[2] The school was founded by the London merchant draper William Blake, who, after the death in 1650 of his wife Mary, was inspired by the writing of Bishop Lewis Bayly to provide for orphans.
The girls to be taught to read, write, sew, starch, raise paste, and dress, that they might be fit for any good service’.
[6] He published a pious book ‘’Silver Drops’’ to appeal to noble ladies, but ultimately failed to secure lasting funding.
[1] The school was revived in 1702 by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, expanding from the Ladies Hospital, to provide a Protestant education for orphans aged 9–11 years old.
Its mission had changed from orphans to the daughters of respectable but impoverished families, who paid towards their education: girls were trained for domestic service and left school at age 15.