Holford House Training School Newport Mon [266 ref Cox]

Brass, 27mm diameter, milled edge.

The earliest mention of Holford House Training School in Newport, that we can find, is in the newspaper advert above, left. This appeared in the South Wales Daily News on March 20th 1872. It informs us that the school rooms were on Stow Hill, opposite the entrance to the Victoria Hall, while accommodation (for the boarders) was in 2 Clytha Park Road. Other contemporary adverts place the school at 20 Stow Hill and state that it was established in 1864.
The 1871 census has John Ware, his wife and two daughters and son, living at 12 Clytha Park. Also at the property were a school assistant, two cooks and 9 pupils (boarders). These pupils were all male, came from near and far and ranged in age from 9 to 14.
Adverts appeared frequently in the Western Mail and the South Wales Daily News in 1876 offering 'A thorough preparation guaranteed for business and professional life, and for the various middle-class examinations'. While a report in the Western Mail, 29th April 1879, stated 'Mr. A. George W. Higgs, son of Mr. Thomas Higgs, of Bristol, passed the examination prescribed by the Pharmaceutical Society, held at Cardiff, on the 1st of April. The successful competitor was prepared by the Training School, Holford House, Newport, Mon. Another pupil from this school obtained a mate's certificate in connection with the Board of Trade examination, held at London in March last.'
The 1981 census has John Ware and his family at 20 Stow Hill, however there are no boarders there and we can't find them at Clytha Park.
John Ware's school at 20 Stow Hill is listed in the Private Schools section in Worrall's 1875 Directory and in Butcher's 1876 Directory. Holford School is listed in Johns's 1883 and 1886 Newport Directories but not in 1888 when 20 Stow Hill was 'void'. In fact on September 3rd 1888 an advert appeared in the Western Mail for John Ware's new school in Portishead 'Studley College'. 'Head Master Mr. J. Ware, trained and certificated, for 23 years Principal of Holford House School, Newport, Mon.; previously Assistant in other large schools.'
The 1891 census shows this as a larger establishment with John Ware schoolmaster, three of his children teaching there and 14 pupils boarding. All pupils were male, six were from Newport and a further four from other parts of Monmouthshire. Ages ranged from 10 to 17.

To sum up we date Holford House Training School in Newport to 1864 - 1887. It was run by John Ware and was a boarding school. Premises were at Clytha Park and 20 Stow Hill.

Why was the school called Hoford House? - Censuses show that his father and brother were born in Holford Somerset, this may be why.

But... WHAT ON EARTH WERE THE 'TOKENS' FOR? WHAT DID THE '100' REPRESENT? WERE THERE OTHER VALUES? If you can answer any of these questions please get in touch.