Whole Class Punisment86

I recall during our school holidays going doen south to visit my uncle near London. I went to the school of my cousin in Coulsdon to wait for him coming out. Pupils poured out of the school, sauntered about and made their way home, but there was no sign of my cousin. Eventually 6 boys appeared, my cousin amongst them, all rubbing their hands and with terse expressions on their faces. Apparently they had all been sent to the Headmaster when the school closed in order to be caned. The delay had been due to the time it took to gather them all together, time for the lecture and the punishment that followed. I think they were each given a total of 4 strokes on their hands, and I can’t remember what it for, but I wonder whether the practice of punishing in this way was regarded as normal or was it unusual?