Welsh Not

Summary

The Welsh Not was a token used by teachers at some schools in Wales, mainly in the 19th century, to discourage children from speaking Welsh, by marking out those who were heard speaking the language. It could be followed by an additional discipline, sometimes involving corporal punishment. There is evidence of the Welsh Not's use from the end of 18th to the start of the 20th century, but it was most common in the early- to mid-19th century.