ABSTRACT
The changes introduced in 1832 were the beginning of a process, not finally completed until 1928, whereby the franchise was extended to all adults of both sexes, and Parliament and government gradually became more representative of the popular will and public concern. Though industry employed increasing numbers of people, throughout the nineteenth century very large groups continued to work in agriculture and, in particular, domestic service, often in harsh conditions and with very long working hours. Education now emerged for the first time as an area of governmental activity, on the basis that the state should oversee the rearing of workers’ children in religion and industry. In 1839, Lord Melbourne’s government proposed to equalise grant payments to the two societies, make grants available to other schools, including Catholic schools, create non-denominational schools for teacher training and place state participation in education under the supervision of a committee of the Privy Council, composed entirely of laymen.
