Drawing on hitherto-unused sources this book represents a shift in the historiography of British education. At the centre of the investigation is Joseph Payne. He was a classroom practitioner of rare skill, the founder of two of the most successful Victorian private schools, the author of best-selling text-books, a scholar of note despite his lack of formal education, and a leading member of the College of Preceptors and such bodies as the Scholastic Registration Association, the Girls' Public Day School Trust, the Women's Education Union and the Social Science Association.

Richard Aldrich

List of Illustrations. Acknowledgements. Series Preface. Introduction. 1 From Bury St.Edmunds to Grove Hill House. 2 The Denmark Hill Grammar School 3 From Leatherhead to Kildare Gardens. 4 The College of Preceptors 5 Professor of Education 6 Critic and Reformer 7 The Science and Art of Education 8 Historical and Comparative Dimensions 9 Conclusion. Select Bibliography. Index.