Simon Smith 
A History of St. John”s, Brighton 

Over its 143-year history, St. John”s has been a remarkable and enduring part of Brighton”s educational landscape.This book charts the way in which Sister Jane Borradaile, its tireless and resourceful foundress, raised money to build a home for the care of less-fortunate children in Victorian England. They were predominantly victims of deprivation in the East End, who went to St. John”s to convalesce. Also taken in were orphan girls who were trained for domestic service. The home adapted itself to the needs of a different world in 1957 by becoming a residential school for children with special needs. It has since extended its site and its age range to become a nationally acknowledged centre for those aged five to 25 with autism and other related conditions. The story of St. John”s is interspersed with many contemporary photographs and with personal accounts from young people who went there to convalesce in the middle of the last century. Feature articles help to place it in the context of the wider world. The book makes clear that the level of care extended to young people has remained constant throughout the 100 years since the death of Sister Jane.