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William Tuke (1732-1822) first raised the idea in 1818 of establishing a boys'
school in York for the sons of Friends (Quakers) who were not eligible for Ackworth
School, near Pontefract. In 1822 premises on Lawrence Street were leased from
the Retreat, (the Hospital run by the Quaker committee), and the school opened
in early 1823. It was run as a private concern until January 1829, when John
Ford took over as 'Superintendent of the Establishment' and a Quarterly Meeting
committee was appointed to run the school. It then became known as Yorkshire
Quarterly Meeting Boys' School, and this was its official name until 1915 despite
the move to new premises at 20 Bootham in 1846. Further buildings and land were
gradually acquired in the following years. Boys whose parents were not members
of the Society of Friends were admitted for the first time in 1891. In 1899 the
school suffered a serious fire and rebuilding of the premises used for teaching
was necessary; the official reopening took place in 1902, and one of the new
buildings was the Library named after John Bright, who had been one of the first
scholars at Lawrence Street.
Lawrence Street Buildings by E. Moore
Although Bootham did not set out
to cultivate a progressive image, it offered a 'whole school' approach
distinctly in advance of the education offered by more prestigious nineteenth
century public schools, where there had been a transition from 'godliness
and classical learning' to 'manliness and games'. Quaker teachers were
often trained at the Flounders Institute at Ackworth and sometimes took
a London external degree while teaching. Many had a keen interest in Natural
History which was enthusiastically shared by the pupils and led to a serious
interest in science at the school which went on to produce a number of
distinguished scientists in many areas.
The observatory by Joesph Southall (Bootham 1874)
Bootham School, by Edwin Moore, an art teacher at the school (1835-1891)
The scientific interest was in keeping with the intellectual developments in the city of York which in 1822 had formed the Philosophical Society; instrument making and glass manufacturing were also important in the city. In 1850 Bootham became one of the first schools to have its own observatory. Quakers stressed the importance of a constructive use of leisure time. Many boys produced impressive essays and classified collections. Some, such as Sylvanus P. Thompson (Bootham 1858-67) became eminent in their field - he was a professor of science and worked with Michael Faraday on electromagnetism. In the late nineteenth century many of the Rowntree family sons were educated at Bootham, one of them, Arthur Rowntree, becoming Headmaster (1899-1927).
Further reading:
Bootham School Register. Compiled under the direction of a committee of
O.Y.S.A., 1914, with revised eds. 1935, 1971.
JS Rowntree, Friends' Boys' School, York a Sketch of its History 1829-1878
(1879)
FE Pollard Bootham School 1823-1923 (JM Dent and Sons, 1926)
SK Brown Bootham School York 1823-1973 (author, 1973)
Main entrance of the school in Bootham (on the left) showing Bootham Bar and the Minster in the distance
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