Dr Samuel Johnson's school

One of Dr Johnson's less successful ventures was the school he opened at Edial Hall, now a farm (as seen today in the photo). He only had three pupils (one of whom was David Garrick the actor).

In June 1735, while working as a tutor for Thomas Whitby'schildren, Johnson had applied for the position of headmaster at Solihull School.

Although Walmesley gave his support, Johnson was passed over because the school's directors thought he was "a very haughty, ill-natured gent., and that he has such a way of distorting his face (which though he can't help) the gens think it may affect some lads".

With Walmesley's encouragement, Johnson decided that he could be a successful teacher if he ran his own school. In the autumn of 1735, Johnson opened Edial Hall School as a private academy at Edial, near Lichfield. He had only three pupils: Lawrence Offley, George Garrick, and the 18-year-old David Garrick, who later became one of the most famous actors of his day. The venture was unsuccessful and cost Tetty a substantial portion of her fortune.

Instead of trying to keep the failing school going, Johnson began to write his first major work, the historical tragedy Irene. Biographer Robert DeMaria believed that Tourette syndrome likely made public occupations like schoolmaster or tutor almost impossible for Johnson to hold; this may have led Johnson to "the invisible occupation of authorship".

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