Looking through the book it shows how people from all kinds of backgrounds came to the school and sometimes it tells you what happened to them after they left.

The first name in the book is Mary North - the book shows that she came to the school in 1841 and left in the same year. She then went to the Asylum in London and was 'apprenticed' to a dressmaker.

Lloyd hard at work researching his school history at 24 Hour Museum offices.

John W Lashford was born in 1830. His father, who was a 'flyman' from Woburn Place in Brighton, paid seven shillings and 16 pence for William to attend the school. Sadly the book tells us that John returned home ill on April 4, 1848. He died in May of consumption.

Eliza Cuthbert was born in 1830; she was the daughter of a 'charwoman' from Eastbourne. The person who paid for her to come to the school was someone called Mrs Brodie from Eastbourne.

We don't know who that was but perhaps it was her mother's employer? Eliza was admitted in Jan 1844 for a fee of 7 shillings and 16 pence. She died in the institution after a few days illness from a 'disease in the brain.'

The log-book reveals from very sad facts, this entry reads: "Died in the institution of an abscess in the hip. A most interesting boy and his end was perfect peace."

Edmund Shepherd was born in 1848, the son of Francis Shepherd, a labourer from Selsey near Chichester. The 'guarantors' were the guardians of Selsey. Admitted in 1855 for a fee of 7 shillings and 16 pence. Edmund died of consumption and measles in the Sussex County Hospital and was buried by his friends at Selsey.

Alice Mary Brown, born on June 24 1867, was the daughter of Wood Dealer Daniel Brown. She came to the Institute in 1887 and a fee of 12 shillings and 10 pence was paid. However a note next to the entry says: 'Not admitted - the child was a decided idiot.'

You would not say such things now - it just shows you how things have changed since Victorian times.

The first headmaster William Sleight may well have written many of the entries in the log-book himself!

Of course, most of the children who came to the school lived long and happy lives - but looking through the book today it reminds us how hard life could be in Victorian times!

The log-book is full of unfamiliar and old-fashioned words. Here are some definitions to help you understand the entries.

Asylum - a bit like a hospital - this was a place where poor people went when they were unwell and couldn't afford to look after themselves.
Apprenticed - to be apprenticed to someone was a system of training or learning a trade or job from another person.
Flyman - a man who put up posters on walls.
Shillings - old money! A shilling in old money was equivalent to 12 old pennies (or 12d). Today some people still refer to a five pence coin as a 'shilling'.
Consumption - this is an old-fashioned word for a disease called tuberculosis.
Charwoman - a woman employed to do housework.
Guarantors - a guarantor is a person who provides a guarantee of money or a reference for a person.
Measles - a disease that causes red spots to appear over the body.

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