A GANDY STREET ACADEMY, EXETER, 1808.

In January 1808,  the war with France was the first concern of the British government.  The Exeter Flying Post of 6th January reported how the Mayor of Plymouth had been required to remove the French 'aliens' from that city:  Monsieur Lelong,  a valued French teacher,  was told he must leave.  He came to Exeter and lost no time setting up shop in Gandy Street: 

"An order was last week received from the Alien-office, directing the removal of all aliens from this place. (Plymouth) In consequence of which, the Abbé Grizellé and Monsieur Lelong, two French teachers, were obliged to leave the town on a very short notice, to the great regret of their numerous friends.  The latter gentleman has resided in Plymouth nearly 7 years, during which time he has instructed upwards of 500 scholars with the highest advantage to them, and credit to himself.  Mr. Lelong has removed to Exeter."

In the same issue of the paper, Monsieur Lelong advertised the contribution he felt he could make to Exeter society: 

"MONSIEUR LELONG, late of Plymouth, has the honor to acquaint the nobility and gentry of Exeter and its neighbourhood, that he teaches the FRENCH LANGUAGE grammatically, and hopes by his zeal and unremitted attention, to meet with encouragement, similar to what he received in the place which he has just quitted.  The terms for private tuition are three guineas per quarter.

"Mr. Lelong has also opened an Academy at his apartments at Mr. Hooper's, in gandy's-street, for the instruction of YOUNG LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, at four guineas per year, and half a guinea entrance...."

"Mr. Lelong is happy in embracing the present opportunity to return his sincere acknowledgements to his many friends at Plymouth, for the friendship and patronage he uniformly experienced during his long residence in that place, and respectfully assures them that he shall ever retain the most lively sense of gratitude for their kindness and liberality."

There must have been many French refugees in Exeter and Devon but perhaps not many able and willing to teach the language.  It seems that a good French teacher was hard to find and that Plymouth's loss was to be Exeter's gain.  I hope the guineas poured in.  M. Lelong sounds a decent, hardworking, deserving kind of  alien.

The Alien Office, set up to counter foreign influence harmful to British interests, was able to demand that the Mayor of Devon's great naval port should ferret out aliens (Frenchmen) and send them packing.  This would have been tough on M. Leland (and his family?) but no doubt he would have benefitted from being clearly a 'respectable' person.  One wonders how the authorities dealt with the under-class.

The French lessons were not to be co-educational.  M. Leland made it clear that his young gentlemen would never, on his watch, cross the paths of his young ladies.