This exhibition was about the life and work of Richmal Mangnall, a schoolteacher and writer who became headmistress of Crofton Hall School in 1808,

Richmal Mangnall (1769-1820) was  originally a pupil at Crofton Hall school and became a teacher in the 1790s. As well as teaching hundreds of young people, she also wrote the textbook Historical and Miscellaneous Questions for the Use of Young People. At first, the book was intended for use at the school in Crofton but later it became an influential textbook used at schools across the country. By 1857, it had reached 84 editions and ‘Mangnall’s Questions,’ as it became known, was referenced by many influential writers and social commentators, including Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, and James Joyce. 

The book was made up of a series of questions and answers in which Mangnall covered geography, science, literature and religion. This might seem strange to us now but in the late 18^th Century, learning by rote (memorising facts and figures) was a common way of educating young people.

In this project, I worked with a group of young people from Wakefield and surrounding areas to think, talk and make art about Mangnall’s life and ideas. We thought about how the concept of asking and answering precise questions and answers connects with the modern world, especially in fields such as education, coding, and AI. We also discussed how women’s roles have changed in teaching and learning since Mangnall’s time. Over several sessions we made digital artworks using a range of different techniques.