By Lara Keay For Mailonline
Published: 11:39 BST, 24 April 2019 | Updated: 11:45 BST, 24 April 2019
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Black and white images from the early twentieth century reveal the inner workings of a 'continuation school' set up by the founder of the department store Selfridges to educate his young employees.
Henry Gordon Selfridge invested £400,000 of his own money in opening a department store at the then-unfashionable west end of Oxford Street after visiting London from his native Wisconsin, USA.
Selfridges & Co opened its doors in 1909 and went on to become a household name, with Selfridge chairing the company until his retirement in 1941.
With a keen interest in education and science, he decided he wanted his own school to offer the young boys and girls who worked for him a better education.
The Selfridges continuation school catered for male and female pupils and taught a wide range of classes from reading and writing to cookery, cleaning and sewing.
Department store founder Harry Gordon Selfridge started his own continuation school to educate young people who worked at the firm, when the school leaving age was as young as 12 in Britain. A boys' literature class at the school in London is pictured in February 1920
The Selfridges continuation school catered for boys and girls, who wore matching uniforms, as seen here. A 'physical culture' class for female pupils, who all worked for the company, is pictured in February 1920
Two girls who worked for Selfridges in London are pictured taking part in a cookery class at the department store's continuation school in February 1920. It was set up by founder Henry Gordon
