Passing the next day, at noon; all was still in the little shop; except the birds singing. No little crowd of scholars; his little tumble-down window was open, and the upper-half of the street door was open; but his bench was vacant. The old man was asleep in his old arm-chair; his cat sitting on his knee, comfortably tucked up, seemingly asleep too. Read more…
When we had passed through King James’s Gate, and were in High Street, I warmly thanked Mr. for all his kindness! and bid him Good Morning; for I wished to be alone; and think of all I had seen and heard of this good old man, I crossed the Grand Parade. The General was there, with his staff, trooping guard. Read more…
It was no easy thing to get away from the old cobbler. For though we had repeatedly bid him Good Morning, he had always something else to tell us, or show us; his heart was so thoroughly in all he was doing. At last – we were determined! But as we went away from his door, I could not help feeling sorry for him; he seemed so desiring to tell us something else about his doings. Read more…
“Well, Mr. Pounds, here you are.” “Yes, here I bes.” “Busy as usual.” “Yes I’ve always something to do.” “I’ve brought our new Minister to see you.” The old man deliberately raised his head from his work, and said. “Yer sarvant Sir:” – and fixed his large eye full upon mine, with a penetration, that at once I felt. – There’s strength of character there. “I’m glad to be introduced to you, Mr. Pounds;” I replied. Read more…
The next morning, about ten o’clock, w were on our way to the old cobbler’s. It was a beautiful morning in May; the sun was shining bright, and the air was refreshing. Going out of High Street, by Golden Lion Lane, we entered St. Thomas’s Street, and turned to our right. “As you are new to Portsmouth,” Mr….. said, “it may perhaps be interesting to you if I point out some of the characteristics of this garrison town.” Read more…
A few days after I came to reside at Portsmouth, in the spring of 1833, a lady said to me laughingly, “Have you been introduced to the old cobbler yet ?”. Seeing that I was at a loss to know whom she referred to; “O you must go and see the old cobbler;” she said in a somewhat more serious tone; but mingled with pleasantry’ “He’s a remarkable man’ quite a character! And does a great deal of good, in his own quiet, humble way. Read more…
John Pounds was born on June 17th 1766 and died on January 1st 1839. In his time he did unfathomable amounts of work to improve the lives of many people, particularly children, in the city of Portsmouth. It is arguable that this humble man, ‘the crippled cobbler of Portsmouth’, has played one of the most significant roles in shaping the social and educational landscape of the United Kingdom, and possibly beyond. All because he gave his life over to being a teacher when there were none, and acting true to a selflessness and an altruism which was to go on to inspire people such as Charles Dickens and the Reverend Thomas Guthrie. Read more…