 'Welsh Not' in order to punish the children who are caught speaking Welsh. The 'Welsh Not' was used in some schools during the eighteenth and nineteenth century in a bid to prevent pupils from speaking Welsh. The 'Welsh Not', which usually consisted of a small piece of wood or slate inscribed with the letters 'W.N', was hung around the neck of a child who was caught speaking Welsh. At the end of the school day, the child wearing the 'Welsh Not' would be punished by the schoolteacher.
Towyn British School Log Book, Merionethshire, 1863-76 [page 7, image 1 of 34]
  • This example of a 'Welsh Not' comes from Llangernyw School, Denbighshire. The 'Welsh Not' was used in some schools during the eighteenth and nineteenth century in a bid to prevent pupils from speaking Welsh. The 'Welsh Not', which usually consisted of a small piece of wood or slate inscribed with the letters 'W.N', was hung around the neck of a child who was caught speaking Welsh. At the end of the school day, the child wearing the 'Welsh Not' would be punished by the schoolteacher.
'Welsh Not' from Llangernyw School, 19th century
  • Two examples of the 'Welsh Not'. The upper example is inscribed 'WN' and was used in Ysgol Pontgarreg, Llangrannog, Cardiganshire, in 1852. The lower example is inscribed 'Welsh N' and was found by builders at Capel Penrhiw, Drefach Felindre, as the chapel was being taken down before being moved to the Museum of Welsh Life. A school had been held at the chapel during the 19th century. Both examples are now on display in the main gallery at the Museum of Welsh Life. The 'Welsh Not' was used in some schools during the eighteenth and nineteenth century in a bid to prevent pupils from speaking Welsh. The 'Welsh Not', which usually consisted of a small piece of wood or slate inscribed with the letters 'W.N', was hung around the neck of a child who was caught speaking Welsh. At the end of the school day, the child wearing the 'Welsh Not' would be punished by the schoolteacher.
Two examples of the 'Welsh Not'