Treachery of the Blue Books
Encyclopedia
The Treachery of the Blue Books or Treason of the Blue Books was the name given in Wales
to the Reports of the commissioners of enquiry into the state of education in Wales published in 1847. The term Brad y Llyfrau Gleision was coined by the author R. J. Derfel
in response to the Reports' publication.
The public inquiry
was carried out as a result of pressure from William Williams, Radical
MP for Coventry
, who was himself a Welshman by birth and was concerned about the state of education in Wales
. The enquiry was carried out by three English
commissioner
s, R. R. W. Lingen, Jellynger C. Symons and H. R. Vaughan Johnson. The commissioners visited every part of Wales during 1846, collecting evidence and statistics. However, they spoke no Welsh
and relied on information from witnesses, many of them Anglican clergy
men at a time when Wales was a stronghold of Nonconformism
.
The work was completed by 3 April 1847, and Lingen presented his report to the Government on 1 July of that year in three large blue-covered volumes. Their report was detailed. It concluded that schools in Wales were extremely inadequate, often with teachers speaking only English and using only English text-books in areas where the children spoke only Welsh, and that Welsh-speakers had to rely on the Non-conformist Sunday Schools to acquire literacy. But it also concluded that the Welsh were ignorant, lazy and immoral, and that among the causes of this were the use of the Welsh language
and nonconformity
. This resulted in a furious reaction in Wales, led by Robert Jones Derfel
, a bard, whose book-length response, Brad y llyfrau gleision was published in 1854 by I. Clarke in Rhuthyn
; it did not have any immediate political implications, although it was instrumental in the genesis of the modern Welsh self-government movement. A measure of the anger aroused by the report in Wales is the subtext of the name Brad y Llyfrau Gleision. It is a reference to the infamous "Treachery of the Long Knives
," with which, according to Nennius
and Geoffrey of Monmouth
, the Saxons began their campaign of conquest against the native Britons
.
The report was not entirely antagonistic to Welsh culture: much of the comment was compassionate and constructive. The commissioners often simply reported verbatim the prejudiced opinions of landowners and local Anglican clergy. The more bilious editorial attacks on Welsh culture mostly emanated from Commissioner Lingen. The Books remain an invaluable, although slanted, source of information on mid-19th century Welsh society. Saunders Lewis
, in Tynged yr iaith
, maintained that the Blue Books were for Welsh history "the most important nineteenth-century historical documents we possess".
Digital scans of the Blue Books are available at the National Library of Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
to the Reports of the commissioners of enquiry into the state of education in Wales published in 1847. The term Brad y Llyfrau Gleision was coined by the author R. J. Derfel
Robert Jones Derfel
Robert Jones Derfel was a Welsh poet and political writer.He was born Robert Jones on a farm in Merionethshire and became a travelling salesman employed by a Manchester firm. He also became a Baptist preacher. With John Ceiriog Hughes and two other Welshmen, he formed a literary society in...
in response to the Reports' publication.
The public inquiry
Public inquiry
A Tribunal of Inquiry is an official review of events or actions ordered by a government body in Common Law countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland or Canada. Such a public inquiry differs from a Royal Commission in that a public inquiry accepts evidence and conducts its hearings in a more...
was carried out as a result of pressure from William Williams, Radical
Radicals (UK)
The Radicals were a parliamentary political grouping in the United Kingdom in the early to mid 19th century, who drew on earlier ideas of radicalism and helped to transform the Whigs into the Liberal Party.-Background:...
MP for Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, who was himself a Welshman by birth and was concerned about the state of education in Wales
Education in Wales
Education in Wales differs in certain respects from education elsewhere in the United Kingdom. For example, a significant number of students all over Wales are educated either wholly or largely through the medium of Welsh: in 2008/09, 22 per cent of classes in maintained primary schools used Welsh...
. The enquiry was carried out by three English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
s, R. R. W. Lingen, Jellynger C. Symons and H. R. Vaughan Johnson. The commissioners visited every part of Wales during 1846, collecting evidence and statistics. However, they spoke no Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
and relied on information from witnesses, many of them Anglican clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
men at a time when Wales was a stronghold of Nonconformism
Nonconformism
Nonconformity is the refusal to "conform" to, or follow, the governance and usages of the Church of England by the Protestant Christians of England and Wales.- Origins and use:...
.
The work was completed by 3 April 1847, and Lingen presented his report to the Government on 1 July of that year in three large blue-covered volumes. Their report was detailed. It concluded that schools in Wales were extremely inadequate, often with teachers speaking only English and using only English text-books in areas where the children spoke only Welsh, and that Welsh-speakers had to rely on the Non-conformist Sunday Schools to acquire literacy. But it also concluded that the Welsh were ignorant, lazy and immoral, and that among the causes of this were the use of the Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
and nonconformity
Nonconformism
Nonconformity is the refusal to "conform" to, or follow, the governance and usages of the Church of England by the Protestant Christians of England and Wales.- Origins and use:...
. This resulted in a furious reaction in Wales, led by Robert Jones Derfel
Robert Jones Derfel
Robert Jones Derfel was a Welsh poet and political writer.He was born Robert Jones on a farm in Merionethshire and became a travelling salesman employed by a Manchester firm. He also became a Baptist preacher. With John Ceiriog Hughes and two other Welshmen, he formed a literary society in...
, a bard, whose book-length response, Brad y llyfrau gleision was published in 1854 by I. Clarke in Rhuthyn
Ruthin
Ruthin is a community and the county town of Denbighshire in north Wales. Located around a hill in the southern part of the Vale of Clwyd - the older part of the town, the castle and Saint Peter's Square are located on top of the hill, while many newer parts of the town are on the floodplain of...
; it did not have any immediate political implications, although it was instrumental in the genesis of the modern Welsh self-government movement. A measure of the anger aroused by the report in Wales is the subtext of the name Brad y Llyfrau Gleision. It is a reference to the infamous "Treachery of the Long Knives
Night of the Long Knives (Arthurian)
The Night of the Long Knives is the name Geoffrey of Monmouth gave to the treacherous killing of native British chieftains by Anglo-Saxon mercenaries on Salisbury Plain in the 5th century...
," with which, according to Nennius
Nennius
Nennius was a Welsh monk of the 9th century.He has traditionally been attributed with the authorship of the Historia Brittonum, based on the prologue affixed to that work, This attribution is widely considered a secondary tradition....
and Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth was a cleric and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography and the popularity of tales of King Arthur...
, the Saxons began their campaign of conquest against the native Britons
Brython
The Britons were the Celtic people culturally dominating Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages. They spoke the Insular Celtic language known as British or Brythonic...
.
The report was not entirely antagonistic to Welsh culture: much of the comment was compassionate and constructive. The commissioners often simply reported verbatim the prejudiced opinions of landowners and local Anglican clergy. The more bilious editorial attacks on Welsh culture mostly emanated from Commissioner Lingen. The Books remain an invaluable, although slanted, source of information on mid-19th century Welsh society. Saunders Lewis
Saunders Lewis
Saunders Lewis was a Welsh poet, dramatist, historian, literary critic, and political activist. He was a prominent Welsh nationalist and a founder of the Welsh National Party...
, in Tynged yr iaith
Tynged yr Iaith
"Tynged yr Iaith" was a radio lecture delivered in Welsh by Saunders Lewis on February 13, 1962. Reaction to it brought about a major change in the politics of Wales...
, maintained that the Blue Books were for Welsh history "the most important nineteenth-century historical documents we possess".
Digital scans of the Blue Books are available at the National Library of Wales
National Library of Wales
The National Library of Wales , Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales; one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies.Welsh is its main medium of communication...