The school was founded by Felix Lavenue, the pseudonym of Englishman Charles Shepperd, who died in 1864. In 1883, it was being run by his daughter, Agnes Mary Lavenue, and she died in Tunbridge Wells a few months after the sale. The Marylebone rate books show that 67 Mortimer St. was scheduled for demolition in 1883, and soon after the purchase the Marshalls moved the school down the road to 30 Mortimer St. Agnes's half-brother John was employed as the school's manager, and half-sister Ada worked for a time as the housekeeper.
