Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1863-1939 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
0.16 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Jews' Free School (now JFS Comprehensive) is the largest Jewish school in Britain.
It was founded by Moses Hart, who paid for the restoration of the Great Synagogue where the school opened as a Talmud Torah for 15 boys in 1732. It was originally a charity school for orphaned boys with priority given to those of German parentage. By 1788 the school had moved to Houndsditch and in the late 1790s moved again to Gun Square where the number of pupils increased in 21. In the nineteenth century Dr. Joshua Van Oven found a permanent site for the school in Bell Lane.
Between 1880 and 1900, one third of all London's Jewish children passed through its doors - by 1900 it had some 4,000 pupils and was the largest school in Europe. The School provided these children with a refuge from poverty, a religious and secular education and in the spirit of the times anglicised them. Famous pupils from this time include Barney Barnato, Bud Flanagan, Alfred Marks and the novelist Israel Zangwill. The school enjoyed the patronage of the Rothschilds and had for 51 years a headmaster called Moses Angel. Angel was probably the most influential figure in Jewish education in the nineteenth century and a great advocate of "anglicising" his pupils. They were, he said "ignorant even of the elements of sound; until they had been Anglicised."
The school remained there until 1939 when it was evacuated to Ely. The Bell Lane building was destroyed during enemy action and after the Second World War the school remained closed untilk a new site was found on the Camden Road. In 1958 the school reopened as JFS Comprehensive.
Repository
Archival history
The material seems to have belonged originally to Dr. Douglas Woolf, before being passed on to Dr. G. Black and later London Metropolitan Archives in April 2001.
GB 0074 LMA/4297 1863-1939 Collection 0.16 linear metres Jews' Free School x JFS Comprehensive
The Jews' Free School (now JFS Comprehensive) is the largest Jewish school in Britain.
It was founded by Moses Hart, who paid for the restoration of the Great Synagogue where the school opened as a Talmud Torah for 15 boys in 1732. It was originally a charity school for orphaned boys with priority given to those of German parentage. By 1788 the school had moved to Houndsditch and in the late 1790s moved again to Gun Square where the number of pupils increased in 21. In the nineteenth century Dr. Joshua Van Oven found a permanent site for the school in Bell Lane.
Between 1880 and 1900, one third of all London's Jewish children passed through its doors - by 1900 it had some 4,000 pupils and was the largest school in Europe. The School provided these children with a refuge from poverty, a religious and secular education and in the spirit of the times anglicised them. Famous pupils from this time include Barney Barnato, Bud Flanagan, Alfred Marks and the novelist Israel Zangwill. The school enjoyed the patronage of the Rothschilds and had for 51 years a headmaster called Moses Angel. Angel was probably the most influential figure in Jewish education in the nineteenth century and a great advocate of "anglicising" his pupils. They were, he said "ignorant even of the elements of sound; until they had been Anglicised."
The school remained there until 1939 when it was evacuated to Ely. The Bell Lane building was destroyed during enemy action and after the Second World War the school remained closed untilk a new site was found on the Camden Road. In 1958 the school reopened as JFS Comprehensive.
The material seems to have belonged originally to Dr. Douglas Woolf, before being passed on to Dr. G. Black and later London Metropolitan Archives in April 2001.
Deposited by Dr G. Black in April 2001, together with material relating to the London Jewish Hospital (LMA/4296).
Records relating to the Jews' Free School and former teachers at the school. This deposit contains letters, school magazines, newspaper cuttings and an attendance register. Some material relates to Anglo-Jewish historian Myer David Davis (also spelt Davies), who started his career as a teacher at the Jews' Free School as Talmud Torah master.
These records have been arranged into the following subseries: LMA/4297/01/001-012: The Jews' Free School. These records have a direct relationship with the school itself, that is, they were produced by the school for the school. LMA/4297/01/013: Dr. Douglas Woolf. He is the likely former owner of these records and some material remains as a result of his own concerns and activities, such as the arrival of Russian Jewish immigrants to London. LMA/4297/10/014-105: Myer David Davis. As an ex-pupil and teacher at the School there was a lot of sadness on the death of this pioneer of Jewish clerical history at 81 years old. The newscuttings and copy of a magazine he edited reflect just how active he was in the promotion of Jewish culture and its past to others.
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Copyright to these records rests with the depositor.
English
Fit.
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Related material on the Jews' Free School held at LMA includes LMA/4046 and LMA/4290.
For further information please consult the LMA Information Leaflet: "Records of the Anglo-Jewish Community at London Metropolitan Archives"; available to download here: http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/LGNL_Services/Leisure_and_culture/Records_and_archives/Visitor_information/free_information_leaflets.htm (URL correct Feb 2010).
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Description prepared in March 2010. Ancient religions Judaism Jewish Cultural identity Theology Religious doctrines Religious texts Torah Sacred texts Denominational schools Religions Educational institutions Schools Charity schools Religious groups Jews Social science education Religious education Religion Jews' Free School x JFS Comprehensive London England UK Western Europe Europe
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Deposited by Dr G. Black in April 2001, together with material relating to the London Jewish Hospital (LMA/4296).
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records relating to the Jews' Free School and former teachers at the school. This deposit contains letters, school magazines, newspaper cuttings and an attendance register. Some material relates to Anglo-Jewish historian Myer David Davis (also spelt Davies), who started his career as a teacher at the Jews' Free School as Talmud Torah master.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
These records have been arranged into the following subseries: LMA/4297/01/001-012: The Jews' Free School. These records have a direct relationship with the school itself, that is, they were produced by the school for the school. LMA/4297/01/013: Dr. Douglas Woolf. He is the likely former owner of these records and some material remains as a result of his own concerns and activities, such as the arrival of Russian Jewish immigrants to London. LMA/4297/10/014-105: Myer David Davis. As an ex-pupil and teacher at the School there was a lot of sadness on the death of this pioneer of Jewish clerical history at 81 years old. The newscuttings and copy of a magazine he edited reflect just how active he was in the promotion of Jewish culture and its past to others.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright to these records rests with the depositor.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Related material on the Jews' Free School held at LMA includes LMA/4046 and LMA/4290.
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English