She was educated in London at Whitelands Training College's school until she began a five-year apprenticeship in Chelsea at St Luke's Parochial Girls' Schooli in 1864.

She got involved in welfare when she started to organise a drink and some bread for the malnourished children and this evolved into a meal during the winter which was funded by a small group.

[1] The money paid for breakfasts of porridge and jam and the midday meal was described as "suet pudding and potatoes steeped in luscious gravy".

[1] The legal basis for this work was confused and Burgwin was part of a deputation to the Education Department and as a result a "Departmental Committee on Defective and Epileptic Children" was formed.

[4] During the proceedings Ellen Pinsent from Birmingham referred to Burgwin as "having more experience of special schools than anyone else in the world.