Welsh Not

Summary

The Welsh Not, spelled without the letter 'k' refers to the instruction not to speak Welsh, rather than a physical knot. This article describes the shameful practice of using the Welsh Not in schools and a personal memory from "Rob" who remembers the Welsh Not being used on his mother. 

Welsh Not or Welsh Knot?

The name for this historical punishment is Welsh Not, spelled without the 'k'. The word "Not" refers to the instruction not to speak Welsh, rather than a physical knot.

The Welsh Not was a form of punishment used in some Welsh schools during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a tangible symbol of the effort to suppress the Welsh language and promote English.

A child caught speaking Welsh would be forced to wear a wooden plaque with the words "Welsh Not" or "WN" around their neck. The punishment would then be passed from child to child. The unfortunate child wearing the plaque at the end of the school day would often face further punishment, such as a beating.

This shameful practice was widespread after the Treachery of the Blue Books report in 1847. This report, published by English-speaking commissioners, harshly criticized Welsh language, culture, and morality, leading many to believe that English was the language of social and economic progress.

Welsh Not - A Personal Memory

Courtesy of a Message sent to us by "Rob"

This is truly sad personal message passed to us concerning the shameful Welsh Not era.

Rob says, "I have personal knowledge that the travesty continued into the 1930s. My mother, who was in school in Ebbw Vale then, spoke very little Welsh but still remembered her 6 whacks with a dap at the end of several days there. She remembers a slightly different sign, made of thick cardboard (but I think she meant hardboard) with 'I am so stupid I speak Welsh' written on it. Also, a Mrs Hughes, of about the same age, told me that she was similarly punished at the end of almost every school day. I consider her as a reliable source. She was, when I knew her in the late 1970s, the head of the geography dept. of a prestigious private girl's school in rural Bedfordshire and was running Welsh Language evening classes in Bedford. She was brought up in Newport Pembrokeshire. Her recollection was that at her school each teacher had a 'Welsh Not' paddle and would give it to the first child they 'caught' using Welsh. It was then up to the child to pass the dreaded thing on to another child who they 'caught' speaking Welsh. At the end of the school day the paddle would be used to spank the child wearing it. She was very shy and reluctant to pass her paddle on to anyone else so got beaten frequently. After a term or two of this she decided that she would never pass the paddle on, it became a battle of wills between her and the teaching staff. Some of them stopped giving out paddles, but Mrs Hughes (whatever her name was then) still ended up almost every day wearing one and sometime two or three! I remain glad that the shameful Welsh eradication process did not work and continue my efforts to learn my mother tongue. I am still not fluent at 73".

The Welsh Not punishment, truly shameful...

When Did the Welsh Not End?

Evidence suggests the Welsh Not was in use as early as 1798. While its use in schools declined by the late 1800s, strong evidence exists of its usage in Carmarthen, Cardigan and Meirionnydd prior to the 1870s. However, restrictions on the use of the Welsh language in courts continued much later. The Laws in Wales Acts of 1535–1542 made speaking Welsh in court illegal, and this wasn't overturned until the Welsh Courts Act of 1942.