British and Foreign School Society (BFSS) Archive

The Archive Collection of the British and Foreign School Society (BFSS) is probably the most important collection in the world on 19th Century elementary education and teacher training.

In 1789 Joseph Lancaster opened a non-denominational school in Borough Road, Southwark, offering education using the monitorial system with older children teaching the younger ones.  From this developed the British and Foreign School Society, hundreds of British schools in England, Wales and the Commonwealth, and the teacher training colleges Borough Road (which became part of the West London Institute in 1976 and Brunel University in 1995), Stockwell, Saffron Walden, Darlington and Swansea.

Following Privy Council approval the British and Foreign School Society (BFSS) has now changed its name to Educational Opportunity Foundation.

Holdings in brief

The formation of the BFSS, minute books from 1808, financial documents, establishment and progress of the British Schools, Newcastle Commission returns from British Schools, 19th century schools (including overseas) correspondence, BFSS charities and funds, annual reports, the Educational Record 1848-1929.  BFSS College papers including annual reports, student application forms and references, registers, documents on course details, alumni associations, student magazines, photographs.  NB Swansea College papers are at Swansea Metropolitan University and Darlington's are at Durham Record Office.

Books and pamphlets on education dating from the 19th century including works by Lancaster, Bell, Pestalozzi and Froebel.  Victorian and Edwardian children's books.