John Ford

In January 1829, John Ford (1801-1875) became the second headmaster (or Superintendent of the Establishment) of Bootham School. Up until that point the school had been run as a private concern, but with the introduction of John Ford the school changed to the Yorkshire Quarterly Meeting Boys’ School, which would remain the official name of the school up until 1915, despite the relocation of the school to 20 Bootham, York, in 1846. In the course of 37 years John Ford would do much to shape the positive and open values of the school. The science and natural history focus of the school was in keeping with the current intellectual trends in York, with the formation of York’s Philosophical Society in 1822, and in 1850 Bootham School became one of the first schools to have an observatory. He also changed from corporal punishment to a system of punishment that comprised of copying out exercises, a system still in use today.

Many of the Rowntree sons were educated at Bootham and John Ford would take a trip with Joseph Rowntree (Senior), John, and Joseph to Ireland.

External Links

http://www.historyofyork.org.uk/themes/a-learning-city/bootham-school