John F. Moss first served an apprenticeship as a printer in Rotherham before later becoming chief reporter at the Sheffield Daily Telegraph[3] which had been founded in 1855.
John F Moss left his career in journalism behind following the passing of the 1870 Education Act[4] to become Clerk to the newly formed Sheffield Board of Schools.
[5][6] In his submission to the Statistical Enquiry Committee he stated:[7] In 1872 he registered the Sheffield School Desk Design.
On November 28, 1900, to mark the completion of thirty years work as Clerk to the School Board he was presented with a portrait of himself, painted by Ernest Moore.
[13] "Our University, our birthday, our story Archived 21 October 2019 at the Wayback Machine", the story of Sheffield University rising from Firth College, a college founded whilst John Francis Moss was Clerk to the Sheffield Schools Board.