This charming little CDV came from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, but has no information on it to confirm its origin. The girls are elegantly dressed and must have come from relatively well-to-do families. After scanning the photo I noticed that one of the girls is of African or mixed-race heritage.
I love the fact that the school’s dog was included in the class photo. Today, dogs are increasingly being brought into classrooms to provide a calming influence on young children and to help with specific tasks such as reading. A program in Utah, called Reading Education Assistance Dogs (READ), employs 1,300 therapy dogs in schools and libraries. In Brooklyn, New York, the Good Dog Foundation has 375 volunteer teams of dogs and their owners. In North Carolina, Helping Paws International matches therapy dogs with autistic students.
Two other photos on the blog which provide examples of racial diversity in Victorian Britain are Wedding party with diverse family and hidden bride (UK) and Diverse group of schoolgirls in Victorian London.
Tokens of Companionship 
I love this picture for so many reasons–yes, the dog! The African girl was the first thing I noticed and loved. I also love how so many of the girls are holding onto each other in various ways.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s so sweet how they lock arms or put a hand on the shoulder of the girl in front of them, isn’t it? I assume it was an indication of friendship.
LikeLike
This is a fascinating photo, particularly for the jewellery they are wearing which I wouldn’t associate with a British school – even for well-to-do girls, which this almost certainly is. I wonder if there are any other photos from Chesterfield that have these clothes – it might be possible to track down the school from that, or maybe the region. Some are wearing the same or similar dresses. I’ll have another look in a day or so.
LikeLiked by 2 people
There are lots of service dogs for children with disabilities in schools as well, helping them function more independently. Nice to see dogs in schools have a long history!
LikeLiked by 2 people
You’re absolutely right! I didn’t even think of that when I wrote this post. Isn’t it interesting that some things we think of as modern ideas actually have a variety of historical precedents. Thanks so much for your comment!
LikeLiked by 2 people