The school opened its doors in Ebenezer Square, Spitalfields in 1817 and was supported from the start by generous support from wealthy and influential donors, among them Rothschilds, Goldsmids, Montefiores and Mocattas. Indeed a close connection between the Rothschild family and the school continued for well over 100 years.

The JFS made an important contribution to education in the East End from the outset. Even in its early years, it had 1,000 or more pupils on roll. In spite of a dire shortage of suitable teachers, it managed to accommodate large pupil numbers by adopting the monitor system, under guidance from the British and Foreign Society's school in Borough Road, which served as a source of training and advice for many years.

When it first opened, JFS took only boys, but it started admitting girls too (to a separate department) when it moved to larger premises in nearby Bell Lane five years later. Throughout the 19th century, the girls were mostly trained in domestic duties, like needlework, knitting, cooking and laundry. It was hard, though, to get girls to attend regularly, since they were often required to stay at home for domestic duties.

< Previous | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Next >