History of education in England that reading comprehension acquired through Bible study could be transferred to secular studies. Raikes used his newspaper to publicize the schools and bore most of the cost in the early years. The movement began in July 1780 in the home of a Mrs. Meredith. Only boys attended, and she heard the lessons of the older boys who coached the younger. Later, girls also attended. Within two years, several schools opened in and around Gloucester. Raikes published an account on 3 November 1783 of Sunday School in his paper, and later word of the work spread through the "Gentleman's Magazine", and
Thomas Raikes (dandy) caricatured by Richard Dighton as ""One of the Rake's of London"". Raikes' journal is notable for containing the memoirs of a man who counted among his friends some of the most influential men of his day, including Beau Brummell, the Duke of Wellington, Baron Alvanley, and Talleyrand. A four-volume 'portion' of the journal was published after his death, in 1856-7, and two volumes of "Private Correspondence with the Arthur Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington and other Distinguished Contemporaries" were published, edited by his daughter, in 1861. Raikes married Sophia Maria Bayly on 4 May 1802. Bayly was the daughter of