The blue coats worn by the boys were based on the uniform of Christ's Hospital School in Greyfriars, London.

A Grey Coat School for twenty poor girls was founded at the same time in Marygate.

[1] Supporters who donated more than a guinea a year were allowed to put forward the name of one boy and one girl to enter each school.

[2] In 1782 Faith Gray and Catharine Cappe created evening classes so that local hemp factory workers could learn to read.

[4] After this success, Gray was approached to become involved with the "Grey Coat School" which had lost its way.