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The `Welsh Not`
The Welsh Not or Welsh Note was a piece of wood, inscribed with the letters "WN", that was hung round the necks of children who spoke Welsh in some schools in the 19th century. The "not" was given to any child overheard speaking Welsh, who would pass it to a different child if overheard speaking Welsh. By the end of the day, the wearer of the "not" would be given a lashing. The idea of the "not" was to discourage pupils from speaking Welsh, at a time when English was considered by some to be the only suitable medium of instruction.
History
The use of the "not" was recorded in the 18th century; it was also commonly known as the 'cwstom', the 'Welsh stick' and the 'Welsh lead' (a lump of lead). The practice was mentioned in the 1847 Reports of the commissioners of enquiry into the state of education in Wales. Though highly critical of many aspects of Welsh culture, some of the inspectors commented on the existence of the practice of using "nots" as being arbitrary and cruel. The report did not endorse the practice. Since education in this period was neither free nor compulsory it must be assumed that parents did endorse the practice where it was used. The reports also clearly show that the vast majority of education in Welsh Wales was still conducted in Welsh.
In the later decades of the 19th century, education was compulsory but the Welsh "not" was used only in a minority of schools, and after the school boards were absorbed by the county councils following the Local Government Act 1888, instruction in Welsh in elementary schools became the norm in Welsh-speaking areas. There is no evidence that the intermediate schools, in which instruction was almost universally in English, made use of the "not".
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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 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.
This example of a 'Welsh Not' comes from Llangernyw School, Denbighshire.
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.
http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/education/schools/welsh-not/
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Originally Posted by BeornWulfWer
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