Sunday schools were a feature of the life of most churches and chapels in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Before schooling became compulsory in 1876, they often taught reading and writing as well as religious education. Large numbers of children attended Ossett’s Sunday schools: in 1873 the Congregationalists had 700 students and 70 teachers. Not all children enjoyed the experience, not least because they had the discomfort of wearing their best clothes. There were, however, compensations such as the annual Sunday school feast. This typically included a procession through the streets of Ossett, hymn singing and then a tea followed by games.