How faith and charity gave hope to families

CHURCHES and other religious groups have been key components in communities for centuries, supporting the needy and providing accessible education.

- Stephen Guy

Before being swept away by Henry VIII, the monasteries were important centres of learning while meeting educational needs.

Schooling was not considered essential for most people. Before society became more complex following the industrial revolution, many people could not read and write.

Unable to sign their names, many inscribed a mark instead, as old documents demonstrate.

In a largely rural world, families could get by without being literate or able to do sums.

The property-owning classes, such as the aristocracy and professions, needed to be educated.

They could delegate tasks to others, but the nobility in particular had to know how well their estates were being run.

Upper class women were educated, but had to hand over all they possessed to their husbands when they married.